Keswick School students Sophia Grice, Isabella Scott, Tiana Purcell, and Isabella Gaskell win top prize for North West region in an annual contest that reopens this month to celebrate the NHS’s upcoming 75^th birthday.

The competition encourages secondary school pupils to research and create a job advert for an NHS role while learning about the many careers in the health service.  

Isabella, Sophia, Tiana, and Isabella created a video simulation to show the day-to-day duties and the skills and qualifications needed to be a laundry assistant in the NHS.

Health Education England (HEE) runs the Step into the NHS competition each year to raise awareness of the more than 350 career opportunities in the NHS, while supporting the career aspirations of young people in education.

North West regional winning quartet each commented with Tiana Purcell saying: “This experience has been such an incredible, fun, and amazing time, all while working as a team to create our project. I have learnt about how vital the NHS is to our country.

“I have loved going on this journey and learning all about the job of a laundry assistant. People in this job deserve to be acknowledged and valued, without them the NHS just would not be the same.”

Sophia Grice said: “After this experience I have realised how important the NHS is to our community and I loved learning about the role of a laundry assistant.”

Isabella Gaskell added: “I really enjoyed taking part in this competition it has taught me the importance of the NHS and has made me consider a career in the NHS.”

Isabella Scott finished with: “I have learnt so much and I now recognise and appreciate the importance of being part of the NHS community. This competition was so fun, exciting, and thrilling. Plus, I enjoyed working in a team with all my best friends.”

While Head Teacher, Sid Jackson said: “The Step into the NHS competition is a wonderful, easy to access and easy to use resource for schools, and I encourage other schools to take part. It is great that the students get the opportunity to practise those all-important employability skills, which are so valued by all employers.”

This year’s competition saw 898 entries from more than 1,540 pupils in 120 secondary schools across England.

As well as encouraging students to explore the range of careers in the NHS, they had the chance to create a job advert for an NHS role in their own personal and creative way.

Dr Navina Evans, Chief Executive, Health Education England, said: “Congratulations to our North West regional winners Isabella G, Sophia, Tiana, and Isabella S on their video simulation. This unique entry really highlighted the girls’ skills and hard work put into the video. I hope to see this winning entry inspire others in next years’ competition.”

The judges for the competition were television presenter Martin Dougan, 2020’s UK Career Leader of the Year Stacey Drake and medical student and vlogger Takanayi Mureyi.  

Takanyi, judge, said: “It was clear that these girls put a lot of time and effort into synchronising their card presentation which was brilliant to watch.”

Developed in partnership with teachers, the Step into the NHS competition is now reopen for the 2023 competition.

Its curriculum-linked resources for KS2 and KS3, including a careers quiz, an A-Z of NHS careers and stories from NHS staff, introduce students to more than 350 NHS careers.   

Click here for more information on Step into the NHS and how to enter the contest.

For details of all the career opportunities the NHS can offer, visit the NHS Health Careers.