National Careers Week 2022
This week is National Careers Week and we're spotlighting some of our Kickstart colleagues who have joined us for a six month placement.
The government's Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit and it provides exciting opportunites for young people to gain valuable work experience and, in addition, helps us as employers to benefit from their refreshing approach, skills and ideas.
We currently have 55 Kickstarters here at NELFT and so for National Careers Week, we asked them to tell us what attracted them to the scheme, what they enjoy most and what advice they would give to others looking to get into the NHS through an apprenticeship or training programme.
Jasraj Seehra - Kickstart Administrative Assistant
Hi, my name is Jasraj Seehra and I have been working at NELFT since December 2021. I currently work as a Kickstarter admin assistant.
What attracted you to the Kickstart programme and a career in the NHS? 
I started my career in the NHS as a Kickstarter through the job centre as they were advertising it online and I decided to have go and see what I can learn through this programme. It was the best decision I have made. I get to learn all about what goes on in the NHS and meet different people along the way.
What were you doing before you started your placement?
Before my placement at the NHS, I was working at various places in customer service and social media marketing. I completed a 100-hour traineeship and worked at places for free in order to gain experience so it could help me in the future. During the first UK lockdown I was unable to find a job and it was a challenging time not only for me but for everyone. I decided to do a few courses which could benefit me in the future and also learn new things.
What do you enjoy most about your placement?
What I enjoy most about working for the NHS is that the environment is very friendly. My co-workers are always willing to help, you get treated with respect and there is a lot of support available to staff.
What advice would you give anyone looking to get into the NHS through an apprenticeship or training programme?
I would say apply for these programmes because you will learn so much during your time here and you will receive full support from colleagues. The NHS is an amazing place to start your career. There are many opportunities working in the NHS as there are literally so many roles to apply for including clinical and non-clinical.
I feel really grateful to be working for the NHS as this was a goal of mine to achieve.
What are your plans for the future once you have completed your kickstart programme?
My plan for the future is to hopefully become an apprentice working for the NHS and gain experience in a different department to widen my career opportunities.
Cameron Purkiss - Kickstart Administrative Assistant for the Speech and Language Therapy Service
What attracted you to the Kickstart programme and a career in the NHS? 
"I was originally attracted to the NHS and the Kickstarter programme, because there were opportunities I never really considered before. I was unemployed at the time and going to universal credit and thought I should throw my hat into the ring and see what kickstart placements were available. I then saw that there were NHS placements available within NELFT. I felt this was a good chance to join a large organisation to make use of my abilities and develop my potential."
What were you doing before you started your placement?
"Before starting my placement, I was in a quite a frustrating position. I’d graduated from university in 2018 with a BA degree in history and I had been applying for various jobs, whilst also volunteering to build up my experience. However, I was finding myself unsuccessful at getting to interview stages for roles. Until I started having success when I applied for roles within the NHS."
What do you enjoy most about your placement?
"What I enjoy the most about my placement is both the team I’m working with and the direct service I feel we are providing to patients. My team is made up of talented, friendly, and hard-working people who are trying their best to provide the highest quality care. I also enjoy that I feel part of the process that sees patients receive care and improve their quality of life."
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into the NHS through an apprenticeship or training programme?
"My advice to anyone looking to get into the NHS through an apprenticeship or training programme, would to be open minded and confident. Apply to roles you wouldn’t have considered before, even if you think you may not get it. I would also suggest that you try to build contacts with people within the NHS offering these roles, as it will keep you in their minds and they might let you know when new programmes are open for applications."