NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde launched its first Youth Employment Plan in 2012 in recognition of the importance of supporting increased numbers of young people to take up employment within the organisation. 

With an ageing workforce and patient population, it is increasingly important for NHSGGC to develop a workforce that can not only cope with the current demand for health services but will also be able to deliver a high standard of care in the future.   This means attracting, training and retaining younger members of staff to ensure we have an appropriately trained workforce today, and in the years ahead.

Over the last five years we have appointed 160 apprentices into the organisation.  We have been delighted by the success of this programme but recognise that there are lots of other ways for us to support young people in securing employment within the NHS or pursuing an educational pathway that will lead to a career within the health service.

Working with a range of partner agencies we are working on the following:

• Raising the awareness of the range of career opportunities within the NHS and pathways into these.  This includes a revised calendar of schools engagement activity, development of a revised model of school work experience and an online resource for careers information.
• Developing new pathways for entry level jobs which will include pre-employment programmes
• Ongoing development and expansion of the Modern Apprenticeship Programme