Southwark College hosted a careers event this week in partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust at the College’s employability hub to help people in the borough learn more about the different career options and pathways into employment available in the health sector.   

During the event, attendees heard from representatives from Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the Department for Work and Pensions, who spoke about the diverse range of careers available in healthcare, covering financial, legal and management roles, among other paths.  

Attendees also learnt about apprenticeships opportunities and the sector-based academy programme (SWAP) delivered in partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the DWP to link Southwark residents to local employers and give students the boost they need to access career opportunities at the Trust. 

Annette Cast, Principal at Southwark College, said: “The healthcare sector has been at the forefront of the global pandemic and supporting them by training and upskilling their future workforce has never been more important.   

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and the Department for Work and Pensions to connect people in Southwark with local healthcare employers and to offer programmes that can help them gain the qualifications they need to pursue a career in this rewarding sector.”  

Manal Sadik, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Widening Participation at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “The employability hub is a fantastic opportunity to bring what we do into the community so that residents, and people at school and college, can see that there are many pathways into over 350 careers in health.  

“If you’ve ever thought about a career in health, please visit our team from Guy’s and St Thomas’ at Southwark College or go to www.discoverhealthcare.co.uk to find out how to get involved.”  

William Harwood, Borough Partnership Manager for Southwark at the Department for Work and Pensions, said: “Events like these have the potential to change lives and we are thrilled to see them taking place in Southwark College with local employers. We hope that this event will give the residents the information and opportunities they need to enter the health sector and start working towards their career goals.”

To find out more about the SWAP programme and the range of services available at the Employability Hub, visit southwark.ac.uk/hub.