Hands-On Experience For Budding Health Students

Students from across schools in Ceredigion will have an opportunity to talk face-to-face with staff from a range of sectors, including local health and care services about their future careers at an event to be held on 21 March 2023.

The ‘Choose Your Future’ event is aimed at pupils from years 10, 11, 12 and 13 and will give them an insight into careers across a variety of organisations, including the NHS. It has been organised by Careers Wales and will be supported by a range of staff from Hywel Dda University Health Board, Ceredigion County Council as well as other local organisations.

The event, being held at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, will give students, parents and visitors an interactive experience in the wide range of career opportunities available within the health board, as well as raising awareness of the pathways into desired careers.

Different services from across the health board will showcase a range of career options, including nursing, therapies, podiatry, hotel facilities, radiology, pharmacy, and workforce. Students will be able to get involved in activities with the health professionals, such as using sonography equipment, birthing models and more, giving them a more hands-on insight into NHS services.

A similar ‘Choose Your Future’ event was held in Pembrokeshire in November 2022, which was well attended with 1,500 pupils taking part, and an event is being planned for Carmarthenshire.

Lisa Gostling, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “This is a great chance for us to connect face-to-face with our younger population about the fantastic career opportunities available to them in their local NHS. There was a great buzz in the room in our Pembrokeshire event and we are hopeful that many of the students who attended will go on to become part of our future workforce in Hywel Dda.”

Andrew Wonklyn, Team Leader at Careers Wales added: “The Choose Your Future event is a fantastic opportunity for young people in Ceredigion to expand their horizons when it comes to careers and their future choices. By bringing school pupils together with local and national employers, they can learn more about the opportunities available to them after school and in the future.

“The event will give pupils a chance to think about what appeals to them and ask questions directly to the experts themselves. Our expert careers advisers will also be there on the day to help pupils think about their next steps.”

Councillor Alun Williams, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet member with responsibility for Through Age Wellbeing said: “This will be a fantastic opportunity for students who are considering a career in the NHS to get an insight from current health workers. It will also be a great opportunity to those who have not yet considered the NHS as a career path.”

To find out more about the event visit:

Choose Your Future Ceredigion | Events (gov.wales)

For more information about careers in your local NHS, visit Working for us – Hywel Dda University Health Board (nhs.wales). You can also follow the health board’s social media channels here:

• Facebook – @SwyddiHywelDdaJobs
• Twitter – @SwyddHDdaJobs
• LinkedIn – Hywel Dda University Health Board