NHS Graduate Management Trainee Charlotte tells us all about her experience

I first became aware that the NHS had a graduate scheme whilst looking at ‘The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers’ list in my final year of university. I then did further research on the scheme to find out who it was for, what it involved and where it was. The scheme sounded really interesting, and I particularly liked the fact trainees are given the opportunity to do a range of placements and also get to have their input into the scheme. The qualifications all trainees work towards were a bonus!

I had no previous experience working in healthcare, however, as someone who is passionate about helping people, the scheme sounded perfect for me. Before applying, I read up on the application process and familiarised myself with the different activities I would have to complete. Throughout the application process I tried to remain calm and focussed on just being myself and doing as well as I possibly could.

I was lucky enough to be get a place on the scheme to start in the September 2021 cohort, straight after finishing my undergraduate degree at university. When I started in September, I was put on a 1-month orientation in my trust. This was a great opportunity for me to appreciate the complexity and range of services that are provided across the NHS. As part of this orientation, I went out on an ambulance for the day and was able to experience what it was like for staff on the front line and understand the pressures teams are under. Following my orientation, I went on to have placements in Recruitment, Employee Relations and Organizational Development, all of which provided me with different opportunities to learn and advance my HR knowledge.

I would definitely recommend the scheme to anyone thinking of applying. There is a great community of graduates who all work together to support one another and the education side of the scheme is great, with all trainees completing Action Learning Sets, Experiential Learning and the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Programme.

All trainees have the ability to shape their own journey on the scheme and no two trainees will have the same experience. Get stuck in and take every opportunity!