New health and care jobs training and skills programme

March 31, 2022

Southend-on-Sea City Council has secured funding from the Government’s UK Community Renewal Fund for a pilot project that will see investment in skills and training for the healthcare sector and supporting people into employment.

‘Anchoring the Southend 2050 Ambition’ pilot project have been awarded over £400,000 with the aim of supporting people most in need to secure quality work within Southend Hospital or in another local health or care organisation in Southend. The project will be delivered by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

Emma Cooney, director of regeneration and growth at the council, said: “The pandemic has been challenging for everyone. It’s important that we continue to work in partnership to support people who are most in need of help to reach their aspirations and provide support to those who have lost their jobs so they can retrain or upskill. This is exactly what our Southend Anchor Programme will do.”

Charlotte Williams, chief strategy and improvement officer, at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, added: “The new programme aims to help eligible people in Southend get the skills they need to get the jobs they want within the NHS.

“The Trust have recruited dedicated employment officers to the project, who will provide advice and support to eligible people wanting to retrain and improve their skills. Through this initiative, the Trust will also ensure it fulfils its ambition to work with partners and be a major employer of local people."

The Trust will work closely with partners that include Southend-on-Sea City Council, A Better Start Southend, South Essex Community Hub and Generation Medics to create new opportunities for local people to enter employment within the health sector. The programme will provide routes into employment via volunteering and training and will bring benefits for people most at risk of the negative health effects of long-term unemployment.

On working within the NHS, Patti Travella, an Anchor Southend Employment Officer, said: “The great thing about the NHS is that there is a real opportunity to progress within it if you want to. There’s an incredible range of jobs not just medical, but IT and admin, and it’s a great environment to work in.

“The Anchor Programme is a great way for someone to gain skills quickly and it will look good on their CV. It will also introduce them to a range of roles in the NHS and make them ideal candidates for jobs in the NHS.”

You can find out more about the Southend Anchor Programme and full details of their partners on their website. A new video has also been created to outline the Anchor project’s services, which can be found and shared via YouTube. To book an appointment with an employment officer to find out more information about the different training opportunities available and see if you’re eligible, contact mse.ukcrfsouthend@nhs.net.