New Hartlepool College skills academy deliver staff for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust

Hartlepool College of Further Education has created the academy at a time when North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust is finding it hard to recruit to its administrative support service.

But with the help of the college’s adult education programme, in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus, Lydia Gooding and Keiran Kitching have secured employment with the trust’s Single Point of Access team.

The admin team, based at University Hospital Hartlepool, was set up to provide a first point of contact for adults wanting to contact community nursing and therapy services across Stockton and Hartlepool.

It handles around 100,000 calls and receives around 100,000 referrals every year.

Angela McMurray, the single point access manager, said: “Following the pandemic, the NHS has consistently struggled to recruit appropriately qualified staff members to our vacancies.

“Through working with the college in developing the skills-based work academy we have been able to add a new approach to recruitment.

“This method enables us to work with candidates individually to provide on the job training for part of the working week, while the other part to the week the individual spends at college gaining the necessary knowledge, skills and qualifications to deliver on the role in the long-term.”

As part of the Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP), candidates must complete a five-day introductory administration course at Hartlepool College followed by work experience with the NHS Trust.

After gaining a Level 1 qualification in business administration, candidates are then guaranteed a job interview.

Lydia and Kieran have now started Level 3 business admin apprenticeships after successful interviews.

The apprenticeship covers a wide range of training in a number of different administrative and clinical systems.

Maria Archbold, Hartlepool College’s head of school for professional and creative studies, said: "We’ve been pleased to be able to help such an important organisation in the town with their recruitment needs.”

The trust has been impressed with the attitude of their new team members and it is hoped more will follow.

Angela added: “Kieran and Lydia are both very keen to learn as much as they can and are excited at the opportunity the apprenticeship within our NHS Trust has offered them."