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Careers

Work Experience and Placements

Work experience gives those interested in a career in the NHS the opportunity to gain hands-on experience observing what happens in hospitals, the day-to-day work of NHS multi-disciplinary teams and an understanding of the attitudes, the behaviours and values that are expected in a healthcare setting. Shadowing our teams, you will have the opportunity to see first-hand what is involved in the job role you are considering.

The NHS has over 350 different career possibilities in clinical and non-clinical areas and each one makes a difference every day.

Our placements are open to students and adults resident in the Berkshire area. Students from outside Berkshire and outside the UK will not accepted for a placement. 

The Trust receives a very high number of requests for placements each year. We cannot accommodate all these requests, so placements are not guaranteed once the application has been made. 

Eligibility 

To be eligible to apply for a placement you must be a school/college student in Year 12 or 13 who is resident in and attends school or college in the Berkshire area, or an adult who is resident in the local area.

Eligible students must and achieving the predicted grades required for medical school, university or the professional training qualification required for their career of interest

Applicants must be able to attend during the designated placement weeks.  Applicants will need to demonstrate their interest in a career in the area for which they are applying for a placement and some understanding of the role in their application.

How to Apply

Please find more information about applying for below and dates when applications are open. 

We are unable to offer placements within Psychology, Psychiatry, Paramedics, Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Drama Therapy, Dietetics, Social Work or Mental Health.

For Physicians Associates work experience please contact the team via the South East School of Physicians Associates - https://seschoolofpas.org/ 

For work experience enquiries for any areas, then please contact healthcareworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk  

Medicine Placements (Year 12 & 13 Students)

Placements are for a maximum of three days. 

For the academic year September 2024 to August 2025 placement weeks are:

  • Intake One -  28 October to 1 November 2024. 
  • Intake Two -  24 to 28 February 2025. 
  • Intake Three - 12 to 17 May 2025. 
  • Intake Four - 7 to 11 July 2025.

Applications for Intake One and Two are open from 31 August to 11 September 2024. Applications for Intakes Three and Four are open from 17 February to 26 February 2025. 

To register your interest and request an application form please contact medicineworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk during the application periods. 

Nursing (Year 12 & 13 Students)

Our nursing programme runs twice a year. This will include a pre-placement day with nursing staff, shadowing nursing staff and advice for applications (open to A Level students and Heath & Social Care students). 

  • Intake One - 29 October to 31 October 2024, and 18 February to 20 February 2025. 
  • Intake Two - 15 April to 17 April 2025, and 29 July to 31 July 2025.

Applications for Intake One are open from 23 August to 13 September 2024. Applications for Intake Two are open from 14 February to 28 February 2025.

To register your interest and request an application form please contact healthcareworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk during the application periods. 

Allied Health Professions (Year 12 & 13 Students)

Our Allied Health Professions Programme runs three times a year. This runs over three days and includes workshops and a placement day shadowing an Allied Health Professional. 

  • Intake One - 17 February to 21 February 2025
  • Intake Two - 7 April to 11 April 2025
  • Intake Three - 28 July to 2 August 2025

Applications for Intake One are open from 13 to 20 December. Applications for Intake Two are open from 7 March to 14 March 2025. Applications for Intake Three are open from 2 May to 9 May 2025. 

To register your interest and request an application form please contact healthcareworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk during the application periods. 

Midwifery (Year 12 & 13 Students)

Our Midwifery programme runs twice a year. 

  • Intake One - pre-placement session and tour (12 February 2025), and placement day on week commencing 3 March 2025. 
  • Intake Two - pre-placement session and tour (9 July 2025), and placement day on week commencing 4 August 2025.

Applications for Intake One are open from 9 November to 23 November 2024. Applications for Intake Two are open from 3 May to 17 May 2025. 

To register your interest and request an application form please contact healthcareworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk during the application periods. 

Adult Placements

Adult placements are offered at different times of the year depending on the capacity of the hosting department at the time. 

We regret that due to the high number of requests for placements, if you are a university student we are only able placements in the area of your current study.

Please contact healthcareworkexperience@royalberkshire.nhs.uk.