After a rigorous assessment and audit process, City College Plymouth has been approved by the University of Plymouth as the newest placement setting for second and third year nursing students. The new cohort were welcomed to the Lighthouse Wellbeing Centre, located at the College’s Kings Road campus, last month.
This latest training partnership between the College and the University comes as the region’s education sector seeks to provide a more cohesive and integrative approach to learning in order to better meet the growing demand for skilled healthcare workers.
Following a collaborative curriculum developed by the College, the University, and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, the nursing students will undertake a seven-week long placement alongside City College’s counselling team. The supportive staff offer a safe and welcoming space for students to access wellbeing support, advice and guidance on a wide range of social and health issues, making it the ideal learning environment for aspiring healthcare workers.
The placement will also offer trainee nurses the chance to develop the necessary skills for real-world medical settings through study with the College’s Health & Childhood Education teaching team and their students. College staff hope that this integration will help inspire students taking their first steps towards a nursing qualification to consider the university-level career pathways available to them.
“We are immensely proud of the work that went into achieving this accreditation and are looking forward to working with the University of Plymouth to welcome our new nursing students to City College,” said Chaz Talbot, the College’s Student Experience Manager.
“Our community is crying out for more healthcare workers. Now that the College has been officially recognised as equipped to provide the comprehensive learning experience, both practical and theoretical, that new nurses require, we aim to help meet that societal need and set these students on their journey to becoming outstanding healthcare professionals.”
Natalie Jary, NHS Careers Hub Lead, speaking about the approval, said: “This collaboration between City College Plymouth and the University of Plymouth is a visionary step that highlights the commitment to healthcare education in our region. By providing these placement opportunities, we are not only enriching the educational journey of health sector students but also directly contributing to the community by preparing a workforce that understands local healthcare challenges and needs.”
“This approval works alongside our actions in the NHS Careers Hub, which offer students the opportunity to explore various NHS career options, initiate the development of their career paths, and seek answers to enquiries related to NHS employment. With both initiatives working in tandem, we’re looking forward to seeing a real change in the direction of employability within the health sector across the city.”
With this new collaborative nursing placement initiative, there are several pathways to a career in nursing now available through both City College Plymouth and the University of Plymouth. Those interested in finding out more are encouraged to visit www.cityplym.ac.uk.
