Dudley Academies Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust partnership development and launch of “Healthcare Careers Week

Dudley Academies Trust is a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) bringing together six academies including two primary schools and four secondary schools in the Dudley Borough. Alongside its sponsor, Dudley College of Technology, Dudley Academies Trust supports over 16,300 learners.

In June 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by both Dudley Academies Trust and Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, that makes explicit the commitment of the two organisations to work together to optimise opportunities and outcomes for the learners.

Under this commitment, the partnership collaborates on activities geared towards Careers Advice and Guidance for learners, including a Behind the Scenes tour of The Dudley Group’s key sites of operation, Business Breakfasts, mock interviews for year 10s and traditional Careers Fairs for all year groups.

In May 2025, the partnership launched its first classroom based ‘work experience’ programme which was hosted at The Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology, and attended by 20 year 10 learners from across the four secondary schools. During the weeklong programme they gained hands-on practical experience, via simulated clinical settings, of a range of healthcare professions including Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, Operating Theatres, Critical Care and Maternity and learnt lifesaving skills in an Emergency Care session.

The learners engaged in game-based exercises to understand the financial context of the NHS and met a range of non-clinical specialists in a Meet the Expert networking session.

Future work will target interventions to learners and communities facing additional disadvantages and barriers into employment. The partnership’s vision is to inspire and support more local young people into employment in the health and social care sector, whilst promoting wellbeing in our community and tackling healthcare inequalities.