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Schools engagement programme

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Fancy getting ahead in planning your future career with NHS Highland?

Unlock your potential - work experience workshops, job shadowing and workplace visits can help young people learn about the world of work, raise aspirations and awareness of what is possible, confirm or reject career pathways, build networks and develop skills for the world of work.

Lock And Keyhole

Important: Contact

Contact the Employability team:

email nhsh.employability@nhs.scot

Secondary school engagement programme - career insights

We are constantly reviewing and updating our approach to engaging with young people, and informing them about the range of roles, pathways and careers available within our workforce.

For secondary school pupils, we have introduced a tiered approach to raising awareness of the range of different careers and pathways into health and social care:

Adopting this approach provides young people with tailored, age and stage appropriate opportunities to enable them to find out about different types of careers and understand how their skills, knowledge and ambitions align with these roles.

Work experience programme for 16+ young adults; Career inspiration programme for S4-S6 pupils; Careers in NHS Highland for S1-S2 pupils

Explore your options with NHS Highland

As part of our engagement with secondary school pupils, we offer activities and workshops to promote a greater understanding and visibility of the wide range of roles and careers in the NHS. There are over 350 different careers in the NHS!

UHI House Inverness

Careers in NHS Highland events

A careers day delivered at different locations around the NHS Highland area. These events are a chance for pupils to chat to a range of different practitioners, take part in hands-on interactive workshops and discover more about the roles, qualifications and pathways into different careers.

Careers in NHS Highland events
Nhs Highland Career Inspiration Programme Participants 0

Career inspiration programme

These weeks are designed for pupils who are unsure about their next steps after school. They provide them with a greater insight into the range of career options open to them in the NHS. Workshops are designed to allow pupils to ‘step-into’ the role of a range of different professions and find out how their skills and knowledge apply to these roles.

Career inspiration programme

Work experience placements

Work experience placements enable senior phase pupils to shadow an NHS practitioner in the workplace and find out a little more about a career they are hoping to pursue.

Work experience placements
Adult Social Care Workshops

Adult social care workshops

A range of interactive workshops and information sessions are available that can be tailored to different age groups. For full details of the workshops available:

email carol.summers@nhs.scot

So you want to be a doctor?

During this annual one-day event, S4 and S5 pupils attend a series of workshops, gaining hands-on simulation experience, under supervision of the local medical education faculty. Hear about the different entry routes into medicine and various medical careers available, with the opportunity for a Q&A with current medical students.

Doctors At Work Work Experience

Doctors at Work programme

The work experience element of this runs 6 times per year, during school term time in June, August and September. During the 5-day work experience placement, senior pupils shadow doctors and other colleagues in a variety of clinical settings as well as simulation sessions in clinical skills. Later in the year mock interview practice is offered as part of this programme. For more information:

email nhshighland.doctorsatwork@nhs.scot

Career fayres

NHS practitioners support and attend a range of careers fayres across the NHS Highland area. The Employability team work alongside key stakeholders to support careers and recruitment events. For details of local events, access the Developing the Young Workforce information for your area:

For more information:

email nhsh.employability@nhs.scot

Last updated: 8 December 2025

Next review date: 2 March 2026