News

Peel Health Campus work experience reboot bolsters job prospects for young people

Oct 15, 2020

Peel Health Campus (PHC) has rebooted its work experience program to bring high school-aged students on site to benefit from real-world mentoring alongside Ramsay Health Care’s experienced clinicians, catering, finance and administrative staff.

PHC Chief Executive Officer Andrew Tome said work experience opportunities for school-aged students were increasingly rare, and with the impact of COVID-19 on the job prospects of young people in the Peel region, the hospital had doubled-down on its commitment to supporting the local community.

The first young person to undertake the 10-week work experience program was year 11 Mandurah Catholic College student Chantelle Stevens who has aspirations to undertake study in health care.

“Chantelle was a fantastic ambassador for the young people of Peel during her time working in the hospital. She was mature beyond her years and well-liked, not just by our team but most importantly by our patients – everyone was enthusiastic and supportive of her experience,” Mr Tome said.

Chantelle spent one day per week at Peel Health Campus rotating through all areas of the hospital.

“We have almost 900 staff at our hospital which includes not just doctors and nurses but also allied health, finance, administration, and services like engineering, cleaning and catering,” Mr Tome said.

“For example, we deliver 32,000 plus meals to patients every year, which makes our kitchen one of the busiest in Mandurah, so there is a lot young people can learn from us.”

Mr Tome said Chantelle’s work experience was a trial to ensure PHC could deliver a positive, constructive real-world experience. 

“Chantelle was a perfect test-case because she approached us directly and was polite, but persistent. She proved just how much young people in Peel have to give and it is because of her we will be working to continue the program,” Mr Tome said.

Mr Tome said PHC would work with local schools to offer work experience placements during the 2021 school year.

“My priority will be ensuring students have the best possible experience with us and the opportunity to develop skills and experience in a complex work environment,” Mr Tome said.