Doctors and nurses? Of course. Physiotherapists, radiographers and pharmacists? Absolutely. Porters, domestics, cooks and administrators? Goes without saying.
But what if you’re fascinated by physics? Have an eye for a photo or a knack for fixing things? Or maybe a talent for making scary things less scary?
When Errin Hughes graduated from university with a degree in illustration, a career with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) wasn’t exactly part of the plan.
In fact, she was working in a coffee shop and wondering what lay ahead when an opportunity caught her eye.
Today, Errin is one of NHSGGC’s first Apprentice Health & Safety Officers, building a career in a profession she hadn’t previously considered.
“I never realised there were opportunities in completely different industries available to me,” she said. “When I saw this apprenticeship, I thought: why not? I’ve got nothing to lose.”
And Errin’s experience illustrates a much bigger point.
In Scottish Careers Week, NHSGGC is encouraging people to think again about what a career in the NHS can actually mean.
Because behind the familiar job titles is a huge range of people with talents and interests you might not immediately associate with healthcare.
A love of physics, for instance, could lead to a career helping to plan highly precise radiotherapy treatment for people with cancer.
An interest in engineering and fixing things could mean helping to look after sophisticated medical equipment relied upon every day by patients and staff.
Even an eye for a great photograph could become a healthcare career, with specialist clinical photographers using technical imaging to support patient care.
And then there are roles which can be difficult to explain until you’ve seen the difference they make.
Health Play Specialists use their creativity and expertise to make frightening experiences less frightening for children and young people, using structured play to help them understand what is happening and prepare for treatments and procedures.
Elsewhere, Clinical Perfusion Scientists work alongside surgical teams during heart operations, operating machinery that can temporarily take over the work of a patient’s heart and lungs.
They are very different careers – but they make Errin’s discovery that there was far more to working for the NHS than she had imagined seem rather less unusual.
Fellow apprentice Amy Stevenson, who has a psychology degree, has discovered that variety first-hand. Her new Health & Safety role has already taken her from a hospital helipad to a huge industrial laundry.
And 19-year-old Ellie Mitchell arrived at an NHSGGC apprenticeship event thinking she might pursue dental nursing. A conversation with the Health & Safety team opened up another possibility altogether.
“I didn’t even know a job like this existed,” she said.
For NHSGGC, that sense of discovery is an important part of the Careers Week message.
There is no single route into the organisation, and university is far from the only starting point. Alongside graduate and professionally qualified careers, NHSGGC offers apprenticeships and employability programmes aimed at helping people take their first steps into work or find a new direction.
Alison Pugh knows how far one of those first steps can lead.
She joined NHSGGC as a young apprentice 13 years ago, completing a business administration qualification while working. Today she is a Staff Bank supervisor, supporting others as they build careers of their own.
“Joining the NHS has been the best thing I’ve ever done. You get real work experience, and you’re fully supported throughout,” Alison Pugh said.
“If you’re not sure what direction to take, have a look at the roles available. If something interests you, go for it.”
You don’t even have to know exactly where you want your career to take you. Sometimes, taking that first step and talking to the right people can be enough.
NHSGGC’s employability teams and job coaches can help people explore the opportunities available, look at where their interests and skills might fit and help them take the next step towards work.
And perhaps that’s the message for anyone wondering where their own interests or talents can take them.
You might already have the makings of a career in the NHS. You just might not know the job exists yet.
That’s certainly something Errin Hughes has discovered since taking a chance on a career she had never considered.
“I’m absolutely loving it. Every day is different and I’ve realised there are so many exciting careers within the NHS that people simply don’t know about,” she said.
Her advice? Take a look. Ask the question. And if something catches your eye, go for it.
For more information about careers and opportunities with NHSGGC, visit Careers with NHSGGC.
