Former Learning Hub students enjoyed a happy reunion with their tutors after they all went on to obtain jobs with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) following completion of their courses.

The ex-students were invited to attend a special 10^th anniversary event at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB) to mark the commencement of the Activate training programme in 2003.

The invitation went out to any former student of the Learning Hub training centre who is now employed by UHB.

Learning Hub manager Rachel Burton said: “Activate was the first programme we developed in 2003, and during this time we have supported 1,500 people into employment, predominantly within the public sector.”

Of those, 155 trainees were able to gain employment in 2012/13.

Rachel added: “The programme provides a mixture of classroom-based sessions and a work placement within the hospital. The sessions we deliver are all employability based and include data protection, communication, customer service and infection control.

“We also have a range of guest speakers coming in to talk to the groups about their job roles. These include nursing, theatres, medical records, hotel services and admin.

“We just thought it would be a great idea to mark the 10^th anniversary of Activate by inviting people who have been successful in obtaining jobs through this, and other programmes.

“The Activate programme, which is still running, helps provide employability skills or AQA certificated courses. Following a six-week programme, the students continue to work with us for up to six months, during which time we hopefully find them jobs.”

Activate is one of several programmes currently operating at the Learning Hub, which aims to help unemployed local people back into work by providing pre-employment training, advice and guidance.

Rachel said: “One of the other programmes we offer is Building Health, which came on board in 2005. This course is delivered in conjunction with the Trust recruitment of auxiliary nurses.

“Clients attend classroom-based sessions which focus on specific sector skills and then consolidate their learning by completing a work placement on a ward.”

She said it was hoped that the 10^th anniversary get-together would provide an inspiration to the many people who currently attend the Hub with the intention of working within the NHS.

Tutor Peter Forsland commented: “In the seven years that I have worked at University Hospitals Birmingham, as both Tutor and Placement Officer, it has been my great pleasure to meet some truly brilliant students who have gone on to make extremely valuable contributions to the care provided by UHB and other trusts. It is a genuine joy to now know many of them as both friends and colleagues.”

One of the former Activate students who successfully landed a job at UHB is 50-year-old former welder Tony Ellor.

He has obtained a post as a healthcare assistant (HCA) in the Trust’s Burns Unit, initially at Selly Oak Hospital and now at QEHB, after being made redundant from his job as a welder with LDV in 2009.

He initially did a six-week course at the Learning Hub, half in the classroom and the rest on placement, before following up with a specific HCA course, also through Activate.

He said: “I wish I had done this 20 years ago. Every day is completely different and you don’t know who is going to be coming through the door. I just love it.”

The Building Health programme provides entry-level training for healthcare assistants, with some 62 unemployed Learning Hub clients gaining a job as an HCA during 2012/13.

Further information about Activate and the other Learning Hub programmes can be found by visiting their website (see link below) or phoning 0121 697 8200.