Team steers trainees onto the road to recruitment

PICTURED: Clare Parvin at her base in Singleton Hospital.

Tracey Esmaail and Clare Parvin have between them clocked up over 30 years of helping trainees gain employment with Swansea Bay UHB.

The pair form the Vocational Training Team and work in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions and Swansea and Neath Port Talbot councils. They support people from the community through initiatives such as the NHS Academy and the Communities for Work Plus Programme.

They aim to increase the employability of individuals who are not in employment, education or training and may face complex barriers to work.

Over the past year, they provided a combination of six and 12-week work placements, and have helped 23 trainees secured employment - 18 within the health board and five externally.

Within the health board, trainees have joined the IT & Digital Intelligence team along with roles in administration, domestic services and portering.

Sara Lockyear is among those to have benefited from the Vocational Training Team’s work placements.

She is now looking forward to a new role as a Breast Service Waiting List Coordinator at the Breast unit in Singleton Hospital.

Sara said: “My time during training helped me not only learn new skills but boosted my self-confidence no end. Prior to starting I had been a full-time carer for my grandmother for 10 years, so I was basically starting over in regard to work experience.

“The support they offered was of the highest standard and because of all their hard work and help I am now a full-time, permanent employee.

PICTURED: Tracey Esmaail has been part of the Vocational Training Team for the past 20 years.

“The induction training was clear and concise and really well planned and coordinated, in which both Tracey and Clare were always available for questions, support and guidance. It was also extremely valuable knowledge and experience to bring into my role in the Transformation department at Baglan HQ during my placement.

“I am especially thankful for all the advice and guidance in regards to the application and interview process, and help given with preparation work.”

Tracey and Clare’s roles within the Vocational Training Team come under the Widening Access, Equality and Careers team.

Victoria Williams is the Careers, Widening Access and Work Experience Manager. She said: “We are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication that Tracey and Clare demonstrate on a daily basis.

“The level of support that they provide to the trainees helps to ensure consistently high outcomes and is testament to the passion they have for their role and ensuring that we are able to recruit so many worthy individuals into the health board.”

The road to recruitment is all too familiar for Tracey and Clare as they both started as trainees themselves before gaining employment with the health board.

Tracey started as a trainee in 2001 before becoming a training officer within the team.

For the past 20 years, she has been helping those who were in the same situation as herself.

Tracey said: “As I have been through the process myself, I can relate to what the trainees are going through. We are very passionate here in the Vocational Training Team about helping people succeed and achieve their goals.

“It is always so inspiring to see the trainees grow in confidence and develop new skills as they progress and hopefully go on to secure long term employment.

Clare joined the team as a trainee in 2009 before becoming a full-time employee.

She said: “My job can be very rewarding as I watch individuals grow with confidence throughout their journey. I am proud to say I am one of those individuals.”