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Undergraduate Work Placements

Have you ever wondered how much an operation costs, how the NHS finds the money to build a new hospital, why we have waiting lists, or how much it costs to keep an ambulance on the road? If your answer is yes, then an undergraduate work placement within the NHS Finance Function may be a great opportunity for you. A year in NHS finance gives you an opportunity to put what you are learning at university into practice, in a real-life situation where your work contributes to patient care.

The Skills Development Network runs Undergraduate Placements in the East of England, London, Yorkshire and Humber and the East Midlands and they recruit through this link here.

Have a read below about some of the details of the schemes.

Undergraduate Placements in the East of England

Around half the NHS Organisations in the East of England offer one-year Finance Placements for undergraduates studying finance related or numerate degrees. This diverse range of NHS Organisations includes our Ambulance Trust, Hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Community Healthcare Providers, Integrated Care Boards, Regional Teams and the Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) and placements are offered in a number of teams within Finance, including Financial Accounts, Financial Services & Systems, Operational Finance, Financial Planning, Costing & Income, Management Accounts, and Information & Reporting. Some placements are within one team, to develop a depth of knowledge, while other organisations offer the option to rotate between teams during the placement year, to gain a broader perspective.

Skills that are looked for in undergraduates:

• Have strong communication skills and can work as part of a team, as well as independently.
• Are good at planning & organising, have an eye for detail and can assimilate complex information.
• Have excellent Excel skills and are able to demonstrate an interest in figures and financial calculations.
• Have ambition, are highly motivated, enjoy a challenge and are keen to take on responsibilities.

Placements will be for 12 months and there is a salary around £18.5k per annum, depending on exact location.

You will get on-going support from your line manager and colleagues, and opportunities for training and development throughout the year. Experience gained throughout the placement can contribute towards future CIPFA, CIMA, ACCA or ICAEW practical experience requirements. After the placement you will be in a strong position to apply for a place on the NHS Graduate Scheme, or to apply directly for finance related jobs in the NHS.  Some students have even continued working for the NHS part time, during their final year degree.

To find out more click here.

Undergraduate Placements in London

In London the Skills Development Network place around 60 second year Finance and Accounting students on accelerated degrees from 5 London universities with NHS Trusts for 12 months starting between July-September.  This scheme has been running for over 10 years and many students recruited through this scheme return to the NHS afterwards.  Benefits of the scheme include:

  • Salaried placement (circa £22k Band 2)
  • Excellent grounding in how the NHS works
  • Working for the largest employer in Europe
  • Supportive feedback
  • Allocation of a senior manager who will support them during the placement
  • Access to development courses and annual conferences through SDN
  • Opportunity to see the relevance of what they have studied in a practical context

This scheme is exclusively for students from Greenwich, Westminster, Bloomsbury, Southbank and Middlesex Universities.  For more information please click here.

Undergraduate Placements in the East Midlands

The Skills Development Network in the East Midlands also offer one year placements located throughout various NHS organisations.  The work placements are for 12 months commencing between July and September each year and have a salary of around £20K p.a. depending on location.

Experience gained throughout the finance placement period will add towards the practical experience requirements of  the CIMA, CIPFA and ACCA accountancy qualifications.

Applications for 2024 are now closed  – further details can be found at NHS Work Placements (nhsfinancecareers.com)

 

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