Kay Garden

Employer: NHS Graduate Schemes

Qualifications: BSc psychology, Durham University

I had thought about working in medicine or clinical psychology and completed work experience with the NHS before attending a presentation at university about the graduate schemes. The NHS is such a massive organisation that I felt it could offer me a lot of opportunities and I was interested in human resources (HR) so I decided to apply.

My job

I will complete four placements on the scheme, allowing me to gain a broad understanding of HR while working towards a Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD) qualification. My first placement was in recruitment, helping managers to advertise and recruit into difficult positions. I am now involved with a process called ‘Improving Working Lives’, which aims to improve working conditions and practices for NHS staff.

I am rewriting job descriptions to reflect what people actually do and making sure that all the secretaries, for example, are graded equally. I spend about 60 % of my time in the office as I am often out meeting staff or interviewing applicants. It is a friendly place to work and I have the support of a network of people who are on the scheme with me. I have two further placements to complete and then hope to enter an operational HR role, moving into something more strategic and longer term.

Highs and lows

It can be frustrating that change doesn’t always happen quickly but overall I am really enjoying my time on the scheme. During the first couple of weeks for example, I spent some time with ambulance crews, porters and nurses, which was fascinating and a great way to understand what everyone does. The NHS is such a large organisation that it is crucial you can see and understand the bigger picture.