NTCL Midlands

Dear Delegates,

On behalf of everyone at Nursing Times, welcome to Nursing Times Careers Live Midlands, our first virtual careers fair of 2021.

Just like our physical events, the day is all about helping you make the next step on your career journey and is designed to make it easy for you to meet potential new employers. Through our virtual events platform, Swapcard, you will be able to connect with exhibitors, arrange interviews and watch back anything on the programme that you missed.

You will have the chance to ask exhibitors about what it is like to work at their organisation, the training and development opportunities, and what the local area is like – but all from the comfort of your own home. As well as the opportunity of ending the day with a new job, you will have the opportunity to be inspired by our guest speakers, many of whom today touch on mental health and wellbeing issues.

Our speaker programme features a session on the Navigating Nursing podcast, which was started in 2020 by Laura Whitehead, lecturer in adult nursing at Middlesex University. She will share career advice, insight into common challenges and advice for progressing in your own role. 

We are also lucky to have the inspirational Annette Bodden-Whisker, a lead theatre nurse and army reserve nurse, on the programme. She will explore her life from growing up in Jamaica, through to working on cruise ships, training as a nurse and then becoming an army reserve nurse and serving in Afghanistan in 2009-2010.

We have a session on making the most of social media but within the confines of the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s code of conduct. Jessica Sainsbury, adult and mental health student nurse at University of Southampton, will explore how you can raise your profile, share best practice and connect with the nursing community to enhance your studies and future career.

For those at the start of their nursing journey, our live student reception will give you the opportunity to discuss key topics such as placements and preceptorships. Our special guest is Doreen Dube, a second-year adult nursing student at the University of Northampton and Nursing Times student editor. She will be joined by Jessica Sainsbury who is speaking earlier in the day.

After each presentation, you will have the opportunity to take part in a live question and answer session with the speaker. 

New for this year, you can also join our mentor discussion group which will be hosted by Carol Forde-Johnston, a nurse educator with over 30 years’ experience. She will be on hand to answer any questions you have about interviews or professional development.

Last but not least, we are delighted to reveal the return of the NTCL Prize Draw this year, after a year off. Please visit the ‘NTCL Prize Draw’ booth for details on how to enter.

I would like to thank our speakers – Laura Whitehead, Annette Bodden-Whisker, Carol Forde-Johnston, Jessica Sainsbury and Doreen Dube. 

I would also like to thank our exhibitors.

Share your thoughts and tweet using the hashtag #NTCL. Happy job hunting!

Best wishes

Steve Ford, editor, Nursing Times and chair of Nursing Times Careers Live