BARNSLEY College has officially launched an academy partnership with the hospital.
The new academy is located at the college’s Old Mill Lane site and adds to the growing range of employer-led partnerships that give students access to more high-quality education and training, with further opportunities to experience the world of work.
It will offer students a space equipped with real-world health care equipment, including three model hospital beds and medical mannequins, with which they can practice, develop and advance their healthcare skills with ongoing support from NHS professionals.
Bob Kirton, managing director at Barnsley Hospital, said: “We of course think Barnsley College is a great organisation and it’s great to work together, but it’s never better than when we can produce something like this.
“It’s exciting for us to be coming off site and using the amazing training spaces at the college, and it’s brilliant to have something of this standard away from the trust which is a bespoke facility.
“What we want to do for the people of Barnsley is provide the best environment for them to learn in and for their first experience of healthcare as a career to be a really positive one.
“So, to have this facility is great and to have our values, Respect, Diversity and Teamwork, on the academy wall, which are really central to this partnership.”
Barnsley College CEO David Akeroyd added: “Barnsley Hospital is a huge employer in our community, one that many of our health, science and social care professions students are likely to work with at some point in their career in some form, be that through employment, work experience or other training opportunities.
“That’s why it was so important to us to solidify this partnership and show our students not only the learning opportunities available to them now, but also to demonstrate that clear flight path for success if they chose to pursue a career working in our NHS.
“We’re no strangers to working with the Hospital in providing work experience, delivering training, talks, and masterclasses so this launch is great to properly cement for our students the brilliant working relationship we have.”
