First of its kind work experience project launched in the borough

It’s called Taste of the Workplace and the first placement is a Blue Lights Project at Wixams Academy for year nine students, run by delivery partners 4YPUK, in partnership with Bedfordshire Police, East of England Ambulance Service, BLMK Health and Care Academy hosted by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Wingman Mentors

It kicked off with a hard-hitting dramatisation by police cadets in real time of a knife attack, showing how the different emergency services would respond to the situation. It included paramedics saving the victim’s life, the suspect being detained, scenes of crime officers taking evidence form the scene, police officers setting up a cordon and taking statements from witnesses.

This was followed up by the students spending time with the emergency services, having guided tours of their vehicles and equipment, as well as learning about the different careers available within the organisations. BLMK Health and Care Academy taught the students vital life-saving skills, such as the use of tourniquets, the recovery position, and other critical techniques. Wingman Mentors also joined to show the students the contents of Stop the Bleed kits available in the local community.

Paul (PK) Kellett, Director of Bedford Giving, said: “We found it’s becoming increasingly more and more difficult for students to find work experience placements, with employers requiring the right insurance and the ability to have under 16s in their workplace. We decided to flip it on its head, to bring businesses and organisations into the classroom.

“This way we reach a large number of students at one time, who can work on real life examples and really get into the nuts and bolts of day job, getting a taste of what it’s like in the workplace. We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the project with the flashing lights, sirens and truly immersive experience at Wixams Academy.”

Emily Hurst, PCSO, explained why Bedfordshire Police got involved in the project: “It has been a real privilege to show these young people the reality of the policing world and all the vital careers within. The young people were really engaged and asked us lots of interesting questions and we hope that through this project we have inspired some future police officers and staff. Bringing the work experience into schools makes it far more accessible to all children from any background. We really hope they all enjoyed their time with us and have learned some vital life skills.”

The learning continued on Friday where students observed and took part in hospital resuscitation simulated practice and learnt basic life support with BLMK Health and Care Academy and Bedfordshire Police delivered an eye-opening virtual reality experience, allowing students to step into the shoes of someone being arrested and processed at a police station. They also had a Q&A session with the force’s Boson Unit, which deals with guns and gangs. Over the next two weeks the project will focus on cybercrime, a forensic post mortem and how the emergency services manage social media, as well as pathways into careers within the police and NHS.

Abigail Dinner, Practice Educator of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The students were fully engaged, displaying great enthusiasm throughout the session. Their active participation and the palpable energy created a fun and positive learning environment. It was evident that the students were not only absorbing critical information but also gaining the confidence to apply these skills in real-life situations. We look forward to further broadening their understanding of healthcare roles and providing them with more practical skills.”

Patrick Downes, Assistant Head Teacher at Wixams, added: “We are delighted to have been chosen to pilot the Taste of the Workplace project, an exciting opportunity for our students to engage directly with the emergency services, offering a rare and valuable insight into the challenges faced by emergency responders, while equipping them with critical life skills and raising awareness of the consequences of crime, as well as introducing them into all the varied roles within the police and NHS.

“I was really blown away by the scale and visual impact of the scenario. It was so rewarding to see the students so engaged in the session and there was such a buzz amongst them. The professionals involved were absolutely amazing, they made the session fun, exciting, engaging and interesting for the students and we are so grateful to all those involved."

The next Taste of the Workplace will take place at Daubeney Academy in June and July and involve companies Skanska, M&J Roofing, bpha and Anglian Water bringing their work projects into the classroom for students to work on.

For further information about Bedford Giving and the opportunities it offers young people to create brighter futures, visit www.bedfordgiving.org.uk.