Healthwatch Greenwich shortlisted for AGCAS Employer Award

Healthwatch Greenwich is proud to announce its nomination for the prestigious AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers and Employability Service Engagement, a key component of the Targetjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2025. This accolade celebrates employers who foster and uphold robust partnerships with higher education careers and employability services, recognising those who deliver outstanding support for career services that aid students and recent graduates in navigating their professional development.

For more than three years, Healthwatch Greenwich has partnered with the University of Greenwich to implement innovative projects designed to develop workplace skills and raise awareness of career pathways in the health and care sector. Over three years, we have provided 50 students with valuable work experience, supporting them to gain practical knowledge in real-world settings. Our work includes the highly successful Careers in Public Health Webinar. This informative event catered to students with a keen interest in public health, offering insights, advice, and guidance from industry professionals. Our keynote speakers engaged students in discussions on getting started in public health, industry challenges, sector insights, and networking opportunities available to them.

In 2024, we took significant strides forward by co-developing a tailored internship in collaboration with the University of Greenwich, which proved to be exceptionally successful. This led to the expansion of the programme into a paid summer internship for students. Recognising the initiative’s success, we are continuing this collaboration with the University of Greenwich and are currently co-creating another paid Projects Support Internship.

Commenting on the nomination, Engagement and Volunteer Manager Kiki Bourcha remarked, "Our comprehensive volunteering programme and focused career initiatives are designed to equip students with practical experience, fostering the essential skills required to not only thrive in the health and care sector but in a wide variety of workplaces. Being nominated for this award reinforces our long-standing commitment to local partnerships that aim to enhance young people's engagement in the health and care sector and acknowledges the hard work and determination of the students working with our organisation to create meaningful change in their community."

Chief Executive Officer Joy Beishon added, “Our collaboration with the University of Greenwich, alongside our active engagement with passionate young people, allows us to equip students with transferable skills necessary for thriving in their future careers. Our board members have been actively supporting this initiative, sharing their skills and knowledge with the young people who join us. These experiences are critical for supporting students to successfully transition from academic settings to professional environments. Through these efforts, we aim to empower the next generation of health and social care employees, giving them a sound foundation to develop their careers.”