Metro South Health welcomed 18 Year 11 students to the Deadly Start Program this week which provides a springboard to advance a career in health for students who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
Senior Consultant in Diversity and Employment, Angeline Ng said this is the first time the Deadly Start Program has been offered at Metro South Health, with the students embarking on their Certificate III in Health Support Services alongside placement at either Princess Alexandra Hospital or QEII Hospital for one day per week for the next 12 months.
“The partnership with Connect’n’Grow Training Hub at Sunnybank State High School and St. James College Spring Hill has already supported the students through their Certificate II in Health Support Services which provides exciting career options in health such as nursing, allied health, administration, and operational support.
“This is a great opportunity for the students to be exposed to interesting areas of the hospital such as ward nursing as an AIN, physiotherapy assistant in rehabilitation, pharmacy assistant, human resources generalist and recruitment, and operational services,” Angeline said.
“It is also a great opportunity for our staff to inspire the next generation of healthcare workers through this program.”
Senior Director of Human Resources, Lorna Morton looks forward to welcoming Deadly Start trainee, Kaylah to a placement in Human Resources at PA Hospital saying that bringing the ‘human’ into Human Resources is what she likes to highlight.
“There are so many facets of HR in health because hospitals are so big and full of complexity with so many different professional groups.
“The advantage of a really large hospital is the opportunity to move into different areas of the business and HR have a constant role in educating and developing our staff,” Lorna said.
This latest intake is significant for being the first time the program is run outside of Metro North HHS with 140 students commencing in the program statewide.
Angeline said this intake is even more significant for Metro South Health with two Pharmacy Assistant roles representing a program-first since Deadly Start commenced in Queensland in 2019.
“Pharmacy are very excited to be part of this and very supportive of the trainees in their specialist environment,” she said.
“We are committed to growing employment, training and career development opportunities for First Nations people which will result in more culturally accessible healthcare.”
The Metro South Health Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy is focused on improving employment opportunities, connecting communities, supporting future leaders, and achieving an inclusive culture and leadership.
Read about our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy