Decisions at 18 2010 - Flexibility for careers of the future20 April 2010 - 22 April 2010

Mr Alan Simmons

Presenter Organisation

NHS Careers

Presenter Job

Careers Consultant

Sessions & Workshops

NHS Careers- options at 18 with Europe’s largest employer Part 1 (double session)
NHS Careers- options at 18 with Europe’s largest employer Part 2 (double session)

Biography

Born and educated in Cornwall, Alan graduated with an honours degree in Humanities from the College of St. Mark & St. John in Plymouth, then took the postgraduate Diploma in Careers Guidance in Kent. Between 1982 and 1999, he worked in careers services in and around the Bristol/Avon area, providing careers guidance to clients of all ages including those in the secondary, further, state and independent education sectors; and a placing service for employers and training providers. During this time, he gained several specialist and managerial promotions before joining NHS Careers (the careers information service for the National Health Service in England) as the senior careers advisor in 1999.

Over the next 4 years he was directly responsible for the national team of staff dealing with enquiries from all over the world. He also played a vital role in researching new career areas as the service expanded beyond it’s initial remit of careers in nursing and midwifery.

In January 2004, Alan was appointed as the national careers consultant to the NHS Careers service by the Central Office of Information (a Government Agency). In addition to providing support to the national team, he is also involved in the strategic development of the service. He made a major contribution to the new suite of NHS Careers literature and re-modelled main website in 2006; the development of the “Step into the NHS” project for 14-19 year olds in 2007, and the launch of the website for graduates and undergraduates in 2008. He is often seen as the “public face” of NHS Careers at national events such as the CRAC Conference.