During ‘Careers Day’, the third-year undergraduates were helped to develop online job searching skills, improve their applications and interview techniques, as well as to succeed at additional activities related to gaining employment as qualified nurses.

The aim of the day was to “empower” the students to begin their careers, in the current economic climate, which Melsina Makaza, Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing at the University of Bedfordshire, says has become “increasingly difficult” post qualifying due to “a reduced number of job vacancies”.

She said: “The onset of the global recession prompted a review of how mental health students were prepared for their future careers and in particular, whether they were being effectively prepared for employment in the modern health care climate.

“The review resulted in the planning and delivery of a Careers Day that facilitated a developmental dialogue between third-year students, Senior Management Group members from Oxford Health Foundation NHS Trust, and key University staff.”

The event, which also featured talks from the University’s Careers team and course alumni Prudence Phiri, Julie-Ann Grinter and Jemma Day, was a success according to Melsina, who added it helped improve the students’ communication with potential employers.

“It improved the efficiency of the process of preparing students for employment,” she said.