“NECS has a culture of continuous development, so you are always made aware of the different opportunities available and are encouraged and supported to learn and progress to enhance your career.”
Valerie Chopamba joined NECS in 2021 as a NECS100 Graduate, after completing a degree in Sociology and Business Management at Bath Spa University.
“My NECS100 journey began as a Governance Graduate. I worked between two departments – risk management, which was my primary role, and incident management. In October 2022, I applied for a role in a different team as Project Lead for All Age Continuing Care and LeDeR and I was successful in gaining a promotion. I now lead on projects related to compliance, assurance and performance in Continuing Healthcare.
“During the pandemic, I worried about the availability of job roles after I graduated. The opportunity to join the NECS100 programme came along and I saw it as the perfect choice for me. The programme gave me the opportunity to develop; joining the workforce straight from university, I had limited work experience. NECS gave me an amazing opportunity and provided the support I needed, while I finished my degree. I graduated in the summer of 2022 and have gained a huge amount of knowledge and experience since.
“At the age of 23, I am already a project lead within NECS, thanks to the opportunities the NECS100 programme and NECS offer. I have learned so much over the last two years and the roles that I have worked in since joining the programme have provided me with the skills and qualifications that I need to progress. I have been exposed to other teams across NECS, such as Health and Justice, Medicines Optimisation and the Digital Applications teams, giving me a better understanding of their work.
“NECS has a culture of continuous development, so you are always made aware of the different opportunities available and are encouraged and supported to learn and progress to enhance your career. NECS provided me with financial support for courses I wanted to undertake to help with my personal and professional development.
“I’ve completed training in risk management and business continuity and I am currently studying for my postgraduate degree in Strategic Leadership and Management with the Chartered Management Institute. Without the NECS100 programme, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“Since joining the NECS100 programme and experiencing new levels of project management, it has made me more driven and ambitious to continue learning and work hard to get to where I want to be. I know I will succeed with the support of NECS.”