Graduates’ Direct Recruitment Program in collaboration with HEE, UK & MCON MAHE, Manipal - An uphill journey Dated 10th November 2018

Dr Anice George, Dean, MCON, Dr Raghu Radhakrishnan, Director International affairs and collaboration, MAHE received the guests from Health Education England (HEE), UK. Team from HEE UK included, Prof Ged Byrne, Director, Global Health Exchange, HEE, Dr Colin Wasson, Medical Director, Stepping Hill hospital Stockport NHS foundation Trust Stockport South Manchester, Ms Tracey, Head of Nursing Programme, HEE, Ms Amanda Cheesman, Deputy Director of Nursing, WWL NHS Trust; Ms Sali Thomas, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, WWL NHS Trust; Dr Umesh Prabhu, Senior Lecturer and Mentorship Lead, Edge Hill University, Dr Shashidhara Madapura, Anesthetist, International Medical Graduate Tutor, Stepping Hill Hospital and Prof Raj Murali, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, WWL NHS Trust, Head of International Medical Programme. Dr Elsa Sanatombi Devi, Team leader of Internationalization and global collaboration, MCON, MAHE Manipal introduced the guests to the august gathering with a highlight of how the direct recruitment set in as a pride of SMILE project of MAHE, Manipal. The link began when Dr Alfred Augustine, KMC Mangalore who took the project of collaboration with Edge hill which laid a foundation of trust between the two countries.

Dr Raghu Radhakirshnan, Director of International affairs and collaboration, MAHE, with his dynamic leadership qualities and enthusiasm spearheaded saying that having a training center at Manipal for IELTS, CBT and OET would make a strong foundation for graduates. He also emphasized on having a MoU for having a graduate competency training center at Manipal which could be a referral center for Indian nurses across the country to launch competent nurses for global demands.

Dr Anice George, Dean of Manipal College of Nursing Manipal took the leadership to express about quality education and training at Manipal. She highlighted on the training mandates a graduate should experience during their training program. It was clearly promised that recruitment process will be transparent, academic qualification and skills will be tested prior to recruitment. She promised that if a training center is laid at Manipal, HEE, UK can be assured of competent graduates getting employment in England. Since it is for the first time in the country, that a nursing college is taking the lead to introduce training center for competencies, HEE team need to extend a complete hand holding exercise and also sign up to help build a center with facilities for ease of training. To the queries raised by participants on recruiting part time learners (PBBSC) through distance mode, dean clearly stated that only centers that are approved by Indian Nursing council would be considered and not otherwise. Distancing nursing education by few has created uneasiness in the quality of graduates and hence, Manipal will not entertain.

HEE UK, team member Dr Shashidhara Madapura, Anaesthetist, International Medical Graduate, introduced his team to the graduates. Each member with their designations and functionaries were being introduced so that graduates were able to relate and ask their specific queries. Team HEE, were overwhelmed to meet the 169 graduates from three states and from different districts of Karnataka. The enthusiastic look and the ambitious motive of the graduates gave a lot of hope for recruitment simplicity.

Ms Tracey, Head of Nursing Programme, HEE, UK gave a complete picture through her interaction so as to what a graduate can look for in UK job opportunities. She clearly mentioned the criteria of selection for a graduate and also what they can expect from the team in order to make their travel, stay and work at ease. Ms Sali Thomas added to the mentorship that they assure when they come to the UK. She narrated her success journey as an Indian nurse looking for more as a leader and not just a bedside nurse. This success story has its own steps which one can take at a time. It is always possible and that one needs to dream big.

Graduates with IELTS / OET scores had their further interactions and details sharing at the end of the program. Instructions for clear applications and contact details were given and assured. Mentoring was provided during the course of interaction.
The program served a big runway for nursing graduates and MCON will stay connected which is our policy and best trainings will be advocated and provided.

Finally vote of thanks was rendered by Mrs Prima JJ D’Souza. The guests were further invited and had a glimpse of Manipal Destination.