DD feeling despondent about getting physio job

[KeeepWalking]

Anyone else in similar position? DD is graduating this summer with BSc Physiotherapy. They (and other HCP students) have been told there is an NHS recruitment freeze. Barely any jobs come up. She applied to the only one that came up recently (Band 5, so suitable for a new grad) and was unsuccessful, but with no feedback on her application. A physio friend who graduated last year did 6 months voluntary work as a physio assistant in a hospital before getting a job.

It just seems bonkers and frustrating that unis are still churning out hundreds of HCP graduates when the jobs aren't there. And the NHS gives them all £5000 a year learning support.... 🤯

There might be some movement with the new financial year. Often Trust’s are waiting for the budget in April before they can release posts. It is bleak though for HCP graduates. I know paramedics from last year still waiting for posts to be released.

When DD went to the open day for diagnostic radiography she was told it was one of the few degrees where she was almost guaranteed a job after graduating. That is looking unlikely now.

@KeeepWalking I hope your DD is successful at getting a job soon.

She will get there. See if her tutors will do a practice interview with her. She wants to get the best shot at the band 5s that come up. 13 years ago I spent 6 months as a teaching assistant and then applied for a band 4 job. As part of the band 4 induction I got a day shadowing the band 5, who it turned out was leaving. That day shadowing meant I knew exactly what to say when I interviewed for the band 5 post. I’ve worked for that Trust ever since.

Worrying. I’ve been suggesting DC retrains as an OT or Physio, so maybe not such a good idea.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news… in my friendship circle 2 DCs graduated last summer and neither is employed at all, never mind in physio. According to my friends (the parents of these kids) there are no physio jobs anywhere.

edited for typo

private practice or sports teams type jobs?

I don't think there are many jobs for young people at all. The NHS is no exception in this.

My DD is in a similar position a lot of graduates from last year got their position through work placement...

Thanks for replies. It's so depressing. 3 years ago when she started the degree a job was more or less guaranteed... I don't know how she can even get to interview stage when she's applying along with hundreds of other new grads who basically all have the same qualification.

@MiddleAgedDread yes in theory, but very unlikely to get this type of role without any experience.

It is the same for nurses, no longer a guaranteed job at the end of it and competition for the few posts put out at band 5 entry level is high

It's a really hard time for AHP grads but especially physios. The universities now run far too many courses, there aren't enough placements (and we have literally constant students) and not enough jobs. Our trust isn't in a recruitment freeze but we're planning on putting our new b5 job out internally as we have a physio apprentice and a bank physio that need permanent jobs. So if she's unsuccessful I would advise trying to get a therapy assistant job (easier said than done I know as she will be overqualified but really explain why she wants to get experience in that specialty) so she can apply for internal jobs.
The other issue at the moment is AI- we are flooded with clearly AI applications as soon as jobs are posted and sometimes this automatically closes them if they are capped at a certain number, so I would aim to get applications in ASAP when jobs are listed.
She will get a job eventually, it's definitely hard right now but seems to go in waves with AHP grads, a few years ago we couldn't recruit but when I graduated it was also difficult to get jobs.

@NamelessNinja thank you for your reply, that's encouraging.

It Is one of the careers where they can go self employed, can a few set up together? My daughter is on a medical degree and does placements alongside Physios, care homes often look for Physios.

In my team it is completely standard for the b4 jobs to be taken by people who are b5 qualified and waiting for a b5 vacancy.

@Villanellesproudmum yes in the future she could do this, but who would pay for a private phyio who has no experience in the real world? It's a catch 22...

I think it’s nhs England who are more to blame than the universities for this current shit show…..they’re supposed to work force plan and say how many training places are needed.

though I suppose it’s complicated by the fact there is actually staffing shortages but the trusts just can’t afford to employ anyone due to lack of funding from the government. I never thought I’d see a Labour government underfund the nhs so badly but here we are.

Yes health professions have it bad but I guess it’s the same for non health graduates too. Dd has spent 6 years training so far to be an architect and looks like t real lack of part 2 jobs. If she can’t find one she won’t fully qualify so years and years of her life wasted along with all the money on loans. I guess at least with the healthcare students they will be qualified.

Does your DD have any special interests in her field?

It’s also true that she should carefully consider equivalent training roles overseas where there is a direct relationship between the countries’ training and UK training.

You’d be surprised, many would if charged a little less, runners, gyms etc certainly would team up with a newly qualified P.

As someone who works in private healthcare I would suggest exploring these. Circle, Spire etc will all take newly qualified physio’s and offer a good support framework for first roles. The private healthcare care market isn’t just about someone paying for physio directly. There are large volumes of major and minor surgeries that need rehab and the physio element is part of the package.

@Villanellesproudmum and @lateSeptember1964 thank you, I'll enourage her to explore those options. Edited to add that she did have a placement with Nuffield whch she really enjoyed and found them very supportive.

Look at volunteering with a riding for the disabled group to get more experience. You can't give physio advice if not registered and insured, but you'd see how the physical interactions with the horse are beneficial, would give something to talk about. Also disability sports need classifiers, these can be physics, look into that as another string to the bow. You can end up going to the Paralympics.

As shit as it is if she can get some intern experience or unpaid work it will
help put her above the others. That’s how I got a start in a career with similar application levels for entry level jobs. I wasn’t from a wealthy family either. I saved up so I could do it because I knew it was the only way.

She really enjoyed her acute respiratory placement.

The issue with many of these courses is that they offer far more places than there are jobs, we have a relative who is studying physiotherapy and she knows that placements and volunteering during her degree is key to getting a job. She’s currently helping in a care home during Easter specifically to get it on her cv rather than working for more money elsewhere