Hearing my words spoken by a radio presenter is something I had never expected

Joe Stein

Communications Assistant
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
London School of Economics Social Anthropology

Year in Industry student makes a lasting difference

Joe is spending his Year in Industry in the communications department. He has been involved in the full range of the Trust's communications activities, including running a project celebrating the history of the Queen Elizabeth and Selly Oak hospitals.

Joe joined the team at an especially busy time, with a new teaching hospital due to open in 2010. The department has just nine staff but is responsible for all internal and external communications for a Trust with 7000 employees and a turnover of £400,000.00. As such Joe's presence has made a real difference to the department as well as being an exciting and challenging experience for him.

“I didn't realise how passionate I would become about my job. Hearing my words spoken by a radio presenter on my way home is something I had never expected from my placement year. I have felt like a valued member of the team from the beginning and not just a short term stop-gap".

Andy Comber, Communication Manager was so impressed by Joe's work that this is what he had to say:
"I have nothing but positive things to say about Joe; we're really going to miss him. When we arranged for a placement student we were apprehensive that they would require more management than was worth the effort but Joe has really made a lasting difference to the team.

Joe hasn't minded doing the basics but we soon realised that we could trust him with more responsibility. He has brought new ideas and vigour to the team which has left us all questioning how we can work better."