Nursing Careers Day inspires next generation at City St George’s

Nursing students at City St George’s, University of London were given an opportunity to explore their future careers at the School of Health & Medical Sciences’ recent Nursing Careers Day, held in January 2026.

Designed for BSc Year 3 and MSc Year 2 and 3 nursing students, the event provided a platform to learn about the wide range of professional pathways available in nursing, hear from accomplished leaders, and gain practical advice on entering the workforce. Through keynote talks, workshops, an alumni panel and careers stalls, the day aimed to inform students as they prepare to take their next steps into clinical practice and leadership.

The event opened with a warm welcome and introduction from Esther Readshaw and Dr Louise Philips, who outlined the purpose of the day and encouraged students to make the most of the opportunity to connect with professionals and explore future options.

Sharing career journeys

The first keynote speaker was Rebecca Linguard, Borough Lead Nurse, who delivered a talk titled “Never in my wildest dreams”. She shared her non-traditional route into nursing, explaining that she began her career at 19 studying for a business degree while working part-time in a nursing home.

Rebecca highlighted the importance of refusing to accept limitations and described her progression from a band five nurse to a lead nurse role in City and Hackney. She spoke about major milestones, including leading a female Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), completing an MSc in professional practice, and contributing to service improvements.

Her message to students focused on the value of curiosity, networking, and systems thinking, as well as the need to address physical health within mental health settings. She noted that patients with serious mental illness tend to die much earlier than the general population, underlining the vital role nurses play in reducing health inequalities.

The second keynote speaker, Vi Thomas, Director of Quality at NHS England, also shared her diverse career journey. Beginning as a student nurse, she spoke about her work across intensive care, infection prevention, and community nursing.

Vi emphasised the importance of having a vision, seeking mentorship, and building professional networks. She introduced students to the idea of “horizon scanning” using tools such as PESTLE analysis (Political, Environmental, Societal, Technical, Legal and Economic factors) to anticipate future opportunities and challenges.

She encouraged students to reflect on their strengths and career goals, remain open to secondments and new experiences, and consider emerging areas such as community nursing and genomics.

Alumni panel offers honest advice

The alumni panel, featuring Ian Sutherland, Mental Health Leader at City and Hackney Mental Health, Fartun Ali, Psychiatric Liaison Nurse, and contributions from Mary Onikoyi and Rebecca Linguard, also gave students valuable insights into their future careers and the types of opportunities that are available.

Ian Sutherland, now a physical health lead nurse, shared his varied career background, which included roles outside healthcare before entering oncology nursing. He emphasised the importance of taking on challenging roles and committing to continuous learning.

Fartun Ali spoke about beginning her nursing career during the pandemic, serving as a student representative, and later winning an RCN Foundation Impact Award. She highlighted the importance of self-development and advocating for service users.

Mary Onikoyi focused on the value of mentorship and building confidence as a nurse.

Leadership and practical career support

Another keynote was delivered by Nichole McIntosh, Regional Head of Nursing and Midwifery and Deputy Chief Nurse at NHS England. She shared her journey from being an introverted student to becoming a respected national leader.

Nichole spoke powerfully about overcoming racism and imposter syndrome, and about her commitment to mentoring others. Her message to aspiring nurses was to lead with authenticity, integrity and lifelong learning, reminding students that people remember how leaders make them feel.

Students were also introduced to the National Student Survey by Chris Torry, before taking part in lunch and careers stalls where practice partners answered questions about jobs and career opportunities.

The day concluded with a careers workshop led by Anjli Shah, focusing on job searching, NHS applications, supporting statements and interview preparation. Students were reminded that City St George’s Careers and Employability Service offers lifelong support.

Nursing Careers Day demonstrated City St George’s commitment to preparing students for successful and meaningful careers, supporting the next generation of nurses every step of the way.