Broome Health Campus welcomes record intake of work experience students

Broome Health Campus staff are inspiring the next generation of country health professionals, with a record number of local students kicking off a multidisciplinary work experience program this week.

Six Broome Senior High School Year 10 students are spending two weeks rotating through departments including Emergency, Outpatients, Medical Imaging, Medical Surgery, Maternity, Paediatrics, Pharmacy and Allied Health.

A/Operations Manager Millie Stewart said the benefits went both ways, with glowing reviews from both students and staff.

“Work experience placements are valuable for young people, especially in rural and remote communities. They offer a genuine insight into what working in healthcare looks like, help students discover their interests, and can spark an early passion for caring for others,” Millie said.

“For Broome and the wider Kimberley, growing our own workforce is essential—young people who train locally are more likely to stay local, helping build a strong, community-connected health workforce for the future.”

As a part of the high school curriculum, students are required to complete a certain number of workplace hours and can nominate the organisation they want to undertake a placement with.

Millie said the group’s excitement and willingness to get involved was inspiring.

“The students have said how welcomed they feel on site—from receiving their name tags to getting hands-on experiences like learning to use a fire extinguisher, practising hand hygiene with the GlitterBug (an educational device which uses UV light to reveal areas of the hands that haven’t been correctly washed), and working with the Basic Life Support manikins,” she said.

“Staff have also shared how much they’re enjoying having the students around.

“Their enthusiasm, positivity and curiosity add a real energy to the workplace, and it’s rewarding for our teams to be able to share their knowledge with the next generation.”

WA Country Health Service is proud to support young people as they explore pathways into nursing, medicine, allied health and other vital healthcare roles.

“Every year we take on students from various years—but six at once is a record in my time, and it shows the increase of interest in healthcare roles,” Millie said.

“This year’s high level of interest is a promising sign for the future of rural and remote healthcare in our region.”