From RAF to NHS: My journey as an intern with the Step into Health programme

Meet Dan Rigby, once a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, who has found a new direction working for NHS Employers via the internship offered by the Step into Health programme. Hear Dan’s reflections from his time as a Step into Health Programme Assistant Intern.

“In my 18 years of service in the Armed Forces, I achieved lots, participated in things I never thought I would, and had the time of my life until it was abruptly ended by a medical discharge due to PTSD.

The journey with my illness has been tough, but also a breath of fresh air with a redirection in my life. With the support of my family and friends, I have been able to become a 2.0 version of myself.

After leaving in 2021, I embarked on a career in commercial construction but deeply missed the military way of life and the sense of fulfilment. It wasn’t long before I realised giving back was my calling! Luckily for me that’s when the Step into Health programme was seeking an intern.

Even though I made such a progression on my journey, I still had several barriers to employment. After seeing the job advertised, I arranged to have a chat with the recruitment manager to get more information about the role and application process.

The process was straightforward with an application that allowed me to highlight my skills and experience, plus my motivation for applying, followed by a panel interview and a timed task. This process can seem daunting, but the team will make you feel welcome and will accommodate any adjustments needed. My advice is to highlight any adjustments in your application so provisions can be made.

The internship is a twelve-week programme that allows the candidate to get an introduction to the NHS, its people and how it does business. I was given autonomy and always felt part of the team and had the security of testing myself in a safe environment. As examples, I was tasked with leading on a couple of projects, that will help improve the way data was collected, analysed, and reported, whilst creating other ways to reach our audience through alternative media outlets. Writing blogs that interest our community has been a big part of the internship which has allowed me to develop an area I was not confident in. The area I have enjoyed most is stakeholder management and the cross-team interaction that I have done to complete the tasks set. My knowledge and experience from the military put me in a fantastic place to make an impact during the internship. It has allowed me to realise that my skills are transferrable and are very much valued by NHS Employers.

“It gives me a sense of pride to think I am now part of an organisation that supports colleagues to be the best version of themselves, and I have a voice to make changes and support others on similar journeys to mine.”

Recruitment for the internship positions within the Step into Health team is currently on pause. If you have any questions about this process please contact stepintohealth@nhsemployers.org.