From virtual careers talks and Q&A panels to post-18 aspiration days and mock interviews, Inspiring the Future schools have put on a range of impactful virtual activities to help motivate their students over the past weeks. Read on to gain inspiration for your own event, learn about opportunities for your school and access our recent webinar on virtual experiences of the workplace.
There have been some fantastic recent events with volunteers from the aviation sector and the NHS. Almost 300 year 9 students from Oxted School in Surrey heard from two female volunteers thriving in their careers – an Airline Captain from EasyJet and Managing Director of Missions Systems at Collins Aerospace. At St Ignatius College in Birmingham, four volunteers joined students to talk about their wide range of roles in the sector: a Deputy Chief Flying Instructor from Lasham Gliding Society , a former Captain at F.S. Freeman Associates, a Customer Trainer at Collins Aerospace, and Facilities Officer at Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
When asked what piece of advice he’d give to his 13 year old self, volunteer Dervish said, “Don’t be scared of making decisions and taking a small risk in your career… from the college days, to University, apprenticeships, and being happy moving forwards with that decision. I’ve made a few mistakes in my career, taken a few jobs I shouldn’t have taken and not taken some jobs I should have. Don’t be frightened, gather all the information together, and move forwards, because there is only one way and that’s up.”
Students in Kent and Manchester had the chance to learn about careers in healthcare from a Prosthetist, who showed students prosthetic limbs they had developed, a Discharge Facilitator and an Occupational Therapist.
At an event with volunteers from Bank of America, one student highlighted the importance of representation and relatability, feeding back, “One of the speakers was a Black woman. I don’t usually see that kind of representation- either they’re Black or female, rarely both -in corporate job talks, and it was lovely to see. Sometimes I struggle to relate to speakers, and when they speak of their experience, I know my own won’t look like that. So this talk was very educational, and more relevant to me than others I’ve had.”
In other activities…
- Leeds City College held a Progression Week for their students, which included a focus on apprenticeships. Via video, speakers shared their career journeys across industries and took questions from the students.
- Loreto College in Manchester put on a session focusing on Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure industries, where volunteers gave students insight into the workplace by talking about their sector and giving students feedback on a work-related example task.
- Students at Churchill Community College interested in a vocational path took part in mock interviews with volunteers including an Apprenticeship and Career Development Manager, an HR Manager and a Commercial Manager.
Find out how to plan a live session for your school.
Looking for an easy careers activity to slot into your timetable? Check out our recent Inspiring Women videos exploring entrepreneurship and careers in sport – log in or sign up for instant access on your portal homepage.
We’ve just launched our new guide to meeting Gatsby Benchmark 6 virtually, experiences of the workplace. Read it here and watch our latest webinar.
London schools, we are hosting free live showcase events as part of London Careers Festival from 22 June, featuring panelists from a range of exciting professions. Learn more and sign up.