National Careers Week ran from 4th-8th March this year, and in support of the initiative, Abbey Grange Academy held a number of different sessions, including interactive activities and external speakers from across a variety of industries.
On Monday 4th March, we welcomed representatives from both the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Royal Air Force. DWP visited students to talk about opportunities in the civil service. The session enlightened students about the vast and wide ranging jobs available across a variety of disciplines. They spoke about the significance of the civil service’s role in society and the impact their work has nationwide. Students learned the type of apprenticeships available, and how employees can rotate from department to department in fast track schemes to accelerate their careers, or become specialists in a single area.
The RAF also spoke to students about how their job extends far beyond just protecting UK air space. For example, they shared details about their humanitarian work in the Caribbean throughout the hurricane season transporting aid to communities. They also spoke about the different opportunities available to people in levels2, 3 and at Degree Level, as well as the different ranks, roles, apprenticeships and degree schemes available, and the qualifications needed for specific roles. (Please note this was not a recruitment activity and purely aimed to raise awareness of career opportunities post-16.)
On Tuesday 5th March, we had Emily from the NHS in school, talking to student from years 7,8,9&12 about career opportunities in the NHS, with a particular focus on mental health. We're passionate about giving our students a well-rounded view of the different career path opportunities to aspire to, and offer insights into NHS careers that we hope inspires them when thinking about their futures.
On Wednesday 6th March, we had HMRC working with Year 10 students on developing their CVs. Students learned what to include, how to write appropriately, and what makes a good CV and cover letter. The students gained lots of valuable information to help prepare them for the workplace, whether that be a part-time job alongside their studies or as they consider their aspirations for post-Abbey Grange.
On Thursday 7th March, our Y12 Design Technology, Maths, and Engineering students also took part in a civil engineering workshop, where they were tasked with creating a music festival setting and came up with some brilliantly innovative designs.
On Friday 8th March, as our final event to mark National Careers Week, Leeds City College spoke to our students about the ever-changing labour market. They gave insights into the wide variety of roles out there, even the unexpected ones, such as IT technicians in NHS hospitals and finance managers at event centres. They also discussed the changing landscape of the labour market as opportunities rise in booming industries like tech, and fall in others, such as customer service, as demand fluctuates and technology advances.
We’d like to extend our thanks to all representatives from HMRC, Leeds City College and the NHS for taking the time to help equip our next generation for the workplace. We hope our students are able to take learnings from all these sessions, and use them when making both academic and career decisions in the future.
If you’d like further information on our career’s initiatives, or to arrange a careers interview for your child, please contact Mrs Landau, Careers Advisor, on elandau@abbeygrangeacademy.co.uk
