Fourth Year students benefitted from the careers insights of Pocklington School’s wider community in a series of talks aimed at stimulating ideas about their future careers, and building momentum ahead of next year’s GCSE exams.
Parents, OPs, friends of the School and members of the Careers and Business Network came into the School to deliver ten-minute talks on their current jobs and career journey. Speakers included an anti-corruption lawyer, a software developer, a local GP, a financial adviser, a HR manager and a Professor of Art History.
The event was part of the School’s structured careers guidance which begins with lessons in the Third Year and progresses to individual, one-to-one careers advice in the Fifth Year and beyond.
Careers and University Advisor Gillian Jones said the visitors’ talks were valuable opportunities for pupils to broaden their career horizons, learn about routes to the workplace and the skills that are valued, as well as help them make informed decisions about future subjects and courses.
She added: “Hearing someone talk about their job can spark an interest in a career which might not otherwise have occurred to pupils. It’s equally important that they hear about the speaker’s career path and realise it’s not always straightforward. Some of our speakers didn’t necessarily excel at school, or at their first choice of career, but still went on to find their niche.
“That’s where a broad education such as that we offer at Pocklington School comes in. The extra curricular activities also help develop skills and personal qualities which they can call on in the future.”
Recently-published research by the Education and Employers charity showed pupils who heard directly from employers about the realities of getting a job went on to get better grades. It also recognised the advantages of extensive links with employers.
Mrs Jones said: “Hearing first-hand about how a particular qualification helped someone get a job helps pupils recognise the direct implications of their exams and motivates them to study harder. Real life role models are also inspirational.
“We hope that our current Fourth Year students will mull over what they’ve heard during the summer holidays and return to their GCSE year super-motivated, with burgeoning career goals giving them extra incentive during a very important year.”