Year 8 careers afternoon
This afternoon, we were joined by four intrepid parents who had gamely agreed to speak to our pupils about their careers.
While working life may seem a long way off to those who are only just entering their teenage years, today’s event provided an opportunity for the children to start asking questions, think about their current strengths and skills, and begin the process of looking towards their futures.
Our speakers represented four very different, but equally fascinating, working lives: artist, actor, pilot and AI pharmaceuticals professional. Covering how they found their paths in life, what they did to get to their positions and why they find their jobs rewarding, our speakers talked the groups through the routes into their fields and what their working lives entail. With the pupils rotating between speakers, everyone had a chance to hear from each individual in a small group setting, allowing for some fruitful question and answer sessions at the end of the talks.
Pupil discussion afterwards revealed that one of the most interesting aspects of the afternoon was the contrast between the defined path required of the more established, “traditional” roles in comparison with the much younger AI field, which prizes ideas and a “vision of the future” in its job applicants. What connects success in all four fields, however, is passion and persistence, with the key takeaway of the afternoon undoubtedly being to pursue what you enjoy and follow the path of what you are good at.
We’d like to thank our four parents for giving up their time to provide our Year 8s with such a valuable experience and for giving them plenty of food for thought to take them into half term.
