Six year 8 students (Matthew Brennan, Esme Brigden, Zoe Nelson, James Polhill, Jessica Ruddock and Patrick Stedman) recently attended an ‘Introduction to Engineering Day’ run by Rockwell Collins UK Ltd in Burgess Hill who manufacture aircraft training simulators. The students learnt about the various engineering job roles within the company and participated in practical activities including building a small projector, 3D modelling using Photoshop and making a large mirror using the same material crisp packets are made from. They also got to fly and land a plane!
Some of our year 8 students were lucky enough to attend a workshop run by Future First, the charity that coordinates Oathall’s Alumni Association, around the themes ‘building motivation and overcoming barriers’. We were thrilled to welcome back eight alumni to Oathall, who kindly gave up their time to talk to our students about their education and career paths, and in doing so provided valuable guidance and inspiration to the students. We have received very positive feedback from the current and former students who took part, but of particular note:
70% of the students said they are now more confident or much more confident about being successful in the future now they have heard from former students;
82% of the students said they will now work harder or much harder at school as a result of having spoken to the former students;
76% of the students agreed that ‘the session improved my knowledge of courses and jobs that I could do in the future’;
77% of the students agreed that the session helped them understand how their school work might help them get a job in the future.
Year 9 students have recently attended the annual Careers Speed Dating event at Oathall where they had the opportunity to speak to business and trade professionals from across the county and beyond. It is organised to inspire our future workforce about real jobs; practise those all-important communication skills, and hopefully dispel some myths and challenge gender stereotypes. This event complements the year 9 options process and students’ feedback is always very positive.
In fast paced, 5-minute slots, students asked a barrage of questions of the 30 different speakers representing a wide range of employment sectors including banking, engineering, medicine, scientific research, catering & hospitality, hairdressing, publishing, veterinary, Police, Armed Forces, childcare, nursing, law, retail, sport, performing arts and many more!
Feedback from the employers has been extremely positive. Year 9 students did themselves proud.
Reflecting on his first experience of Oathall’s Careers Speed Dating, Mr Rod Hayler, Partner at Old Bailey Solicitors commented: ‘It was a pleasure speaking with your year 9 pupils, all of whom were impressively polite, engaged and insightful with their questioning. I particularly enjoyed a guess from one young man who said “from the look of your suit … you must be a school headteacher”. I can only assume that Mr Rodriquez must be a finely dressed man!’
Another first-timer was Steve Edwards, chef and winner of Masterchef Professional 2013, who said: ‘It was a pleasure to attend your event and have the opportunity to talk to and inspire the next generation. It is a daunting task to think about what you want to do as a career and I hope I was able to give the students help and reassurance on the start of their career paths’.
Regular business representative Rachael Waters, Community Nurse, commented: ‘The students are all so receptive and keen to learn about the different roles. From my perspective it is great to invest what is just a couple of hours to potentially inspire students to join my profession. I met a delightful girl today who wanted to be a nurse and I know from her enthusiastic response she will one day make a terrific nurse.’
Thank you to all the business volunteers for giving up their time so generously to support our students. It was especially pleasing that some of the participants were former Oathall students and members of the school’s Alumni Association.
Students in year 10 have recently participated in a week of work-related activities aimed at broadening their experiences and helping to inform future career choices. (more…)
Following the recent Post 16 Opportunities Evening, students in year 11 should be planning their choices for continuing their education after their final year at Oathall. Booklets containing advice and information about colleges, qualifications, apprenticeships and the application process are available under ‘Work Related Learning’.
Students are advised to check course information and entry requirements on the colleges’ websites as prospectuses are printed some time before and details do change. This is particularly relevant to the changes being made to A levels over the next three years.
The deadline for all applications is MONDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2015. All college applications must be brought to Ms Hart in the Careers Office (the exceptions being St Paul’s and Collyer’s as their application process is completed online).
If you are unsure about anything connected with this process please speak to Ms Hart.
Three year 11 Oathall students, Toby Clifford, Ed Curtis and Jack Heslop, along with students from other local schools, have been involved in the development of a new online employability advice website called Take OFF ‘Our Future First’.
Take OFF is set to become a powerful tool to help school students and other young people to develop skills that employers are looking for in future candidates. This online resource offers top tips on how to look and apply for jobs, how to deliver the perfect interview and understanding what employers expect from young people joining their business. (more…)
Following the recent Post 16 Opportunities Evening students in year 11 should be planning their choices for continuing their education after their final year at Oathall. Advice and information about colleges, qualifications, apprenticeships and the application process are all available under the work related learning section.
Students are advised to check courses and entry requirements on the colleges’ websites as their prospectuses may already be out of date with the new A levels being introduced over the next three years.
The deadline for all applications is Monday 24 November 2014. All applications must be brought to Ms Hart in the Careers Office. (The exceptions being St Paul’s and Collyer’s.) If you are unsure about anything connected with this process please speak to Ms Hart.
If you would like help with writing a CV and Personal Statement, applying for jobs and preparing for interviews, or you would like to find out about local volunteering opportunities – please take a look at this booklet.
