National Apprenticeship Week
At HGSS we believe in ensuring our students are aware of all the different routes to employment open to them when they leave school: by being better-informed we hope they can make the right choices.
The 3 to the 9 February 2020 was National Apprenticeship Week. Each Year group received information and inspiration via a morning Assembly across the week.
On Tuesday, two former alumni Caitlyn Mayo and Olly Millea, came back into school to talk about the apprenticeships they both started in September 2019 after their A Levels. Caitlyn works in HR at prestigious auction house Christies, and will achieve an HR-related qualification as part of her employment and training. Meanwhile Olly is enjoying the busy, social world of food & drink PR, having found his apprenticeship position via the work experience he undertook during Year 12. His apprenticeship comes with a degree in Digital Marketing, and both ex-students talk passionately about the choices they made choosing an apprenticeship route rather than going straight to university as it means they can earn while they learn.
On Wednesday, Martin-Baker, a local engineering firm and the world leader in the design and manufacture of aircraft ejection seats, provided a rousing Assembly for Years 9 and10, with dynamic video footage and reports of the huge number of lives their technology has saved. They brought along several young apprentices who inspired students about their roles in the company, and the brilliant training and personal development programmes they benefit from. The team then visited a series of Year 11 science classes to talk to students in more detail about the actual ejector seat itself and the technology which allows it to forcibly eject its occupant at a phenomenal speed. Students were visibly impressed, with both incredible engineering brought to life but also the opportunity that they themselves would be eligible to apply for this apprenticeship if they work hard and achieve good grades (5 GCSEs at grade 5 or above including Science).
On Thursday, I presented an overview of Apprenticeships to Year 8, trying to locate this within the context of their forthcoming Options choices; and on Friday Years 11, 12 & 13 welcomed Michael Taylor, Learning & Development Manager from Sodexo. Providing catering and facilities management across 67 countries worldwide, Sodexo is the world’s 18th biggest employer and takes on a huge number of apprentices each year across a range of roles and sectors. Operating across a wide range of locations including military bases, prisons, major sporting venues through to hotels and restaurants, they offer great opportunities for new recruits to develop and travel within their organisation.
We thank all our guests for giving up their time to come and talk to our students, giving them inspiration and ideas about the world of work and where their studies could take them.
These kind of opportunities for our students to learn more about career routes and Industries are vital to them understanding about different jobs and career pathways. We are now planning ahead for National Careers Week in a few weeks, so if any parents would be prepared to come into school during NCW (2 – 6 March) to talk about their profession, with the skills, training and opportunities involved do please contact me on rogersn@holmer.org.uk
Naomi Rogers, Careers Adviser