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Year 9 Careers Fair connects curious students and enthusiastic employers

What a great evening!

Last week our Work-Related Learning team invited local employers and colleges to meet our Year 9 students and parents. We had a great turn-out – nearly 70% of invited families came to explore ideas for their child’s possible future career.  We had representatives from marine industries, hotels, architect and law practices and the services, as well as Cornwall careers advisors, four post-16 colleges and two universities! Our wise WRL team know it’s the advice that comes from the world outside school that begins those interesting conversations which will help our Year Nines shape up their plans for the future.

Who was there?

New visitors to Penryn College this year were A&P Falmouth –  ship repair, conversion and marine specialists who offer engineering and electrical apprenticeships every year and the potential for full-time employment in these areas.  Watson-Marlow, following up their Year 8 science and technology challenge day last month, were back in to talk about real engineering jobs in their global pump manufacturing facility here in Falmouth.

It was great to see ex-students from Pendennis, the  world-class Custom Build and Refit Superyacht yard and the four star Budock Vean Hotel, both returning to  school to talk about their apprenticeships with these successful companies.

We were delighted to meet businesses which employ smaller numbers of people and offer exciting ideas for jobs that perhaps our students hadn’t considered. Owner of Bikeworks, based at Treluswell, Phil  is a great example of how a passion can turn into a business – not only cycle mechanic but cycle tour and workshop leader
Radix Communications produces writing for businesses – everything from tweets and Facebook posts to blogs, video scripts, white papers, ebooks, infographics, memes and comic strips – students contemplating uses for their GCSE English Language or GCSE Media Studies could see how being good with words leads to great jobs!

Why it’s such a good idea!

Employers commented on the enthusiastic questions and keen level of interest from our students, and parents valued the opportunity to chat with representatives from local, well-known, successful companies and organisations.

Mrs Bastian, WRL team leader, said, ‘It is just brilliant to see how an evening like this starts all kinds of informed conversations between parents and their teenagers. Suddenly they see opportunities they had never imagined right here on our doorstep.’

November is an important time for Year Nines – there are GCSE options to be chosen, and the Career Fair encourages the first steps on that all-important journey every teenager makes towards finding the job, profession and life that will make them happy.

A big thank you!

Thanks to all the exhibitors who took time and care to talk to our students with such enthusiasm. Not yet mentioned but equally appreciated  were: Interanima CIC, Hine Downing Solicitors and Financial Services, Springboard UK, RCHT, 3D Kernow CIC, Cornwall Marine Network and Cornish Diving Centre, Dynamo Healthcare Training Academy, Koha Architects, Coodes Solicitors, Children’s Hospice South West, Next Steps Cornwall.