Working Lunch Careers Programme

 Our Working Lunches began on 10 January with Routes into the NHS.

On 17^th January 4 ElecTech companies – Quantum Base, LiNa Energy, Like Technologies and Forsberg – visited school to explain their business, what can be found locally and what sort of careers are available.

We were keen to encourage girls to find out more about STEM careers so were delighted when Creshia Jones offered to come in to school to talk about her role as Nuclear Safety Case and Licensing Lead for Rolls-Royce SMR (small modular reactor). Creshia set up a practical experiment with the pupils demonstrating how to identify corrosion in pipework when working with nuclear radioactive waste products. She explained the differences between safe, medium and high-level wastes and how they are disposed of. It was fascinating to hear about the future of energy generation and how Rolls-Royce SMR have developed solutions to problems all over the world and are now opening apprenticeships opportunities. She had already dropped in to the Year 9 assembly that morning to discuss apprenticeships and help them make the correct GCSE choices in their options if they wanted to take a STEM route. Many thanks to Creshia for her enlightening talk.

Last week, Drama professional Victoria Muir leapt at the chance to meet with pupils and share her experience in the Performing Arts world. Pupils from Years 7-10 engaged with Victoria when she talked about routes into Musical Theatre, covering training and education, consideration of what and where to study, the pros and cons of performing arts as a career and tips and pitfalls on auditions, portfolios and agents. Pupils listened intently and took on board everything Victoria had to say to help them make sense of their future career choices.

The Working Lunch opportunities continue to run throughout next term with opportunities to meet an airline pilot on the cards!

We have also hosted:
Working lunch – 17^th March  Ms Nelson, who  has worked in External Affairs, Campaigns, Advocacy and Project Management for the National Trust and the Open University came in to school to talk about careers in the conservation and environmental NGO sector.

Working lunch –  21^st March. Cath Morley is a local dairy farmer and parent of Archie in Year 7. Cath was joined by Liz Berry, the NFU County Adviser for Lancashire to talk with a very interested group of pupils about the range of careers in the agriculture sector. Cath and her family farm at Bay Horse, just south of Lancaster and their farm is fully automated using robot milking machines. It was very interesting to hear how farming encapsulates a vast number of professions covering technical as well as practical subjects. Cath and Liz explained how there were opportunities to travel as Cath did by working on a farm in New Zealand and learning her milking trade. Pupils were keen to know how long the hours were and how old they should be to work on a farm. Cath explained how there is much crossover in knowledge specialism these days and working on a farm provides opportunities in  accounting, mechanics, engineering, science as well as Farming and understanding plant and animal life. Liz talked about the many routes into Farming such as regenerative agriculture, considering the environment, opportunities to study soil health locally through the universities and career progression through apprenticeships. The pupils were very engaged, many of them studying or planning to choose BTEC Agriculture and Horticulture, so it was excellent for them to have first hand information about what they need to concentrate on and the choices they have in the sector.

We would like to thank everyone who has kindly offered to support our careers programme and in particular our Working Lunch speakers who have provided their time, knowledge and wealth of experience freely.  The programme continues to grow and we appreciate your support.