SWPS has had a busy year with our Careers programme for students. We had the pleasure of welcoming SWPS Alumna Alice Munday from TWP Accounting in September, providing valuable insights into starting a career in accountancy. In October, we organised our first-ever Engineering Careers workshop, which attracted nearly 50 students. The workshop aimed to assist students interested in robotics and engineering and incorporated rotating stations where students could learn about various engineering fields and their responsibilities.
In October, Year 8 students once again eagerly participated in the national ‘Step into the NHS’ Careers competition by creating informative and creative adverts for a specific NHS job of their choosing, with winning entries from each class submitted to the National Competition. The school has a history of success in this competition, winning personal prizes and experiences for their year group. We eagerly anticipate the results and wish all our students the best of luck with their entries.
In November, we had the pleasure of hosting Olivia Cox-Lousada, a SWPS Alumna who is currently on a placement year at Samsung. Olivia – along with her colleagues – spoke to students about apprenticeship opportunities and work experience placements at Samsung, providing advice on subject choices and alternative career paths at the company. We also welcomed Caitlin from InvestIn speak to our Sixth Form students about Essential Employability skills. InvestIn offers work experience programmes in various industries and provides talks to students.
In January, Year 11 students enjoyed a talk about the importance of work experience in standing out from their peers. Year 12 Enterprise students began working in teams to develop their business plans. They entered the Peter Jones Tycoon Enterprise competition, competing against other schools to generate the highest return on their investment by creating and selling products. This competition fosters teamwork and creativity as students establish a small company, often requiring resilience and problem-solving skills to overcome challenges.
In February, we had the pleasure of hosting the Global Production Director for Marketing Communications at Apple. Students were thrilled to hear about the various career opportunities available at Apple and gained insights into working in the field of Marketing. This was a well-attended talk, showcasing the immense interest in working for such an iconic brand.
Moving on to March, we were delighted to welcome a fantastic speaker from Framestore who gave a virtual talk on visual effects in the media industry. Students had the opportunity to learn about the exciting world of visual effects and gain valuable insights into working in this field. In April, our Year 9 students participated in the £10 Challenge, an enterprise initiative aimed at developing their understanding of business. This initiative provided them with insights into entrepreneurship, teamwork, and effective communication within a business setting. The money raised from their businesses was donated to charity, and the students competed against other teams in their year for a chance to win. We were fortunate to have a guest speaker, a SWPS parent and successful entrepreneur, who shared her experiences and challenges with the students. Congratulations to the winning team from 9Q – Imogen, Annie, Rameiya, Viola, and Sofia – for their outstanding achievement in starting their company ‘Bloom and Burn’ and making a profit of nearly £140 for their chosen charity.
In addition, this year we introduced Year 8 and 9 students to Morrisby. We have extended this useful careers tool from Year 10 students to include those in Years 8 and 9. The programme involves taking a psychometric test administered by Morrisby, an external organization. These tests provide guidance to students about suitable career options based on their academic abilities, interests, and personality types. This year we are thrilled to announce that Year 8 and 9 students can now begin their personalized career journey earlier. They can register and create an account with Morrisby and complete a shorter questionnaire to generate potential career options. This will help them make more informed decisions when selecting their GCSE subjects. In Year 10, students will then take a more detailed aptitude test, which will provide more accurate career options based on their abilities and the various questionnaires they have completed. It has been a successful year, with students enjoying various entrepreneurial activities and being introduced to different career paths.
Mrs L Haley, Head of Careers
