Year 9 - Year 13 Careers Evening - 6 February 2025
Welcome to an evening of ideas and inspiration, an opportunity to hear from professionals across many sectors to help you think about your pathway beyond Portsmouth High School.
1645 Careers delegates arrive and are hosted to tea and helped to set up by Head of Careers and Sixth Form
Midwifery Careers – Dr Daisy Wiggins –Bournemouth University
Careers in Psychology – Dr Hannah Cassidy –University of Brighton
BAE Systems – A variety of Careers – Sally Armstrong
Degree Apprenticeships – Sarah Burch
in
Careers
Pharmacy – Hanaa Lakhdari
STEM
Red Penguin
Matt Bowden
Almost in charge at Red Penguin Marine
Matt’s job at Red Penguin Marine is to ‘herd sheep’ and try to make sure that the company runs on rails – it is a tricky but also a really cool job! He was in the Royal Navy and lucky enough to Captain several warships and has sailed in and out of Portsmouth Harbour more times than he can count. He has also sailed in all seven seas, been to both the Arctic and seen the penguin colonies for real in the Antarctic. Now he works for Red Penguin, a submarine cable engineering company who help install, maintain, and fix the cables that deliver the internet (including PS5 and Xbox gaming connections, Discord, Instagram and TikTok) all around the world – connecting your mobile to everywhere else. Matt is fortunate to have some brilliant young engineers working with him and three of the most junior and brilliant are young ladies who have all joined from university, and none took engineering as a degree! Too broken to play much sport now, he is still managing to get out to play golf and sail a bit and lives in Hampshire with his wife Lizzie and their family.
Isabel Triggs
Project Engineer
Isabel has been in the submarine cable industry for 2 years now working at Red Penguin Marine as a Project Engineer. After achieving a Distinction in her master’s degree at the University of Portsmouth and with a background in marine biology, she joined the submarine cable industry by chance! Her daily focus is the provision of technical input and support to Red Penguin’s current and future projects, as well as providing support in the form of research analysis and data processing; she also delivers GIS support across a range of telecoms and power cable projects to her fellow project engineers. Recently promoted, Isabel now manages her own projects, including operations and maintenance support to a client’s HVDC interconnector; this has seen her oversee the review and update of a robust repair preparedness plan for their system.
Isabel firmly believes that there is an amazing opportunity for those already established in the industry and those fresh to it, to encourage new people into the submarine cable sector. A firm believer in the power of conversation she supports raising awareness of the many career paths, the fascinating and developing technologies, and the roles all submarine cables play in delivering social, economic, and environmental goals.
Having been appointed as co-deputy chair of the European Subsea Cable Association Next Generation Working Group, Isabel encourages an environment that promotes curiosity, engagement and excitement, knowing that attracting the next generation of engineers to the subsea cable industry is a task for us all to engage with.
STEM
Sally Armstrong
Learning and Development Lead
BAE Systems Plc – Naval Ships Combat Systems - Degree Apprenticeships
Sally joined BAE in June 2023 after leaving the Royal Navy. As the learning and development lead, Sally looks after all of the Early Careers Community. This includes degree apprentices, industrial placements and graduates.
BAE Systems is an aerospace Engineering company that works closely with defence in the UK, building warships. Their main customer is the Royal Navy and are currently building the Type 26 Frigate. Naval Ships Combat systems put the brains into the ships and makes them a safe and effective warship with the state of art highly technical infrastructure.
The degree apprenticeships that BAE Naval Ships offer are in Networks, Software and Cyber engineering, Project Management, and Project Controls. By choosing a degree apprenticeship, you will gain a degree with honours, learn on the job as well as attending university, and paid a competitive salary. BAE will pay for the degree and offer an amazing career on completion of the degree apprenticeship. Talk at 1815
Donna McGeady
Digital and Web Technologies
Donna started her career in the offshore banking world, managing high wealth portfolios. She then moved to the UK where she joined IBM, a 100-yearold Tech giant where she spent 20 years, travelled the world and combined her love of learning, meeting new people and cross industry knowledge. Donna moved to CapGemini as a Global consultant where she managed a client portfolio for 2 years before joining the cutting-edge world of tech in Amazon Web Services. Donna now works on a consultancy basis and is able to offer advice on tech careers across a number of settings.
Amy Elliott
Gameplay Programmer, Sumo Digital
Amy specializes in gameplay programming and is currently working on Stampede Racing Royale, a 60-player racing game that blends elements of Mario Kart and Fall Guys. Her role involves developing new features and fixing bugs, ensuring that no two workdays are the same. She collaborates closely with artists and designers, working across disciplines to bring the game to life. One of the highlights of her work is sitting with her team to play and test new changes together.
Beyond her work, Amy is committed to inspiring younger and diverse individuals to explore game development, specifically girls in code. She has mentored students, spoken at industry events, and engaged with high schools, colleges, and universities. She has also appeared as a panellist at events such as the Women in Games Expo.
Uniforms
Cpl Teresa Annett ALCM CTABRSM
Royal Navy and Royal Marines
Teresa joined the Royal Marines Band Service in September 1994 being one of the first females to do so. She was drafted to various bases including the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, Lympstone and as an Instructor at the Royal Marines School of Music, Portsmouth.
Throughout her career she travelled across the globe, performing to both military and civilian personnel from all walks of life and partook in military operations and exercises. A highlight of her career was to be chosen as the pianist at the late Queen’s private 80th birthday dinner in Windsor Castle. Leaving the military in 2007 she taught music in the civilian sector for several years before joining the Royal Naval Careers Service where she now works in AFCO Portsmouth.
Colour Sgt Michael Smith
Royal Marines Band Service
Colour Sgt Michael Smith RM, a member of the Royal Marines Band Service for 20 years as a percussionist. Currently employed for outreach to show the offer of being a professional military musician and explain what the Royal Marines Band Service does, it isn’t just for King and country. It’s for the effectiveness of the Royal Marines in the field, morale of troops and entertainment of the public.
From the Royal Albert Hall and Horse Guards Parade in London, to the military tattoo in Basel, Switzerland; their signature precision marching and impeccable musical talent has seen them perform at prestigious events and locations across the UK and around the globe.
Uniforms
Commissioned Officer
Lt Bridie Wakeford
British Army
Bridie joined the British Army in May 2021, after a five-year career in finance at HSBC. Upon commissioning from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, she became the Detachment Commander for 26 Royal Engineer Regiment, a highly deployable armoured capability. She has deployed on training exercises to France, Germany and Belize. Later this year she is due to deploy on operations to Estonia.
Bridie is taking advantage of the extensive educational opportunities that the British Army offer Alongside her career she is studying towards a BSc in leadership and management and her chartered accountancy, these are both fully funded by the British Army. She is currently the Regimental Administrative Officer at 26 Royal Engineer Regiment.
Matt Foster RAF
Matt joined the Royal Air Force in September 2009 and trained as an Intelligence Analyst, before choosing to specialise in Imagery Intelligence. He has been posted to various bases around the UK including RAF Waddington, MOD Main Building and RAF Wyton working on various Intelligence products such as Route Studies and Preparation of the Environment.
Highlights of his career include sports tours to Netherlands and Germany, and deployments to Afghanistan and Oman. This is Matt’s second posting to RAF Recruitment, the first one as a recruiter at AFCO Portsmouth and now working in Careers Engagement with hundreds of Educational Establishments across the South East.
Money, money, money
Tahir Ahmed, FCA, ACMA, BSc (Hons) Accountant
Tahir is the Founder and CEO of BC&A Chartered Accountants in Southsea, providing accounting, tax, company secretarial, payroll, business advisory, and tax investigation services to 1,500+ individuals and businesses.
Prior to running the practice, Tahir was Santander bank’s Pricing Manager for their UK market for 7 years and prior to banking he held various Financial Analyst roles at Ford Motor Company for 8 years.
Tahir is a qualified Chartered Accountant in England and Wales (ICAEW) and also a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA). Tahir studied BSc (Hons) Accounting and Financial Management at Loughborough University.
Kelly Jones Accountant
After leaving school it took Kelly a few years to decide that she wanted to become an accountant, she then started evening college to complete her AAT. After completing the first 2 levels she moved into her first accounting role in management accounting to start her career. However, Kelly later found that working in an accounting practice was most suited to her skills. After completing the AAT, she went on to complete her ACCA.
In 2020 Kelly moved into lecturing and assessing at a local college for a year and has since settled into a new role, back in an accounting practice at BC&A Chartered Accountants.
Money, money, money
Handelsbanken PLC
Handelsbanken has been in the UK market since 1982 and in Portsmouth since 2007. It is a subsidiary of Svenksa Handelsbanken, the oldest and one of the largest banks in Sweden. We provide banking services to individuals and companies and also provide wealth management services. So, in practice that means we provide mortgages to help people buy their homes, loans for people or companies to buy property or grow their businesses and help people and companies save for the future by providing investments or pensions.
We pride ourselves on providing high quality local relationship banking services. Our Portsmouth branch is based in North Harbour where we have been for 17 years.
Two of our colleagues are here today: Amanda Hunter and Jack Walters.
I have a degree in Commerce and an MBA in Finance. I have had a number of different roles in the finance sector including investment banking, credit rating agency and retail banking. I have been at Handelsbanken for over five years where I look after a portfolio of corporate customers, typically lending them the funds to help them buy property or make investments.
I started my Banking career at 17, working as a cashier in a main stream high street bank. After multiple job moves within the company, supporting - individuals, businesses, and Mid-Corporate entities, I decided to join Handelsbanken. My current role as Deputy Branch Manager entails managing a portfolio of corporate customers as well as supporting the leadership of the team.
Amanda Hunter
Jack Walters
Caring Professions
Anca Burian PgCertEmerg(WBIS) MRCVS Vet
I studied Veterinary Medicine at The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania. After graduating in 2012, I started work at a small animal practice in Cluj-Napoca. Alongside work I volunteered for 10 years for Transilvania Search and Rescue Dogs, a pioneering project in Romania at the time. In 2019 I moved to Portsmouth and since then I have been providing out-of-hours emergency support for practices across the Hampshire area. I soon realised I enjoy the challenge of emergency work and decided to only practice within this environment of veterinary medicine. In 2023 I obtained a further postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Emergency Practice.
Dr Sadaf Khan
Senior Registrar Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Having graduated from Nistar Medical College in Pakistan in 1996 at the age of 23, Dr Khan then specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. After a short career break, when moving to the UK with her family, Dr Khan retrained and registered with the General Medical Council returning to work as a Specialist registrar. Having spent 9 years in pursuit of this career and having achieved additional post graduate qualifications, she now continues to follow her challenging career with great enthusiasm in her role as Senior Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. Dr Khan is married and has 2 daughters.
Dr Hannah Cassidy Psychology
Hannah is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at the University of Brighton. Her teaching covers a variety of psychological areas, with a speciality in forensic topics and developmental psychology. She is the Lead for the ‘Understanding Childhood and Adolescence’ Research Excellence Group. She studied Psychological and Educational Sciences as an undergraduate, followed by a Masters in Forensic Psychology, and a PhD in Forensic Psychology. She has taught at the University of Brighton for the past 7 years and is Co-Course Lead for the BSc(Hons) Psychology course.
Talk at 1800
Caring Professions
Dr Daisy Wiggins
Midwifery
- Programme Lead for Midwifery
Dr Daisy Wiggins is the programme lead for midwifery at Bournemouth University. She is a registered midwife with over 12 years experience working in various roles before becoming a lecturer practitioner in 2017 and a senior lecturer in 2022. She completed her PhD in 2017, the youngest Midwife in the UK to achieve a doctorate, which looked at clinical decision making around place of birth options while utilising digital technologies. As such her passion is providing informed decision making and enhancing conversation with women and their family to facilitate better outcomes. She also has a keen interest in safeguarding children and infant feeding. ‘My passion is to ignite the desire in people wanting a career in midwifery, instil the knowledge and understanding to do so effectively and help educate the future workforce, ultimately helping to create highly skilled, compassionate midwives with a lifetime vocation.
Talk at 1745
Jess Norris
Physiotherapist
PHS alumna, class of 2020
Jess completed her school years and sixth form at Portsmouth High School in 2020 before pursuing a degree in Physiotherapy with a Health Sciences Foundation Year at the University of Nottingham. During her studies, she gained a wide range of clinical experience across various settings, including MSK outpatients, paediatrics, specialist cardiorespiratory ICU, pain management, community rehabilitation, acute stroke early supported discharge, medical inpatients, and sports physiotherapy with the university American football team.
After graduating with First Class Honours in July 2024, Jess secured a role as a Band 5 Physiotherapist with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Healthcare Foundation Trust. She currently works on an inpatient ward, supporting patients through their rehabilitation journeys. Jess has a strong passion for working in complex, high-intensity environments, delivering tailored treatment plans, and advocating for patients to ensure they receive the best possible care.
Hanaa
Lakhdari Pharmacist
GDST alumna at Sydenham High School
Hanaa is a senior teaching fellow at University of Portsmouth with a speciality in pharmacy practice. She currently works part-time in community pharmacy keeping herself up-to-date on the ever-changing world of pharmacy!
After graduating from UCL in 2019, Hanaa completed her pre-registration training year at her local independent pharmacy in London. Due to COVID-19, she became a provisionally registered pharmacist and moved to Portsmouth to work for Boots. Hanaa fully registered as a pharmacist in 2021 and started working for University of Portsmouth in 2022.
Talk at 1845
Law and Order
Large and Gibson
Large and Gibson have been providing legal services in and around Portsmouth, Southsea and the surrounding areas for over 120 years. The company have formed a great relationship with Portsmouth High School over many years, and enjoy working alongside them in various projects, including offering support with students wishing to embark upon a legal career, where possible.
Stacey Read
Chartered Legal Executive and Conveyancing Practitioner
Stacey joined Large & Gibson in January 2023 as part of the Residential Property Department.
Stacey has many years of legal experience and knowledge of all areas of Residential Conveyancing. Stacey started her legal career as a conveyancing secretary in 2005 before making the transition to a fee-earning role in 2007.
PC Alan Hockley Police Officer
PC Alan Hockley has served in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for nearly 28 years, undertaking roles that have included response and neighbourhood policing across both counties, as well as specialising within the Strategic Operations Team where he was responsible for assessing and planning Royal Visits, large scale events including Victorious Festival, Cowes Week, Farnborough Airshow, and working with partner agencies to develop and test emergency plans to deal with potential terrorist attacks and spontaneous incidents such as unexploded ordinance.
In addition to these core roles he was also a public order and football intelligence officer and has worked all over the world in these roles. For the past three years he has moved into the training team responsible for overseeing new recruit development when they join Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary.
Creative Professions
Rachael Butt Architecture
Rachael has a BA and MA in Architecture from the University of Portsmouth and more recently completed her Part 3 Postgraduate Certificate in Architecture from UWE, qualifying as an Architect. Rachael works for Stride Treglown, a large multidisciplinary practice based in Winchester. Rachael has had previous experience in a small Residential Practice, ensuring a breadth of industry knowledge and experience. Having recently graduated she is familiar with the university process and the various routes which lead to becoming an Architect.
Louis Clements ARB Architecture
Louis is a recently qualified registered architect, currently employed at Stride Treglown. Stride Treglown is a large multidisciplinary practice which has allowed Louis to gain experience in a wide range of projects and sectors. Having recently qualified, he is familiar with the qualification process and the various routes available when studying to become an architect.
Mark Waldron
Editor in Chief, The News
Laura Gilbert Brand Storyteller
Laura is a freelance brand storyteller, with over 20 years’ experience working with brands big and small in the marketing, advertising and creative industries. Having left PHS in 1997 with English and creativity her strong points, she took a detour with a European Studies and Languages degree, at the Universities of Plymouth and Bordeaux, before falling back into a creative career in London.
This combination of creativity and commerciality has given her the tools to run her own business, balancing a busy family life bringing up three children, with an absorbing and rewarding work life.
A life-long learner, she helps brands and individuals to find their brand identity and tone of voice, leveraging new digital technologies where helpful and ensuring every image, word and strategy is executed to a level of excellence. Whether taking a start-up to market, creating brand names and strap-lines, websites, social media platforms and content, building press and media relationships, or helping senior leaders to elevate their own personal brand, with thought leadership, copywriting and PR, the aim is to efficiently create engaging, beautiful brands, with integrity.
Laura has worked across the Fashion, Lifestyle, Sport, Automative and People sectors, with a strong content-led focus, and harnesses the power of AI and tech alongside traditional print, words, photography and videography.
Mark Waldron has been Editor and Editor in Chief of The News in Portsmouth since September 2007. It marked a return to his ‘home town’ paper as he grew up just outside the city and started his journey into journalism through training at Highbury College.
Mark’s career has taken him from the Aldershot News and Mail to the Sunday Sun in Melbourne, the Hull Daily Mail and the South Wales Echo in Cardiff. He sealed his first editor’s post at the Swindon Advertiser in May 2004, where he worked until the move to The News.
Mark is married with four children and is passionate about Portsmouth and encouraging young people to become the next generation of trusted, local journalists.
Paul Woolf
Entertainment Industries
Entertainment Industries - Music, Film, Sport, TV and Theatre
Paul has worked in the many areas of the entertainment industries for over 50 years. After qualifying as a lawyer he specialised in media/entertainment law working on all the legal aspects of music, film , sport and theatre, as well as providing business management advice. His background in law has been an essential skill to support all his business interests. In the 1990s he started to produce theatre for regional tours and in the West End; set up a media division in Hammonds - an international law firm, and later became the co-owner of Air Studios (hosting stars such as Coldplay, Paul McCartney and Hans Zimmer) and Strongroom Studios a boutique recording studio (hosting Stars such as Stormzy and Little Simz) and bar in Shoreditch. Moving to Portsmouth 11 years ago he was invited to join the Kings Theatre Trust. Realising its potential, he became active in the business and from 2017 and took on the role of CEO in voluntary capacity from 2019 until 2024. During this time he built and led a team that streamlined the business, steered it through the pandemic, and started co- writing and producing the pantomime which has been a gamechanger resulting in the financial stability of the theatre, and making it one of the few independent regional theatres in the country that is profitable.
Oli Austen
Academy of Contemporary Music
Oli Austen, an ACM alumni from the Diploma Drums program, has built a thriving career as a sought-after recording session drummer and live guitarist. With ten years of experience playing guitar for Sigma and Zara Larsson, Oli has shared stages with acclaimed artists like Rita Ora, Paloma Faith, Ella Henderson and Take That. Additionally, Oli drums for Brighton-based alt-rock quartet Quiet Lions.
At ACM, Oli serves as the Industry Link Co-ordinator, leveraging extensive industry connections for the benefit of students, providing careers advice and mentoring as well as in-roads to real world opportunities. The students at ACM energise Oli, who finds inspiration in their emerging talent and genuine enthusiasm. Oli’s top three tips for students are: Believe. In. Yourself!
Business - Behind the scenes
Sharon Pearce
Area Human Resources Manager
Sharon is currently Area Human Resources Manager for IKEA working with several stores from Birmingham down to Exeter. Her role also includes working with our Peterborough units where they have both a large distribution centre and call centre. Sharon has worked for IKEA for over 25 years having fallen in love with the brand and the values of the company. Sharon has held many roles within IKEA, all within Human Resources, including being an HR Manager for the Lakeside & Tottenham stores and an HR Manager in one of the Distribution Centres. Sharon also spent time working in the Head Office where she held the roles of Talent & Succession Manager then Leadership & Competence Manager for IKEA UK & Ireland.
From an education perspective Sharon has studied History, Economics & Political Studies at A Level before attending Cardiff University where she gained a BSc (Hons) in Management Studies & Industrial Relations. Sharon then went on to complete her CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development).
Lucy Haynes
Climate Analyst
PHS alumna, class of 2017
Lucy Haynes attended Portsmouth High from 2009-2017, and graduated from Royal Holloway in 2021 with a Masters degree in International Security. She has since been working for Southern Co-op as a Climate Analyst, where she supports on all things sustainability. Her day-to-day involves data analysis, collating information from all parts of the business to drive change and help the business reach its climate targets. She has developed a depth of knowledge in carbon accounting, energy management and responsible business practice. She has the opportunity to work with colleagues from all areas of the business, as well as other industry experts.
Professor Sarah Turnbull
PhD, MBA, MSc, FCIM, DipM, FHEA
Sarah is a Professor in Marketing at the University of Portsmouth and Director of BRIDGE, the Research Centre for Business Resilience Inclusive Development Growth and Enterprise in the Faculty of Business and Law. Sarah has published five books on marketing communications including, Marketing Communications: fame, influencers and agility (2023) and Absolute Essentials of Advertising (2022). She is on the Editorial Review Board of the International Journal of Advertising and the Journal of Advertising Education. Sarah has published her research in leading international journals including; Journal of Business Research, Marketing Theory, Journal of Advertising, International Journal of Advertising and Psychology & Marketing.
Sarah has an advertising agency background and worked on a number of global accounts, including Emirates. Sarah is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Marketors. Sarah is Head Examiner for the industry’s professional body the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). Sarah has chaired a number of accreditation panels for the National Center for Academic Accreditation & Evaluation (ETEC-NCAAA) in Saudi Arabia and the Education & Training Quality Authority in Bahrain.
Fitness
BH Live
We are one of the UK’s leading leisure and event venue operators – a registered charity and social enterprise that designs and builds engaging experiences to inspire people and enrich lives.
With more than five million visits a year our organisation is changing lives and we are at the heart of the UK’s growing social economy. We’re always on the lookout for talented people, who share our vision and values, to give our customers an amazing time, and join us at the forefront of our social enterprise mission.
Career Opportunities within the industry at BH Live range from Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructors, Life Guards & Swimming Instructor, Plus Technician, Customer Service, Duty Managers, Operations Manager, Sales Advisors and Events opportunities.
Shirley Ellis and Bev Drake will be able to speak to you about a number of career pathways.
Getting you there
Sarah Burch Degree Apprenticeships
Sarah is an experienced, independent careers professional who is speaking on behalf of ASK, Apprenticeship Skills & Knowledge. Sarah will be talking about alternatives to university at 18 and the opportunities presented by higher and degree level apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are very definitely not just for aspiring mechanics.
Gail Alani
University of Southampton
Gail Alani is the Head of UK Student Recruitment at the University of Southampton with 20 years’ experience supporting young people, parents, teachers and advisors make informed higher education choices. Gail has responsibility for the delivery of a wide range of educational activities and events both on and off campus, including talks and workshops on a variety of HE topics and CPD opportunities for careers and higher education advisors. Her team works in close partnership with colleagues in the widening access and admissions teams, with the overall aim of attracting the best possible students from a wide range of backgrounds.
Talk at 1830
Make the most of your opportunity to speak to all of the professionals this evening. There is no such thing as a silly question but the questions below will show that you are thinking about your career paths and have a genuine interest in that area.
Ask the EXPERT
• What drew you to your career in xxxx?
• What was your first year like?
• What experience should applicants have?
• What has been a highlight in your career?
• How would you describe the culture within your profession?
• Has your industry / profession changed much in recent year? How?
• What is the most interesting / challenging project that you have worked on?
• Is there any aspect of your career that you dislike?
