Careers Catch Up looking to the future
- Meet your new DT Teacher
- options after sixth form
- What is creativity?
- Discover Science
- hear from a PF Old girl
- careers competition
Welcome to our Spring 2023 Careers Newsletter! Time seems to have flown since the last newsletter, with lots of Careers discussions, the Careers Assembly, PSHE and PAW Careers Days and much more!
The Third and Fifth Form have been choosing their GCSE and A Level options. Meanwhile, the Sixth Form have had some great offers coming in for their life beyond Sixth form, and the Lower Sixth have started thinking about their plans for the future by attending the UCAS fair at the University of Surrey.
We have been very fortunate to welcome some visiting speakers to talk about different careers this term. These have included talks on the TV and Film industry, Radiography, Life Coaching, TV Production and Physiotherapy.
We look forward to more talks next term. If you would like to have a chat about careers or your subject options then please just let Mrs Wilson know - by popping into the Careers Office, or Sixth Form Boarding House, or send her an email at kwilson@priorsfieldschool.com
Competencies and Skills CREATIVITY
One of the 9 employability skills that employers like their employees to have is creativity. This is important in any job, not just jobs in the arts industry.
How can this be useful? Creativity can help in several ways. You might need to think ‘outside the box’ to come up with a creative solution to a problem when the usual method isn’t working. You might also need to make something look attractive, whether it be setting out a report, a spreadsheet, a Power Point or some chocolate sprinkles on a coffee! Develop your creativity skills through the things you do in your daily life, they are bound to come in useful one day! The First Form recently practised their creativity skills by producing their own unique pictures using a simple set of instructions. It was really interesting for them to analyse how they had chosen to interpret the exercise and to see each other’s resulting masterpieces!
You might like to read more about Creativity here: https://www.allbusiness.com/the-importance-of-creativity-in-the-workplace-24566-1.html
Options after Sixth Form: Internship
An internship is a period of work experience, offered by an organisation, lasting for a fixed period of time anywhere between a week and a year.
This would usually take place over the summer or after graduation, in order to gain experience in a particular industry. It could be especially helpful if you want to get into an industry which is highly competitive. An internship might be accredited or formally recognised by professional training organisations, which would be a benefit when applying for jobs. You might be paid if you are undertaking the role of a worker within your internship. It can be a fantastic opportunity to network with professionals and to gain contacts and references. In turn, this should increase your chances of being successful in applying for jobs and increase your confidence in your ability. Some interns are even offered a job with the company at the end, making the experience even more valuable.
Interested in internships?
Follow this link for further information: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-workexperience/work-experience-and-internships/ internships#internships-in-the-uk
* Mr Hoyle *
In each edition we will hear from a member of staff about their career journey and hear what they have to say about how and why they are in the job they are today.
In this issue we will hear from Mr Hoyle, PF’s new Head of Design and Technology.
Have you always been a teacher?
Nope. My mum was a teacher, but I qualified as an automotive engineer and worked as a test engineer in the automotive sector. Then I went to Essex and became an audio-visual engineer servicing the leisure industry. Following that I went travelling for 9 months soaking up Thailand and Australia. Later on, I enrolled in a PGCE to become a Design and Technology teacher, and here we are, 18 years later... All the work in the service industry helped me understand the world before I got qualified and explored it more.
Qualifications
Post Graduate Certificate of Education, University of Surrey, Roehampton
BEng (Hons) Automotive Engineering, University of Hertfordshire
What skills do you think help you to succeed in your career? Technical knowledge and expertise, project management, leadership, problem-solving, collaboration, adaptability, and a desire to learn and grow
What advice would you give to your younger self? Keep going; it will turn out fine! Don’t forget to smile.
What do you love about your job?
• Creativity: I get to design and implement projects that encourage students to think outside of the box, problem-solve, and use their imaginations.
• Making a difference: I have the opportunity to teach valuable skills and encourage students to explore their passions, and shape their futures.
• Seeing progress: It’s always rewarding to see students make progress and succeed.
• Personal growth: By constantly learning and adapting to new challenges, I feel like I am becoming a better teacher and a better, more rounded person.
Careers Competition!
Did you know that Madonna used to work at Dunkin’Donuts?!
Find out about 3 other celebrities who used to do a different job to the one they are famous for and email your answers to Mrs Wilson for a prize!
Work Experience – Gap Years
The Fifth Form, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth had an interesting talk about the possibility of doing a gap year, with Ken James from LetzLive. Taking a gap year is an excellent way to develop your employability skills. Traditionally, students would take a gap year after their A Levels, but people can actually do this at any point in their adult lives. It gives an opportunity to take time out and to gain some new experiences. They might travel to other countries, undertake voluntary work, learn a new skill, or perhaps a combination of all of these things! It can help you to decide what you want to do in the future and make you more successful in applying for jobs or courses.What would you like to do on a gap year…?!
PF Old Girl: 2010 - 2012
