This term, our Year 10 students stepped into the exciting world of work during Work Experience Week. This was a fantastic opportunity for Sidcot students to take a step outside the classroom and gain valuable insights into the workplace, as well as test out a potential career path! This year, our students have explored a diverse range of industries, from research and investment to entrepreneurship and hospitality. This would not have been possible without the opportunities on offer from parents and employers, and hard work involved in the Careers Department, so thank you to all involved! Here are just a few of the highlights and takeaways our students wanted to share from their experiences:
Josh, at BW Cycling:
At BW Cycling, I was mainly involved in bike maintenance and shop work. I also learnt a lot about running a business, including some really technical spreadsheet skills! The highlight of my experience was definitely working with Redbull athlete Laurie Greenland and building his bike for him (an unforgettable memory!) I would definitely consider working in this area in the future.
Mona, at Nightingale Flowers:
I learnt about how to arrange flowers and I made some small flower jars for a cafe. I learnt how to set up prices for flowers from the supplier to the customer to make sure the company is in profit. Next, I plan to explore different sectors of production so that I can understand more about business.
Marco, at Southampton University:
I did lots of experiments related to Physics, including programming to plot graphs based on data which was really interesting! I would definitely consider studying Physics further at University and a career in Academia and Research.
Alberto, at Sidcot Junior School:
From the Junior School I learnt how to teach sports to little kids; it is not that easy! For the really little kids, like Year 1 and Pre-School, we taught more specific skills like balancing, jumping, and running. For the older kids we taught tennis, softball, and sprinting. I really enjoyed the whole experience and think I would enjoy working in a school.
Pip, at Radonova:
I feel that I was very lucky to secure a place with Dr. Dugdale at Radonova in Yatton. This company manufactures radon radiation detecting plastics. I spent a great week within their scientific laboratory learning about the equipment, manufacturing processes and working practices used within the business. Specifically I found it most fascinating to learn about the methods used to detect and identify the radiation particles that appear on the plastics made. I really enjoyed becoming familiar with and using the high magnification TASL microscope to see patterns in the distribution of radioactive alpha particles in the air or on a substance. It was interesting to see science used in the workplace and has definitely cemented my interest in a scientific career. Dr. Dugdale and her team made me feel so welcome and the week was amazing.
Martha, at Adler & Allen:
For my work experience I worked with the company Adler and Allen, which is in the environmental risk reduction sector. I learnt about what can be a risk to the environment and how we can prevent these risks. I also learnt about what a working environment looks like. I don’t think working in an office is for me and I would like to do further work experience to find an environment that suits my working style more.
Isabella, at The Webbington Hotel:
I experienced what a 'normal' day working is like and really enjoyed getting out of the classroom and into the work environment. I leant that I enjoy working with people and would definitely like to do this in the future.
Rosie, at Shaped By:
I learnt all about branding, including what it takes to create a brand, and had ideas for lots of different companies including a company that I started to create and design the branding for. I really liked working with such happy and supportive people!
Oscar, at Balance Strategic Capital:
I learnt how to research potential candidates to invest in Balance, looking for total fund size, team size, their portfolio, and any interesting business they’ve invested in. This has interested me, and I might consider applying for a job at Balance as a career option in the future.
Work experience is much more than just observing a professional environment. It allows students to test-drive potential careers, develop essential employability skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, and gain a confidence boost that will be invaluable in their future endeavours. We are incredibly proud of our Year 10 students for taking this initiative and exploring the world of work!
With some reports saying only 29% of young people have had access to work experience during their school career, we at Sidcot are very committed to enabling our Year 10 students to have this excellent opportunity. It has exposed them to the realities of the workplace, added valuable skills to their CVs, and ultimately helped them discover what industries they really like (and those they don't)! Hearing their stories and listening to their feedback underpins the published research that work experience is also very helpful for decision making and a valuable part of informing students' future career choices.