Read below an account from our Head of Careers, Mrs Cuthbert, along with some reflections from Josh (Fifths).
What a busy and interesting week National Careers Week was this year! We are incredibly grateful to the 19 visitors who came in to school to share their career pathways and take part in a Speed Networking event with the students at KES and KEHS. Over the course of the week students heard about all sorts of different roles including law, urban planning, setting up a pottery business, being a patent attorney, studying veterinary medicine, curating exhibitions, the ‘Know Your Client’ roles at Deutsche Bank and much more.
A common theme was that many speakers had ‘squiggly’ careers with twists and turns, changing their choices and responding to different circumstances. This reinforced how important it is to know what our key skills and strengths are, and to remain adaptable and resilient.
Thank you to all our speakers, whether Old Eds, parents or visitors, we are privileged to hear your career stories and always so happy to welcome you in to school. Many students have given me positive feedback and said how helpful and interesting they found it.
Mrs Cuthbert
Towards the end of the second term, Careers Week presented pupils from all years with the opportunity to learn about a wide range of jobs. The talks were presented by several guest speakers, many of whom were Old Edwardians.
The week began with a more introductory talk aimed at those uncertain of their future path. Those attending evaluated different careers, aligning them with the aspects of work most important to them. Not without a philosophical undertone, the talk was both insightful and informative.
A recurring theme across the talks was the idea of focusing on the next step of the process as opposed to finding an end goal and calculating the path to reach it. A prime example of this mentality appeared in the form of Simran Debnath, who made a last-minute decision to study Computer Science at university just a few weeks before the deadline for submission.
Aside from the specific details of each occupation, it was enlightening to see each speaker’s experience of moving into higher education. To an audience mostly consisting of Fifths and above, hearing from recent alumni made their words sound relevant and valuable.
Josh (Fifths)