Careers events in schools

[MillicentMargaretAmanda]

I may possibly be about to become involved with a project around running careers events in schools on behalf of my organisation so I'm looking for some Mumsnet inspiration. If you are a secondary school parent or teacher, what sort of careers events do your schools run, do they add value, and what other things do you wish they did in regard to careers advice and information? Thanks!

DDs school goes only up to GCSE.

So in y9 they tend to get the 6th forms / post 16 providers in showing what is available for varying interests eg A level, apprenticeships, Vocational various, services etc.

When they are applying to 6th form they have an interview with a member of the SLT to check what they are applying to fits their longer term aims, and to give guidance in general if needed.

With everyone having to stay in some form of education until 18 they don't think it is massively useful to spend ages on 'careers'. seems to work OK I think.

My daughters' school has started running an annual careers fair, which all students attend. They get parents, local businesses and educational organisations (colleges, unis etc) to come in for a couple of hours. Everyone has a stand. Freebies are given out. Students are sent in a year group at a time and challenged to go and find out about careers that interest them and others that they've never heard of.

I volunteered at the most recent one and had some great conversations with everyone from 11yos who had no idea what they wanted to do, right up to older students who had already identified that they are interested in my job and want to find out how to take the next step.

Some people have questioned why the younger students are involved, but I think it gives them great experience of speaking to people they don't know and finding out about jobs they've never even heard of.

I'm sure it's masses of work, but it ticks a lot of boxes.

My DD left school last summer, but her school did a big Careers' Fair every other year. There were some professions that were always represented e.g. nurse, doctor, solicitor, police, army etc and they always sent a note out to parents a month or so before hand asking if they, or anyone they knew, was prepared to run a stall. I know the father of one of DD's friends, for example, was a dentist and he turned up every time whilst his daughter was at the school - suspect that dentistry has fallen by the wayside since his DD has left!

My DD found them a bit intimidating because she had no idea what she wanted to do - still hasn't - but was always attracted by the stalls handing out free keyring, bookmarks etc and, especially, fun sized chocolate bars!

Ours are mainly done via year 11 assemblies, although we often have the army come in and work with targeted groups. We live very close to Excel centre in London where there's a 3 day careers fair every year though and we do a whole year school trip.

When is the fair, Maureen? Sounds interesting.

Great stuff guys, keep them coming. Would especially like to hear if there is anything you think is missing like events about the world of work and things like that.

Careers fair
Visits to local unis
Mock interviews with companies
People from College coming in

My DD's school had the Admissions lady at Bristol uni in to speak (only to sixth formers, and their parents, from memory). This was a completely separate session, and not part of a careers' fair, but I found it very useful.

Personally, I think DC would like to listen to general talks about careers but with a particular bias, e.g. Careers In The Health Sector such as doctors/nurses/physios/radiographers etc, or Careers In Sport/Careers Using Chemistry/Careers Working With Children etc. I would make these at lunchtime, if possible, and optional to attend.

Think mock interviews is a great idea, trout.

Barclays Bank was brilliant ehen I arranged one at Ds school. They gave us a set of premier lesgue tickets and a set of ATP tennis tickets for a draw. Students wre entered into a draw if they asked their reps 2 questions about banking. The draw was st the end of the fair which ensured the students didn't slope off elsewhere!

As well as the stalls we had tslks in various classrooms from eg. A pilot, research scientist, doctor, solicitor, nursery manager, surveyor, dentist, travel agent, land agent, plumber, carpenter- tried for widest variety possible