On Thursday, 12 March, a group of Year 9 students attended the 'My Professional Self' themed day hosted by the University of Portsmouth.  The morning session focused on skills, values and qualities. Our pupils began by identifying the differences between these aspects of being a professional, exploring how different careers may demand different skills. They were then told to prepare a short presentation on what makes them employable.

 

We then heard from four different employers. Wendy Gardiner, who has worked in a range of jobs and has authored 24 books, including the companion to the fourth series of the Great British Sewing Bee, talked us through her diverse roles, including in television. Jon Joshua gave a entertaining summary of his 'squiggly career' from police officer to cabin crew  (flying on Concord) to spinning instructor. Alex, a community and  communications manager in the construction industry, spoke about the importance of knowing your audience. Lastly, George, a trainee clinical scientist at QA, told students about his journey from a Portsmouth state school to a degree in biomedical science at the University of Portsmouth. He now works a high pressure job in the labs at QA, testing samples for patients who are in A and E.

 

Our pupils had an opportunity to ask each employer questions about their career. They then delivered their mini presentations to George, who gave them feedback. This was a brilliant day that gave our young people a sense of how to "sell themselves" in the future. Thank you to the University of Portsmouth for the opportunity.