From Tuesday 4th May 2021 Year 10 pupils began a two week challenge of mock interviews during their Personal Development Learning lessons. Usually they would be in a large room, face to face with employers eager to talk to them in an interview type situation.  The purpose is to give pupils a taste of what to expect in an interview scenario and the type of questions that would normally be asked.  However, this year we have had to adapt and once again with the support of EBP have provided an opportunity for pupils to have 1:1 interviews with an employer virtually. Pupils have been located in our Learning Centre and were allocated 15 minute slots for their virtual interviews.  They were socially distanced with headphones and their own laptop so that they were able to have meaningful discussions with employers.  This was a useful follow up to their recent classwork on completing application forms. Despite several pupils showing some nerves they persevered and found that it was an advantageous process. Valuable lessons have been learned and it may well be that future job interviews will be carried out this way.  One of the business employers who was involved in the day commented 'I am an Education and Business Partnership Ambassador and I participated in the Mock Interview Day held at your school on 14th May 2021.  I just wanted to say that the students did themselves and your school proud and they were some of the best students I have met in my ten years as an EBP Ambassador.  I am a Human Rights Barrister who represents disabled and life-limited children and I was also struck by the very incisive and challenging questions that the students asked me about my job.'

Thank you so much for the support of EBP and all the companies involved in the interviews.

 

Mr Lomas, Head of Enterprise and Personal Development Learning