NEXT STEPS | CAREERS NEWSLETTER |MAY 2022 | ISSUE 7
Make the Future Yours! We have kick started this term with an Oxbridge & Med/Vet Q&A session run by our outgoing Y13 students (Polly, Rosie and Calvin). They gave an extremely insightful presentation to the year 12 students who are interested in applying to Oxford & Cambridge covering their recent experience, top tips for personal statements & interviews, what they are looking for, followed by a Q&A session. This week, our current successful Y13 Degree Apprenticeship students have also given advice and provided top tips to Y12 students interested in this pathway. Thank you to Siobhan, Sean, Joe and Oli for giving the students a great insight into this process. Our independent careers adviser, David Ritchie, is already in full spring with back to back appointments providing guidance ahead of UCAS & apprenticeship applications later this year. We are also focusing on work experience for Y11 & Y12 students and working with our Y7 & Y10 National Career Challenge Finalists ahead of their final in early July. We will be rolling out Unifrog to Y7 and aiming to bring some content into tutor time for KS3 students. This newsletter is heavily focusing on work experience opportunities and highlighting the many benefits. We are very fortunate to be sharing with you a true story from a graduate who has kindly shared with us how their work experience secured them a job straight out of university. And, as it is our last term, it is time for us to gain feedback. This is a very important part of the careers programme to help us develop our programme across all year groups. Please can we encourage parents and students to complete any online form requests to help us develop our careers provision at CGS. Thank you for your continued support.
Mrs Lovelace & Mrs Churchett Careers Office
CAREERS SUPPORT: Summer Term Career Events/Activites
May 5 May - Y12 Oxbridge Q&A for 2022 Applications 10 May – Y12 Apprenticeship Q&A June Pinewood Trips (tbc) Talks on Tuesday (tbc)
Careers Adviser We are continuing to run appointments up until the end of term with Mr Ritchie focussing on supporting Y12 students, ahead of their UCAS applications later this year. However, we do have some availability towards the end of this term for any students who haven’t opted in yet. Please email careersoffice@cheshamgrammar.org if you would like to arrange an appointment or speak to your Head of Year. Notes and follow up actions from appointments are uploaded to students’ Unifrog accounts.
July 7 July - Forensic Criminology Workshop (Y12 students)
Class of 2022!
7 July - National Enterprise Challenge Finals for Y7 & Y10 Winners – Birmingham 8 July – Cambridge University Footlights Tour Workshop (Y12 students)
We are always looking for companies, parents and students to come in and talk in assemblies, lectures or a lunchtime drop in. If this is something you can help with, we would love to hear from you.
Y13, you may be leaving CGS but you are joining a large community of former CGS students, our alumni network. Make the most of your contacts by following the CGS LinkedIn page and by joining the LinkedIn Chesham Grammar School Alumni group. If you haven't done so already, leave us your contact details so that we can keep in touch https://forms.office.com/r/SwY8pdjHCA Don't forget to send us your news and come back to visit! Our alumni network is our best and most popular resource to inspire our next generation.
This term, we will be inviting Y7 students to join Unifrog. They will be sent joining instructions via email and will hopefully get the chance to use some elements of the software during Life Skills lessons. This is an invaluable tool for them to start learning about their interests, skills and personality. Please can we encourage students from Y7 upwards to log activities such as work shadowing/work experience plus any competencies & skills, as both students and teachers find this extremely useful when they come to prepare their UCAS personal statements.
Careers on Social Media You can follow careers on Instagram & Twitter. We share courses, opportunities and any news relating to careers. Please follow us Instagram: cgs_careers Twitter: @CGSInspiration
CAREERS SUPPORT: Summer Term
Work Experience Y11 & Y12 The current situation in the workplace means that in-person work experience is starting to open up again, however many companies are still running some amazing opportunities virtually. The government recommends that by the age of 18, students should have at least two experiences of the workplace. We therefore strongly encourage students to carry out work experience in Y11 after their GCSEs and again in the summer of Y12. The key benefits of work experience are: • • • •
It helps students make well informed and considered decisions about their future Work experience is advantageous when applying for university (and a requirement for some courses) and apprenticeships It is one of the best ways for students to develop skills necessary for the world of work Can help you to network – make contacts for the future
Students, with the help of parents/carers, will need to source their own work experience placement. Taking the initiative to find a placement is one of the best ways for students to gain invaluable experience they can use when applying for future education, training or employment, and it also enables students to choose the most suitable role and organization for themselves. Please see on the following page, ‘The Why of Work Experience’. Once a placement has been completed, students should log the details as an activity on Unifrog as well as any competencies and skills gained. An email will be sent to Y11 and Y12 students on how to do this.
All students have a “work experience course module” within the careers course on Canvas. We advertise any opportunities we come across so please take a look at the wide range of opportunities available. Potential sources of work experience (click on below) plus see separate newsletter “Classroom to Career” from Bucks Skills Hub. Free BarclaysLifeSkills Springpod Fledglink Learn Live Workfinder The Forage Young-professionals Prospects Speakers For Schools VWEX At a cost InvestIN offers experiences in law, investment banking, medicine, engineering, computer science, marketing, psychology, filmmaking, architecture, politics, journalism & more. Courses generally run in the holidays. Rates depend on the opportunity. We are a partner school and can offer a 10% discount by using CHESHAM10 at checkout. https://investin.org/ www.careerdays.co.uk also offer work experience days but at a very reasonable cost.
Please go to the end of this newsletter to see some opportunities that we have been made aware of that maybe of interest to apply for.
CAREERS SUPPORT: Summer Term Please read this great advice from a recent graduate about their work experience back in Y11 and how it has lead to a job offer! During my year 11 summer work experience, I spent a week in a small investment management firm based in London. At the time this was not the industry I had in mind going into, and the company I went to I had never heard of before, but I wanted the opportunity to experience working and commuting to the city to see whether I would like it. I was put in touch with a contact through a family member, and after meeting them and discussing what I was looking for the company agreed to me coming in for a week. My week at the firm involved spending time meeting, talking and working with a range of people across various departments. This gave me great exposure to the office environment, how the company operated and the industry in a wider context. Your mindset going into the work experience is very important as there will be times when it’s not particularly exciting. If you want to make the most of the opportunity that has been given to you then you will learn a lot, find interests you didn’t know you had, and make an impression on them. I worked hard to be as engaging as I could; taking great interest in what people had to say, completing tasks they gave me effectively and asking lots of questions! As a result, people had a lot of time for me and made me feel very welcome. They even invited me back the following summer for a few weeks of paid work! I really enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot, I even changed my A-Level choices to include Economics before I entered Sixth Form! At the end of A-Levels I went to university. Despite having really enjoyed my time working in this industry I still didn’t have a real idea of where my future would lead. So I went to study the subject I was most passionate about; History! As a Covid graduate general opportunities out of university were pretty bleak.
After endless hours of soul-destroying unsuccessful applications and assessments for big graduate schemes, the company I did work experience at got back in touch advertising a graduate role themselves. After sending a CV, cover letter and doing several interviews, I successfully secured the role. So why I have told you all of this? To emphasise that wherever you end up doing your work experience this summer you should look to make the most of it! Any experience is good experience when it will be your time to apply for jobs in the future. It may not be what you can see yourself doing now but your interests change. If you really dislike what you do then identify the reasons for that, for example you may not like working in an office. This is all useful stuff. I learnt that I would enjoy working for a small company, others would prefer to work in a big company. Look to make an impression. In all likelihood you won’t end up working there several years down the line, but they might provide you with a reference that could help you somewhere else. Culture is important to companies and they want to know whether you will buy into their ethos. When you have finished look to stay in contact with people you meet, finding opportunities can be down to who you know. Doing work experience will take up a very short proportion of your well-deserved long summer, so give it your all and who knows where it could take you in the future. Good luck!
CAREERS SUPPORT: Summer Term The Why of Work Experience The traditional two weeks where you make cups of tea and carry out some filing in the office your dad works at, is officially over. Do you know why? Because work experience is SO much more than that. Work Experience is experiencing a workplace for the first time. Work Experience is holding yourself accountable for your time. Work Experience is acting in a professional manner. Work Experience is asking questions and actively seeking answers. Work Experience is learning how to interact with adults. Work Experience is planning your time effectively. Work Experience is immersing yourself in an industry. Work Experience is holding yourself accountable to your lunches and breaks.
Work Experience is making the decision to try something different. Work Experience is a window into your future. Work Experience is bolstering your CV. Work Experience is exciting and new. Work Experience is an opportunity to do different. Work Experience is an opportunity to make contacts and network. Work Experience is an opportunity to mix with different people. Work Experience is an opportunity to thrive.
"Finding your passion is the key to your success"
— Tracey Kauffman
Work Experience is practicing a skill or learning new ones. Work Experience is dressing for the job. Work Experience is practicing effective communication. Work Experience is reflecting on your behaviours. Work Experience is reflecting on your mindset. Work Experience is reflecting on your preferences. Work Experience is reflecting on your values. Work Experience is seeing if you could do it every week.
Contact "Finding
your passion key toto our future If you would likeistothe contribute newsletters or be success" involved in any careers related your events, please get in touch. Please also contact careers any career related support & advice. — for Tracey Kauffman Kate Lovelace - Careers & Enterprise Leader careersoffice@cheshamgrammar.org
https://www.cheshamgrammar.org/3003/caree rs
Next Steps Support University, Apprenticeships & Opportunities University – Year 12 Read This!
Work Experience Opportunities
Future Cities (virtual) Year 12 Online 25-27 July From skyscrapers and bridges to dams and tunnels, civil engineering is all around us. Explore how Civil Engineers design and develop the buildings and infrastructure around us, making our cities clean, safe and energy efficient.
So, you've decided that University is for you, but with talk of UCAS, Open Days and Taster Days; what do you really need to know and do? Here we give you all the information you need to plan your next steps and get prepared for your exciting journey to University. Read more here >
Online Courses & Events NFTS Events 16th May : Directing. We have a panel of Directors ready to answer your questions. One job title links them together but do they all do the same job? In this session we will talk about Commercials, Animation, Documentary, Fiction, Science, Natural History, TV and Games All information and booking details can be found HERE
Year 12s - learn from leading academics at the University of Southampton and improve your CV and UCAS applications, whilst engaging with real-life engineers from the Ove Arup Foundation who are committed to promoting education and knowledge in the built environment through design. Sign up today to secure your place! https://www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk/coursepage/e7f68f1f-97c0-ec11-983e-000d3a875f22
Aerospace Engineering (non-residential) Kingston University Year 10 30 May – 1 June Don't miss out! Sign up today to secure one of the last places on this exciting course. Delve into modern aircraft design, speak to Virgin Atlantic engineers, use the Lear Jet Lab at Kingston University, and learn the basics of aircraft flight. Join like-minded young people, and grab this final opportunity to experience life as an aerospace engineer. https://www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk/coursepage/8bb2869c-e342-ec11-8c62-0022481acf28
CAREERS SUPPORT: Summer Term Cyber Security (virtual) Online Year 9 30 May – 1 June Could you be a Cyber Security expert? This virtual course is run with academics from Royal Holloway, University of London, and sponsored by Thales. Grab your place today, explore your passion for all things cyber, and explore the risks threatening our online freedom. Sign up now to avoid disappointment. https://www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk/coursepage/57d57d7b-1c88-ec11-93b0-002248007c65
What is Green Futures?
Internships Green Futures is a Buckinghamshire based project. One of it's aims is to help showcase what careers are available in the outdoor environment and how young people can access jobs connected to land and nature. Read more here > UK Medical Work Experience Week. During this week, full of interactive medical work experience, students will: •
Work Experience at Martin Baker Aircraft In the upcoming May half term, Martin Baker are looking for ten budding Engineers to take part in their Work Experience programme. Whilst taking part in this experience, students will be able to deal with real- life problems that their Engineers face on a daily basis and help them come up with solutions to these problems. Students will be able to shadow Engineers and learn about Martin Baker Aircraft as a business.
• • • • •
Read more here >
Assess, diagnose and treat patients in realistic A&E simulations Master medical skills such as: Cannulation, venepuncture, CPR & others Get NHS Doctor and medical students teaching with personalised and group feedback Get UCAT and BMAT advice and tips from top-scoring medical students Undergo a 6-station, 1-to-1 mock interview with personalised feedback Spend a week in London with like-minded medicine applicants
24/7 staff supervision, central London accommodation and breakfast and dinner are all included too. We currently have spaces available on the following summer dates: • • • •
10th July 2022 (only a few spaces left) 17th July 2022 31st July 2022 (only a few spaces left) 7th August 2022
Your students can find out more about this opportunity and book their space following this link: educationprojects.co.uk/courses/uk-medicalwork-experience-course.
CAREERS SUPPORT: Summer Term CMS Law Scholarships
Eligibility (Please read)
Do you know any Year 12 students who are interested in a career in law and receiving £2500 a year whilst at university? Or perhaps you know a young person who would like paid work experience at a global law firm?
Scholarships are aimed at students who will be the first generation in their family to go to university. There are also certain financial criteria, such as free school meal eligibility that students need to meet. Full details of these and how to apply can be found on our dedicated Scholarships website: https://www.cmsearlytalent.com/p rogrammes/law-scholarships/
Here at CMS, we believe that a career in law should be accessible to all. As the 6th largest law firm in the world, with 9 offices in the UK and 80 offices globally, we have the platform to make a real difference. We are delighted to be launching again two programmes for Year 12 students to help them discover a career in law. CMS Law Scholarships are for students committed to pursuing university and will provide 10 individuals with £2500 per year of their university course, mentoring and a chance to join the First Steps insight week. CMS Connect is our work experience programme where up to 50 individuals will join CMS for paid work experience, mentoring and skills workshops. Both programmes are for those from backgrounds which research shows are less likely to secure opportunities at prestigious firms/universities and are focused on improving access to our industry.
1. CMS Law Scholarships Since 2012, we’ve helped some of the brightest and most creative legal minds launch their career through the CMS Law Scholarships Programme. Our scholarships are for students committed to pursuing the university route and from backgrounds which research shows are less likely to achieve a place at a prestigious university. Across the UK, 10 successful applicants will benefit from: • Financial support (£2500 per year) during their university studies • Mentoring during their UCAS applications • Paid work experience during their first year of University
2. CMS Connect (formerly PRIME) Our work experience programme (CMS Connect) is designed for school and college students who might think a career in law is out of reach. We will show students what is possible, upskilling them on the available routes into the profession including apprenticeships AND the traditional university route. During the two-year sustained programme of support, students will develop skills that all employers look out for, not just those in the legal profession. This happens through:
• • •
Paid work experience in Year 12/S5 (8 - 12 August 2022) Mentoring Application advice and guidance
Participation will certainly support them when making future applications to our Early Talent programmes – and other firms too. We will be running CMS Connect in our London, Bristol, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen offices. To find out more, check eligibility and apply, visit: www.cmsearlytalent.com/programmes /work-experience/ Applications for both programmes open on 3 May 2022.