By Natasha B, Year 10 Journalist Leader

On the 9th February students from Years 9-13 had an exciting opportunity to be part of the Careers Fair. This fair, organised by Ms Parr, Dr Pearce and the Parents’ Guild Careers Committee gave us an opportunity to talk to different people from a range of different jobs to give us a better insight on potential careers. With a record number of advisers (over 80) and career options on offer there was plenty to discover! The careers were divided into different groups which were known as planets. There were a whole host of planets to explore including the Screen and Stage Planet, the Ruling Planet, the Legal Planet, the Medical Planet and the Word Planet. Additionally, there were two breakout sessions about careers in sustainability and Women in leadership.

For one day the main hall was transformed into space with the career planets ready for us to explore. Just minutes into the fair, there was a huge buzz with students immersing themselves into career after career, landing on completely alien planets exploring careers they had never even considered before. Each of the planets were represented by a range of experienced advisers who were able to answer our questions and help us learn a lot about their jobs.

The roles I investigated included Journalist, Psychologist, Detective, Met Police, Sports Agent, Nutrition Expert and Film Marketer. What I loved most about the fair was that I could explore a range of jobs that connect to interests of mine and I was free to ask questions on a one-to-one basis. I visited jobs such as a police officer and detective, that I had never even thought about before. Both of these advisers shared with me their personal experiences in their job, why they liked it and how they got into it. I found it fascinating to learn about what being a detective involves and how it involves a lot of psychology. Additionally, the main thing I took away from the whole experience was that in many of the experiences of the advisers, it didn’t matter which A Levels they chose to take because you could end up in a job completely unrelated to them. So, you should study what you enjoy learning.

Speaking to other students about the fair, the event was a huge success. Here is what some of them said about their experience:

“I’ve just found my dream job – I want to be a sports journalist!” – Year 11 student

“I’ve just spoken to two publishers and  I’m really excited!” – Year 10 student

“I’m interested in working in some area related to sport, so I was really pleased to chat to a great nutritionist.” – Year 10 student

“We loved hearing all about the police and the different things you can do within the police force.” Year 10 students

“We’ve talked to engineers, anaesthetists and dentists. I’m keeping all my options open! Great to hear about so many careers all in one place.” Year 10 student

“ The variety of jobs has been amazing tonight – I’ve spoken to people about politics, psychology, sustainability and tech startups.” Year 10 student

A big thank you to Ms Parr, Dr Pearce and the Parents’ Guild Careers Committee for a fantastic and informative evening.