National Careers Week 2021

AIM Group - 'Employability Skills'

We kicked off the week with four employability sessions for Year 10 - 13, run by the AIM Group. Students were given hints and tips for making a strong application, how to make a good impression at interview, and even how to remember interviewer’s names under pressure!

University of Birmingham - ‘Choosing a Course & Personal Statement Tips’

The University of Birmingham gave a talk to our Year 12 students about how to choose their ideal course. They explored the differences between campus and city universities, what important things to look for, such as accommodation, facilities and societies.

Hawkings Global Education - 'Applying to International Universities’

The University Guy (Hawkings Global Education) took us on a whistle-stop tour of applying for universities overseas, looking at countries including the USA, Canada and the Netherlands. He explained the many different application procedures and the amount of work involved in an overseas university application.

Matthew Gibbs - Talk and Q&A ‘Architecture: Degrees and Careers’

Old Chigwellian, Matthew Gibbs, gave a very insightful talk to into the world of architecture and the training and long hours it takes to be successful. He shared his personal experiences working at different practices, and told us his own career path, along with some amusing anecdotes and stories about the buildings he’s worked on (pun intended).

Yusuf Jazakallah - ‘Entrepreneurship & Building a Career in the Technology Domain’

Yusuf Jazakallah talked us through the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and building a career in the technology domain. Students learned that hard work and determination were just some of the qualities needed to succeed.

Stirling University - ‘Routes and Options after GCSEs’

Year 10 and Year 11 students learnt about the different routes and options open to them after GCSEs and A Levels from Stirling University. They were told about the range of different pathways from college, sixth form, university, apprenticeship, employment and gap years and the best way to plan for each one.

Aditya Naidu - ‘Dentistry as a Career’

Old Chigwellian, Aditya Naidu, a Specialist Prosthodontist, took us on a fascinating journey (albeit with some gruesome pictures, especially for lunchtime!) in his ‘Dentistry as a Career’ talk. Students found out about the different pathways into dentistry and what the career was really like. There were some really insightful questions from students as they debated the future of dentistry with the advancement of technology.

Mitali Zakaria & Priyanka Chakravarty - ‘Routes into Law’

Aspiring lawyers and solicitors tuned in to hear Mitali Zakaria & Priyanka Chakravarty from ITN Solicitors talk about ‘Routes into Law’. They gave students a comprehensive guide into the different routes from law degrees, law conversion courses and apprenticeships. Students got to ask what a ‘typical’ day as lawyer was like and what different parts of the profession involved from a family law perspective.

Richard Barham - ‘Law as a Career’

Old Chigwellian, Richard Barham’s talk gave students an insight into corporate law and the different areas it entails. Richard gave some personal insights into his working life, travel experiences and Dentons, the world’s largest law firm and the company he has worked for for many years.

Margherita Cesca - ‘Women in Construction’

Architect Margherita Cesca talked students through the processes and design aspects that architects go through, from the initial sketch to 3D designs and models to choosing materials. She talked about the projects she is involved in like ‘Women in Property’, and also gave us an insight into life as an architect in Venice where preservation and restoration were more prevalent than new builds.

Queen Mary University - ‘Applying to Medicine & Dentistry'

We finished the week of events off with a talk from Queen Mary University about applying to medicine and dentistry courses. There were lots of advice and tips for making a successful application, as well as places to look for relevant work experience in the current Covid climate.

We would like to say a huge thank you to all those who gave their time to talk to the students and gave personal insights and advice. We would also like to say a big thank you to the students for giving time during lunch and after school to listen to the talks, asking great questions and making the guest speakers feel so welcome. We hope you all got a lot out of it.

For more information on any of the talks, or on future events, please contact Miss Darkin (rdarkin@chigwell-school.org)

Read more about National Careers Week.