On Friday 6th February, our Year 9 students took part in employability workshops to broaden their understanding of industry sectors and to discover what career opportunities are available to them. The students used their listening and communication skills, whilst problem solving and using teamwork to work through what was being asked of them.
The workshops were:
Sport Connect
Sports Connect & Careers within and how this relates to other sporting paths. Practical activity called The Sports Connect Community Hub Challenge. The class was split into teams of 4-5. Each member of the team had different roles e.g. Community Lead, Lead Coach, Signposting Officer, Engagement Officer. The team then pitched their challenge/programme to the group (including who it is for, the outcome - mental health/skills/fun, costs, brief demo at the desk).
This mirrors Sports Connect Community - Direct Link: It empowers young people to recognise what is needed by the target group - Career Diversity: It shows that community sports careers involve social work, business, event planning, and health, not just PE teaching
Public Service G4S
The students learnt about the function of patient transport in the community and the partnership with the NHS. Speakers discussed the mobility of service users and gave scenarios (what G4S encounter transporting service users). Students also looked at the key skills required to work in the sector.
Employability
A session which looked at the transferable skills all employers look for in potential employees. This was a competitive, interactive workshop that required students to showcase teamwork, problem solving, communication and leadership skills. The session took the form of a group interview with feedback and guidance offered at the end.
EKC
The Construction Carousel was a variety of activities from a creating a plumbing system using a marble run; Snap Circuit kits as an introduction into electrical circuits; miniature bricks to create buildings and structures; and a Knex kit to engineer a bridge which can stand by itself. Students had the opportunity to interact with each different pathway. The Construction Carousel is designed to encourage students to work together, problem-solve, explore different ways of creating structures alongside communicating with each other.
Health
Students worked with a professional to look at the world of Health & Social Care. The session allowed students the opportunity to look at and use certain equipment, analyse case studies and test their knowledge during an interactive presentation. This interactive session asked students to think outside of the box at times.