Altwood School hosts a variety of guest speakers at 'largest' ever careers day

A secondary school in Maidenhead held its ‘largest’ ever careers day with 91 guest speakers from a wide range of industries.

The event, held at Altwood School, provided students with the opportunity to explore the variety of career paths available to them.

The day looked to broaden students’ understanding of the different industries and professions available, to help them make more informed choices about their future.

This year’s careers day also marked the launch of the Year 12 and More Able Networking event, providing students with the opportunity to start developing professional networks and essential employability skills.

The school welcomed a range of ‘high-profile and inspiring guests’ including CEO of IAG Cargo, David Shepherd, and entrepreneur and owner of Goyals, Seema Goyal.

Both shared their experiences and insights with students during the event.

Students were also ‘inspired’ by retired Chief Superintendent at the Metropolitan Police, Hannah Wheeler.

Alongside speaker workshops, students also undertook a variety of interactive activities.

Amazon provided a virtual reality experience which enabled students to explore data centres and learn more about careers in the company.

The army and RAF also engaged students through

skill-based, hands-on challenges which required teamwork and problem-solving, while also showcasing opportunities available in the armed forces.

Year 12 students took part in mock job interviews with real bosses.

The interviews were designed to replicate the real recruitment processes, enabling students to gain first-hand experience and build confidence within a professional setting.

Orange and Brompton bikes led interactive sessions, while Satro provided an opportunity for students to try bricklaying.

The fire service also provided career workshops and students also got the opportunity to see the fire appliance and use some of the equipment.

Representatives from Three and Vodafone gave presentations to year seven and eight students and set challenges where the youngsters used tablets to record adverts covering the safe use of AI.

A number of students were also given a day of work experience providing catering for an event.

As part of their work, they baked cookies and made jacket potatoes and cottage pie.

Students in year 10 were on external work experience where they obtain insight into the world of work.

One student spent the day at Coca-Cola and another group of year 10 students were taken for an Insights Day at Legoland.

Business activities took place throughout the experience and students found out about a range of opportunities.

The school said in a statement: “Altwood School’s careers day was a huge success this year, becoming the largest the school has ever hosted.

“We believe that it is an exciting time to be a student with lots of opportunities in the local community.

“With such a diverse range of organisations and professions represented, Altwood School’s careers day successfully inspired and informed students, reinforcing the school’s commitment to supporting their future ambitions.

“Thank you to all the volunteers for the excellent workshops from such a wide variety of career pathways.”