Mansfield school holding careers week to inspire the next generation

The purpose of Raising Aspirations Week is to raise and develop aspirations for the young people in the community and get them thinking about careers and their next steps.

The school, part of the Nova Education Trust, hosted its inaugural Careers Fair on Monday with almost 400 people in attendance.

James Aldred, headteacher, said: “A key element of our mission statement is to ensure, by the time our students leave, they’ve gained the skills, qualities and qualifications needed for a successful, happy and fulfilled future.”

The school hosted a range of employers, institutions and careers providers from across Nottinghamshire and beyond, including the NHS, Armed Forces, Experian, Ask Apprenticeships, West Nottinghamshire College and Nottingham Trent University.

The event was attended by students and parents/carers from Years 7 to 13, school staff and governors, as well as pupils from feeder primary schools.

Throughout the week, the Garibaldi timetable has been dropped down to allow students to access workshops from a range of employers, education providers and past students on different careers.

It provides an opportunity to find out pathways, ask questions and discover what it is really like to work in different careers.

Mr Aldred said: “We know it’s never too early to start thinking about career and employment aspirations.

“Our hope is we can build the event over time and bring together even more providers, so if any local employers, education or training providers would like to be involved in 2024 we’d love to hear from them.

“Raising Aspirations Week is just one week of our school calendar where we have a specific focus on careers and next steps. This complements our curriculum where careers advice and guidance is built into every subject.

“School involves learning about different subjects but it is also about giving students the skills, characteristics and experiences to make sense of the world around them.

"I was so pleased to be able to invite a significant number of people from our local community to what was an amazing event. My thanks go to all involved and in particular, the employees or educational institutions that supported this event.”