It's National Careers Week 2021

This week is National Careers Week 2021 and throughout the week, we’ll be sharing some top tips from our colleagues to help Oldham’s youngsters as they come up to the challenging time that is picking their ‘options’.

It’s a difficult time for everyone. Most people don’t have a clue what they want to do for the rest of their lives when they’re still in school, so look out for some handy hints, tips and stories on social media.

Our Directions team has been busy behind the scenes over the last few months. Although we sadly haven’t been able to host work experience opportunities or attend careers events thanks to the pandemic, we’ve adapted our work through a series of online activities. Some of the amazing things we’ve done include:

• Two employability sessions with Waterhead Academy on interview skills and how to find work
• A careers talk to year 10 students at The Radclyffe School
• An online class for Newbridge students to support their PHSE class around managing a home

We have also brought our contractors in to support activities as part of their social commitment including:

• Emanuel Whittaker’s Commercial Director answered Business Studies students’ questions so they could complete their BTEC coursework
• The Casey Group edited a video to be used in careers sessions showing some of the variety of roles in construction
• Connolly Ltd to offer mock interviews for year 10 pupils at Waterhead Academy

Julie Goreham, Learning and Development Advisor, said: “The past year has been challenging for everyone, not least students. Education as they knew it got flipped upside down and they have had to adapt to new ways of learning quickly, which has been easier for some than others.

“While the pandemic limited what we could do, it has been really important to create an offer to support Oldham’s students as they make the (sometimes) life changing choices of picking their options with advice and inspiration both from colleagues at FCHO and our partners too.”