Assemblies for National Apprenticeships Week

National Apprenticeships Week is an annual event which takes place each February. It's a fantastic opportunity for students to hear about the scope of apprenticeships on offer, and to hear from both parents and alumni who have taken different routes into a range of careers.

Our Assemblies this week have focused on Careers and the character traits which are essential for our students to demonstrate, no matter which path they take after leaving Charters.The confidence to try something new, the motivation to learn a new skill, and the resilience to 'dig in' when times are tough, are just a few of the characteristics that our students are encouraged to display as they journey through life.

In our Year 10 assembly on Thursday our students welcomed Guy Emmerson, a parent who is Global Leader of Talent Acquisition at Amazon and Ewan Joyce, a past student who is Strategic Problem Solving Manager at Transport for London. The two visitors spoke to the students about their career paths and encouraged the students to be curious about the range of careers available to them.

Guy told the students that after completing a degree in History, he had been encouraged to take a role at PWC, an accountancy firm, by both friends and family. He instantly knew that the role wasn't right for him and after 12 months started to think about what would suit him better. He liked meeting and talking with people and therefore embarked on a new career in recruitment; starting at Adecco as a graduate he spent 18 years at the company and after 11 promotions, ended up as Managing Director.

Guy explained that there is never one set route when it comes to careers and that it's important for students to do something they enjoy. He also shared the fact that he had completed a Masters at the age of 42, highlighting the fact that it's never too late to broaden your knowledge. He encouraged them to begin writing their CV and adding to it over time, so that it can evolve along with their interests. As Global Leader of Talent Acquisition at Amazon, Guy explained that the first thing that stands out during an interview is whether the candidate has prepared, and urged the students to practice with friends and family prior to the meeting.

Ewan left Charters in 2017 after completing his A Levels and knew that he didn't want to go to university. He told the students that he had explored a range of apprenticeships before applying for a two year Level 5 Human Resources apprenticeship with TfL. He was attracted to the fact that he would be paid while we was gaining experience and that he would also achieve a qualification which was funded by the company. The apprenticeship route allowed him to build a network of connections straight out of Sixth Form and he now works as a manager in a completely different area to the one he started in.

Ewan's 'top tips' for students were:

1. Research what apprenticeships are available - there are over 700, so it's likely that there is one which will tick all the boxes.
2. Do something you enjoy and don't be swayed by your friends.
3. Find what your strength is and find something which uses this skill.
4. Challenge yourself to do something new - it can be scary, but you'll be so pleased that you got out of your comfort zone.
5. Believe in yourself and be confident.

Rounding off the assembly, Mrs Henly stressed to the students that they don't have to know exactly what job they wanted, or the route they would take to achieve this, but what they did have to do was be curious about the range of options available to them. The Year 10 students will be able to write their CV and experience a 'mock' interview during Year 11 as part of our school's ongoing Personal Development programme.

Our thanks to Guy, Ewan, and all the other guests who have made National Apprenticeships Week come alive for students in all year groups this week. 

For more information about apprenticeships please take a look at our newly updated page in the Careers section of our website.