ALMOST 70 students from Lymm High School Years 11–13 opted to take part in a week-long virtual work experience programme.
The programme was organised by Young Professionals in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting cancellation of many school work experience programmes.
Young Professionals are a networking organisation that puts young people directly in touch with employers and helps them secure both work experience and apprenticeship opportunities.
They work with some of the largest graduate recruiters in the UK including some global brands including Rolls Royce, EY, PWC, Pearson, Nestlé and Lloyds Bank.
The work experience programme consisted of a week of webinars that covered all aspects of preparing for a student’s first career move. The first couple of days focused on how you build your own personal brand, in the professional sense, and the value of networking to the modern professional. The following couple of days were dedicated to recruitment.
Sessions were delivered by representatives from a number of well renowned organisations including the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), Rolls Royce, EY, PWC, Cap Gemini and RAF.
Topics covered included how to prepare for a digital interview, how to build resilience and why it is important, trends in employment and what the future of work could look like.
In addition, there were sessions on CVs, skills and how to crack an application form.
Feedback was very positive from the students who were able to gain a sense of how competitive the job market can be and who felt they gained some valuable tips on how to
get ahead and give themselves a professional advantage.
One of Year 12 student summed up the experience:
“The work experience showed me the importance of resilience, flexibility and ambition within the working environment. All of the talks were engaging and I discovered new careers I wouldn’t have thought to look into. I learned that
if you are not happy in a job it willshow through your work so if you want to make a difference you should do something you are passionate about.”
Another student said: “I thought that it was especially insightful into what companies and businesses look for beyond academia in softer skills. It also taught me the importance of
networking and reaching out to people who can help you in your future careers from a young age.”
