A stylist, stuntman, Member of Parliament and chef were among the professionals inspiring pupils at a careers event held at a Derby primary school.
Beaufort Primary School in Chaddesden – part of the Odyssey Collaborative Trust – welcomed 17 professionals from a range of industries to its first careers fair, giving children an insight into the different career paths they could pursue when they leave education.
The school has introduced a new careers initiative into its curriculum, reflecting the Department for Education’s focus on enrichment opportunities and encouraging children to think about their futures.
As part of this, pupils will receive a BRAVE Futures Passport, named after the school’s motto, which they will keep throughout their time at Beaufort. Each year, they will take part in different activities designed to develop their skills, explore their interests and raise their career aspirations.
Year five pupil Logan said: “I have really enjoyed today, seeing all the different types of jobs we can do when we grow up.
“I really enjoyed speaking to the people from Rolls-Royce because that is where I am hoping to work when I leave school. It was nice to hear how they got their jobs and what I need to do between now and then to work there myself.
“I have always known I wanted to work there because I want to be part of making all the amazing things they do. But it was interesting to hear about all the different jobs and departments you can work in.
“It was also amazing to meet so many other people and I definitely have some second career options now, like becoming a stuntman or a bike mechanic.
“It was also great to meet Catherine Atkinson because I would really like to follow in her footsteps one day.”
During the careers fair, pupils were encouraged to approach professionals, find out more about their roles and ask questions, recording what they had learnt in their BRAVE Futures Passports.
As well as raising career aspirations, the event was designed to help children broaden their vocabulary, develop their speaking and listening skills, build confidence and resilience and become more comfortable approaching and speaking to people from different backgrounds.
Among those taking part was local wedding and event stylist Tara Knott, she said: “I really wanted to be part of today and meet the youngsters because I think my role is quite unique.
“When I was at school, we were never really told about jobs like mine. It was always the more obvious careers, like being a nurse or police officer.
“I have really enjoyed sharing my journey with the children and showing them that life can take you in different directions before you find your dream career.
“They have all been asking brilliant questions, have been very polite and have been so keen to hear about my career journey.”
The event, which was held for the first time this year, saw the school hall transformed into a careers fair, with each professional hosting a stand where pupils could find out more about their work.
Headteacher Kate Beecroft said: “We want every child at Beaufort to believe that their future is full of possibilities and events like this are a fantastic way of opening their eyes to opportunities they might never have considered before.
“I am incredibly proud of how our pupils approached the different professionals with such confidence and enthusiasm, asking thoughtful questions and showing a real interest in their careers.
“The event has been a huge success and it has been wonderful to see the excitement in the hall. We are incredibly grateful to all the professionals who gave up their time to inspire our pupils and hope to build on its success year after year.”
