Clacton County High SChool
Careers and Aspirations Hub
Futures Week 2024 - Experiences of Work
Year 10 Futures Week (1st-5th July 2024)– Experiencing the World of Work our Year 10 students spent a week away from their normal lessons to gain an insight into the world of work, which ultimately is what we are all helping prepare them for. The week included numerous workplace visits with a number of providers who hosted groups of students for the day to learn about their industries and see how work places can differ.
Last year we were able to provide a multidude of different experiences. Over two days 200 students took part in these special experiences of work including - Clacton Hospital’s Diagnostic Centre - where students looked at careers and apprenticeships in the NHS, along with a tour of their new facility in Clacton; The Book Service in Frating - where students looked at careers in publishing with talks from logistics staff and publishing staff, they also got a tour of the distribution centre; ThinkBDW - a property development firm that focuses on graphic design and VR design of interiors; and CloudFM - a facility management business in Colchester; the students had a fantastic experience and returned glowing about their day learning about logistics and business administration. Students who have expressed an interest in engineering had the opportunity to visit Pickering, a local electronics firm who make microswitches; they had a talk and a tour, as well as meeting some ex-CCHS students who now work at Pickering Electronics to learn about their career journey. Other engineering visits included Tridan Engineering - a milling company that makes everything from engine blocks to missile casings where students got a talk about career routes and see their facility in action; the Galloper Windfarm Headquarters in Harwich where they learnt about the off-shore power generation section and talked to staff about the Galloper degree apprenticeship opportunities; there was also an opportunity for them to wear the special rigging harnesses and experience a VR tour of the wind turbines.
Other visits included - Harwich Port and Trinity House, where students learnt about careers at sea and toured they buoy storage area and engineering facility. Petro-Chemical organisation Halterman Carless allowed students onto their site for the first time and took them on an interesting tour of their plant in Harwich where they distil various hydro-carbons to produce various petroleum products, including racing fuel which is exported around the world for Powerboating, Racing and Rally cars, as well as an unnamed Formula 1 team.
Springpod on demand virtual work experience programmes
Click on the link below for 32 different programmes to choose from in various career sectors
Work Shadowing Log
Over the past couple of weeks students have had the opportunity to speak with local employers and had assemblies talking about their career options. We are keen to encourage students to experience the world of work and strive to give them every opportunity to give them inspiration for their future career paths.
During assemblies this half term I have been asking students to take the opportunity to do some work shadowing. This will involve your child coming to work with you, another family member or friend for one day to experience what it is like at a workplace. We understand that not all workplaces are suitable, and in this case you may contact myself or Mrs Settle our work experience coordinator to discuss options. Please take the opportunity this holiday to discuss this with your child as this will provide them with invaluable experience.
PSHE day careers focus
Year 12 focus on Post 18 Pathways
Our annual Post 18 week again proved to be greatly
beneficial for our Year 12 students, with a range of events
and activities to help with their future career planning.
Sessions helped the students to focus on their choices for
when they conclude their A-Level studies in a year’s time.
They looked at higher education, apprenticeship,
employment and gap year opportunities, registering for
UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service) and the
job application process.
There was a particular focus on preparing for an interview
and identifying their skills and personal qualities in
preparation for the annual Mock Interview Day. A number of
industry professionals met with each Year 12 student, who
had dressed as if they were attending a real interview. Each
professional was tasked with choosing their best interviewee
in a special ‘Your Hired’ competition. Other awards included
the best dressed student on interview day.
The students also attended the annual UCAS Convention
at the University of Essex, where all the higher education
institutions in the country gave information and advice on
the courses available - over 40,000 different course
combinations, at 130 institutions.
The week concluded with an opportunity to chat with a
number of ex-students (pictured above) - ranging from
those who had recently left, to some who had been out in
the big wide world a while longer. They offered Year 12
students their advice and also
Ready, Steady Cook – Navy Style
Last week, we welcomed the Royal Navy Catering Specialist Team into school for a special careers event. Selected Year 10 Food Technology students enjoyed an energetic and interactive ‘Ready Steady Cook’ competition.
The Royal Navy chef explained that her team are often faced with organising special events on board ship, when the captain entertains local dignitaries at short notice. They regularly have to prepare food for receptions and banquets with whatever they have within their on-board store.
She then tasked the students to cook a two-course meal, as if they were at sea with only the provisions that she had provided in true Ready, Steady Cook style. The students, working in small groups, rose to the challenge and produced some innovative and tasty dishes.
The resulting spread was then judged, for presentation and taste, by our careers team who judged the Shepherd’s Pie, made by Cian, Lee and Jack, to be the winning dish. Lewis, Jamie and Charlie came second with their chicken pie, followed by a chicken chorizo dish by Alex, Freddie and Rhys. A special mention must go to Alyssia who made her own tagliatelle pasta. Well done to all of the students who participated, we hope that the insight into catering opportunities within the armed forces, may help with their future career aspirations.
"The best way to predict your future is to create it"
Futures academy launch
This week saw the launch of an amazing new opportunity for twelve of our Year 10 students – a seven-week work experience opportunity which combines mentoring sessions with local business people, as well as workplace visits. Along with the sessions in school, the group will be visiting Tiptree Jams, Direct Solutions Print & Design in Clacton, the Colchester Foodbank and UK Power Networks.
The course is organised in association with the Futures Academy and started with an activity designed to get the groups talking and working together. Each team had to build a structure of balloons, with a different characteristic of a good employee written on each of them.
