Year 10 and 12 students were put under pressure – in a good way – last Friday (8 March) when they took part in a whole-day Employability Ready event.
Around 40 employers were on-site for the event, which saw the two year groups work off-timetable in a mock assessment centre* environment.
The students worked with employers in job interview and employability skills workshops, analysed their own skills, completed team activities and were interviewed by one of the employer representatives.
The students were engaged and clearly got a lot from the day – these kind of ‘drop-down days’ which give them the opportunity to work with employers, gage what these employers are looking for, practise their presentation skills, overcome their nerves and of course blow their own trumpets are worth their weight in gold, and are of course one the special things UTCs do brilliantly!
Preparing our young people for life beyond school goes way beyond the National Curriculum and days like this one is a great example of how we can prepare them better.
Employers on the day had only good things to say:
Kelly Blake, Senior Operations Manager for Business Security, said: “It’s been a great day and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in these mock interviews today!”
Natasha Maguire, Marketing Leader at Procurri, said: “It was an incredible experience helping young minds prepare for their journey into the professional world. Being able to share insights, offer guidance, and witness their confidence bloom throughout the sessions was immensely rewarding. It’s moments like these that remind me of the importance of giving back and investing in the next generation.”
Carl Redmond from Xylem said: “We all really enjoyed the day – it was a great way for the students to gain real life experience.
Sarah Lenihan from Wilson Tool International said: “I thought the event was great and very beneficial to the students. You could tell from how much more confident the year 12s were, that having mock interviews helps the students be prepared and less anxious in interviews.”
Warm thanks to the companies and individuals who kindly gave up their time and shared their experience.
Anglian Group; MOJ; BAE; UK Airtanker; Colas; Business West; MOD Shriv; Comstor; VolkerHighways; BAE Systems (Digital Intelligence); Sytner Mercedes-Benz; Wilson Tool; xylem; Procurri; Great Western Hospital; Tokamak Energy; Retrac Group Ltd; Colas Road; Oxford Cryosystems; Xylem Dewatering Services; Colas RAIL; VINCI Building; Thames Water; Atkins Realis; MOD Defence; New College; EVILEMPIRE; National Grid; Sytner Mercedes-Benz; IQVIA; WFM; Vodaphone; F and BGR; Oxford Brookes; Bucks; Study Higher; Bath College; PCH Consultants
- An assessment centre (or assessment day) gives employers the chance to compare the performance of lots of candidates at the same time. Candidates are set a combination of tasks and activities that test their suitability for the job.
- Our events are organised by our Head of Careers and Employer Engagement Ceri Tranter. If you would like to be involved in our events in the future, please contact ctranter@utcswindon.co.uk
