22 A Decade of Giving BEDFORD SCHOOL
Helping the
next generation Providing Careers Advice and Support Since its foundation in 1891, the Old Bedfordians Club has always been there to support alumni of Bedford School. It has helped to foster and maintain relationships between the school and Old Bedfordians by putting on events, sharing information and providing regular updates, adapting to new technologies along the way. It has also strived to assist and support members in their careers and lives and has used the OB network to help current pupils of the school. Over the years, this support has manifested itself in many ways and continues to be built upon through a coordinated programme.
The OB Careers Fair held annually in the Great Hall, was launched in 2007, and sees OBs, parents and friends of the school come together to give career guidance to over 200 boys and girls from Bedford School, Bedford Girls’ School, Mark Rutherford School and Bedford Academy. From journalists to IT professionals, airline pilots, musicians and entrepreneurs, it is wonderful to have such a wide range of fields represented. The pupils gain a great deal from this opportunity, allowing them to hone their networking skills, ask searching questions and broaden their horizons in a friendly, informal atmosphere. Last autumn saw the introduction of a series of virtual workshops with practical skills to help members of the school community when they come to job searches, with hints and tips on how to write the perfect CV, alongside interview and assessment centre techniques. In any given year, we welcome back OBs who kindly offer to present at various school societies on a range of subjects including insurance, accountancy, and mathematics to name but a few. When the pandemic hit in 2020, we took this support for the boys online and ran a virtual Career and Professional Skills course in conjunction with the school Careers Department. In typical community fashion, everyone rallied together to help create an enriching course, with OBs and current/former parents offering online seminars on their careers and areas of professional interest. OBs offer careers advice
London Networking Our London networking events attract a strong following across all age-groups, with an average of over 40 OBs attending each event. They take place after work and provide a relaxed and sociable environment for OBs to network and catch up with one another over a beer or glass of wine.
Oxbridge Interviews Mock Oxbridge interviews are held annually for the current crop of applicants. Members of the school community volunteer as guest interviewers to put the boys through their paces. The boys always find the interviews helpful and enjoy meeting mentors who are experts in their chosen fields.
