what i’d tell my eighteen year old self
Stephen’s Story Committee feedback on BF experience Where’s the value added in a degree
Interview: being an A-level Entry Manufacturing Development Trainee at Rolls Royce
Atkins company & employee profile | Rolls Royce Adventures in Power | The Review Room | Phoebe’s Pantry
contents
2
Editor’s letter
3
Where’s the value-added in a degree
4-5
Stephen’s story
6-7
Sarah at Castle School
8
Rolls Royce Adventures in Power
9
Being an A-level entry manufacturing trainee at Rolls Royce
10-11
Advice to parents on money
12-13
Committee feedback on BF experience April 14
14-15
What I’d tell me eighteen year old self
16-17
Phoebe’s Pantry
18
Atkins company profile
19
Dahria, Technical Graduate, Interview (Barratts)
20
PwC company profile
21
EY Building a better working World
22
The Review Room
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editors letter It is nearing the end of the term and I bet that all of you (like me) are incredibly excited and looking forward to a very long summer. The school ezine is full of valuable content with lots of tips and information for you to read through over the summer. This will be the last time that I will be writing for the Schools Ezine, as I am going back to university to study for my final year. I have really enjoyed working on the school emagazine, in particular thinking about what kind of information is relevant and of interest to you. I have been really pleased to see that companies are now providing lots of different options for school leavers and there are some great articles in this edition to help you make decisions that are right for you! I do wonder if I would have made the decision to go to university, if I had been aware of some of the great schemes out there but then again things happen for a reason, which is why I have included into this issue “what I would tell my 18 year old self”.
We are keen to hear from students and Teachers who want to get involved in our societies and have included an article written by some of our Bright Futures committee members and some of our Teacher mentors about their experience of working with us and also the benefits of being part of Bright Futures. Would you like to know ‘where’s the value added in a degree?’ if so read ahead and find out how much your degree is worth. Finally read about a very inspirational young man, who fought for his life whilst motivating thousands of people – Stephen Sutton. As ever find out about our different opportunities and take a look at Phoebe’s Pantry and the review room! I hope that you all have a wonderful summer.
For all of the parents out there, we have included an article about what to expect from student finance. This will hopefully help to take away some of the questions and concerns, should your child be going to university.
Phoebe
www.brightfutures.co.uk phoebe.scowen@brightfutures.co.uk Follow us on twitter @BrightfuturesNT
*If you don’t have a Society at your school then set up your own! Contact us at society@brightfutures.co.uk and we can get you started right away!
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Where Is the Value-Added in a Degree? Going to university is undoubtedly value-adding. Bright pupils across the country complete their A-levels but then a divide appears. Those that go on to complete 3 years more education at university suddenly become more valuable to employers than their peers that go straight into the work force. To put this into some kind of perspective, three years later those that have been to university for three years can charge a higher salary than those that already have three years on-the-job experience in the professional world. This isn’t me making an ambitious claim. The BBC has previously put the mid-point graduate salary at £12,000 a year higher than the mid-point of non-graduates, the guardian reckoned hourly pay for graduates was £6.10 an hour higher than that of
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someone educated to A-level and the last time HirEd tackled this it put graduate earnings at 159% that of non-graduates. It’s clear something about the university process equips a person to perform better and adds value from a company’s perspective. But what? ‘More knowledge’ is the obvious answer. Yet Adecco carried out research suggesting that only 35% of employers thought future potential stemmed from education. The same Adecco study shows 55% of employers include work experience when assessing future potential.
those that did go were those that were already close to the action, those that were already making sure they were involved. Being proactive and involved in the university community gives you access to great opportunities that simply don’t trickle down to those who are waiting for opportunities to approach them.
However, the attitude of a person forms part of the assessment of future potential for 91%
Non-graduates don’t have access to that ‘playground’ and therefore find it much harder to prove their future potential compared to graduates. But graduates who fail to take advantage of the university experience will not have increased their value to employers as much as they could have done: 65% [i.e.
of employers. Being ready and willing to gain experience when the opportunity comes is one thing, but engineering and creating that opportunity is another level altogether. University gives undergraduates an environment and a range of tools to do this that are simply not available to people who don’t go to university.
100%-35%] of employers think a degree in itself does not increase the future potential of graduates. So where does your value come from? In five to ten years, what will you have that warrants a company paying a premium for? Don’t forget the lecture hall, but be aware that the real value lays outside of the exam room.
The quantity and variety of societies run buy students, for students, means that students are inevitably in the leadership roles. There’s direct and genuine contact with employers from day one that opens possibilities which would take a non-graduate immense effort to replicate. There are regular events being organised and there is financial and non-financial support for students setting up their own businesses. A former committee member at Bright Futures
There’s so much going on at a university it gives proactive, innovative and driven undergraduates a huge playground in which to be adventurous. Through Bright Futures I was lucky enough to be on the judging panel for the Association of Graduate Recruiters’ annual awards event in London. Very few of us went, and so inevitably
Lancaster, Matthew Maxwell is currently working in brand and reputation consultancy with Reputation Institute in Madrid, though he regularly returns to the UK to fulfil his duty as a member of the board of trustees for the West Sussex Mediation Service (charity). Links: www.reputationinstitute. 5
#stephensstory You all must have all heard about a very inspirational young man. His name was Stephen and he lost his battle for cancer on the 14th May. In his last few months Stephen managed to raise over £3million for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Since his death and at the point of writing this article that fund raising total is now almost £4 miilion He was a very inspirational young man that everyone should look up too & respect – we do here at Bright Futures
“My heart is bursting with pride but breaking with pain for my courageous, selfless, inspirational son who passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of this morning, Wednesday 14th May.” –Stephens Mother
In January 2013 Stephen decided to do a bucket list of things that he would like to achieve in the near future. From looking at the list Stephen managed to do most of the activities which he planned but some he could not. “His reason being is that he describes himself as quite 6
happy whether he ticks another thing off it or not and, especially because his reach and influence has grown so much, he wants to mainly concentrate on helping others. For this reason he has never considered adding to the bucketlist, and the only thing he has ever changed on it was the fundraising target.” (Stephens Story, 2014).
Updated bucketlist: 1) Raise £10,000 for teenage cancer trust- NEW TARGET.. £1,000,000 - DONE 2) Skydive for charity- DONE 3) Bungee jump for charity (at some place like the Macua tower, Verzasca dam, Victoria falls, etc) 4) Organize a charity party- DONE 5) Charity waxing and head shave 6) Write a book - DONE 7) Release a “tumour humour” joke book containing jokes, funny stories and anecdotes from cancer, that can help people to look at the brighter side of life 8) Organize a charity football match- DONE 9) Do a charity hitchhike visiting every Teenage Cancer Trust unit across the country 10) Write, record and release a charity single with my old band 11) Organize a charity gig - DONE 12) Go busking!- DONE 13) Persuade local schools to have a ‘get wiggy with it’ non uniform day- DONE 14) Charity quizzes at local pubs- DONE 15) Organize a charity ball- DONE 16) Host a charity ‘Come Dine With STE’ dinner party for friends- DONE 17) Organize and be part of a flash mob- DONE 18) Organize a gigantic game of musical chairs/pass the parcel/etc- DONE 19) Go to a carnival in Brazil.
20) Go to Wembley to see a football match- DONE 21) Go to Twickenham to see a rugby match- DONE 22) Fly somewhere first class- DONE 23) Get a tattoo- DONE 24) Drum in front of a huge crowd- DONE 25) Do some public speaking in front of a huge crowd of people- DONE 26) Go visit a famous waterfall 27) Throw a massive party for all my friends- DONE 28) Go on a ‘lads holiday’- DONE 29) Go to Australia 30) Hug an animal that is bigger than me- DONE 31) Ride a Segway- DONE 32) Go to a Skrillex concert 33) Go see a darts competition- DONE 34) Get my name into the Guinness World Book of Records somehow 35) Go to CERN in Switzerland- DONE 36) Meet Jimmy Carr- DONE 37) Go to another music festival- DONE 38) Find someone with more surgical scars than me (>47cm worth)- DONE 39) Star as an extra in a film or music video- DONE 40) Get Tim Minchin to write a song for me - DONE 41) Learn to juggle 42) Inspire someone else to become a doctor or fundraiser- DONE 43) Have my portrait drawn- DONE 44) Crowd surf in a rubber dingy at a gig- DONE 45) Try breathing in xenon or sulphur dioxide and talking (has the opposite effect of helium) 46) Visit Machu Picchu in Peru It is known that Stephen was an amazing public speaker and before he died he gave his speech to many schools, companies and charities.
He shared his experience with other people in hope that he would all influence them positively and make them realise their potential. Stephen’s talks became more and more popular and throughout 2013 he spoke over 70 times in various venues across the country. One included speaking at the O2 in London which was in front of over 4000 people! His talks would leave people feeling very motivational and propelled to achieve and new level of happiness which is what he set out to achieve. If you would like to here one of Stephen’s talks then please
click here Here are few testimonials of what some of his talks meant to people.
I’ve seen Stephen present twice now. Once to an audience of 150 in a local hotel conference room and the second time to an audience of over 4,000 at the O2! (on my invitation). He was Stephen at both. Inspirational, authentic and courageous and his message is incredibly powerful and relevant to us all. I have no doubt whoever hears him speak will be moved and will never forget Stephen’s story. I feel privileged to know him. -David Bellamy, CEO St. James’s Place It was a privilege to meet Stephen and listen to his story. Aside from the extraordinary and inspirational courage, anyone fortunate enough to hear Stephen’s message is left with the overwhelming and uplifting sense that every moment of every life is precious. And that it is the moments lived with and for others that are the most rewarding of all. Stephen’s story is ultimately one of joyous celebration and about the taking of opportunities. I would urge anyone who has the opportunity
to hear him and be in the presence of this remarkable man to take it. - David Lister Headteacher, The Friary School, Lichfield, Staffs.
It’s not often these days having heard so many speakers in the last few years that I can really call someone “inspirational”. However having heard Stephen Sutton a few times in the last few months via BforB led events, this is a label you can give him without a pause of thought. It’s not just the journey dealing with his cancer that inspires, it’s his matter-of-fact way that he deals with his situation, his good spirits, enthusiasm & graciousness plus his ability to relate his experience to his audience that makes this 19 year old an inspiration. You owe it to yourself to hear Stephen speak before he is no longer with us & make sure you make every second count as he does. - Stuart Walton Managing Director, BforB UK Stephen’s visit to Friends2Friends had a major impact on our group. The members completely identified with Stephen’s message that nothing should stop you living your life to the full as they themselves try not to let their disabilities stop them. Stephen’s talk had the group talking for weeks afterwards, something that has never happened before and also inspired everyone to make their own wish lists. One of our members put on her list that she would like to have the confidence to sing on Britain’s got Talent or X factor, because of this she has just auditioned in the Lichfield’s Got Talent competition and is intending to carry on with her singing. Without Stephen’s talk, she would not have felt able to tell anybody her dreams let alone put them into practice so a great big THANK YOU Stephen for helping our group more than you could imagine - Alison Wellon Coordinator of F2F (a group, offering support, guidance
and friendship to adults with learning disabilities)
In my opinion Stephen was a truly inspirational young man who demonstrated motivation and positive thinking way beyond that of many of us. It is deeply upsetting that he passed away at such a young age from a very cruel disease. However, if by reading this article, it encourages you to go out and do something you wouldn’t ordinarily do, or look at things in a different light – then that is exactly what Stephen set out to achieve (along with raising an astonishing amount of money for the Teenage Cancer Trust). If you would like to find out more about what Stephen has done in the past few years and would also like to donate then please visit his website here http://stephensstory.co.uk/
Phoebe Scowen 7
What the teachers think? I am in my 3rd year of mentoring the Bright Futures committee at Castle School 6th form. Personally, it is an enriching experience to work with students outside of the classroom in this way and I have met some wonderful and inspiring young people because of it! There are definite challenges as a mentor - how much to get involved and knowing when to step back; identifying strengths and weaknesses and knowing how best to address these with individuals. Setting realistic expectations for students is key, as they have to manage their A level studies alongside getting involved in organising events - a time consuming task! However, despite the challenges there are some fantastic benefits, both for the students involved and the wider school which benefits from the events they organise. I have seen shy individuals grow in confidence as they learn to make decisions, deal with local and international organisations, speak in front of large groups and pull together as a team to ensure the success of their event. The buzz and satisfaction they get when it goes well is huge (and lovely to watch!) Each year, we learn about how to do things better next time. The hope is that, in time, the committee will broaden out and help to ensure that the world of work becomes very much part of the educational experience for as many students as possible at Castle School. If anyone is thinking about setting up their own Bright Futures committee in their school, please feel free to contact me!
Sarah MacIsaac 6th Form Learning Mentor 8
www.rolls-royce.com/performanceisart
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Interview: Being an A-level Entry Manufacturing Development Trainee at Rolls Royce Who you are, what you do? I’m Osman, (20), a second year A-level Entry Manufacturing Development Trainee who relocated to Derby from Wigan to join RollsRoyce Plc.
Why did you choose the route you did, why not go to uni etc? My academic year was the first to have to pay tuition fees of up to £9000! Although I knew I wanted to get a degree, I did not feel confident in taking such a large financial step, especially since I had begun to get disinterested in classroom learning. My elder brother was in his third year at university when I was applying for Rolls-Royce and I could see that the graduate market was quite hostile with a lot of companies asking for graduates with experience. With the scheme I have chosen, not only do I get paid, I am also currently studying with WMG at Warwick University and I am working towards getting an MSc in Engineering Business Management. By the time I have completed my degree, I will also have 4 years of experience; and hopefully easily move into a permanent role. I feel like I’m already ahead.
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What advice would you give young people at school deciding what to do next? Explore your options and understand what modern apprenticeships are all about to make sure you don’t have an incorrect stereotype in your mind. Explore different industries and even consider careers you have never thought about as when you look deeper in to them, you will realise that there is a lot more to them than meets the eye. Make sure you use all the help available from your school in terms of career advice and if you consider further or higher education, try to align your choices with your aspirations. Lastly, try to find work experience even if it is only for a few days. This will show universities, colleges and employees that you are willing to further yourself and make an effort.
Any hints and tips to help these decisions? Make sure your choices reflect what you want to do and not what your peers expect. Take advice from people who have been through the choice before like older siblings, parents, teachers etc but ultimately this is your future.
Did anyone help you with Do you think you made the your decision or were there right decision? Would you do any resources that you found anything differently? Why? particularly helpful? I believe I’ve reached further than I expected I got a lot of help from teachers / tutors at school / college. As well as this, I asked family, friends and neighbours about their careers and any recommendations they had. Looking at websites for information for the ‘top 100 companies to work for’ was also intriguing as it made me consider companies I wouldn’t have before.
What do you think gave you the edge getting onto the scheme? How did you prepare for interviews/ assessment etc?
to be at my age and I think that I have excellent future options and employability. The experience of moving away from home has given me a sense of independence and responsibility which has helped me further myself as a person and although I wouldn’t do anything drastically different, I’ve learnt a few lessons along the way. At college I also had the idea in my head that an apprenticeship or trainee scheme would not be as advantageous as going to university but I now know that I was completely wrong. At first I was slightly worried about my social life but once I started my scheme I found that I made new friends very quickly, had a great work-life balance and even a little money to spend!
I tried my best to gain as much work experience as possible and I was a member of various sports clubs. I practiced with career’s advisors at college and I made notes about the things I wanted to discuss. I also think I was very calm during my interview; do not be intimidated, the assessors were very friendly. My last piece of advice would be to research about body language, it says a lot about you!
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advice to parents on
money
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Most young adults leaving home to go to university will be managing their finances for the first time. So what do they need to know – and how can you, as a parent, help them? The major source of financial support for students is a maintenance loan, this will be paid back in instalments once they have graduated and are earning more than £21,000 a year. These loans can be applied through the DirectGov website and it’s a good idea to do this at the same time as making an application for university. If you apply any later than the time which it is requested, there is no guarantee the money will be in place by the start of term. There are different types of loans available. The maximum loans are highest for those studying in London and not living with their parents (£7,675). They are lower for those studying outside of London (£5,500) and lowest for those living with parents (£4,375). (These are 2013 figures) Not everyone will receive the maximum loan. In England and Wales, only 65% of the maximum is guaranteed, and what a student receives after that is dependent on household income. If household income is more than £62,125, students will only receive the guaranteed loan and parents will be expected to top up that. If your child wants to apply for more than the guaranteed loan, you must provide evidence of household income. Parents with an income of less than about £40,000 can also apply for a maintenance grant. The maximum grant is £3,354, awarded if the household income is £25,000 or less.
is a bursary from the National Scholarship Programme that might be available to students from households with an income of less than £25,000 a year. The bursary is worth £3,000 for the first year, though no more than £1,000 will be paid in cash – the rest will be paid in the form of a tuition-fee discount or payment in kind (such as a bus pass or book allowance). Some universities also offer bursaries or academic scholarships for students on certain courses. Students apply directly through the university and details will be available on the university website. Disabled Student Allowances are available to students with particular disabilities or mental health conditions – the amount varies depending on the student’s needs. Surviving on a low income is a challenge. David Ellis, editor of Student Money Saver, suggests one area where parents could help is in choosing accommodation – he advises shopping around because the difference in cost can run to thousands of pounds a year. Ellis believes parents need to help their children to plan their spending before they start their course and agree who (the parent or student) will take responsibility for each item: “The most helpful thing a parent could do is to teach their child some basic budgeting skills and a realistic sense of how much things are worth.” You can also encourage your child to pick up a part time job; this will help them to manage their time more effectively and look great on their CV.
Unlike loans, grants do not have to be paid back. Students who receive a grant will have the amount of their loan slightly reduced. For most students, budgets will be tight. There are other sources of funding available, there 13
Our School Bright Futures Society Committees work very hard throughout the year to deliver events to the rest of their schools pupils. We asked the committee at Castle School to write how Bright Futures has helped them to not only develop as a person but also to make them more employable for the future.
James: “I feel that I’ve learnt a lot through my time as a Bright Futures Society Committe member. It’s easy to forget the work that goes into preparing an event, although the two events I’ve helped coordinate have shown me how little I knew! Plenty of skills have been learnt, teamwork, leadership and communication are all skills I can carry forward throughout my life – not to mention the personal statement. It’s quite fulfilling to see an event I’ve created unfold in front of my eyes, and makes me appreciate the hard work I’ve put in. It’s worth the effort to get the event you want, and help the people in my year group who need the information the most. A little bit of information can go a long way, and I feel that the information I’ve learnt has developed me into a more marketable individual.”
Maisie: “I have gained a lot throughout my time being part of the Bright Futures Society at my school. I have really enjoyed working in a team helping to organise and run events, despite being stressful at times! Attending the employability conference at Aston Villa football stadium was a great experience. It was really good to get the chance to network with employers from big companies, myself and two others were lucky to arrange a site visit to GE from speaking to employers that were sat on our table at the conference. Being in Bright Futures has helped to improve my confidence and communication when working as part of a team.” 16
Rachel: “If you’d asked me when I first became a part of Bright Futures to stand up and give an assembly to the rest of the year group I would have said no. But a year later and I’m standing up in front of all the new Y12’s as part of the recruitment assembly to get a new committee ready for the next academic year. So you could say my confidence has improved! Being part of something like Bright Futures opens up many doors. I have had the chance to network with big-name employers, organise events for my peers and develop new skills such as leading a team, event management and public speaking to name a few! As someone said at the Employability Conference back in April, “if you’re not going above and beyond then you’re behind.”
Georgia: “Throughout the time that I have spent as part of the Bright Futures committee I have learned so many new skills and made even more contacts. The main skill which I have developed is public speaking; a year ago I would never have wanted to run an assembly for my year group, let alone do a presentation to 100 members of staff. Along with these presentations, attending the national employability conference gave me the chance to speak to employers, careers advisors and highly respected company professionals. This boosted my confidence and now networking is something I really enjoy and have benefited a lot from. It has been a great experience and I now feel more ready to enter the world of work as I have a greater understanding of what employers want.” As a result of Georgia’s role in Bright Futures she has secured a Higher Apprenticeship with Rolls Royce.
If you would like to be part of Bright Futures then please contact us either on 01242 236415 or email claire.libby@brightfutures.co.uk for more information.
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what i would tell my eighteen year-old self 1. Laugh Every Day Life is far too important to be taken seriously. Listen to things that make you chuckle, watch things you find funny, constantly be cracking jokes with friends, and regularly make fun of yourself. There will be plenty of times where you’re somewhere you don’t want to be, or doing tasks you don’t want to do. Finding humour in these situations makes everything that little more bearable, increases your overall enjoyment, and draws others towards you. 2. Read Read at the bus stop. Read on the train. Read in the doctor’s surgery. Read in line at the bank. It’s a sin to our ancestors that we now live in a semi-illiterate, headline rolling, culture; Books are a mental stimulant, books are stress reducers, books enhance your cognition, and books expand your knowledge. Just read! 3. Make lots of mistakes (but make each mistake only once) Sir Ken Robinson’s ‘How Schools Kill Creativity’ speech is the most 16
watched TED talk of all time. In it he says: “If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original. By the time most children become adults, they have lost that capacity, they have become frightened of being wrong. The result is we are educating people out of their creative capacities.” If you are not making mistakes then you are not pushing yourself hard enough. I want you to make mistakes. I encourage you to make mistakes. But, most importantly, once you have made a mistake, learn from it and don’t ever make it again. 4. Stop trying to ‘fit in’ Don’t do things for external validation or because you think it will make others like you. And if you try to please everybody, then you’ll end up pleasing nobody; not even yourself. Instead do your own thing and people will be drawn to your passion and congruity. 5. Learn to cook Going to restaurants or ordering takeaways every night makes a massive dent in the wallet. Not
only will learning to cook help save vast amounts of money, it is also the best way in which to gain a nutritional understanding of different ingredients and cuisines as well as preparing yourself for University 6. Hack your sleep Get your eight hours a night in a pitch black room. When under-slept you will most likely be under-productive and cranky. Little things will start to irritate you and people will start to be irritated by you. Sleep is not for the weak; sleep is for the week ahead. Coffee-fuelled all-nighters may sometimes be required if you want to get ahead in life, but they should be a rarity. 7. What you think is a big deal usually turns out to be trivial at best The average teenager seems to have more ‘my life is ruined’ moments each day than they do pieces of fruit, especially when alcohol is involved. Accompanying the hangover is usually an emotion which we like to label ‘the fear’; a hazed recollection of the stupid
and embarrassing things you have said and done the night before. When you do something undesirable, your brain starts to invent all manners of far-fetched outcomes, inflating things out of proportion into an enormous balloon of anxiety. In reality however, nothing ever comes of these concerns. 8. The things you put off the most are the things you should be doing the most. Don’t let the devils of ‘Procrastination’ and ‘Resistance’ enter your life. Think about the one or two major decisions you keep putting off and the chances are that these will also be the decisions that could have the greatest beneficial impact on your life. 9. Travel Travel rips you out of your comfort zone and breaks you from your shell like nothing else. The world is not the scary and dangerous place the media makes out. It is full of wonder, love and excitement; new friends to be met, and experiences to be had, in all corners of the globe. Book a flight, pack light, and prepare
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yourself for the most amazing and eye-opening adventures.
10. Take social initiative Don’t sit at home waiting for people to call or text you. They will soon get frustrated with your lack of effort and stop inviting you places. Actively create hangout opportunities, suggest different places to visit, or make plans to try something new. Don’t feel that you have to keep your different circles of friends segregated either. Invite people that have never met and encourage them to bring friends along that you have never met. The more the merrier. 11.The older you get, the more conservative you’ll become. Grab every new opportunity you can get. If a door opens, take a peek inside. It could be nothing, but venturing down the rabbit hole could also lead you to Wonderland.
drop someone an e-mail asking for advice, and if they respond then who knows what sort of connections and opportunities could blossom. You’ll be surprised at how willing people are to lending a helping hand. 13. Make time for your family. Watching those close to you grow old is a very scary process. Make an effort to visit your grandparents on a weekly basis and offer to help with chores around the house. They have sacrificed more than you can ever imagine during your childhood and it’s time to start repaying them for this service, little by little. And finally… 14. Create something Paint, draw, write, compose, build, design – leave your own personal mark on the earth.
12. Find ‘mentors’ Learning from someone who has ‘been there and done that’ is the most effective and efficient way to develop your skills and knowledge. It costs nothing to 15
Phoebe’s Pantry 18
Fried mozzarella cheese sticks Ingredients • Mozzarella Cheese sticks – 12 • Breadcrumbs – 130g • Eggs – 2 • Vegetable oil – for frying
Method
In a small bowl lightly beat the eggs. Pour the breadcrumbs in a flat dish. Preheat the oil in the frying pan. Dip the mozzarella stick first in the egg and then into the breadcrumbs (make sure that all of the mozzarella stick is covered in breadcrumbs). Repeat this process again until you have a nice covering of breadcrumbs. Place the sticks into the oil and fry until it is a nice golden colour. Afterwards place on a paper towel to drain the oil. Finally eat the cheese sticks whilst they are hot.
This is my story
An apprenticeship is renowned as you can ‘earn while you learn’. With my apprenticeship I embrace the diverse opportunities which are presented to me such as technical work, survey work and cost management. During my time at Atkins I’ve learned a lot about the industry and discipline that I work in. As an apprentice, using your initiative and being resourceful about your learning is vital! Everything falls together and you soon realise how people are able to collaborate internally
and externally which is difficult to comprehend from the use of a whiteboard or lecture theatre. For me, the most significant part of your development at Atkins is watching and interacting with the experienced professionals around you and understanding their methods and logic behind their work. Having a structure to what you do in terms of organization of work load and delivery of projects is crucial for an employee of Atkins as the majority of projects you participate in will be of a multidisciplinary nature.
management, cost management and project execution. Once qualified and with the necessary experience, travelling with work is also something I’m eager to do whether it’s within the UK or outside the UK. Fortunately, my team and line manager who are very supporting towards my progression.
company profile
I started as an apprentice at Atkins in 2013 after leaving sixth form to pursue a career in engineering. I’m based in the centre of Birmingham in an office called the Axis and my day to day work as an electrical engineer apprentice consists of solutions for the rail infrastructure such as designing, client liaison and problem solving.
Atkins
…Jack Hudders , ATKINS Apprentice
In 5 years time I would like to be on my route to Chartership with my relevant institution. I would also like to have experience in the field of project management to be able to see a project for another perspective as well as testing personal skills such as people
Launch yourself into some of the world’s most exciting engineering projects with a career in Atkins’ team. For our 2014 UK Apprentice positions please visit: www.careers.atkinsglobal.com/apprentices where a full description of opportunities and benefits a can be found. 19
My name is Daria Matkowska and I am a Technical Graduate for Barratt Developments In 2010 I graduated from Leeds University with a Master’s Degree Architectural Engineering. Maths, Physics and Architecture have always been my main interests therefore I was pleased to find a degree course that combined all of my interests. I chose Leeds University because of its high position in the university rankings and a campus that offered an interesting student life. My degree was varied and inspiring. I spend my third year studying at Pennsylvania State University in the USA and gained some work experience through a summer placement with an engineering firm in Germany. My favourite part of the degree was working on design projects using different pieces of software and making models. Currently I work as Technical Graduate for Barratt Developments. I am spending my first year on rotating between the six operational areas of the business and in my second year I will be placed in the Technical Department.
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I enjoy my job because it is diverse and challenging. In engineering world every day is different. I spend time both in the office and outside, visiting different sites and speaking to external consultants, councils and contractors. In 5-10 years I would like to have enough knowledge and experience to manage my own team of people and offer expertise in more complex projects. A lot of girls I speak to are afraid to pursue a career in engineering because they feel it is a male dominated environment and that they would not feel comfortable. However there is plenty of female engineers with successful careers in engineering. They are very good at their jobs and receive a lot of respect and support from their male colleagues. There are also some great benefits that come with engineering jobs: good salary, company car, opportunities to travel.
PwC
Your career is just that; yours. You choose it. You live it. You make it happen. To get the best from it, you need the best opportunities.
What’s your background? I came to PwC straight from completing my A-levels at college in Accounting, Business Studies and English Language. Why did you decide to apply to PwC? I didn’t apply to university due to the ever-growing opportunities available in the financial sector within big companies. The PwC Higher Apprenticeship was my number one choice due to their incredible reputation and the chance to work whilst gaining a professional qualification. All in an area I already knew I enjoyed due to studying Accounting and Business Studies at college.
What does a typical day for you involve? Typically, I spend the day setting up and amending computations and tax returns for the various clients we’re responsible for. I also help produce all the relevant supporting documents to go with these and communicate with colleagues, clients and HMRC. In addition to this, I have various pieces of work to complete as part of my diploma, and am also actively involved in the social committee within my team, so spend time organising activities for this.
What advice would you give to people who are trying to decide what to do next?
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Rachel Tax Manchester
Ask yourself “do I definitely need to go to university to get where I want to be?” If the answer is no, then opportunities such as the PwC Higher Apprenticeship are a brilliant way to gain valuable on-the-job experience, all whilst studying towards your professional qualifications.
What are your goals for the future? Upon completing my diploma and passing my Accounting Tax Technicians (ATT) exams by the end of the second year of my Higher Apprenticeship, I aim to begin studying towards my Certified Tax Advisor (CTA) exams in order to become qualified.
Take the opportunity of a lifetime. www.pwc.com/uk/schools www.facebook.com/PwCCareersUK 21
WHY I CHOSE THE EY SCHOOL LEAVER PROGRAMME. Drew Williams, Queen Elizabeth School, Barnet I knew even at school that I wanted to go into financial services, as I’d done some work experience at an investment bank and really enjoyed it. I discussed with colleagues there the pros and cons of going straight into work, and decided to join the EY School Leaver programme in 2012. Most of my friends respected my decision not to go to uni, especially when you consider the financial benefits of going straight into work.
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Since starting at EY I have gained an appreciation of just how respected the ACA qualification is. It’s so transferable, and with the other skills I’ve learned, it will stand me in good stead for my whole career. But the thing I’ve most enjoyed about EY is the people. They are always friendly and willing to help, which is reassuring when you’re joining such a big global firm straight from school. If you have any questions about the #EYSchoolLeaver you can tweet Drew at @DrewWilliams_EY or find out more at ukcareerguide.ey.com
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Adobe Voice
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