Fair offers insight into alternative routes

Fourteen organisations were represented at the Year 12 Careers and Alternative Pathways Fair last month

We welcomed back several Comberton Village College and Sixth Form Alumni, who spoke to students about their career paths and experiences with school leaver programmes, apprenticeships, gap years and travelling.

Josh Hebditch, who finished Comberton Sixth Form in 2015, talked about the Early Careers opportunities at the Bank of England. He joined the organisation on one of these schemes in 2017 and remains at the Bank in London as a Technology Assurance Manager.

Rebecca Luck left Comberton Sixth Form in 2016 and went on to to do a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Business Administration

Rebecca represented the University of Cambridge at the event, where she is now an HR and EDI Coordinator and an apprentice studying for her Level 5 HR qualification

Thomas Arkesden, who completed his studies at Comberton Sixth Form only last year, shared his experience oft working at DHL, one of the largest logistics groups in the world. Thomas gave advice on planning gap years and travelling as he is shortly going travelling around Europe William Woodard, a 2020 alumnus, who went on to Hills Road Sixth Form, attended from Springboard, a technical consultancy that specialises in the development of devices from concept to manufacture for regulated markets William is part of the Year in Industry Scheme, working at Springboard as a gap year between Sixth Form and University, getting hands on experience.

Students enjoyed speaking with representatives from The British Army, The Royal Air Force and Cambridgeshire Police to find out more about the apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships and school leaver programmes available

The financial industry was represented by Deloitte LLP, Price Bailey and PEM, who talked to students about the number of apprenticeship and school leaver programmes that they offer, many of which are local to Cambridge

Arm, a global leader in semi-conductor IP, joined the careers fair remotely to discuss the apprenticeships available.

Savills, one of the world’s leading property agents, attended in person to speak with students about the range of opportunities available within their company, including Apprenticeship Surveyor roles

The Schools and Colleges Officer from Anglia Ruskin University was on hand to explain to students about the degree apprenticeships that Anglia Ruskin offers

The team at Cambridge Regional College discussed the range of Higher Education Programmes that they offer to students

The Year 12 students enjoyed learning about the alternative pathways available I would like to thank the employers, alumni and education providers who attended this event to share their experiences and expertise with the Year 12 students

Fay Lawson, Careers and Guidance Lead

HI-TECH WORLD: Year 12 biologists visited the Babraham Institute to participate in lab work, including capturing images from an advanced scanning electron microscope