Fourths Talk GCSE Selection and Future Careers with OMTs

Ten OMTs took part in a ‘speed networking’ careers awareness carousel, visiting a different class every 15 minutes to share lessons from their career journeys and answer questions from the pupils. All the 4ths pupils heard from 3 or 4 OMTs across a range of sectors including accountancy, advertising, consultancy, humanitarian services, law, medical device engineering, private equities, sports sponsorship, and talent management. It was clear from their feedback that pupils found this opportunity to hear from, and ask questions of, the OMTs was really beneficial. Comments like “it was really useful to hear from people who were in the same situations as us explaining the routes they took” and “the most useful thing about the session was to learn about the wide range of jobs to go into, as well as the wide variety of skill sets required” were echoed by many pupils.

To build on their meetings with OMTs, pupils also had a workshop on making good decisions for GCSEs. By looking at different approaches to decision making, considering factors that are particularly relevant to GCSE options, exploring real life GCSE choice ‘dilemmas’ and learning who in school can help them, the 4ths should be well set up to embark on their decisions in the coming weeks. “I learnt how to make the right decisions when choosing subjects” and “it helped me be confident in what I want to do in the future and which GCSE topics to pick” was typical pupil feedback.

In the summer term, the 4ths will return to thinking about their futures by using Morrisby to explore different careers that relate to their own interests and learn about where to find high quality information about careers and the labour market. They will also think more about employability skills, many of which they heard about from the OMTs, and consider what activities they can get involved in while in the middle school to develop these.

The Careers department would like to thank all the OMTs who took part in our event. We really cannot overstate the importance of engaging with people in the world of work while at school in giving confidence to our pupils. As the pupils said themselves “The exciting stories of how they got to where they were now and their inspiring personal anecdotes, has helped me to think about my future, what I would like to do then, my GCSE & A level choices and where to study at university”.

If you are reading this as a parent, OMT or friend of the school and would like to get involved in our careers programme, please do not hesitate to contact us on careers@mtsn.org.uk