Freecycle in Hemel Hempstead

I've recently discovered this useful network locally in Hemel, which helps save tangible items going to landfill: it's a free online noticeboard for things you want to dispose of or acquire, for free.  Hemel Freecycle
Now the Herts Freecycle network have launched a Freecycle Cafe.
This is "a great way to keep tangible items out of landfill but what happens if you missed a voucher for a holiday? Want to know where to find a particular tradesman? Need a particular recipe? Have a skill and would like to swap skills to get jobs done? Maybe someone can help you with an issue? Offer money saving tips and advice? Or anything else that may be of interest?"
Here's the link.

Apprenticeship with National Grid

Excellent opportunity with National Grid, apply by 31st Jan with potential start in Sept 2014. Full information here.

Moving On

Some excellent articles, ideas and advice on this website, for young people and their parents.  Their free monthly paper magazine is available in school, ask in Careers Room.  Click here for the link.

Last chance for Morgan Stanley event

1st Jan is the last date to apply for the Morgan Stanley "Step In, Step Up" event in February for yr12 and yr13 students, to find out more about a career in investment banking.  See the main blog post on 16 Dec for more details (quick route via the category/label "opportunities" on the right of this page).

News from Careers Room 18/12/13

Dragons Team 1 are on HemelToday!  See the article and video of their great giftwrapping service here…  The team will be  gift-wrapping twice more this week on Thurs and Saturday.  Happy wrapping and happy Christmas to everyone!

Save the date!  On Friday 17^th January, the two Dragons teams will combine to organise a mega Quiz Night – look out for more details early next term.

Careers Week 2014:  From 3^rd to 7^th March, Cavendish will celebrate National Careers Week which coincides with Apprenticeship Week.  I am inviting several speakers into school during the school day to tell us about their work and career route.  We hope this will inspire our students to think about their own future and consider possible routes they haven’t thought about before. 
Do you know of someone with an interesting career who could inspire our students?  Please ask them to contact me, or let me know how to reach them.  Look out for more information about this exciting event next term in Contact!

College applications: If you are applying to college, I can send off the application for you.  I will keep a copy on file in case of any query.   Hand in the neat, signed application to me at Careers Room.  Sixth Form application process takes place in January.

Seeing the Vauxhall Vivaro in a new light

Earlier this term, Sixth Formers from Business Studies and some budding Engineers visited the Vauxhall plant at Luton for their See Inside Manufacturing event.  We had a tour of the Cutting section, where the pieces are cut from rolls of sheet metal, the Body Shop where the pieces are assembled to make the vehicles (amazingly clever robots), and General Assembly, where the vehicles (chassis, base, engine and all else) come together so the finished Vivaro vehicles roll off the production line: 198 finished vans per day.   In between the tours, students took part in activities which made them more aware of skills needed by the people who work in this fascinating environment.  Students commented:  “Lots of advanced technology”; “I was impressed how the vans change shape throughout each section”; “Interesting how all the robots work together and in sync to get the job done”; “it takes 8 hours to go from a shell to driving out of the factory”;  “really impressive attention to detail in terms of quality control”;  “everyone seems to work hard and be committed to their job, they all work together even in this big factory”.

Two weeks later, the Vauxhall team headed by Jenny Lokko (who is on a placement year at Vauxhall from her uni) came to Cavendish, in a Vivaro of course!  In assembly, they awarded a prize to Chris Elliott for his winning entry in one of the competitions on our visit.  Vauxhall have some great employment opportunities for new apprentices, undergraduate placements, and graduate traineeships.  We hope to visit them again next year!   Pictures of our visit are here

Gift wrap service

Come and get your presents wrapped by the Cavendish elves!  They will be in Riverside twice more - this Thursday and Saturday, see the details here. 
Dragons Team 1 are a team of Cavendish Sixth Formers who are taking part in a local schools' challenge.  Through their own business idea, and working with a charity and a business mentor (their dragon) they have to turn £100 into £1000+ for the charity they are working with:  the Hemel Hempstead Volunteer Centre. 
Come and support the team's business enterprise, support the Volunteer Centre, AND get your presents wrapped!

Part-time Administrator wanted

Community Action Dacorum is currently recruiting an administrator to join their Herts Interpreting and Translation Service. This is a part time post which is based in our offices at 48 High Street, Hemel.  More information here.

Train in Hairdressing at Toni & Guy

Trainee Hairdressers wanted at Toni and Guy salon in Hemel Hempstead.  Please apply direct to Ricki Munslow who runs the salon.
As with any opportunity publicised on this site, let me know if you apply - it would be great to know the system is working!

School Leavers Event for Sixth Formers

Pure Potential are holding a major free event on 20th Feb in London for Sixth Formers who are not intending to go to uni, and want to apply for a School Leavers Programme or Higher Apprenticeship with an employer.  See their website for details of the event and how to register your interest. Register with Pure Potential for access to lots more useful information and guidance.

School Leaver Programmes are the new structured training programmes (paid) which are run by national employers for students with A levels who don't want to go to uni.  Each programme is unique to the employer and will require an individual, custom-written application.

For more information on the options after Sixth Form see the information page on All About School Leavers and read more about the national employers that offer these opportunities.  Be prepared to complete for a place: do your research, attend any events you can to prepare, and give yourself time to write a really good application.  Pactice makes perfect - get help and advice wherever you can.

Career in investment banking?

Pure Potential have sent this message:
Morgan Stanley Insight Opportunities
Leading investment bank Morgan Stanley would like to invite a selection of our brightest female sixth formers from London and the home counties to apply to their two insight opportunities listed below.

Step In, Step Up (18 – 20 February 2014)– Year 12 and 13 students
A three-day insight experience specifically aimed to give you the opportunity to explore working life at one of the world’s leading investment banks.
Applications close on 1st January 2014

The Open Day (22 July 2014) – Year 13 students
An insight day where you will learn about the various divisions within the bank, and have the unique chance to network with leading professionals.
Applications close on 2nd June 2014

If you are interested in developing your knowledge of the financial sector then these events will provide the perfect opportunity. Morgan Stanley is one of the world’s leading investment banks – having such a prestigious firm on your CV or personal statement will be hugely beneficial when it comes to applying to university and securing future work placements and paid employment. Places are limited so we strongly encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

For more information about both events and instructions on how to apply, please visit: www.purepotential.org/recruitment/morgan-stanley. When you apply, please mention Pure Potential in your covering letter.

Careers that move

I was recently reminded about this excellent website to find out about careers in passenger transport and travel.  Not all the answers of course, that's up to you, but this might start you thinking.  It's a huge area and set for strong job growth in the next few years.  Lots of scope if you want to travel, and also if you want to stay near home.  Many entry routes at all different levels.
Research has revealed that young people who want to develop a career should look to employers who operate planes, trains and buses as this industry seeks to recruit 182,500 people by 2020.
Careers that Move

Interested in Medicine or Law?

If you know of anyone in year 12 who is considering a career in Medicine or Law, we have been offered places at two focus days organised by Berkhamsted School.  To take part you must contact me as soon as possible - the places will go very quickly.  Each is a full day of workshops, presentations, meet the expert sessions, lots of useful information, etc - at no cost to you but you must commit to going.   Experience days like these could really help you get into these very competitive careers, and will normally cost around £100 per day.  Contact me urgently for more details about the two programmes.

See here for ANOTHER opportunity: Medical Careers Day, So you want to be a doctor? run by the Royal Society for Medicine in Wimpole St, London.  This is £15 for the day and is for year 11/12.

Year 10 work experience

Lots of parent slips coming in, thank you!  Several students seem to be looking for placements in sport-related work, and I have to tell you that not many people find placements like that.  Some do, but normally only if they find their own - I am very unlikely to have sport-related placements on the Link2 list (available in the Spring).  Sport-related is a very small employment sector, especially for work where students can go on placement.  Keep looking and asking, but keep your mind open also to placements which offer similar opportunities : busy, hands-on, team-work, showing initiative.  Think about what it is about sport you really like, and apply that to a more accessible work place.  The work experience will be just as valid on your CV and give you a chance to sample a different type of work.  The same goes for those that want to work in healthcare-related settings.  Welcome to the real world!
Interesting article on Icould.com about working in sport.

Careers Advice for Parents

I recently found this interesting and helpful new website.
No it's not for parents who are looking for new careers themselves, but for parents who want to know how to help their youngster with career choices.
As with all websites and other published data, you need to judge for yourself how trustworthy and relevant the content is.

What will the future be like?

Hertfordshire is already strong in some of the sectors which are forecast to see the most growth in the UK, like...

Research & Development

Business services (and waste)

Communications

For more information on what the future is likely to hold, see this excellent page with a summary of sector trends.

Cavendish Work Experience Week 2014

Year 10 Work Experience week was launched recently!  Our students will have a chance to see the world of work for themselves in week of 30/6/14.  Do you know any business that could offer a work placement?  Any sector, ideally in Hertfordshire.  If so please ask them to contact me for more information at p.shaw@cavendish.herts.sch.uk.

Arrocca Hairdressing School

Trisha Buller, Training Director, extends a welcome to their open evening at the training centre in Berkhamsted on Tuesday 10^th December from 6pm – 8pm.  This is aimed at age 14 upwards.

Arrocca run a Hairdressing Club every Tuesday from 4pm – 6pm for students aged 14 upwards, contact Trisha Buller for more information.

The Watford UTC

I went to an interesting open day recently with the Watford UTC (opening next September), held at Elstree UTC (opened last September). 
What's a UTC?  It's a fantastic opportunity for full-time vocational learning with specialist focus, they take students from 14-19 with intake at year 10 and year 12.  Very close links with Uni of Hertfordshire and local, high-profile employers.
Positive ethos and amazing people and facilities, I'm hooked!

Pathways to a career in Property

Pathways to a career in property: summer school 2014 applications process opens Jan 13th.  See here for info about last year's event and how to apply for next summer.