Newsletters

Careers Bulletin March 2025

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MESSAGE FROM OUR SIXTH FORM CAREERS TEAM

Welcome to our Careers Bulletin.

Miss Giacomet (Careers and Pastoral support) will be on hand to organise careers events throughout the school and keep you updated with the latest apprenticeships, workshops and work experience opportunities.

If you would like any help as you search for universities, apprenticeships, CV writing, future career pathways or anything careers related, please contact Miss Giacomet. 

We are always happy to hear from parents/carers who feel they could offer career support. If you'd like to help with our careers provision or are an employer that would be happy to come into The Piggott School to share your insight with our students, please get in touch. 

For more information or any questions, please contact Miss Giacomet at Giacometa@piggottschool.org 

LINKEDIN AND THE PIGGOTT ALUMNI

LinkedIn is usually the first place a potential employer will check prior to any offer of interview. 

Once your page is set up, you can Join us on LinkedIn to follow the careers of former Piggott students and to network and stay in touch with our Alumni now and in the future. 

Career Choice Days!

Students aged 13-18

If you are student feeling uncertain about which career path to take, or perhaps you have many ideas but aren’t sure how to choose the right one, Career Days are hosting a free online event called Career Choices Day on Sunday, 6th April. This event is specifically designed for students who may feel unsure about their career direction.

During this session, you will receive practical advice on how to identify career options that match your interests and strengths, and to provide them with the tools to explore your options with confidence.

Just visit www.careerdays.co.uk/career-choices-day to register.

There are also other dates for online Career Days, which provide you with the chance to learn about different careers, receive advice on subject choices, and discover how to apply to university. Each session includes work experience in the afternoon, allowing you to get a feel for the day-to-day aspects of your chosen career.

At the end of the day, you will receive a certificate confirming your work experience.

The upcoming Career Days are as follows:

 Medicine Career Day - Saturday 22nd March 2025

Dentistry Career Day - Sunday 23rd March 2025

Midwifery Career Day - Saturday 5th April 2025

Psychology Career Day - Saturday 19th April 2025

Architect Career Day - Saturday 26th April 2025

Law Career Day - Saturday 3rd May 2025

Vet Career Day - Saturday 10th May 2025

Business Career Day - Saturday 12th May 2025

Engineering & Technology Career Day - Saturday 24th May 2025

Computer Science Career Day - Saturday 31st May 2025

Performing Arts Career Day - Sunday 26th October 2025

To register for any of the above sessions please visit:  www.careerdays.co.uk/career-choices-day. 

The UCAS Personal Statement is changing!

Free webinar for students & parents

Wednesday 26th March 6.00pm-7.00pm

UCAS have recently amended the personal statement format from one longer essay to three structured questions, affecting all students applying to a UK university from next year onward. 

InvestIN are running a free, interactive webinar led by experts for students and parents, on everything you need to know about this change and how to ensure applications stand out in this new format. 

As always, if students and parents cannot attend live, you can simply register to automatically receive the recording. 

To register please visit: Free Events – InvestIN Education

                                                   

Evening virtual work experience programme - Law

7th April - 6th May 

Are you an aspiring lawyer eager to gain hands-on experience in the legal world? Join Baker McKenzie's exclusive 5-week virtual work experience programme, designed to give you an in-depth look into the profession with guidance from top barristers from Garden Court Chambers and high-flying solicitors at Baker McKenzie.

Each 90-minute weekly session will cover essential legal skills and knowledge, including:

Advocacy & Courtroom Skills – learn how to argue like a barrister

Legal Research & Case Preparation – develop critical thinking and analytical skills

Corporate Law & Contract Drafting – understand the role of a solicitor in the business world

You will also get stuck into structured legal projects, allowing you to develop essential skills such as mooting, problem solving, research and teamwork before presenting your findings and receiving feedback from the experts.

This is the perfect opportunity to stand out on your UCAS applications and future job prospects! 

Please apply as soon as possible as Speaker for Schools reserve the right to close applications early should we be oversubscribed.

To apply please visit: results | Speakers for Schools

VFX In person Work Experience - London

Various dates 

Students aged 15-18 

Framestore, a world leader in visual storytelling, is offering you an epic opportunity, to join their work experience programme and dive into the exciting world of filmmaking and visual effects.

No experience is required - just ideas, enthusiasm and good energy! 

You'll get behind the scenes access, interactive workshops and talks, networking opportunities and much more! 

All work placements take place during the school holidays. Please apply as soon as possible as places are limited!

For more information and to apply please visit: Framestore - Launchpad Insights | Kickstart Your Future with Hands-On Work Experience in Visual Effects!

Medical work experience

Various dates (in person and online)

Students aged 14-18

If you are interested in a career in the medical industry, Premed Projects are offering you the chance to take part in some crucial work experience opportunities, including a Surgery Work Experience Day - Live!

All opportunities take place outside of school hours. 

For more information, please visit: Hospital Work Experience Courses For Students aged 14-18 - Premed Projects

 

Tesco Stronger Starts programme

Year 11 students  

if you are a student in Year 11, and you are not sure what you want to do next, the Tesco Stronger Starts Retail Apprenticeship could be for you. 

The apprenticeship is based in-store and takes a minimum of 12 months to complete.

You'll join a supportive and inclusive team, spending time doing a range of activities such as marketing, business and technology.

You'll also gain hands-on store experience, picking orders, restocking, and supporting customers and community events, as well as earning a salary in the region of £22k. No experience or qualifications needed. 

For more information, please visit: Stronger Starts Retail | Tesco Apprenticeships & Graduates

 

IAPWA

Youth Ambassador Programme

Wednesday 26th February 4.30pm-7.00pm

The IAPWA (International Aid for the Protection and Welfare of Animals)  invite you to join their Youth Ambassador Programme. This initiative offers young people aged 11-18 the chance to develop leadership and advocacy skills, contribute to animal welfare projects, and earn the prestigious title of Youth Ambassador.

Participants will engage in fundraising, awareness campaigns, and advocacy efforts while receiving mentorship and training from charity professionals. The Youth Ambassador title recognises their dedication to animal protection and helps build their future in advocacy and leadership.

For more information please visit: Youth Ambassador Programme

Meet a Psychologist Therapist Online Event

Wednesday 23rd April 10.00am - 12.00pm 

'Meet a Psychological Therapist' is an online event, where you can explore a variety of different Psychological Therapist Careers, and have the opportunity to ask questions about possible career paths within the NHS.

If you are attending this event, you must let Miss Giacomet know by email: Giacometa@piggottschool.org

To sign up please visit: Meet a Psychological Therapist - Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Tickets, Wed 23 Apr 2025 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

BDO Insight Event 

Tuesday 11th March, 5.00pm-7.00pm

Year 12 & 13 Students 

This insight event will be to showcase all the opportunities BDO have on offer for students this year including their Apprenticeship, Graduate and Work Experience opportunities. 

BDO offer some of the very best school leaver opportunities in the space in Business, Accounting and Consulting. 

You'll hear directly from BDO professionals about their experiences and career journeys, learn about BDO’s renowned school-leaver programs, apprenticeships, work experience and graduate roles, explore opportunities in audit, tax, advisory, and more!

To sign up please visit:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BDO-Virtual

We work closely with Berkshire Careers Hub who have been working hard to put together some fantastic upcoming opportunities including work experience., insight talks, live chats and apprenticeship opportunities. 

Check out: Home | Berkshire Opportunities | Business Support for Berkshire

 

GetMyFirstJob offers you a whole new way to find Apprenticeships, Degree Apprenticeships, Work Experience and Graduate opportunities to get ahead. It's a great search tool where you can explore job categories and put you in touch with a wide range employers.

Visit: GetMyFirstJob | Apprenticeships, Degree Apprenticeships, Work Experience & Graduate Jobs

Apprenticeship opportunities 

Apprenticeships are an increasingly popular pathway with hundreds of apprenticeships across a broad range of industries that you can apply for depending on your qualifications. 

 Top companies hiring now!

This is a useful website for all thing's apprenticeship, including reviews, industry guides and blogs.

You can also search for live opportunities  With the likes of companies such as Balfour Beatty, PwC, experian and many more! 

RateMyApprenticeship

Check out Success at School for the latest apprenticeship and job opportunities from Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen and more. 

Success at School

Speakers for Schools is a charity which puts you in touch with some of the biggest companies on the market, across a range of industries, to provide work experience opportunities. 

Their new app 'Youth Card' gives access to developmental opportunities, work experience placements, as well as discounts from your favourite high-street brands. It’s completely free.

Visit Youth Card – Speakers for Schools for more information and to download the app! 

Ongoing Work Experience

Work experience is an invaluable opportunity which not only could lead to a full time job within your chosen career path, but you'll learn transferable skills, day to day etiquette of the working world and just being in a working environment.

Work experience is also valuable content for a UCAS application. It'll help you check out career areas and show evidence of useful skills for coping with university study and life.

Top tips for finding work experience

  • Get online. Search local authority websites, local businesses and LinkedIn
  • Ask parents or friends for useful contacts and opportunities 
  • For speculative enquiries to employers, write to them and send a brief CV and covering letter stating clearly when you're available and what you are looking for i.e. work experience, volunteering, shadowing etc. This can be done online or even by visiting the organisation itself and talking to the manager. 
  • And remember if you don't ask, you don't get! 

Check out and sign up to Speakers for Schools for some of the latest work placements:

Work Experience – Speakers for Schools

Check out Create Your Future for exciting projects to get involved in: 

Create Your Future Opportunities - Youth Employment UK

Future Learn

Future Learn offers a variety of free online courses that could be done over the summer.

Browse Free Online Courses - FutureLearn

Springpod

Check out Springpod for summer work experience programmes. 

Take control of your future | Meet Springpod

Whilst The Piggott School believes the content of any recommended online resource to be appropriate for use by its pupils, they have not been compiled by the school. As such – if you have any concerns over accessing the links outlined in this newsletter please do not do so. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email Miss Giacomet.