Cookstown High School in Northern Ireland have completed their first year on the Career Ready programme. Hear from Conor Wilson, Head of Careers, on their experience working with us and the impact they’ve seen on their students so far.
Starting out, the Careers team at Cookstown didn’t quite know what to expect with Career Ready – or how it would complement their existing careers curriculum.
“As we embarked on our Career Ready journey, both staff and pupils were unsure what to fully expect but were hopeful that the benefits would be tangible. We have not been disappointed.”
Providing a different perspective
The Career Ready programme offers a complete 360-degree preparation for the world of work, including one-to-one mentoring, skills masterclasses, and paid work experience. For Conor’s students, the masterclasses they attended throughout the programme were particularly valuable – ranging from topics like presentation and communication skills to developing a positive mindset.
“The masterclasses provided students with the opportunity to take a step back from their school subjects and consider their aptitudes in softer skills and offered a forum to help develop them. The improvement in the pupils in the group has surpassed all expectations – initially shy and reserved students have now developed into much more self-assured and confident employees of the future.”
He highlighted the importance of developing soft skills alongside more technical ones, and how vital they are for success in the workplace.
“What I really like about the Career Ready programme is that it focused on softer, employability skills and students are encouraged by mentors from industry (‘the real world’). This seems to resonate much more with the students who appreciate more the value of these skills as they prepare for life after school.”
Transformational experiences for young people
One of the biggest areas of growth for Cookstown students was their sense of self-belief and motivation to build successful futures.
“As we worked through the programme, we witnessed confidence building and improved self-awareness. The shy students very clearly grew in confidence, whilst others developed the ability to channel their confidence to better showcase their attributes.”
Gaining access to the working world and receiving support in doing so through their mentor was another highlight for this centre.
“I feel strongly that the engagement with mentors and participating in work placements provides an invaluable conduit between education and the world of work. Once connected with their mentors, we saw that the students grew in confidence and their general motivation to study improved. Through the programme, some students have been able to reaffirm their career path, and some have changed as a result. This helps to ensure they are better informed when making future decisions.”
Empowering young people to reach their potential
The Career Ready programme helps young people identify their skills and aptitudes, but also their interests and passions. Amongst the many inspiring stories of students’ journeys on the programme, Conor told us about one of them below.
“One of our students who appeared very shy and reserved at the beginning of the programme has really blossomed. Her passion for business has been nurtured and she has developed excellent communication skills, confidence and networking skills. She has been very proactive in engaging with local companies involved in the mentoring of pupils to arrange to sell the school mini-company products to their employees. This process has improved her confidence immeasurably and she went on to enjoy a 4-week placement in retail during the summer.”
The programme equipped students with new skills and perspectives for their futures – proven by their achievements while still studying.
“We hold an interview process for senior prefects in Sixth Form, and I am extremely pleased that Career Ready students were successful in applying for and getting Head Boy, Head Girl and Deputy Head Boy. In speaking to the Principal after the interviews, it was very clear these students stood out as being much more self-aware and able to confidently articulate their values, experiences and vision for these roles.
The Career Ready programme has greatly benefited all the students involved through improved confidence and a better appreciation of the link of their employability skills and the world of work.”
