CAREERS NEWSLETTER 2018-19
Welcome to the final issue of the academic year – we really hope you enjoy this edition and have found 2018-19’s compendium both informative and excellent prompts for discussion. Meanwhile, it has been an exciting week attending the Shine School Media Awards in London, where our latest ‘The Wheatleyan’ won 2 national awards. Well done, Adam, Charlotte and the team! (Full report on p4-5.)
ISSUE 18 – Friday 5 July 2019
TEACH THE TEACHER Students always look surprised when we talk about how teachers may learn just as much from their pupils as youngsters do from them. This was most definitely the case earlier this week when students from next year’s team of reporters for ‘The Wheatleyan’ were discussing how we might collate an online magazine to build on the legacy of Bablake’s particular strength for student journalism. Hearing Lower Sixth students Areej, Jasmine and Vedika discuss the issues and personalities that relate specifically to their generation gave Bablake Careers a speed lesson in the significant importance of YouTubers, Netflix, eSports and influencers. It was a brilliant insight into how careers material would/ should be best delivered and accepted by mutual parties. It would be divisive to highlight individual Bablake students who have previously assisted Bablake Careers in adjusting delivery of a dynamic programme of advice for life beyond Coundon Road. Where would that list start? And where could it ever end, when in effect every pupil has had or will have something to pass on by way of education – an attitude, an experience, a fact or a reflection? However, the department has learnt and continues to be taught technical and creative skills – digital, web-based or photographic – from a staggering procession of talented students. Every story from the many former pupils who have featured in editions like this newsletter or been celebrated online in a tweet, blog or web article have also inspired us. Thank you! Students have taught us to be ambitious and listen to our own advice! We have also been taught by skilled experts, while guiding individuals or groups who have asked for support – e.g. our Feminist and LGBTQ+ societies. No new generation should be underestimated.
YOUNG ACHIEVERS If you were not convinced and inspired by young Bablake achievers like Kare Adenegan, Emma Allroggen, Zien Zhou and countless others at the top of their game long before leaving school, then the media has highlighted two talented and very different 15 year olds this week. Cori Gauff, 2018 Junior French Open champion, has taken the first week at Wimbledon plaudits after defeating 5time Wimbledon winner and tennis legend Venus Williams. “She’s obviously got a wonderful future ahead of herself,” said Roger Federer. Meanwhile, at Glastonbury, rapper Dave invited a bucket-hat clad 15 year old lad – otherwise unknown, unless some huge media scam is later exposed – onto the stage for an impromptu version of AJ Tracey’s ‘Thiago Silva’. #AlexFromGlasto had the time of his life and this has continued with the most incredible media attention since. Just like Cori and Alex, every Bablake learner has the same potential to seize her/his/their own opportunity and be a leader, whatever the sector chosen.
@BablakeCareers
STUDENT JOURNALISM STANDING OUT – ELLA O’BRIEN’S JOURNEY On pages 4 and 5 overleaf, you will read about the success of 2017-18’s The Wheatleyan team at the 2019 Shine School Media Awards. Since this issue was always going to celebrate the team being shortlisted, let alone leaving as winners of 2 categories, we contacted the first student journalist Bablake Careers worked with in 2004. During the final week of the 2003-4 academic year, a small group of students compiled the first issue of ‘Stretch’ under the able guidance and leadership of Ella O’Brien (formerly Hodgkins). We asked Ella about that week and what had happened in the 15 years since! What are your memories of editing Stretch Issue 1 and how was the name chosen? I have such fond memories of the week I spent in Mr Woodward's careers hub creating ‘Stretch’ with the rest of the team. It is interesting that the article I wrote about tattoos is probably just as relevant now as it was then, if not more. Creating the magazine from scratch felt like a real achievement and now look where Bablake’s student journalism is all these years later! I remember that we were struggling to think of a name and when I went home and mentioned this to my Mum, she said ‘Stretch’ instantly - and so ‘Stretch’ was born! What did you Study for A-level? Philosophy, History and Psychology. Which degree did you study and where? I studied Psychology at the University of Nottingham. It turned out to be quite science orientated which I didn't particularly enjoy, but I managed to achieve a 1st which set me in good stead for the different career path that I was going to take. I then went on to study the Graduate Diploma in Law (1 year) and Legal Practice Course (1 year), followed by a training contract at corporate law firm, Pinsent Masons. How did you know Law was for you? After researching alternative career options, a career in Law ticked every box for me. It required writing skills which suited my academic strengths, it involved building relationships with people which I enjoyed, it would stay interesting as the law constantly changes and the salary wasn't bad either! I applied for work experience at Coventry Magistrates Court and the rest, as they say, is history. I plucked up the courage to speak to a solicitor whilst I was there and that spontaneous conversation led to me being offered work experience and a paid summer job at their law firm. What made you stand out when you applied for your first job? Being a well-rounded individual who had a life outside academia! I had a part-time job at a hotel and I was involved in a few extra-curricular activities at school and University, such as being involved with Amnesty International and ‘Stretch’ of course! Achieving the required academic grades was important, but demonstrating I had positive personality attributes was equally as important. The key to being a successful lawyer is to have strong working relationships with your clients and to achieve that you need to be conscientious and be able to have an everyday conversation.
What ambitions do you still have? In terms of my work, I feel I have achieved my ambitions. I realised quite quickly into my legal career that having a good work/ life balance was very important to me. I wanted to enjoy my job, but also have time to enjoy my life outside work too. Consequently, I made the decision to leave Pinsent Masons when I was two years qualified and moved in-house to work for Telent, a telecommunications company. I now have a job that is really challenging and varied, but which also allows me to have plenty of free time too. However, I still have lots of creative personal ambitions. For example, I am about to embark on a house renovation project and so I would love to build my expertise in interior design. What was the best advice that you were given at school? Aim high! Aim to get the best grades that you possibly can, aim to get into the best university that you possibly can, apply for the top work experience placements and jobs. It is always sensible to have back-up options, but do not sell yourself short by thinking that something is not within your reach. Being offered a training contract at Pinsent Masons felt like a long shot for me, most probably because I concentrated on the self-confidence of those competing against me, rather than believing in myself. Do not focus on the noise around you, just focus on yourself and achieving your own goals.
Ella (above left) was the original ‘face’ of Bablake Careers’ digital footprint
#BABLAKEPUPILSEVERYWHERE
2019 SHINE SCHOOL MEDIA AWARDS WINNERS
Best Overall Content Editor of the Year Adam Dickinson
Meet the Awards Winners
Deputy Editor: Charlotte
Park
Charlotte was the driving force behind the magazine, helping the team meet deadlines set by the Staff Editor and external designer Mustard Design. During the Sixth Form, her confidence has risen and she has been an outstanding actor and artist. With the security of a richly deserved unconditional offer to read Drama at the University of Hull – 2017 European City of Culture – she has spent part of the summer working at the Belgrade Theatre. She reports: “After my examinations in June, I took the opportunity to gain work experience at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre. I really enjoyed this as every day was very different, allowing me to try many parts of the theatre, e.g. from working in the box office to working with the marketing and communications teams. This experience made me open my eyes to more career paths, as it showed me the number of teams and people that make a theatre successful. All the staff members at the Belgrade Theatre were happy and enthusiastic about their work, making the whole opportunity more enjoyable. They also treated me as if I was part of the team, giving me tasks that needed to be done. The best part of my work experience was how it gave me a taste of future careers I may go into. Furthermore, before my placement, I only had a limited knowledge of the jobs available in the theatre, but it showed me there were actually a great number of posts available in the creative industry. I would highly recommend the Belgrade Theatre for work experience, as my placement was very well organised and it was an exciting, positive work environment.”
Editor: Adam
Dickinson
Finally released from the shackles of examinations, while awaiting A-level grades for entry on a course in Journalism at the University of Sheffield, Adam has set about a summer schedule of extensive media work experience. Having already landed direct involvement with the 2019 Cricket World Cup, closely shadowing New Zealand’s media team, he has also been exploring ways of covering the summer’s cycling. We have also been increasing his chances of connecting with Bablake former pupil Daniel Friebe to discuss the advantages of ghost-writing and researching longer projects. Now armed with the opportunity to contact former pupil Dan Poole (Chief Sub Editor at Monocle), Adam is also looking forward not only to his degree course but also the time immediately prior to this, as he has secured work experience with the Daily Telegraph later this summer, in the run up to the Rugby World Cup. Additionally, Adam’s prize for winning Shine’s ‘Editor of the Year’ category will open more doors. His initial gain is a day’s mentoring from The Guardian/ Observer sub-editor and writer Katherine Whitbourn. Adam is very well placed to accelerate his sports journalism and already has a larger print/ online journalism portfolio than any other former pupil since 1987.
We look forward to hearing news of the paths both Adam and Charlotte tread after leaving Bablake. With former Wheatleyan editor Kathryn Carlson recently joining Reuters in Paris, we are excited to know what dynamic future employment this year’s editors will follow as they make inroads into their early graduate careers. We know they will both impress future employers.
STUDENT FOCUS: ADAM DICKINSON / CHARLOTTE PARK
GUEST ARTICLE WRITTEN BY KAREN FRASER MBE
How ‘timeTo’ Lifted The Lid On UK Advertising’s Untold Story Of Sexual Harassment As leader of Credos, advertising’s think tank, I’ve had the privilege to be involved with some defining projects for the industry. However, working with the timeTo group, led by Tess Alps, has been the most important report of my working life. In creating the survey that informed the code of conduct launched today, we faced a number of challenges. The first being the fact that we would have to conjure up substantial money, if we had approached it conventionally. Though, on this one, I’m with Ernest Rutherford, the well-known physicist who said: "We've got no money, so we've got to think". Having no money certainly did make us think.
A collective push… The timeTo steering group worked together to galvanise their extensive networks, which, combined, offered a very large and wide-reaching potential sample. Stephen Woodford for the Advertising Association, Diana Tickell for NABS, and WACL President Kerry Glazer. In addition, Helen Calcraft and Lorraine Jennings gained support from a great many leaders across our industry – brand owners, production companies, agencies and media owners, trade bodies and charities – all of whom pledged support and distributed the survey to their entire staff. Over 3,500 people responded – 10 times what we’d expected. In this way, we addressed our second major challenge, the issue of survey bias. In common with similar polls for other industries, the tendency is for victims of sexual harassment to - understandably - want to respond. In contrast, those unaffected by sexual harassment are much less motivated to take the time to respond. Our approach, while maybe not totally eradicating that bias, did much to minimise the risk. We believe we have a fairer reflection of the problems of sexual harassment in our industry as a result.
Building a safe space… Our third challenge was to preserve anonymity. The timeTo mission is clear. We want to stop sexual harassment now, and in future. We do not intend to ‘out’ people who’ve harassed in the past. We asked our respondents not to name any names, and they didn’t. We also guaranteed our respondents' privacy. We had to limit ourselves mainly to closed questions, but in addition there were 3 open-ended questions. A great many people told us their experiences. The answers to just one question filled 44 closely typed pages and the same themes were replayed many times over. Their extensive, moving stories helped us understand so much, but they will always be kept confidential and will never be revealed to anyone. So why exactly is this the most important piece of work I’ve ever done? Because ours is a vibrant, creative, collaborative industry. It’s fun to work in advertising. It always has been, and I hope it always will be, but some people (women and men – but mainly women) are experiencing sexual harassment that makes them doubt themselves, and their employers’ commitment to their wellbeing. It limits their potential, their careers, their achievements. It’s stifling creativity and collaboration at a time when, arguably, we need it most. It engenders fear. This is not the industry I want to work in, and I doubt it’s the one you want either. It’s time to change. No one should have to experience sexual harassment; anytime or anywhere. If you or someone you know needs someone to talk to, contact Nabs who can offer free, confidential advice, guidance and support on 0800 707 6607 or support@nabs.org.uk Karen Fraser MBE, director of Credos, advertising’s think tank and Bablake’s first female pupil in 1975, kindly sent us the text from an article she wrote for ‘Campaign’ magazine. To read the original article on the Campaign website, please see: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/timeto-lifted-lid-uk-advertisings-untold-story-sexual-harassment/1486317?fbclid=IwAR2riVx2k2E_jJBQRXBZ_VS1V1VYUVDmB9cEjeQ14pD_69TEMn_7-xabHwQ
#BABLAKEPUPILSEVERYWHERE
#18REASONSWHY… LIVERPOOL INSTITUTE FOR PERFORMING ARTS Following our recent attendance at a Careers Conference held at LIPA (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts), we have compiled 18 Reasons Why students might wish to study at this TEF Gold rated higher education institution.
1. The Philosophy! Dedicated, charismatic founder Mark Featherstone-Witty believes in helping students study what they love and make a living from it. He talks of students finding their passion – once you find it, you know who you are and can start perfecting your skills. 2. Learning By Doing – A-levels struggle to reflect/ measure a person’s true strengths, especially in the Performing Arts. Project-based learning and the discipline of deliberate practice – talent is overrated – are key to LIPA’s delivery. You need stamina, resilience and enterprise skills – great assets to develop for life beyond university. Students do rather than commenting on doing! 3. Courses – Variety and specialisms impress; you will be immersed in performance and enterprise: acting (for theatre, screen and digital media), dance, music (song writing and performance), management (of music, entertainment, theatre and events), sound technology, costume making, applied theatre and community drama & theatre design/ technology are all offered. Creative Technologies & Performance is new for September 2019. Interview by audition works better too. 4. Relevance – Courses react to the professions they prepare students for and the material studied adapts accordingly. As students learn by practice, they take a relevant skills toolkit away from LIPA. 5. Collaboration – Not only are students from all the disciplines encouraged to collaborate with their peers on projects with mutual benefits, but we heard about the university’s pride in its recent collaboration with Slung Low, which led to the creation of 16 events on 1 night. This has led to exciting links for future years and the increased ambition of these hook-ups is excellent. In the meantime, there has always been excellent local creative arts linkage for current students. 6. Teaching Excellence – In common with so many creative universities, LIPA has TEF (Teacher Excellence Framework) Gold Status. This is no surprise and the collective experience of permanent teaching staff is impressive. 7. It’s Show Business (Baby!) – LIPA stresses the reason for the phrase – it actually describes the core of the creative and performing arts: show and business. If 76% of those working in the sector are self-employed, it is vital they teach you how to manage your work life. 8. Facilities – LIPA’s commitment to investment and redevelopment is obvious - £10 million+ is committed to this and, for over 50 shows to take place annually, space and tech are key. The Paul McCartney Auditorium, Sennheiser Studio Theatre/ Film and TV Studio, Art Studio Theatre, Room 4.24 (a rehearsal studio), LIPA Bar and Canteen all offer performance space. Practice space is plentiful as are audio, digital, design and technology facilities. Study space is also impressive. 9. It’s Compact – Rather than sprawling across a city and housing thousands of students, there are around 800 students on site, and they are creative, like-minded people. 10. You Will Find Your Tribe – And you can do what you love and ‘get others to pay you to do it’. 11. Reputation – ‘LIPA is one of the best performing arts schools in the world’: Sir Paul McCartney. 12. Attractive Prospects – With the development of creative hubs (e.g. Leeds – Channel 4 relocation), there are a huge range of jobs in the creative industries. 13. Alumni/ae – An amazing roster of famous and award-winning former students for current undergraduates to connect with, and often listen to via the Conversations With/ Master Classes series. Snapshots in the graduate newsletter always highlights where students who left 4 years previously have reached in their careers. 14. Value For Money – Impressive class sizes, teaching hours, 1-1 practice & collaborative network! 15. Vocational Education – Outlooking, immersive programme with business skills hotly promoted. 16. Location – Liverpool is an amazing, great value city to visit, let alone live and study in. You are talking about a major city with: excellent student and graduate employment options, amazing sporting opportunities (as a player or paying customer), fabulous cultural opportunities (inc Tate Britain in Albert Docks), an exceptional nightlife, and the sea close at hand. 17. Former Bablake Pupils – Emily Jackson (singer songwriter) Matt Vines (manager) both studied at LIPA and speak highly of their experience 18. Destinations – 91% in work, with 83% in the performing arts. (4 years after graduation survey 2014 stats.) For more information on the Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts, please see: WWW.LIPA.AC.UK.
#18BEFORE18
FEATURE ON… SPORTS MASSAGE THERAPY There has never been a better time to be a sports massage therapist. The general public are now benefitting from therapy that years ago was for elite athletes only. Now it is common knowledge that looking after our minds and bodies is increasingly important for work and a productive personal life. The change is so prominent that the title sports massage therapist is now changing to soft tissue therapist as we know therapy helps both sporty and non-sporty people alike. Getting into the industry is quite straightforward, you can go to university and get a degree in sports massage and sports coaching or massage and sports psychology, or opt for a sports therapy degree which goes into more exercise rehabilitation as well as massage. For mature students or those wanting to go straight into manual work, a Level 3 diploma is a quick and accessible starting point. There are no entry requirements and it takes around 6-12 months to complete a good course. At Fire & Earth Sports Massage, we run a Level 3 sports massage therapy qualification that is fully accredited and professionally recognised. The information below should give you everything you need to know if you wanted to become a Level 3 qualified Sports Massage therapist with enough knowledge to generate an additional income, set up your own sports massage business or simply gain a new skill. Our Level 3 diploma in sports massage therapy includes a bolt-on business module, which means we will show you step by step what to do, once you are qualified to take this new knowledge and generate an income from it. The course runs one full weekend per month for 6 months. It’s totally hands on and direct learning, so you will be taught by us, therapists who are doing the job day in day out. This means you will get the best advice and guidance from people who know what it’s like in this industry and who were once starting out like you. By the end of the Level 3 diploma in sports massage therapy, you will be able to provide sports massage to a range of clients who have dysfunctional tissue, without acute / post-acute injuries or underlying pathological conditions. Level 3 is the entry level to sports massage therapy, so this means that you can treat clients with postural problems or sports specific maintenance to aid their recovery. To deal with both acute and post-acute injuries you will need to progress onto the level 4 or 5 courses. By the end of the professionally recognised business module you will have an action plan of what your next steps should be, following a proven business model that has worked for myself and many of our therapists. You will acquire the skills to: • Assess clients and construct a sports massage treatment plan. • Understand the principles of soft tissue dysfunction. • Understand how to determine the appropriate techniques for specific clients. • Apply a range of sports massage techniques and understand their effects on the body. You’ll acquire those skills by completing units on: • Anatomy and physiology for sports massage. • Principles of health and fitness. • Understand the principles of soft tissue dysfunction. • Professional practice in sports massage. • Sports massage treatments. All five mandatory units must be successfully completed to achieve the full qualification. This is done via a multiple-choice question paper, 3 practical assessments and coursework. On top of the sports massage qualification you will have access to a proven business model that teaches you how to become successfully self-employed so you can use your new skills to generate a nice income. The module will cover: • What opportunities are there in the industry? Pros and cons. • Checklist for self-employment. • Building client relationships and developing rapport. • Diary management and massage planning. It is so important to spend your time in life wisely, and having a career you enjoy is a massive part of that. Find something that fills you with joy and makes you challenge yourself. Make a difference and become a sports massage therapist. If you would like any more information about our course, please email Tanya@fireandearthuk.com
GUEST ARTICLE BY ‘FIRE AND EARTH UK’ FOUNDER TANYA REID-MOORE
FEATURE ON… PWC PARTNERSHIP DEGREES PwC are proud to have been pioneering partnership degrees for over 17 years now, working with partner universities to truly give students the best of both worlds. If your students are thinking about applying for university, these degrees are definitely worth a look.
What’s all the fuss about? Weighing up post A-level options can be a confusing time for your students, with so many choices to make and factors to consider. Much is made of the debate as to whether to start work straight away or go to uni, but what if there was an option where they could have both at the same time? Here are some facts you might not know about our partnership degrees: •
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Students can still choose their uni - our Flying Start Degree programmes are available at Newcastle, Nottingham, Reading, Belfast, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and St Andrews, so they can choose the uni and geographical area that suits them best. Two for the price of one - many partnership degrees offer a professional qualification, alongside their academic degree qualification. That means they can start work ahead of other graduates with an industry qualification under their belt alongside a degree. Student discount - most employer degrees offer financial incentives, making the burden of going to uni that little bit lighter. Whether it’s paid placements, like our Accountancy Flying Start programmes, or a fully funded programme where there are no tuition fees and a salary from day 1 like our Flying Start Technology Degree Apprenticeship, it’s worth looking into. No worrying about getting a graduate role after uni - if their placements go well, and they achieve the required grades, they will already have a permanent positioned lined up after university. So, no stressful job hunting or worrying about what is next. To find out more about our programmes, simply see:
https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/school-jobs/jobs/flying-start-degrees.html
Former Bablake pupil Peter Sidwell, a Senior Manager at PwC, led a Careers Forum at Bablake earlier this year.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: HANNAH CORDEN (FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY)
Fine Art – Final Year Exhibition piece. INSTAGRAM: @HANNAHCORDEN
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: SOPHIE HINLEY (FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY)
Illustration – Final Year Exhibition piece highlighting the plight of the homeless in Bristol WWW.SOPHIEHINLEY.CO.UK
Thank you to Adriane Marriott-Mills and Falmouth University for designing these pages for our newsletter. For more information on the university, please see www.falmouth.ac.uk.
TALKING POINTS MOOC OF THE FORTNIGHT (18) ‘Introduction to Cyber Security’ Our lives depend on online services. Gain essential cyber security knowledge and skills to help protect your digital life.
IN THE POST •
There has been plenty of post flying in over the final weeks of term. Highlights have included: CAREERS Go Landscape – golandscape.co.uk
https://www.futurelearn.com/cours es/introduction-to-cyber-security
OPEN DAYS Aberystwyth University July 10, Sept 14, Oct 12, Nov 9
8-week course developed by The Open University. Free to study, if you ‘screen shot’ the final certificate.
PROSPECTUSES University of Leicester – Geography/ Geology
Peter Burden’s second edition of ‘The Lion and The Stars’ has just been published and is available priced at £15 a copy (plus £5 postage and packing). Email pfb@bablake.coventry.sch.uk for further information.
For more information about volunteering at the festival or the workshops/ concerts and talks, please contact MGAW.
New College of Humanities
The eagle-eyed readers will have spotted last issue’s MOOC was a repetition. Jane Austen deserves such an honour!
BOOK OF THE FORTNIGHT
KENILWORTH ARTS FESTIVAL: 19 – 28 SEPTEMBER 2019
University of Nottingham – Veterinary Science University of Plymouth – Mechanical, Marine & Materials Engineering THANK YOU Well done and thank you to Ellie Aitchison (Lower Sixth) who led an excellent lunchtime mentor session on Veterinary Science for 4th Year students interested in hearing how she has been preparing for her UCAS application later this year. Also, thanks to Meggitt for leading our Shell Science Day. www.meggitt.com
THOUGHT OF THE FORTNIGHT
CONGRATULATIONS
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We are humbled to announce Bablake Careers has been shortlisted for a national award by Rate My Apprenticeship.
CONTACT BABLAKE CAREERS
How can men help women gain equality in the workplace? Mr Mark Woodward
“Mentor, rather than mansplain. Champion female colleagues, rather than talking over them. Support them and… don't harass them.” EMMA GANNON Author and Broadcaster
Email: mgw@bablake.coventry.sch.uk Twitter: @bablakecareers FB: www.facebook.com/bablakecareers Website: www.2morrow-2day.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin/markwoodward Blog: http://bablakecareers.tumblr.com/ Spotify: http://www.spotify.com/18before18 Instagram: @bablakecareers Careers Circulars: http://issuu.com/bablake/stacks