On Friday 18th June we held the Landmark Careers Day for our secondary students.

We invited a range of speakers to come in and talk about their careers.

Firstly, we welcomed Valerie Lechene, a Professor of Economics at University College London and a member of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. She spoke to the students about how she had made difficult decisions on what to study at each stage of her education and how she would advise choosing a subject you love and feel you understand well. She explained how she had moved into the area of microeconomics focussing on families, family inequality and how family units make decisions on how to spend money. She spoke about how economic models are developed and how the information she and her colleagues collect and interpret influences policy.

The students found the talk fascinating and Valerie emailed later to say how impressed she was by their intelligent questions.

Christiane Ward, a senior HR professional for Edwards Life Sciences, spoke next. She spoke to the students about Human Resources and the range of areas of a company in which HR professionals become involved. She explained how prospective employees’ social media is looked at when they apply and how their behaviour on these platforms will affect the employer’s decision on whether to invite them in for an interview. Christiane spoke about how Human Resources professionals work on retaining employers once they are hired - this includes providing them with delicious food on site and leisure activities such as well-equipped gyms and table tennis tables! The students learned a great deal and thoroughly enjoyed the talk.

Christiane sharing her experience in Human Resources and the importance to future job prospects of using social media appropriately

Next Toby Greer, a Business Development Manager and Education Officer for Dark Trace, a multi-billion dollar cybersecurity company, spoke with the students.

The students were fascinated by this subject and asked questions about cybersecurity spies, computer hacking, the dark web and what sort of digital devices could be hacked.

After Toby’s talk the new Landmark Careers website was launched. This contains a wealth of information and advice for our secondary students, including details on the range of post-sixteen establishments and qualifications available, the top 100 universities in the UK and across the world, aptitude quizzes and information on a range of careers from astronaut to zoo-keeper!

The remainder of the day was given over to the wonderful Johnny Lightbody, an actor who has worked at Shakespeare’s Globe, on television and on radio. He spoke to the students about his family’s concern about his ambition to become an actor, his time at university (where he spent most of his time with NUTs, the Newcastle University Theatre Group). and his path to becoming an actor. He entertained them with stories of his early struggles to find work, which included spending six months dressed as Sherlock Holmes, standing outside the Baker Street Museum and playing a strawberry yoghurt in a tv advertisement.

Students enjoying a workshop with actor Johnny Lightbody

During the afternoon Johnny engaged all the secondary school students in a workshop on acting, how to make what one says engaging and understanding Shakepearean language. The students had the most wonderful time and joined in with great enthusiasm!