In recognition of National Careers Week, which took place the week commencing Monday 3 March, our Careers team organised several enriching events to inspire and spark career aspirations amongst pupils from Year 7 through to Sixth Form.

The week kicked off with a special celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD), where our female pupils and sports scholars had the unique opportunity to hear from a panel of four incredible women from the Hilton Group. Among them were Liv Bell, a 21-year-old professional cricketer with Lancashire County Cricket Club and Pauline Wilson, Vice President, Hilton; Kelly Andrews, Director of Revenue Management, Hilton; and Nicola Smith, Director of Operations, DoubleTree by Hilton.

The panel shared invaluable lessons on personal growth and development, emphasising the importance of embracing your differences, staying open to new opportunities and persevering with your passions – even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone. Their message was to pursue what you love. For many of the women, their careers at Hilton were driven by their love for travel, learning about new cultures, a passion for food and beverages, and a shared set of values with the organisation. Liv Bell spoke about her own journey, revealing how her love for sport and socialising with friends motivated her throughout school, never imagining that she would one day combine those passions into a professional career in cricket.

The events continued, as we welcomed Dr Conor Taylor (OL 2014) to host a Medicine Careers Clinic. Dr Taylor provided a detailed overview of the pathways to a career in medicine, along with insights into the various roles within the field. His tips were highly appreciated by pupils and, given the overwhelming interest, we hope to welcome him back for another session in the future to continue inspiring our budding medical professionals.

In addition, pupils were invited to attend lunchtime sessions on ‘A Career in Humanities’ led by Ms Livesey, Head of Sixth Form, and “Finding Your Dream Career” presented by Mr Fletcher, Head of Business. These sessions provided pupils with valuable guidance and encouragement to explore different career paths and discover the opportunities that lie ahead.

The events during National Careers Week showcased a variety of career paths through insights from professionals in the field. We hope that our guest speakers have inspired pupils to reflect on their passions and consider how they can transform those interests into future career aspirations.