Inspirational career pathways on show at Billington high school

Saint Augustine's RC High School, on Elker Lane in Billington, hosted a fantastic event as part of their Careers Week. Local business leaders and educational providers discussed a variety of future options and pathways, to inspire all the 220 pupils in attendance.

They wanted to inform them of their choices as they progress through education and into the workforce, and to inspire them to follow career paths they may not have thought were available in the local area.

Heath Groves, CEO of Sundown Solutions, was keen to show students at an early age that working in software development and cyber security is similar to using the gaming devices they use at home, and requires the same skills. This will help them in their future career paths and inspire them to join this rapidly growing industry.

Gareth Lindsay, managing director of North Lancs Training Group (NLTG), was on hand to show the children different ways of reaching career goals, to explain about apprenticeships and how you can train while you earn, and encourage them to think about a job they might want in the future, and the best path to reach their goal.

Abdul Hafeez, programme leader for the Nelson & Colne College Group, said: "We've looked at all different opportunities for the pupils and we hope to see them again in the future. They were all inspired and have aspirations for the future. Good luck to all of them!"

Matt Parkinson, head coach at Accrington Stanley Community Trust, commented: "It's great to be down at St Augustine's to talk about all the different programmes we have down at Accrington Stanley that they may not have been aware of, including our football college and degree programmes. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them down at our college throughout the years."

Heath Groves said: "We find it really valuable speaking to students, to encourage their digital skills and make sure they know there is a career waiting for them when they complete their studies. Our in house training makes it ideal for us to take them on straight from school, so we could see them working with us soon!"

Gareth Lindsay added: "We have over 300 really good apprenticeship vacancies that people can apply for. Choosing an apprenticeship as a career path after high school is key for certain industries, for example if they really want to be a chef. Many jobs don't follow a traditional path of learning, so it's great to encourage them to think about their future employment."

Murray Dawson, chair of Amazing Accrington, commented: "I'm also the Managing Director of Scott Dawson Advertising, so I was able to talk to them about branding and opportunities in the creative world. It won't be long before the students are looking at their future options, and we want them to be employed locally in great jobs in the future."

#AmazingAccrington has launched a new area of their website for Opportunities, showcasing education, training, apprenticeships and opportunities. This can be found here: https://opportunities.amazingaccrington.co.uk

You can see more about Sundown Solutions here: www.sundownsolutions.com  North Lancs Training Group here: www.nltg.co.uk