Beaconsfield High School
Mrs Wray's Careers Blog
Hello, welcome to the Becky High Careers blog, where we'll post the latest news about what's been happening in school and opportunities outside of school. Check back here regularly as opportunities are posted as we find them.
If students in Y11-Y13 would like to chat about anything careers related, please email me (Mrs K Wray) and I would be happy to arrange a time to meet.
Latest news and opportunities
- (25/4) Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust are hosting a 'getting into medicine' evening on 3rd July. Click here for info and to book.
- (16/4) UK Electronics Skills Foundation is offering a 1 day electronics workshops to girls in Year 10-12 at a variety of universities over the summer term. Click here for more info and to book.
- (26/3) Henley College have an information evening on Thursday 18th April for prospective students and their families. Click here for details and to book.
(26/3) To coincide with the start of the new tax year, the latest Becky High Careers Insight looking at tax and finance careers has just been published.
april 2024 careers insight.pdf
(26/3) Bucks Skills Hub has published the latest version of Classroom to Careers, find it here.
(25/3) FE News has published an article on the universities that best support neurodivergent students. Find it here.
(19/3) Channel 4 have launched their commercial creative and production apprenticeships, click here for more info.
(14/3) Cisco summer work experience for Y11 and Y12 is open for applications here.
(12/3) Thames Valley Hospice (near Maidenhead) are offering work experience for potential medics, nurses, physio etc. Apply here.
(11/3) McLaren Racing are offering summer 2024 work experience in Woking, click here to apply.
(11/3) The engineering company Leonardo offers work experience here.
(11/3) Surrey Satellite Technology offer work experience, check out their website here.
(5/3) BAe is offering work experience at a variety of sites in the summer. Check out details here.
(29/2) For information on commercial pilot opportunities and Pilot Careers Live show on 20th April check out this website.
(26/2) Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust are hosting a Biomedical Science Careers information evening at Stoke Mandeville hospital on 27th June. All secondary students (and parents) are welcome. More info and to book tickets here.
Allen & Overy is offering Law work experience (in person and virtual) for information and eligibility criteria, check the website here.
PWC (a professional services and accounting firm that recruits hundreds of graduates) have launched their virtual insight programme (29-31 July 2024) for Y11 and Y12 students. Click here for more info and to apply.
Amazing Apprenticeships has published the January Higher and Degree Apprenticeship listing with a huge variety of roles being advertised.
Amazon have launched a bursary programme for prospective female Computer Science (and related subjects) degree students. Click here for more information, eligibility criteria apply.
The National Audit Office is offering accountancy apprenticeships
BAESystems have announced the launch of their 2024 degree apprentice programmes, check here for information.
BBC apprentice schemes are now open for applicants.
Archive news and opportunities
- March's Careers Insight celebrates Mothering Sunday and looks at those jobs Mums do in addition to their paid work.
- Bucks Skills hub has published the February edition of Classroom to Careers.
- February's Career Insight celebrates Valentines Day by looking at careers related to the heart and romance.
- The January Classroom to Careers newsletter has been published by Bucks Skills Hub.
- The Becky High Careers Insight for January celebrates Burns Night by looking at jobs in the Scottish economy, poetry and publishing.
- The December Classroom to Careers newsletter has been published by Bucks Skills Hub.
Useful websites
Unifrog is a careers platform used in school, every student has a login.
Prospects is a great website, funded, but independent of, UK universities, offering lots of information on graduate jobs. Use the search tool to ask "what can I do with my X degree" and it will provide up to date and well written information with lots of other links.
The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers report and Highfliers graduate labour market report includes useful information about graduate recruitment
InvestIn offer paid for University and work experiences, they have just started a careers podcast.
The National Career Service has a useful website and offer one to one advice to anyone over the age of 16
Springpod offers lots of virtual work experience opportunities (for free).
The Sutton Trust offers summer schools and support for applicants who want to study at competitive universities or apply for degree apprentices with the aim of improving social mobility.
Apprenticeships
The Government's apprentice listing website (surprisingly useful).
Amazing Apprenticeships publish a bi-annual listing of higher and degree apprenticeships.
NotGoingToUni website lists a variety of apprenticeship vacancies.
A good place to start your search for solicitor apprenticeships.
Gap year
Some useful advice and further information on gap years on the UCAS website.
Local FE (16-18) colleges
Students have a wide variety of options after Year 11. as well as A levels as school 6th forms and local colleges, Level 3 BTEC and T level qualifications are offered locally at a number of colleges. Students can also apply for Intermediate and Advanced Apprenticeships.
Local colleges include:
- Berkshire College of Agriculture near Maidenhead
- Buckinghamshire College Group has colleges in Amersham, Aylesbury and Wycombe.
- Henley College
- Uxbridge College
University
UCAS is used to apply for university but it is also a database of every course in the UK, so great for researching. It also provides a wide range of useful information on courses, contextual offers etc.
Information on Student Finance (tuition fees and loans).
NHS Bursary for medicine and dental students.
NHS Learning Support Fund for nursing, midwifery and other allied health professional students (inc physio, SALT etc).
UKCISA website provides good advice on university fee status for international students.
A very comprehensive guide to university produced by UniTasterdays.com
Work experience
Information about careers in....
...banking and finance
A guide to careers in banking and finance.
HSBC Work Experience.
...creative industries
Screenskills provides a huge amount of information and opportunities relating to careers in TV, film, animation and gaming.
GetIntoTheatre provides information on....getting into theatre
Eric - an app offering support for students interested in careers in creative industries.
Warner Bros Crew website
Disney Creative skills website
Or try this website for finding your first job in film.
Resource Productions offer (free) clubs for teens who want to get into film. Check out their website here for more info.
Reading College offers Saturday clubs for students in Film, Art and Fashion. Bucks New Uni offers a club in Art. Check out the website to get on the waiting lists.
...clinical roles and the NHS
A great website to find out more about the full range of jobs and careers in the NHS.
The NHS jobs website - great for researching clinical jobs markets.
Apply for work experience at Buckinghamshire Health NHS Trust here.
Apply for work experience at Wexham Park Hospital here.
...science, engineering & technology
For information about careers in the UK space industry, click here.
National Physical Laboratory offer work experience, check out their website here.
This website lists a variety of jobs in defence, aviation and space sectors.
Rutherford Appleton Laboratories offer work experience at their labs in Didcot.
IT/Tech work experience with Kainos here.
Drax (energy sector) work experience.
Softwire (Digital and Software) work experience
Nuffield Work Experience placements.
...public services
public services recruit a large number of graduates, non graduates and apprentices, some useful links below:
...sport
A good website to start a search for information about careers in sport: BASES.