Academy Pupils Take Part in Careers Week

Stromness Academy’s annual Careers Week was held at the start of February, giving pupils an insight into the variety of careers they can undertake when they leave school.​

A part of the school calendar since 2019, Careers Week was developed to support pupils in S3 ahead of the subject choices period for their fourth year.  The purpose of the week is to inspire and inform pupils about the variety of careers available to help them imagine what they could do in the future.  Throughout the week, pupils learn about some of the careers available to them in Orkney and hear about the different pathways they can take into their future job.

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​The week began with a year group assembly where pupils took part in games and heard from an inspirational speaker.  The games are designed to expose them to a variety of different jobs and help them understand there is no wrong path into their future chosen career.
 
Former Stromness Academy pupil – and DYW Orkney Board Chair – Glen McLellan delivered the inspirational talk.  He spoke about his own career journey from leaving school at 15 to work on a farm, to changing career and working his way up to UK Manager of a global energy organisation.  He encouraged pupils to explore their options and access the help that is available to them.  He also encouraged them to find part-time work while still at school to help them develop transferrable skills.
 
During the assembly, Skills Development Scotland Careers Advisors also delivered a talk and provided some activities to help young people think about their options.  The session also helped pupils to better understand the role of the Careers Adviser and how they can help them to move from school into employment, education, or training.
 
Lunch with an Employer sessions are held throughout the week with inputs from Orkney Islands Council’s Early Years team; Hamnavoe House and Smiddybrae Care Homes and, NHS Orkney’s Allied Health Professionals.
 
Pupils are also given the chance to undertake workplace visits throughout the week, with pupils choosing from a visit to a local jeweller, a care home, construction site or the local ferry company.
 
An Entrepreneurship and Innovation session was also delivered by Robert Gordon University.  During this, pupils had to develop a concept, design a product and then create the product in plasticine.
 
Unfortunately, the week’s activities were disrupted by snowy weather and we had to cancel planned workplace visits, two Lunch with and Employers and the Careers Fair which was to be held in the school on Friday.  The Lunch with an Employer sessions have since been rescheduled and employers who intended to come along to the careers fair have been given the option to attend a Lunch with an Employer session later in the year.
 
Thank you to all of the employers and organisations who supported all of the activities throughout the week, including those whose inputs we had to cancel – we know a lot of planning work goes into any activity.