Major schools careers fair makes a return

Around 1,000 students from years 10 to 13 from all three Sleaford secondary schools, plus the Ruskington campus of St George’s Academy attended what is thought to be one of the largest school-based careers events of its kind in the county.

Local and national businesses including Rolls Royce, Balfour Beatty, Network Rail, National Trust and SHD Composites, were on hand with colleges and universities such as Jesus College, of Cambridge University. Head of careers at the school, Donna Jarvis said students were given information packs to select who they wanted to approach, as well as competitions and word searches.

Eva Egginton of Sheffield Hallam University has been to all the careers fairs at the academy and said they get better every time: “The students are great and so informed about what they want to do, open to all the options.”

Former Kesteven and Sleaford High School student Katie Mountford was representing Jesus College, where she now works as a schools liaison officer having studied there. She said: “I really wanted to come back and do this.”

She dismissed accusations of elitism, stating that 80 per cent of students at her college are from state schools.

Her younger brother, Sam, is in his last year of a degree apprenticeship with Rolls Royce having studied at Carre’s Grammar school. He said: “It shows whatever route you take, you can get what you want - and I haven’t the debt my sister has because the company pays for my degree.”

Former St George’s pupil Alec Doughty of Sleaford-based SHD Composites said he spent a year at Lincoln College before starting with the business 10 years ago, learning every aspect of the manufacturing process before spending time helping to set up branches in Slovenia and the USA.

Now back in Sleaford as production manager, he said. “It’s good to bring something back here to the school. We are looking at bringing on the next generation of skilled staff.”