On Wednesday, July 10th, Haringey Sixth Form College hosted a career education and employment event called ‘Brighter Futures: Connect-Examine-Empower-Transcend.’ The event is part of The Brighter Futures Project, funded by the Youth Futures Foundation and supported by the Careers and Enterprise Company. Fashion-Enter Ltd’s Head of Education, Lan Leeder, attended to represent the Fashion Technology Academy and the various training, courses and apprenticeships it provides.
The purpose of the event is to bring together professionals from different sectors, including career coordinators, school/college heads, youth education/training practitioners, young people (pupils/students), youth organisations, youth workers, and employers from various sectors to discuss the options and careers available to the younger generation. The goal is to inform, empower, prepare, and support young people to make informed decisions about the best pathways to pursue their career aspirations.
Guest speakers included:
· Zena Brabazon: Current councillor for Haringey Ward
· Ndidi Edozie Ansah: Area Manager at the Career and Enterprise Company
· Dr. Elnaz Kashef: Speakers for schools
· Russ Lawrance: Chief executive officer of Haringey Sixth Form College
· Lisa Westray: Principal of Haringey Sixth Form College
· A group of students from the Harris Academy and Haringey Sixth Form College
Topics discussed included:
· Background and context of Gatsby Benchmarks
· Challenges in delivering career education
· Good/best practice
· Diversity and inclusion
· Drawing on examples and experiences in Haringey
It was an informative event with discussions and case studies from different sectors. The youth expressed the benefit of continuous work experience, stating that it should be ongoing rather than just in Year 10/11 so they are ready for work after finishing their education. Additionally, the lack of career choices during school, the lack of internships in Haringey, and their unawareness of the different industries and how to access information were highlighted.
The day ended with a guided tour at Haringey Sixth Form College by a group of students. Haringey Sixth Form College is a mixed sixth form located in the Tottenham area of the London Borough of Haringey. It was established in 2007 on the site of the former Tottenham campus of Middlesex University.