Future thinking at Cedar Court Hotel with Bradford Academy

Thursday 12th July

All of Year 12 from Bradford Academy were invited to attend a formal conference style event to begin thinking about their future options Post-16 & Post-18.

The morning event allowed students to access their UCAS accounts online and start thinking about what a good personal statement looks like. The students also undertook 2 mock interviews – 1 conducted by a local employer and 1 conducted by an employee of a local HE provider, to give students a comparative experience.

For many students, this was their first formal interview experience, and while some found the questions challenging, I feel that all students came away from the experience feeling positive and motivated. Each student received verbal feedback at the end of the interview, as well as a detailed written copy to take away with them – this is vital for students looking to improve their interview skills. Students were also given a question bank to use at home for practice and preparation for upcoming interviews.

This was a great opportunity for students to network within a professional setting and speak directly to employers and HE colleagues about what they look for in a candidate. The day was topped off with the fantastic news that 1 student was offered a part-time job as a result of his mock interview – the employers were extremely impressed with his performance and they invited him to complete his final section of the application process within the company.

Claire Dean from Bradford College, said I really enjoyed meeting your students and it was a pleasure to work with them. They were all well-presented, polite and respectful and all keen to learn what they could about HE and how to present themselves at interviews.”

 

Catherine Garbutt

NCOP Higher Education progression Officer

Bradford Academy