Fifteen recent old boys of the School were among 35 representatives of a wide range of occupations who attended QE’s Careers Convention.
Boys and their parents were able to choose from a number of 20-minute talks, during which experts gave an overview of careers in medicine, dentistry, investment banking and engineering research. There were also talks about working for Amazon as well as one on the benefits of studying abroad.
The event, which is for Year 11 boys and their parents, aims to help boys prepare for their future by presenting them with extensive information on possible career paths. Armed with this information and with a realistic assessment of their own aptitudes and abilities, they can then plan their Sixth Form studies and extra-curricular activities confident in the knowledge that they are investing their time wisely in pursuit of a fulfilling professional life.
A diverse selection of employers in both the private and public sectors were represented at the event, including:
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Amazon - Balfour Beatty (engineering)
- Capgemini (a management consulting company)
- Collyer Bristow and Dentons (law firms)
- EY (formerly Ernst & Young)
- MHA (a national association of independent accountants)
- National Audit Office
- Pentland Brands (brand management)
- Public Health England
- Shell
- Transport for London
Among the Old Elizabethans who gave up their time to attend the convention was Alex Koizia (OE 2007-2014), who discussed the medical school application process with QE’s aspiring medics. Alex is in his third year at St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London.
Nick Holgate (OE 1995-2002), an Exploration Geoscientist with Shell, enjoyed discussing geoscience as a career with the boys.
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Another Careers Convention participant was Krishan Dave (OE 2002-2009), who is an investment performance analyst at Northern Trust Corporation, an American financial services company.
And Drew Williams (OE 2005-2012) spoke about EY’s five-year School Leaver Programme, which he joined after leaving the Sixth Form and through which he is studying towards his ACA Chartered Accountant qualification.
The autumn Careers Convention is one of a number of ways in which the School helps pupils prepare for their future. Many Year 11 boys take part every year in The Challenge, part of the National Citizen Service. This involves a three-week summer holiday programme and three autumn weekends, during which young people from a wide variety of backgrounds work together on a range of projects, developing new skills and building on existing ones. All QE boys undertake work experience placements at the end of Year 11, while in Year 12, boys are expected to commit 40 hours per year to serving the wider community through the School’s voluntary service programme.