Viewing archives for Careers

As the Government prepares to implement its ban on social media for under-16s in the spring, the winning team in a QE Futures careers challenge that focused on WhatsApp made online safety their top priority.

The workshop in the Shearly Hall, which was run by WhatsApp owner, Meta, challenged teams to analyse user survey data and then set out their priorities and their recommendations for improving the app.

Team Fantastic Four identified safety as a key priority, particularly for younger users, proposing that Meta should prioritise this, with clearer and more accessible safety controls for users.

Assistant Head Robert Hyland (Destinations and Progress), who heads the QE Futures programme, said: “This workshop was a great example of how careers education can inspire pupils by getting them to apply their skills to highly topical real-world challenges, while at the same time giving them valuable insight into their possible future careers.

“I thank Harry Davison [Head of Marketing Science UK, Benelux, Nordics and Turkey] at Meta, for facilitating this activity, and my congratulations go to the Fantastic Four.”

The four – Sadat Shak, Thanish Thatapa Reddy, Yingjun Ouyang, and Vivaan Pasula – brought complementary skills to the task. Yingjun and Sadat took on the roles of data analysts and presenters, while Vivaan and Thanish focused on the creative design of their PowerPoint presentation.

In their conclusions, they placed safety first, ahead of ‘fun’ as the second priority and AI as the third. One of their key conclusions was: “WhatsApp should not measure improvement only by the number of features it launches. It should measure whether people feel more in control.”

Their presentation combined clear graphs and tables with engaging visuals, demonstrating impressive analytical, creative and teamwork skills. Their systematic and creative approach impressed the judges. It also earned the team the opportunity to present their findings online later to a panel of Meta staff.

Thanish said the project helped him understand “what it feels like to be a data analyst and what I can do in the future”, while Sadat said he could include the achievement on his university application when the time comes.

QE Futures seeks to build core employability skills over pupils’ seven-year journey at the School. Partnering with industry, higher education institutions, and entrepreneurs allows for boys to develop and apply these skills in a real-world context, providing inspiring shared experiences.

High-flying business consultant Daniel Garsin, Guest of Honour at Junior Awards, told prize-winners that they will enter a world very different from the one that existed when he left QE just 20 years ago.

The continuing rise of artificial intelligence is “not a reason to be afraid”, he said, “but it does mean the old rules about how you get on in life are being rewritten”.

With AI already doing much of the careful, detailed work that young people used to do in their first jobs, Daniel, the 2005 School Captain, spelt out what that means for the boys: “It is no longer what do you know’, but ‘what can you do that a machine cannot?’”

Award-winners from across Years 7–9 gathered with their families and teachers in the School Hall for the formal afternoon event, during which Daniel (OE 1999–2006) presented the prizes.

The event included prizes for the academic subjects, for commitment, and for service in QE’s six Houses. There were also awards for co-curricular activities such as sport, drama, debating & public-speaking and supporting The Queen’s Library.

The Music prize-winners – Hercules Li, of Year 7; Julius Collins, of Year 8; and Ryan Hsu, of Year 9 – played piano pieces by Mozart, Debussy and Chopin respectively, while they and other award-winners formed an ensemble to perform the processional and recessional music for the ceremony. The VIP party included the Deputy Mayor of Barnet, Cllr Humayune Khalick.

In his introduction, Headmaster Neil Enright told the boys in the audience: “You are in pole position to be the leaders of your generation in your chosen fields; to be leaders of influence and valued collaborators.”

After leaving QE, guest speaker Daniel read History at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He has since forged a career in consulting, firstly with Deloitte and, for the past 15 years, with Elixirr, which has grown in that time from a 30-person firm to one that is now listed on the London Stock Exchange with more than 800 employees worldwide.

He arrived at Junior Awards still captivated by what he had observed on a recent business trip to San Francisco. “Some of what I saw there was breathtaking and exciting, and some of it was genuinely unsettling. The pace of change is faster than anything I have witnessed in my career. Things that were impossible only a year ago are ordinary today.”

Echoing the Headmaster’s optimistic tone, he said: “The territory is being redrawn as we speak, and you get to help draw it. And you’re at the very best place to do this.”

Daniel reflected on how he is likely to recruit in the future and offered clear advice: “Do not try to compete with the machine. I will be looking for the deeply human things, because those are getting more valuable, not less. Can you win someone’s trust? Can you carry a team through a hard week? Can you walk into a tense room and read what is actually going on? No machine can do that, and I do not believe one ever will. I will be looking for curious people who can learn fast, and then learn again. And above all, I will be looking for character and personality.”

Daniel urged the boys to focus on three values.

• Be collaborative
• Be entrepreneurial
• Go beyond expectations.

“If I could swap places with you today, here is what I would do. I would try to learn how to use these new tools, but never once let them do my thinking for me. I would read more widely than I do today. I would say ‘yes’ to the things that scare me a little (and that I said ‘no’ to). And I wouldn’t worry about having it all figured out, because nobody yet knows what the world will look like in 5-10 years,” he said.

After Daniel’s address, the Year 7 debating & public-speaking award-winner, Parth Gulati, gave a vote of thanks. Everyone then stepped outside on to Staplyton Field for refreshments.

• Click on the thumbnails below to view the images.

Year 9 boys used artificial intelligence to help them design a sustainable bus for London during a special day at Salesforce’s new AI Innovation Centre.

The 27 pupils took part in a workshop, learned about careers in AI, and discussed the ethics of the technology during their trip to the American software giant’s facility at Devonshire Square, opened only a few weeks ago.

One of the highlights was a team challenge to design the sustainable bus – an exercise which gave the boys hands-on insights into how AI can be used creatively to solve real-world problems.

Assistant Head James Kane (Destinations & Progress), who leads the QE Futures careers and universities guidance programme, said: “It seems especially appropriate to celebrate this exciting opportunity during Youth Employment Week.

“Artificial Intelligence will undoubtedly form part of all our futures, and there is so much to be learned. Whether it was finding out how to write effective AI prompts or getting to grips with the ethical considerations, the conversations on this very special day provided valuable guidance for QE pupils growing up in an increasingly AI-driven world.

“We are sincerely grateful to Neil Sanghrajka, parent of a Year 8 QE student, for kindly facilitating this fantastic opportunity,” Mr Kane added.

The pupils discovered how Salesforce, a $186 billion company known for its customer relationship management software and related applications, uses AI to enhance the services it provides to its clients.

The day explored the effective and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

During the lunch break, students explored a range of innovative AI technologies, including a machine that created portraits from photographs and an AI-powered LEGO set that demonstrated interactive learning through artificial intelligence.

The visit concluded with an AI careers Q&A session, where the boys had the opportunity to ask questions. The panel included two degree apprentices, who shared their experiences and highlighted alternative and increasingly popular pathways into the technology sector after sixth form. QE’s pupils were particularly interested in the role of AI in education, and the panel emphasised that AI should be used to support learning and develop understanding, rather than replace independent thinking.

A parent led Year 12 students in a special QE Futures workshop that was geared towards degree apprenticeships. 

Sumeet Bhatia, from global technology giant Cisco, facilitated the last Futures session of 2025 with his colleague, Luke Brophy. 

QE leavers this year enjoyed record success with securing Degree Apprenticeships, which allow participants to gain a degree while also working for an employer. Companies offering places to Elizabethans this year included Goldman Sachs, Amazon and Deloitte. 

Assistant Head (Pupil Destinations) James Kane, who heads QE Futures, said: “This was a tremendously energising session on building communication skills and preparing for degree apprenticeship assessment centres. QE Futures often brings in the skills and experience of our alumni, and, on this occasion, it was great to be able to welcome a current QE parent and his colleague. 

“Yet again, our speakers emphasised the importance of developing the transferable qualities listed in our QE Futures Employability Skills for future success.” (These include communication, resilience and teamwork.) 

Mr Bhatia, Lead Business Development Manager (Innovation) at Cisco, delivered the session as part of the company’s Time 2 Give programme, through which employees can dedicate time each year to giving back to the community. 

The session was entitled Find Your Path to Degree Apprenticeships (drawing on the Futures slogan, Find Your Path).  

The boys taking part explored the art of inquisition and the power of asking great questions. They looked at the traits of a successful apprentice, and how to stand out in degree apprenticeship assessment centres. And they considered the importance of effective speaking and listening as core employability skills.  

The session included interactive discussions that encouraged unconventional thinking and curiosity.  

Key ‘takeways’ for the participants were that:  

• Curiosity beats cleverness – great questions unlock understanding; 
• Assessment centres value teamwork, resilience, and structured problem-solving;
• Communication skills are vital and cannot be overlooked. 

One of those taking part, Vu-Lam Le-Nguyen, of Year 12, said the session was “wonderfully insightful” and that “interactive discussions encouraged me to think unconventionally”.   

Mr Bhatia himself reflected on an “incredible afternoon”, adding that it was “truly rewarding to engage with students, share insights about Cisco’s apprenticeship programme, and guide them on navigating early career stages”. 

Old Elizabethan Samuel Akpan, who works for the Premier League, has received a special award at an international football conference in Italy.

Sam (OE 2011–2018) was representing the league at the Social Football Summit in Turin, where he was presented with the Leader in Social Responsibility and Impact Award.

The award recognises the success of the Premier League’s More than a Game initiative, through which it has committed £1.6 billion of investment into wider football (beyond the Premier League clubs) and into communities from 2022-2025.

It was, said Sam, “an honour and a privilege” to represent the Premier League at the summit – an international B2B (business to business) event held annually in Italy for the football industry.

Sam is a Communities Executive for the Premier League. “I am thankful for the recognition of all the work done by the team internally and through our network that goes on as part of the More than a Game campaign,” he said.

Sam joined the Premier League in September 2022 after winning an 18-month internship. On its completion, he was appointed to his current role.

After leaving QE, he read Politics and International Studies at Warwick, where he had a considerable impact. His work in social enterprise, sport and anti-racism at the university led to him being named among Future Leaders magazine’s 2021–2022 Top 150 of the most outstanding Black university students in Britain.

Sam is not the only OE at the Premier League. Piers Martin (OE 1987–1995) is Head of Leadership and Workforce Development there. Piers has enjoyed a highly successful career in sport, having previously led several sports’ organisations, including British Fencing at the time of the London 2012 Olympics.

Soon after becoming an intern, Sam spent six months working with Piers and his team.

“I knew from the start that Sam would be good because he had gone to QE,” said Piers. “He’s not afraid of speaking up and quite confident, but very softly spoken. He has a wise head on his shoulders for somebody who is early-stage career.”

• Sam is pictured, top, receiving the award. The other photo shows Sam and Piers flanking the Premier League’s Tony Scholes, Chief Football Officer; Joanna Pinney, Commercial Projects Manager; and
  Neil Saunders, Director of Football.

QE Futures, the School’s programme of careers and universities guidance, is enjoying a surge of success as boys secure places on highly sought-after degree apprenticeships.

Degree apprenticeships are attracting increasing interest year-on-year as pupils appreciate the advantages of gaining a degree while working for an employer.

The long-running Year 11 work experience is another QE success story, with this summer’s  placements again helping boys gain early exposure to what the high-level jobs they aspire to actually involve.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “We are delighted that several of this year’s leavers are taking up degree apprenticeships with world-renowned businesses including Goldman Sachs, Amazon, and Deloitte, to name but three.

“Through QE Futures, we seek not only to inform pupils about career and degree opportunities, but also to inspire them and to broaden their thinking. Old Elizabethans often play a key role, sharing their expertise and serving as role models for current pupils.”

One recent QE Futures event saw 41 Year 12s heading to the executive floor of HSBC at Canary Wharf.

Assistant Head (Pupil Destinations) James Kane, who heads QE Futures, said: “It was a momentous day, hearing about routes into banking, including degree apprenticeships.”

Among those providing insights was Asif Shamsad (OE 2012–2019), an HSBC Commercial Banking Degree Apprentice.

“The visit opened students’ eyes to bank-based careers beyond traditional investment banking roles, such as client-facing and more data-based roles,” said Mr Kane.

Fifteen degree apprenticeships were offered to QE’s Year 13 leavers this summer, with some receiving multiple offers. As well as the firms mentioned above, the offers came from BlackRock, PwC, JP Morgan, GSK, HSBC, Ashurst, Travers Smith, Blick Rothenberg, Jaguar Land Rover and Standard Chartered. They covered areas ranging from data science to ‘front office’ work and from software engineering to portfolio management.

Two years lower down the School, Year 11 took time out for their work experience placements. “It is an exciting element of QE Futures: pupils experience the world of work firsthand, developing vital employability skills such as communication, critical thinking, digital fluency, teamwork, leadership, and resilience,” says Mr Kane. “Importantly, alongside the skills, work experience builds confidence that will serve them in whatever path they eventually choose.”

Several Year 11 boys reported back on their work experience placements:

• Advay Bhat, pictured here, said he had an “enriching” week with IT services and consulting giant Capgemini, during which he was introduced to cutting-edge ideas such as chaos engineering and agile sustainability.
• Ahsan Rahman’s at Deutsche Bank gave him insight into how teamwork and communication are essential in both virtual and in-person settings.
• Dhruv Pai worked at a dental clinic, witnessing everything from check-ups to implant procedures and gaining a deep appreciation for the empathy, precision, and teamwork behind excellent patient care—especially in high-pressure moments.
• At Minesoft, a global patent intelligence and search platform, Olic Fan saw some of his recommended product improvement ideas adopted by the firm and integrated into their product.
• At Rodić Davidson Architects, Victor Varbanov, pictured top, impressed OE Nikolas Ward (2003–2010), Associate at the firm, who said: “It makes me proud to know that the values that were instilled when I was at QE (20 or so years ago!) are still to the fore.”

The placements can be virtual, in-person, or a combination of the two.