QE Futures helps boys find their path to the best degree apprenticeships and work experience

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.