The message is clear – do what you love!

Two fantastic careers evenings at NGHS in the space of three weeks highlighted the great range of opportunities open to our talented students. ‘Business Uncovered’ aimed to demystify some of the diverse functions within the world of business.  NGHS Director of Marketing, Claire Bale and digital Public Relations expert from Hallam Internet, Rebecca Peel, both talked about the rapidly changing and fiercely competitive world of marketing. Matt Wilson, Human Resources Manager with Next, then spoke about finding and then keeping the right people as well as the value of part time or weekend work.  NGHS alumnae Nicola Whiting discussed her unusual pathway into accounting via a degree in music and then opening her own bar in South Africa! She also encouraged our girls to consider the apprenticeship route into finance.  Former fashion buyer turned bridal business owner, Julia Kellam of Frances Day Bridal in Southwell, rounded off the event with a very  down-to-earth talk on the fashion industry and encouraged our girls to “do what you love” and  “follow your dreams”.

This theme of “do what you love” was echoed at the second careers evening ‘Designs on You’ on Wednesday 6 March, where we reached out to our creatives here at NGHS. One of six inspiring female speakers Chloe Cooper is an alumnae of GDST Newcastle High School for Girls and showed us how she went from A level textiles to NTU to Fashion Design Manager of prestigious fashion brand, John Smedley Knitwear. By contrast, Helen Joy of Digital design Agency SPARCK, enlightened her audience about a very 21st century job, User Experience (UX) Designer, a role that is all about making website use both efficient and pleasurable. Project Architect with Maber, Cat Lambert, spoke about the long process of qualifying as an architect and the varied and rewarding career that has followed. Similarly NTU lecturer Helen Davies discussed her exciting and rewarding jobs in theatre design including costumes and theatre sets, followed now by a role that shares her passion for theatre with university students.

Both Landscape Architects Jane Fortescue and Sophie Entwisle of FPCR Environment and Design, talked about an arguably lesser known design role. Describing themselves as ‘eco architects’ who design, plan and manage our outdoor spaces, it’s clearly an in-demand graduate job with employers very much on the lookout for Landscape Architects.

What was striking about all of our fabulous speakers over these two evenings was not only their obvious passion for what they do but also their varied career stories which so often are don’t follow a typical career pathway. We think that   ‘doing what you love’ should take you in the right direction for a rewarding career.