For the first working week of July, Chelsea Academy felt noticeably quieter as Year 10 were out on work experience! It was our most successful year yet, and students made an overwhelmingly positive impression on their employers, with glowing feedback still pouring in from the employers themselves and the staff who visited them.
The range of employers was more impressive than ever; including Sky Media, Virgin Atlantic, Islamic Relief, BigGroup, Camp America, UCL Art History Lab, London City Airport, Grazing Hill Law Partners, New Black Films….. amongst many others. Here are just a few pictures.
Something that never ceases to amaze us about WEX week is the generosity of our neighbours who invest so much time and energy into giving the students opportunities that they might not otherwise have had.
Special thanks go to our neighbours: Lots Road Auction House, Worlds End Studios, Holland Park Dental Practice, New Kings Rd Dental, Winberg Design, Heatherley School of Fine Art, Worlds End Under 5s centre, Servite Primary School, Marlborough Primary School, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Imagine Spa Kensington, Earl’s Court Medical Centre, Dr Hala Health and Beauty Clinic, Lockonego HairDressers, Queens Park Rangers Football Club, Forest and Co Solicitors, EPIC Youth Club and too many others to mention! You are all stars and we really couldn’t do this without you.
In fact the feedback from students shows that they found it extremely valuable and they were very proud of themselves for going outside of their comfort zone and overcoming the challenges of the working world. We are super proud of each and every one of them too!
It can be very difficult to find a WEX placement if you are in Year 10. This year we trialled ‘Immersion Weeks’ in Tech, British Luxury and Construction as an alternative for 45 students. The idea was to open up the world of work in these three areas of growth in the London labour market- so that students could explore the vast range of roles available within one of the three sectors.
For Tech Week, students visited Google HQ, and spent a day on the ‘Silicone Roundabout’ undertaking workshops at two different London Start-ups. They went to an exhibition about how Artificial Intelligence will affect the future of careers, and they presented their research to an esteemed panel to develop those key skills that employers are crying out for.
The ‘British Luxury’ group had a talk on the sector from Charlotte Keesing of Walpole Group, followed by a VIP tour of Harrods before it opened its doors to the public, and a private Q&A with the Managing Director. They also visited Stephen Einhorn who designs jewellery for famous films, to learn about the desperate need for apprentices in craft to meet demand in the UKs successful creative industries.
Construction week was designed by Youth Construction Trust and Mace, and focussed on sustainable development. A highlight was visiting Lancer Square for a day on site where they built wooden structures, and a day of employability training run by the incredible Mace HR team. Each of these students will be offered follow up mentoring to guide them into the lucrative construction industry should they choose it. Here are some pictures of ‘WEX Immersion Week’:
On a personal note, it is my last year of having the challenge and the privilege of coordinating work experience for our Year 10 students and I am very grateful to Year 10 for making it the best year yet! Thank you to our academy community and especially all of the parents who helped by offering placements for their own child, or even someone else’s. It is an incredible experience to be a part of and I will never forget it.
Mrs McNally
Head of Sixth Form and CEIAG Leader