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Careers Week 2016, an outstanding success

Careers week 2016 was an amazing fun packed and busy week for staff and students alike. This year, we had over 18 employers and organisations supporting the week. We would like to say a huge thank you to the following organisations and businesses who supported us during the week:

Activity Team West Berkshire (Pangbourne), Adviza, Covea, Ironing Lady, Dogs trust (Harefield), First News, Project SEARCH, Transformational Trust (Rock Assembly), Thames Valley Police, Virtual Babies, Kersten Garden Machinery, Harrison Romney (Car Maintenance), Reading Thames Valley flower Club, Sainsburys Food College, Pizza Express (Wallingford), Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Jack FM, Brookfeast, Brookfields Enterprise Education, and Talentino.

We would also like to thank the people who visited during the week to offer their support and encouragement:

• Alok Sharma (MP for Reading West)
• The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Mohammed Ayub
• Rachael Wardell, ‎Corporate Director of Communities, West Berkshire Council.

76 students from Key Stage 4 and 6^th Form took part in the week, with every student following a personalised timetable based on their career aspirations.

There were many activities which enabled the students to deepen their knowledge about the world of work, practice and develop some life skills such as cleaning shoes, ironing and dressing the part for work. For other students, the completed application forms and practiced and developed their interview skills based on the application then had made. May of the students were involved in a range of Business Enterprise activities which included making and selling vases, baking and selling pizzas and selling the up-cycled products made by the Brookfields Business Enterprise team!

On the Wednesday afternoon, we invited some of the businesses we work with to join the Pathway to Employment Team and students for afternoon tea. Not only was this an opportunity for businesses to network, to meet students and learn about the the successes, this was also an opportunity for Brookfields School to recognise the partnerships businesses have with us by giving awares to 4 of our partners. These awards were presented by Rachel Wardel, Corporate Director of Communities for West Berkshire.

This year, there were 2 GOLD Awards presented.

Over the last 5 years, we have developed our partnership with Sainsburys. They have consistently demonstrated high levels of sustained engagements with our programme, providing multiple work based placements for our students. As a result of our parternship with Sainsburys, they have changed their recruitment policy and practices allowing people with learning difficulties to be employed.

Our second GOLD Award went to Laithwaite’s Wine. We have had a very long standing relationship with Laithwaite’s who have been the backbone of our Brookfields Enterprise Educating programme. Lathwaite’s have provided outstanding support for the school and our pupils.

Both Siansburys and Laithwaite’s have developed a deep understanding about our vision of supporting our students into the world of work. Both have positively and actively supported and promoted our Pathway to Employment programme within the business community. We are looking forward to developing our partnership with these two Gold Award winners!

Our SILVER Award went to Downsway Primary School. Downsway have provided an incredible Supported Internship placement for one of our students who is gaining skills to become a Teaching Assistant. Two years ago, Downsway offered a Work Experience placement for Paige. Little did we know at the time that the team at Downsway would be offeing a supported internship. This clearly demonstrates the felxable approach which Downsway Primary school have adopted to support Paige lean and developer her skills as a Teaching Assistant. You can read about Paige’s time at Downsway School in our latest newsletter for employers.

Our BRONZE Award goes to The Link Café. The team at the Link Café in Tilehurst have provided consistently high quality work experience placements for our students. The Link Café Team have worked in partnership with the school to learn about how best to support individual students.

Congratulations to all!

To find out more about our careers week and the work we do, follow us on Twitter @pathwaytoemply

Catch up on the latest addition of our newsletter to employers Employers News Letter July 2016

Read about our Pathway to Employment in the Summer addition of our School Newsletter Newsletter Summer 2016

We would like to thank everyone involved in making Careers Week 2016 the success it was!