Sparking career inspiration at Maiden Erlegh School

As a leading UK IT business, we have a responsibility to inspire younger generations and guide them towards successful career paths. As part of our Bright Sparks initiative, we regularly work with local education institutions to help students learn practical skills that they can take into the workplace. A recent opportunity was a mock interview day at Maiden Erlegh School – attended by Executive Director Alex Tatham, Operations Coordinator Zoe Newton and Assistant Product Manager Dan Harris.

 

The event was held in collaboration with the Education Business Partnership. A charity that we have partnered with for five years, with a focus on connecting young people and employers through work experience placements.

 

The purpose of the event was to provide a real-world experience of a 1:1 interview. The day saw around 20 volunteers leading the conversations – helping the attendees gain confidence, grow communication skills and learn more about their future career options. And it wasn’t just the students that benefited.

 

“Experiences like these help with bolstering young people’s CVs, and in turn give us a chance to develop new skills – I have never interviewed anyone before, so this was a great chance to experience it.”
Dan Harris

 

Alex's wealth of experience as Westcoast's Executive Director meant he could offer a unique perspective to participants. And after a full day of discussing strengths and weaknesses, school progress and extra-curricular interests, both he and the team were thrilled to have made a positive difference to their local community.

 

“The event was exhausting but extremely rewarding. For many of the students it was the first interview they’d ever had.”
Alex Tatham

 

Interested in learning more about how we’re inspiring students with Bright Sparks? Explore the scheme here.