Employability Event at Castlehead High School

About the Business Leaders

These business leaders have been chosen because their companies are growing quickly.

About the teacher and students

The event was created by Gayle Keenan for 150 students at Castlehead High School aged Age 12 - 13.

Event description

Industry Awareness Event

My name is Gayle Keenan and I am a teacher in Castlehead High School in Paisley. Part of my role is to lead the development of skills for learning, life and work. Each year, in late February, S2 pupils are asked to choose the subjects they would like to study in S3. This is an important time for them and, in order to fully support them during this process, Castlehead holds an ‘Industry Awareness’ event prior to their choices being finalised. This year, our event is taking place on Thursday 14th February between 1.40pm and 3.40pm.

My reason for writing to you today is to invite you to take part in this event so that pupils can gain knowledge and an understanding of the industry that you work in and the roles that exist within your company. Pupils are also interested to learn about the aspects of your work that you find most challenging and rewarding. It is important that we allow pupils to develop an awareness of the wide range of industries that exist, as well as the range of jobs contained within a single employer.

Our event runs like a careers fair, with each participant having a ‘stall’ in a communal area. Pupils are asked to visit as many stalls as possible, prioritising the ones that are of particular interest, and they have a booklet that must be completed. This booklet prompts pupils to ask questions of the participants and briefly record the answers received.

As a participant, all we ask is that you bring along any resources or materials that allow you to promote your industry/employer. If you wish to bring along a laptop for use at your stall, we can arrange to have a power source near your location. Past participants have had a great deal of success when offering pupils a ‘hands on’ experience, or practical task, at their stall and if I can be of any assistance in this matter, please do not hesitate to ask.

Our ‘Industry Awareness’ event has taken place successfully for several years now, although we are trialling this ‘careers fair’ format for the first time. If you would like to discuss anything with me over the phone, please do not hesitate to contact me on 0141 887 4261. If you would like to be involved in this event, please respond no later than Monday 21st January 2019.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Gayle Keenan

Teacher of Geography / Project Leader of Skills and Employability
Castlehead High School
Camphill
Canal Street
Paisley
PA1 2HL
0141 887 4261