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On Friday 15th June, students from Ratton Academy Eastbourne made the trip to London’s Farringdon area to visit the award winning architecture firm Hawkins/Brown, as their 'World of Work day'.
Not only did the students get to experience the funky London offices of a design firm, they had the amazing opportunity of experiencing working life at one of the largest architects in the country, a practice that has been awarded employer of the year a number of times.
The day started with a talk from a Hawkins Brown architect about the firm and its values, then an expansive tour of the offices (including the model making workshop and seeing how architectural perspectives are produced).
The students were treated to a (very tasty) buffet lunch and a talk with an experienced HR manager, who gave top tips on how even as a teenager, you can prepare for a future CV. Having recently appointed more than 35 people, this valuable advice came straight from the horses mouth!
The students then had the opportunity to interview staff from all different employment sectors within the practice , as if for a job interview. Questions ranged from 'what were your ambitions when you were younger?' to ‘what is the best aspect of your job?'. Students then had to report back in presentation style on what made their interviewee a good fit for the firm.
It was fantastic to see all the students leave the day with a new sense of enthusiasm and ambition for the world of work. One of the first reactions from students was “all the people we met at Hawkins/Brown seemed to love their jobs”. They couldn't wait to tell school and parents all about it!
- Matthew Turner, Yes Futures Lead Coach