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Pupils from Kirkstead Junior Academy and John King Infant Academy were given an exciting opportunity to explore future career possibilities during their First Pupil Conference at Pinxton Village Academies.
The event welcomed a range of guest speakers, all keen to share their experiences and inspire the next generation. Children learned about a variety of career paths and gained valuable insight into the skills, education and determination needed to succeed in different fields.
Anne Ingle is the Headteacher of the Pinxton Village Academies which consists of Kirkstead Junior Academy, Longwood Infant Academy and John King Infant Academy, and she explained the motivation behind the event.
Anne said, “This year, we have introduced My Path, an innovative careers platform which helps children understand the skills needed for a wide range of future careers. One of the most
powerful aspects of the platform is that it helps pupils see the purpose behind what they learn in primary school, showing how today’s learning develops the skills and knowledge they will need in their future careers and aspirations.
“Our pupils have had the opportunity to explore a diverse range of career pathways, from traditional professions to exciting emerging industries. We have actively challenged stereotypes around jobs and success, encouraging children to understand that there is no single route to achievement and that their ambitions should never be limited by expectations or assumptions. They can be anything they choose.”
Photograph: Children at John King Infant Academy with members of Derbyshire Police.
Year 2 pupil Jackson commented, “The best part about today is learning about different jobs and thinking about what you want to do when you grow up.” Fellow year 2 pupil Cohen was equally enthusiastic saying, “We have learnt today that boys and girls can be anything that they want to be!”
Bethany Dickson (Deputy Headteacher) helped to organise the event and said, “The children have had a wonderful day thinking about their aspirations learning about different careers and exploring skills they need for the future. We are so grateful to all of our visitors who took the time out of their day to inspire our children and show them that they can truly be anything they want to be.”
Visitors included representatives from Derbyshire Police, the Army, library services, the dentistry profession, nursing, business transformation, learning and development, film production, media and advertising, theatre and museums.
Anne Ingle (Headteacher) said, “We are particularly grateful to Max and Molly from Ideagen for showcasing careers in sales; Billy Wheatley (Sports Coach) from Next Level Sport; Caz Moon from The Ripple Effect Charity; Jonathan Saville from the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall; Kathryn Levy from Derby Museum; Neil Davis, Business Transformation Lead; Sarah Watson from Roffey Park and local business owner; Paramount film producer Alex Norris; Sina Kamammer from the media and advertising sector; and Lead IT engineers Jamie and Ben, who gave children hands-on experiences with virtual reality technology.
“Our conference began with an inspiring keynote speech from our local MP, Natalie Fleet, who shared her personal journey and the passion that first motivated her to pursue a career in public service. Natalie spoke about her desire from a young age to make a positive difference in her local community and explained how this ambition has shaped her career. She encouraged pupils to believe in their own ability to create change, highlighting that determination, hard work and a commitment to helping others can open many doors. As both a Member of Parliament and a Minister, Natalie continues to champion and support not only her local community but communities across the country, providing a powerful example of how aspirations developed at a young age can grow into a career with real impact.”
Photograph: Children made their own bookmarks and discussed library services and
Pupil Roxy-Lea (Year 6) said, “Today has been inspiring. It’s been good to learn about different jobs.” Fellow year 6 pupil Andrea said, “If you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything!”
Year 6 pupil Lexy said the day had helped her to think about her future and fellow year 6 pupil Freddie said, “Today I have learned that a certain job may seem hard to achieve, but it is still possible with hard work.”
Rosie (Year 6) said her eyes had been opened to the ‘millions of jobs out there’ and Betsie (Year 3) said, “We found out that if we are determined, we can do anything we want!”
Molly Ingle (New Business Sales Manager) for Ideagen alongside colleague Max Bowen (Sales Manager- EHS For Ideagen) demonstrated aspects of their work with children. Max said, “At Ideagen, we believe in ambition, adventure and community. Spending the day at Pinxton Village Academies let us share our own journeys into software sales.” Molly said visiting the school had been a joyful experience, commenting, “We were able to talk about the skills that matter most, -listening, caring and helping people, –and hopefully inspired the next generation along the way. Genuinely one of the highlights of our year.”
Year 5 pupil Jessie said, “I have enjoyed meeting all the different people doing different jobs.” Tyler, also Year 5 said that the speaker from Paramount kindled a new interest to explore a similar career and Freya (Year 5) said, “I am intrigued how Paramount films make their films and that our hobbies can turn into real jobs.”
Year 1 pupil Harry said he enjoyed making a bookmark with the visiting librarian, but has set his sights on a different career saying, “When I grow up I want to be a hairdresser, -because I am friendly!”
Reception pupil Gigi said, “We got to meet the police, and they let us sit in the car!”. Gigi’s friend Ada added, “They were kind.”
Year 3 pupil Grayson summed up the day saying, “No matter where we come from, we can do any job – we just have to reach for the stars.”
Photograph: Adults are Max Bowen and Molly Ingle from Ideagen, who helped children with their sales expertise.
Anne Ingle said the event was such a success, they are already planning future conferences. “We have been incredibly fortunate to host such a fantastic range of visitors and professionals who have generously shared their experiences and expertise. A huge thank you to each and every one of them.
“Most importantly, we hope every child leaves today feeling inspired, empowered and confident to dream big. We want them to understand that their future is full of possibilities and that with determination, curiosity and hard work, they can set ambitious goals and create a future that reflects their own passions, talents and aspirations.”
Photograph front to back: Natalie Fleet MP for Bolsover, Halle Wade, Ben Durrant and Anne Ingle (Headteacher of the Pinxton Village Academies)
