Aiming high: Students explore a day of inspiration and opportunity at Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst’s Careers Fair

With an impressive lineup of exhibitors, the fair showcased an extensive selection of career and education opportunities to inspire and support young people and their families as they plan for a bright future.

This year’s event featured a diverse range of stands, including TGAK alumni offering firsthand insights into their professions. Miles Allibone, who studied at Kingshurst up until his A Levels between 2014 and 2021 and who is now undertaking a project management apprenticeship with the National Highways, offered advice on pursuing a career with this highly respected government organisation.

Miles said: “It's great that I’ve had the opportunity to come back to Kingshurst and give back to the students. I remember being in their position, and not knowing what my options were. So now I'm pleased to be able promote my company as a good path for young people to go down. There was a lot of support from teachers and careers staff when I was a student at Kingshurst, and days like this prove that the support is still here.”

Another alumnus, Louise Brown, now Industry Partnership Manager for the BBC Apprenticeships Team, shared insights about breaking into the media industry. Louise and her sister attended the school between 1990 and 2000: “It’s so wonderful to be back – it looks a lot different in terms of the amazing facilities they now have, it’s so much bigger and it’s now really light and modern. I’m over the moon to see Mrs Norris, Head of Dance – she taught my sister, who is now the Head of Creative programmes for English National Ballet. Mr Parfitt was a fellow student when I was here, so it’s great to see him working here now as a teacher who is clearly inspiring the next generation of students!

“I can really relate to these young people. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at their age, but I did love studying Media Studies at the sixth form here and I then went on to study Media and Production at Birmingham City University. I tried a variety of jobs before I managed to get a week’s work experience at Children ITV in 2000 – I ended up staying there for four years! I then moved to the BBC and worked in factual television on programmes like Countryfile and Gardeners’ World.

“I’m now enjoying being part of the BBC’s Apprenticeship team, BBC GET IN! To me, it’s so important that young people have access to the support they need to help them shape a life after their school years. There’s nothing better than talking to people who are working in whatever industry they are considering. I’ve had some really positive chats with a wide range of students here today, from Years 7–13. My job is to encourage students to really think about what they want to do and then advise them of the many pathways they can take. I’m hoping we see some of them we have seen here today making an application. It’s obviously a competitive career choice, but that should not be a deterrent to anyone looking to join the BBC. We’re always looking for dedicated, bright and engaging young people, and there are many here today, that have as much chance as anyone else of getting a career in the media.

“I’m delighted that they have invited me back to talk to the Media students next term. My sister now lives in Surrey, but I’d love her to come along with me at some point in the future so that we can take a moment to go down memory lane together!”

Students were keen to engage with representatives from prestigious brands such as Rolls Royce, which highlighted the exciting potential within engineering and manufacturing careers. The presence of 15 local universities and various other post-16 education providers ensured students had additional access to guidance on their next steps.

Year 10 student, Maisie Collins, has an interest in media and said:

“I cannot believe that I got to speak to someone from the BBC today. It was brilliant. We’re lucky that our school gives us so much support and advice about what we want to do after school. It can feel quite overwhelming, but days like today really help us to plan and prepare for the future.”

Parents Andrew and Vina McCreadie were keen to visit with their son, Joshua. Andrew explained: “Joshua is very sporty – he’s currently world champion and former European champion and he’s also got a potential football scholarship option. However, I am encouraging him to look at all of his options now whilst he’s in Year 10, as next year he will be in the midst of GCSEs. I want him to find the right pathway for him. As well as playing sports, he is interested in coaching, strengthening and conditioning, and nutrition, so there are lots of career options available alongside his love for the sport. I run a jiu jitsu academy, so he’s grown up with an understanding of what this can look like. Today has been really helpful – we are really fortunate to have this level of support from this school.”

Darren Turner, Principal of Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst, said that this year’s fair is an example of how the academy continues to nurture ambition and raise aspirations for every student.

"At Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst, we believe that young people deserve to aim high. We want to show them that with the right support and ambition, they can achieve incredible things. For many of our students, these kinds of opportunities may not always seem obvious, and events like this Careers Fair can play a vital role in opening doors and helping them reach their full potential. I’d like to thank the exhibitors for inspiring our young people, all our staff, and in particular our Careers Leader, Jacqui Robinson, who skilfully coordinated this event and brought our whole school community together.”