The week commencing 7th October we hosted our first ever virtual digital careers week. Each day we were joined by a different employer who talked to students about careers within their industry, what qualifications and interests are required and answered pupils questions. Below is an overview of how the week went.
Digital Careers Week was a tremendous success, engaging students across Devon, Plymouth, Somerset, and Torbay in a series of interactive sessions that highlighted the wide-ranging opportunities in the digital sector. Students participated in live online presentations from leading organisations like the Met Office, Cosmic, CyberFirst, Bigwave Marketing, Luminous, Lineal, BIT Group, and Ocean City Media. These sessions provided invaluable insights into the fast-evolving digital landscape and the career possibilities within it.
Insights from industry leaders
Each organisation shared an overview of their mission, their role in the digital world, and the career paths they offer. Students gained first-hand insights into what working in these fields involves and had the chance to ask questions directly to industry professionals. Many were particularly inspired by hearing from apprentices, whose experiences and stories were both relatable and enlightening.
“The students especially enjoyed hearing from Tom the apprentice. Being close to their age, he spoke well and felt relatable.”
Interactive and engaging sessions
Interactive sessions were a highlight of the week for students, with CyberFirst’s code-cracking puzzles giving a taste of real-world challenges in cybersecurity, sparking creativity and problem-solving skills. Dave from Pushed brought animation to life by sharing a collection of animated stories, illustrating the impact of digital storytelling.
Work experience opportunities
Emma from Cosmic, shared valuable insights into their work experience programs, covering website design, SEO, and digital content creation. When asked about the most challenging aspects of the role, she highlighted the importance of combining close collaboration with clients early in the process to fully understand and create their vision, while also bringing in the technical expertise needed to make it a reality. Emma also shared her own journey, which began with an apprenticeship, demonstrating the diverse entry points into digital careers.
For those eager to learn more, we recommend platforms like Wix as a starting point for exploring website design.
Through the Raising Digital Engagement at KS3 programme, your school can access a free resource pack to support pupils to create their own website. This free resource equips you with 6 hours’ worth of teaching content to enable you to implement this into your curriculum with ease. Included are a series of tutorial videos, PowerPoint presentations and PDF lesson plans. All content has been broken down into hour long session plans. If you would like to access this resource please contact us.
Career paths and tips for enhancing your CV
Presentations from the Met Office team and from Tom at Ocean City Media both mentioned that career paths in digital fields are rarely linear, encouraging students to see the value in all experiences, regardless of their starting points. Many attendees connected with the message that diverse experiences, such as extracurricular activities, can be assets in building a well-rounded profile. Ocean City Media highlighted the role of activities like sports and theatre in developing teamwork and problem-solving abilities, urging students to consider their “why” when preparing for their future. Cyber First’s presentation also celebrated the unique perspectives neurodiversity brings to the workplace.
“It was great to hear stories, routes in and qualifications first hand”
Lasting Impact
Digital Careers Week has sparked a newfound excitement among students, equipping them with a broader understanding of the digital sector’s opportunities. Feedback from students and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, and we look forward to incorporating these insights into future sessions.
“Thank you for organising… the KS3 Raising Digital Engagement program has been fantastic!”
“Thank you, it was very informative and inspirational”
Interested in rewatching?
If you’d like to view recordings of these sessions, please get in touch with us.
Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making Digital Careers Week such an inspiring experience!
