Pupils in Carnforth find out about job opportunities at careers day

A careers event was held at Carnforth Community Primary School earlier this month to give 60 Year 5 and 6 pupils the opportunity to speak to representatives from local organisations and businesses. 

The event links to a joint project between the primary school and Carnforth Integrated Care Community (ICC) which aims to:

• give young people more information about the career options, courses and apprenticeships available to them in the local and wider community 
• share what qualifications and work experience are needed to access different roles 
• inform pupils about the different impacts job roles can have on their lives and the links job roles can have on the wider determinants of health (social, economic and environmental factors) which can influence overall mental and physical health
• share winter wellness messages with pupils to take home to support their and their family’s health and wellbeing over the winter period. 

On the day, pupils had the opportunity to speak to Burch Tree Vets, Rogerson HomeServe Ltd, Lancaster & Morecambe College’s engagement team, a Young People’s Engagement Officer, Customer Services & Recycling team at Lancaster City Council, Carnforth and Milnthorpe Primary Care Network, Carnforth ICC and Salt Ayre Leisure Centre.

Feedback from students included:

Things I’ve learnt:
“There are lots of courses I can do at college.”
“e-Sport – I want to be a video game designer.”
“Lancaster City Council has lots of different departments that you can work in.”
“I think it’s hard to go to university, but taking time to learn can help.”

What I want to do now:
“I want to do an e-Sports course.”
“I want to be an animal carer or personal trainer.”
“I wanted to be a hairdresser like my mum but I know that I want to help others now, people or animals.”
“I wanted to be a history teacher but I want to make others happy by making games for other people.”

The early years of a child’s life are a key time in the formation and development of aspirations. 

Victoria Murtagh, Carnforth ICC’s Health and Wellbeing Link Worker, said: “The careers event has been a great success and has given students some of the tools they need to find a job role that is right for them. The aim of the day was to showcase what opportunities are available and show them that there is a whole community out there including the NHS and councils who are there to help and support. It’s really important to imbed this into our young people as early as possible to give them the best opportunity for their education and for their future. 

“We have provided an anonymous questionnaire for the students to complete, to understand the wider determinants of health alongside their aspirations. This will help to shape what further support students may need.”

Sarah Hudd, Headteacher at Carnforth Community Primary School, said: “We are so grateful for the time and effort given by the ICC and other partners who came and spent the afternoon with our Year 5 and 6 children.  The children were fascinated to find out about the different roles and careers that our visitors had.  The event provided relevant and attainable information for young people just as they start to think about their next step to High School and what there is available to them in the future.  It is certainly something we will be doing again.  Aspirations and goals are key to our children’s success.”

Our Integrated Care Communities (ICCs) across Morecambe Bay are integrated teams of health and care workers, voluntary organisations and wider community assets who work together to aim to improve physical and mental health outcomes, promote wellbeing and reduce health inequalities across an entire population. There are eight ICCs across the area covering Millom and Barrow, Mid Furness, Carnforth, Kendal, Lancaster, Bay, East and Grange and Lakes. You can find out more about each of our ICCs at the Bay Health and Care Partners website here.