CAREERS AND AWARDS
POCK CONNECTS ROUND UP
Pock Connects , the recently launched network for OPs , current and former parents , and the wider Pocklington School community was in action in April with its first drinks event followed by a trial series of in-school ‘ bitesize ’ talks for students during the summer term .
Held at the iconic German Gymnasium at King ’ s Cross in London , around 30 guests from a variety of industry sectors came to the drinks event to meet up with friends and make new contacts . As well as being a social occasion , the event was an opportunity to engage with the network , find out more about each other , and make connections to feed into the in-school Pock Connects ‘ bitesize ’ sessions .
The concept for ‘ bitesize ’ is a series of short lunchtime talks and conversations , either online or in person , with members of the Pock Connects network . The aim is to offer current students the opportunity to learn more about business sectors they are interested in , pick up valuable tips and advice about finding work experience , and to ask any burning questions they have about a particular industry .
Toby Seth said “ It was fantastic to see such a range of OPs and friends at our London drinks event ; there were people from all walks of life , highlighting just how diverse and interesting our OPs ’ lives become after they leave Pocklington . It was a great way to kick off our Pock Connects network ; the vast majority of those that came are eager to get involved with our ‘ bitesize ’ programme of talks which will be of huge benefit to our pupils . We are immensely grateful to all those who are willing to give their time and expertise so generously in this way and look forward to building on these connections in the future .”
Following the drinks event , several Pock Connects bitesize sessions were held at school as part of a trial before rolling out a regular programme of talks for students in the Michaelmas term .
Amongst the speakers for the trial sessions were Shreyas Gopal ( 05-14 ) of Deutsche Bank who dialled in online towards the end of his working day to give insights , answer questions , and share his experience of the sector with Sixth Form student , Sam . Jessica Pidgeon ( 05-16 ), a graduate process engineer at VPI Power Immingham , came into school in person to talk to Lower Sixth student Cameron , who is exploring STEM career paths and university courses . While recently qualified , hospital-based physiotherapist Millie Goode ( 17-19 ) connected via Teams with Fifth Form student Ruby to talk about routes into physiotherapy .
Millie commented : “ Talking with Ruby was a pleasure , and I was delighted to share my experiences with her . It was also really exciting for me to see how much BTEC in Sport has progressed since I was a student at Pocklington .”
Rachel Dare from the OP office said : “ We ’ re really pleased with how Pock Connects is going so far . As well as one-to-one talks , the plan is to offer Pock Connects bitesize talks to larger groups of students as the programme grows . We ’ re also looking to do another drinks event to help us connect with more OPs and grow the network .”
Since the Michaelmas term started in September , OPs Izzy Walsh ( 13-21 ) and Henry Kay ( 13-21 ) have given a talk to Fifth and Sixth form languages
students about studying languages at university and what they did during their year abroad , and Gina Stringer ( née Reay , 00-07 ), a communications and PR specialist who recently started her own business , gave a Sixth Form assembly about her career journey so far and the importance of networking . Her top tips were : aim high , be curious , work your socks off , and enjoy the ride !
If any OPs would like to find out more or get involved , please join Pock Connects on LinkedIn , the official group for members of the Pocklington School community , by scanning the QR code below , or email opoffice @ pocklingtonschool . com .
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