Last week the Masterfix Talent Team had the privilege of visiting Bolingbroke Academy in Wandsworth to discuss career options with both Year 10 and Sixth Form students. We were invited and hosted by the wonderful Karen Robinson, the Career & Development Leader at the south London secondary school. Bolingbroke Academy, as well as being a fantastic school and an asset to the local community, is housed within a Grade II listed former hospital. Resplendent with marble walls and flooring (something we are rather familiar with here at Masterfix) and several stunning period features including tiled murals in the former children’s ward- now the Academy’s library.
At Masterfix we are passionate about engineering and know just what a fantastic career it can be for those who pursue it. The session was voluntary, with all the students having elected to be there, and we were delighted with how busy it was. Throughout the talk the young people were bright and engaging- always asking astute questions and impressing us with their technical knowledge. Many of them became lively when we discussed our client base, especially household names such as Nando’s and Pandora, as well as our work in the Premium Homes sector at some of London’s most exclusive addresses.
After our talk with the Year 10s, we headed to the library where we had the opportunity to speak one on one with interested students. The chats were not only about engineering and the vocational side of things, one student had a particular interest in pursuing finance administration and wanted to know what Masterfix could offer her. We discussed how our company offers employment opportunities for school leavers as well as at graduate level, and we provide training for ambitious candidates looking to grow a career in accounting and other aspects of our Finance department.
Our talk with Bolingbroke’s sixth form students was even more spirited, and as they are coming to the end of their compulsory education their questions were focused on routes into the industry- the big questions for them are can they move straight into vocational training? Do they need to go to university? At Masterfix our career options cover many different entry points- whether freshly qualified from on the job or higher education, we have roles and routes to enable the best candidates to thrive on arrival.
Paul, our Head of Talent, has an accomplished background in career development coaching as well as a natural flair for communication across ages and backgrounds. We shared our personal career stories, as well as our hometowns and football teams, with the students to help show it takes a diverse range of experiences and qualities to sustain such a dynamic business.
As a responsible and resourceful business, we understand there is no better investment in our future than investing in the success of young talent. Across the UK engineering has been losing popularity as a potential career choice, suffering from misconceptions, relatively poor conditions in some areas of the industry and the inevitable generational shift towards the digital skills job market. Here at Masterfix we understand that the challenge is not just attracting, and retaining, the very best people- but also finding them early in their careers so they can flourish under our guidance and ethos. Our clients know they can expect impeccable service at all stages of delivery from Masterfix and what better way to guarantee this than nurturing talent from the very beginning.
-Ella Broughal, Talent Coordinator