London Careers Festival 2021

The London Careers Festival (LCF) is an annual summer event run by the City of London which aims to connect pupils in primary and secondary schools, as well as those aged 16 – 19, to the world of work. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year the London Careers Festival was delivered virtually. Thanks to King Edward’s historic connections to the City of London, we are the only School outside of London to be invited every year.

Previously the event had only been open to Sixth Form pupils, but for this year the event was open to pupils in all years. The event gives our pupils the amazing opportunity to meet with the City Industry Giants in Business, Finance, FinTech, Law, Accountancy, Construction and Tech industries. This year, companies such as NatWest, BT, Bloomberg, Evening Standard and Royal Airforce, as well as the City of London and Livery companies were all hosting webinars for pupils to attend.

Mrs Moira Davies, Head of Careers and Higher Education, who was vital in organising the event for King Edward’s pupils and making sure that they got the full experience of the festival, commented,

“What has come through clearly from the LCF speakers so far is that there are so many new career opportunities opening. When thinking about career options, first know what interests you so you can explore opportunities available in those interests and see where that leads. Many speakers tried several different career paths before they settled on a job interest they enjoyed. For me, the Festival has again highlighted how important it is for young people to:

1. Be curious – It is never too early to research, explore and ask questions about career opportunities. The more information to hand, the easier it will be to make informed decisions when it matters.
2. Develop skills employers want – e.g. confidence, creativity, critical thinking, leadership, problem-solving, effective communication, collaboration, IT skills.
3. Try something new and complete work experience opportunities – there are so many practical virtual and in-person work experiences available that really offer great insights into so many career industries from medicine, law, architecture to the film industry

The world of work continues to evolve with the growth of AI in the labour market. Attending the Virtual London Careers Festival allows our pupils:

• to network and ask questions directly to panels of industry experts who can advise them on current needs and trends in their career interests as well as offer tips on how to succeed in these industries,
• attend workshops and access resources to develop employable skills and
• explore interests to see what career opportunities could be available and the various pathways to get there.”