The Silverstone Park Schools Programme which provides local secondary school students with valuable advice about career types and pathways will re-commence in December after having a positive impact on more than 800 young people in 2023.
The programme’s network of business volunteers – chiefly employees of companies at Silverstone Park – has already assembled to hear about scheduled activities with partner schools during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Silverstone Park occupiers Carbon Composite Solutions, CoFiGi Performance, Ducati UK, Fibonacci, Hexagon, Lunaz, Performance Projects, PUNCH Flybrid, Silverstone Composites and TD Group have all volunteered to take part in the programme. So have Silverstone Technology Cluster members EES Solutions, Jaltek and NS85. (CLICK HERE to read some of their feedback).
Year 8 and 9 students (aged 12-14) at the Buckingham School, Kingsthorpe College in Northampton and Sponne School in Towcester will once more be the beneficiaries of advice from the volunteers through a series of in-class workshops and visits to businesses at Silverstone Park.
The programme is sponsored by Silverstone Park and developer MEPC, and managed by careers outreach specialist Ahead Partnership.
Leonie Matthews, Ahead Partnership’s Programme Manager, commented: “Silverstone Park’s occupiers have demonstrated their commitment to support local young people through their participation in our programme onsite.
“Together during the 2022-2023 academic year, we facilitated over 6,500 meaningful encounters between 845 young people from three local schools and volunteers. We are delighted to continue to deliver such impactful events and hope to build on the successes from this year.”
The Buckingham School’s Curriculum Leader of Business, Clodagh Shanahan, enthused: “It is great to be part of the Silverstone Park Schools Programme again this year. Last year it was so beneficial for the students in Years 8 and 9.
“It gives students the opportunity to learn about new career paths that they might not have known about before, giving them the means to spark conversations with their parents at home.
“I’m glad to see so many businesses on board this year and looking forward to our upcoming events.”
Sponne School’s PSHE Learning Leader Ann Warner said: “Sponne School has been fortunate to be a part of the Silverstone Park Schools Programme for the last five years and it has proven immensely beneficial to hundreds of our Year 8 and 9 students as well as their parents and teachers.
“Their imaginations have been opened up to career types they might otherwise not be aware of – jobs of the future that are both exciting and rewarding – which fits perfectly with our school mantra of ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’.
“Through some very open and inspiring discussions with students, the programme’s business volunteers also demonstrate how it is possible to go from the classroom in your early teens to successfully running a business or holding a senior management role.
“This is giving our students a head start and is surely to the advantage of the local business community.”
Kingsthorpe College’s Assistant Headteacher Paul Crisp added: “We’re delighted for the sixth consecutive year to be a partner school to the Silverstone Park Schools Programme.
“In that time, the volunteers have opened up new worlds for many of our students and made them realise that perhaps more than ever before the career possibilities as they grow older are endless.
“The programme genuinely inspires and motivates students at what is a really important stage in their formative years and that is echoed by the feedback we receive from parents and teachers alike.”
Businesses wishing to volunteer for the Silverstone Park Schools Programme should email leonie.matthews@aheadpartnership.org.uk
Also see this article: “Our students were buzzing on the bus back to school”
