A day with Yunex Traffic at Blaise High School
Last week, Bristol WORKS launched an experience of work programme at Blaise High School for their learners with special educational needs as part of funding received by West of England Combined Authority.
To introduce learners to Bristol WORKS and to help prepare them for the upcoming sessions, students in Years 7 – 9 participated in a workshop where learners identified their personal strengths and played a game to test how comfortable they would be in different situations. It was explained that by trying something new and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone, we could see positive results, such as developing new skills or finding new interests.
Following the launch session, we supported a group of learners to explore the different careers based on the world of traffic solutions. We were joined by Yunex Traffic, who create sustainable infrastructure and develop transport solutions that transform the way we travel. We were joined by Jason, Adam and Suzana, as well as apprentices Erin and Toby who introduced us to their pathways and job roles. During the workshops, students were provided a chance to complete three real work challenges and gain an understanding about how to develop a standout CV!
To kick off, students across Years 7 – 9 were invited to try out different activities that reflected real work tasks that Yunex Traffic employees would work on. Armed with traffic light buttons and other equipment, Adam encouraged students to consider how traffic systems have been adapted and redesigned over time to ensure they are inclusive of the needs of the general public. Learners demonstrated excellent problem-solving skills as they identified ways to ensure traffic systems are accessible for all people.
Next, Jason and Toby took students through the art and science of programming! Learners learnt how to programme their very own electrical kits with the aim of fixing a faulty traffic light- after demonstrating excellent teamwork, every group managed to get it flashing back to normal. It was then over to Erin, who challenged students to show off their best driving skills with a Scalextric set! To help us think about how to manage traffic, learners had to record the speeds they were driving at and were encouraged to think about what Yunex Traffic could do to keep the roads as safe as possible.
Following this session, WORKS invited learners in Years 10 – 11 to attend a CV and Apprenticeships based workshop led by Suzana. Suzana took learners through the variety of departments and roles that are available at Yunex Traffic – from HR to Operations – and got us thinking about what skills and qualities learners would need to be successful in their future jobs. For example, we discussed the importance of building our resilience and thought about how we could apply this to our time at school and in employment. It was fantastic to gain advice from Suzana and learners found the session to be ‘very interesting and useful, especially when looking at good and bad CVs’.
Speaking about their time working alongside Bristol WORKS, Yunex Traffic highlighted they ‘had aspirations to do an interactive STEM activity and CV writing workshop and WORKS helped bring our idea to life, finding a local school, preparing the agenda, communicating with all parties, and generally, taking on the hard work to ensure a highly successful afternoon for all.’
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Yunex Traffic for volunteering your time and delivering two brilliant sessions to learners across Y7 – 11. We would also like to say a big well done and thank you to the students at Blaise High School, all of whom showed great enthusiasm and asked excellent questions throughout each workshop!