National Careers Week 2026!
We had an amazing National Careers Week this year, with 332 experiences of work delivered over 22 sessions with the support from some of our wonderful employers! This news story covers just some of the things we got up to over the week!
Students from Knowle DGE enjoyed an inspiring visit to the First Bus Depot in Hengrove, where they had the chance to explore the future of public transport up close. First the group toured the brand new electric buses – with plenty of excitement as they each took a turn in the driver’s seat. We then headed to the spray paint bay, one of only 3 First Bus has in the country, to find out about a job we hadn’t considered. To finish the tour, we looked at the engineering bays, getting insight into the technical work that keeps the fleet running. After the tour, the students headed back to the offices to hear from a current apprentice, who shared their experience on the apprenticeship programme and what daytoday life is like in the role. The group then put their problem-solving skills to the test by trying their hands at some of the engineering challenges given to applicants as part of the apprenticeship application process. We were really impressed by how quickly the students got stuck in with these challenges – definitely some future engineers and bus drivers in the group!
Merchants Academy students enjoyed an inspiring and interactive session on dog behaviour and animal care, delivered by the brilliant team at Bristol A.R.C. Learners explored the history of Bristol A.R.C, key signs to look out for in canine behaviour, and the wide range of roles within animal care. A hands‑on rehoming activity got everyone involved and thinking deeply about responsible pet ownership. The volunteers were accompanied by Pippin the Jug — a charming Jack Russell–Pug cross — who quickly became a favourite among the group. The session was full of enthusiasm, curiosity, and thoughtful discussion, giving students a fantastic insight into the world of animal welfare.
Year 9 learners from St Bernadette’s stepped into the world of engineering with Waterman Aspen, working to a real industry brief as they designed their own airport. They embraced problem‑solving, planning, and some impressive maths as they brought their ideas to life, showing real creativity and logical thinking throughout. The team were delighted by how confidently and thoughtfully the learners approached the challenge.
Boston Tea Party opened their doors to students from New Fosseway who got the opportunity to find out about the variety of different jobs within the cafe. The students met chefs and assistants whilst exploring the kitchen area, as well as learning how everyone works together as team to ensure their customers get served! Students were shown how to store food correctly and where to prepare it – including going inside one of their huge fridges! They also explored the bar area and learnt that baristas were responsible for making the teas and coffees. Thank you to Boston Tea Party for being so welcoming and showing that a career in hospitality is real option for these students!
Three year 11 St Bernadettes students enjoyed an inspiring workplace visit with Design4Life to explore careers in health and social care. They learned about different pathways in the sector, took part in a sensory activity, and even had the chance to interact with service users — gaining meaningful insight into the realities of supporting people. Their curiosity, positivity, and thoughtful questions shone throughout the session and reflected genuine passion for the industry. The Design4Life team were incredibly passionate and welcoming, creating an engaging experience in a fantastic space. Overall, it was a wonderfully positive day, full of enthusiasm, learning, and inspiration.
On the Wednesday of National Careers Week, we took a group of Y9 and Y10 students from Orchard School to Aardman. All students were studying Graphics for GCSE and were interested in creative career pathways. As we arrived, everyone was excited to take photos of the large-scale models of familiar Aardman characters on the ground floor, and of Aardman’s BAFTA and Oscar statues! From there, students were taken to a workshop space for an introduction to Aardman and the different careers within the organisation, including creative roles and business roles. Students were then guided to create their own characters out of plasticine and animate them using a stop motion app and a tripod. The visit finished with a Q&A, with the students finding out more about routes into the industry through specialist further and higher education courses.
A group of Y10 students from North Star 240 were treated to a visit to the Airbus site in Filton. The visit started with a tour of the A400M Wing Manufacturing Plant, where our guide explained the different stages of how plane wings are made. We then moved onto look at the A350 Equipped Gear Beam, the critical structural interface between the wing and the landing gear. Learners were told about the different roles at the site, including various apprenticeship routes, and asked great questions about materials used for different parts, and the purpose of each plane. The visit finished with a workshop in which learners had to work in teams and apply principles of flight engineering to create a ‘moonlander’. These were made from paper cups, straws, card, paper and tape, and had to descend from a height without the two astronauts (ping pong balls) falling out.
Learners from the Kingsweston Centre at Oasis Academy Brightstowe took part in a vibrant creative workshop led by Megan Clarke from West of England Music and Arts. Students were set the artistic challenge “What does our school mean to us?” and used a wide range of materials, including modelling clay, collage, pastels and pens, to design artworks representing their school community, its values and the subjects they enjoy most. The room quickly filled with colour, creativity and thoughtful reflection as learners expressed their ideas through art. Staff praised the calming, mindful nature of the activity and the confidence students showed while sharing their work. Megan finished the session by highlighting the transferable skills students had demonstrated during the activity, including teamwork, creativity and resilience. She then introduced students to the wide range of careers available in the arts. One learner summed up the experience perfectly, saying, “I am so happy about this session. I love art!”
To celebrate National Careers Week, Bristol WORKS and Kingsweston School welcomed Matt from South West Dog Skills for an engaging, hands‑on session exploring careers in animal care. Students began by naming their toy dogs and sharing stories about pets they know, before Matt demonstrated how to safely put on a lead and walk a dog. This led to a lively discussion about the responsibilities of dog walking, including what to do when a dog unexpectedly goes to the toilet on a walk. Matt then introduced the group to dog training, showing how clickers and treats are used to encourage positive behaviour. Students had the chance to practise simple training techniques and learn about the patience and skill required in this career. The session continued with an introduction to dog grooming, where students used specialist brushes and learned about nail care and the importance of regular grooming. A Q&A rounded off the visit, with Matt sharing the joy he finds in helping dogs and their owners build confidence together. He also spoke about supporting people who feel nervous around dogs, explaining how he works with groups at the South West Dog Skills Centre to help them overcome their fears.
The visit was a fantastic way to mark National Careers Week, giving students a fun and memorable insight into the world of animal care. Matt brought dog skills to life, leaving all of us with real paws for thought.
Such an amazing week of activities, we can 100% call this one of our most successful National Careers Weeks so far! Thank you to all the employers and schools that participated and made everything possible, next year will be hard to beat!
