Students from Trinity High School in Redditch are celebrating after successfully completing the Oakland Programme, a structured course designed to provide young people with valuable workplace experience.
The Oakland Programme, run by local children’s charity the Oakland Foundation and in partnership with the Oakland Foundation’s key sponsor and local business Oakland International, is an innovative and thought provoking six-month young people’s project, during which time students have the opportunity to experience the workplace and its many environments, with the chance to find out what ‘being at work’ actually involves.
Included within the Programme are a number of structured sessions offering future career advice aimed at raising students’ employment aspirations.
Foundation Trustee, Mark Williams, commented: “After initially meeting with the school, the Foundation then set about writing the programme to best suit the outcome for the pupils involved.
“Foundation Trustees ran sessions with the students at the school on CV wiring and on how to prepare for interviews. Students also met various members of Oakland International’s team at their Redditch offices and were able to discuss job roles and take part in mock interviews.”
Mrs Louise Laxton from Trinity High School commented: “The whole experience was a great success and one that the students thoroughly enjoyed.”
The Oakland Foundation is a charity working with young people and aimed specifically at reducing child poverty within Redditch and Bromsgrove and surrounding area through their work in the areas of Health and Nutrition, Education and Sport.
Added Mark: “The Oakland Programme was a great success, so much so that the school intends to run the programme again, and is keen to replicate it for Year 10 pupils in the next academic year.
“From initially very shy and nervous pupils at the first introductory meeting, they have all gained such confidence. One pupil now wishes to join Oakland International for a week in the summer and undertake their work experience in IT as he enjoyed the Oakland Programme experience so much!”