Our Higher Education & Careers Expo welcomed 500 attendees on the Friday before half term where students from Edinburgh High Schools joined our Lower Sixth Form students and their parents to explore and consider higher education and career options.

The day started with a welcome by our Head, Mrs Helen Harrison, who also introduced the opening session – a conversation with young Old Fettesians, Alfie Jeavons-Fellows (Gl 2014-2016) and Mei Jun Tan (Ar 2014-2019) chaired by Miss Victoria Chandler, Head of Sixth Form. Both spoke about their unexpected career journeys and the benefits of their experiences. Alfie, left school to follow a music career before choosing an apprenticeship pathway with PwC. Mei chose an academic degree in Chemistry with a year in industry before transitioning to an energy consultancy role at Wood Mackenzie

Jack O’Toole, from the University of Newcastle gave a very useful talk on ‘Choosing your Course in Higher Education’, covering the range of things students need to think about when considering Higher Education: location; course; teaching style; accommodation; lifestyle, finance, skill development & employability. 

The Higher Education & Careers Fair offered students and their parents the opportunity to speak to representatives from 26 UK universities, 7 international universities, 5 gap year organisations and 4 employers who offer apprenticeships.  We were also joined by 40 industry experts from our supportive alumni and parent community.  Experts represented a huge range of career areas from technology to medicine and investment  to product design.  Students also had the option to join specialists talks on ‘Considering an International University’ and ‘Considering Oxbridge’.

The closing session was led by Mike Nicholson, Director of Recruitment, Admissions & Participation at the University of Cambridge and Chair of UCAS. As an expert in University Admissions, Mike emphasised the need for thorough course research so that applicants can demonstrate through their personal statement, exam results and references why they are the candidate who should receive an offer. He also entertainingly enforced the point that cooking, budgeting and laundry skills are useful preparations.

Mrs Caroline Davies, Head of Higher Education & Careers says “It is key to begin a serious exploration of all the possibilities beyond school and having an immersive opportunity just before half term to dedicate to this is very valuable.  I was delighted that we were able to bring together such an informative day at this important juncture in young peoples’ lives and that S5 students from Edinburgh High Schools were able to join the Fettes Lower Sixth.  I am very grateful to our speakers, panelists, experts and attendees for the efforts that they made to join us and the helpful insights and advice that they provided.”

All Edinburgh High Schools were given the opportunity to share the event registration form with their S5 students, we were delighted to welcome student bookings from Broughton High School, Firrhill High School, Forrester High School, Trinity Academy and Portobello High School. Students rated the event very highly in the post event evaluation. We look forward to welcoming S5 students to join us again next year.