Following the success of their International Women’s Day event, which saw a panel of inspirational women - including Apprenticeship Ambassador Sophie Jamieson, Lab Technician Apprentice at the University of Oxford – speaking to female students, Heyford Park Free School decided to hold a similar event for their male students. They wanted to ensure that the boys too had the chance to hear some inspirational stories about different career journeys.

Apprenticeship Ambassador Bradley Eaton, who completed a Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship at Reaction Engines Ltd and is now a Junior Designer at the firm, was invited to be on the panel to talk about his decision to choose an Apprenticeship and where it has led his career so far. He was joined by Major Phillippa Lines from the British Army, the first female to be awarded the Winston Churchill Medal for Engineering, entrepreneur and founder of the Fabulous Bakin Boys Gary Frank and Phil Shadbolt OBE, Chairman and CEO of Zeta.

Each member of the panel shared their stories with the students, followed by a Q&A session chaired by Adrian Lockwood, Managing Director of Integration Technology Ltd and a governor at the school, giving students the opportunity to ask the panel questions about their choices and experiences.

The students asked lots of great questions and were particularly keen to hear more about Brad’s exciting job developing rocket engines! They were also interested in finding out more about Apprenticeships as a route into a career in engineering.

Brad sad: “It was great to go into Heyford Park School and talk with the students there showing what a range of careers could be had from all the speakers but especially showing what route I took and the decisions I made to get to where I am today. I was also keen to talk about Apprenticeships and show how they may be a better option for some students and share my experiences after competing mine and what it has done to set me up for my future career. It was also good to see students excited about Reaction Engines and asking quite technical questions about the project, it’s always good to hear young people excited about engineering and hopefully now looking towards a career in the area which would be fantastic.”

Well done to Heyford Park School, Brad and all the speakers – some future Engineering Apprentices truly inspired!

The photo shows Pip, Brad, Gary and Phil taking questions from students. See more photos on Facebook /ApprenticesROx at: http://ow.ly/4n2EQQ.