WOBS Careers Event Report, 8th March 2002

Addressing the future...

Being appreciated is extremely rewarding and the positive comments from the school (staff and boys) given in response to our efforts made it all the more worthwhile.

Last year’s ‘inaugural’ careers event organised by the Old Boys set a high and ambitious standard. This year’s offering was of equal quality and the preparedness of old boys to give up an afternoon to come back to their old haunt and address the businessmen of the future, left one certain organiser with the feel good factor.

Careers Event in the Performing Arts Centre, Worth

It is a poorly kept secret that Worth has progressed hugely in the last decade. The facilities improve daily, the standards continue to rise, but underneath the Worth ‘spirit’ remains intact.

So too the Old Boys’ society is evolving with similar enthusiasm. It has always remained a central aim of the society to give something back to the school, and the careers event is building a foundation for this area of our activities. There was perhaps a certain irony that the organiser himself was currently ‘resting’!

James Vernor-Miles spoke on law and gave useful insight into his own practice and the scope of work he has become involved with. Richard Pollen convinced the boys of the need for corporate communications with his vast knowledge and his ‘prop’ (Tawanda Parrey, a recent graduate not from Worth, who spoke from his own experience). Rodney Bligh spoke on oil and minerals (more accurately, seismic services in that sector) and will doubtless have given food for thought to those wishing to pursue science-based careers.

Changing tack, Ben Hancock flew in for the day from Northern Ireland to give us the military angle, although disappointingly, he was not able to land his ‘wings’ on the Worth helipad! And finally, Steve Noel-Hill spoke on his career as a football agent, and the transfer market in which he operates. Oh and not to forget our revered leader, Andrew Boys, who made good use of a target audience to fill them in on the society in general!

Getting the spread of careers right at an event such as this has been top of the list, along with the quality of the speakers. A mix of the more usual with something a little different has always been the goal, and again this was achieved.

Thanks must go whole-heartedly to the speakers (James Vernor-Miles, Rodney Bligh, Steve Noel-Hill, Richard Pollen, Tawanda Peri and Ben Hancock) without whom the day would not have been possible. It is indeed a pleasure to organise a WOBS event where the contribution of old boys is so readily forthcoming (new offers welcome). Oh how the cricketers could learn!

Julian Gairdner