Aspirational Futures Fair
At our inaugural Aspirational Futures Fair this week, girls were encouraged to explore a range of exciting future pathways.
The latest event, as part of South Hampstead’s over-arching Futures Programme, welcomed students from Year 9 upwards to discover a variety of interesting higher education and career options. The sports hall was buzzing as girls engaged with representatives from top universities, art and business schools as well as a range of companies from the private and public sectors.
Throughout the afternoon, over 20 talks and workshops were delivered by expert guest speakers, providing valuable insight into diverse careers including digital, the creative industries, engineering and politics. Our own Sixth Form team shared their advice on Oxbridge and international university application processes, while Sixth Formers enjoyed sessions on building their personal brand and learning practical science skills. We were delighted to open the event to students from local schools; girls from Haverstock School described the event as “transformative.”
The fair culminated with a panel discussion chaired by Mrs Bingham, exploring ways to forge a more equal and inclusive future working world. The impressive panel comprised Emma Codd, Global Special Advisor on Inclusion at Deloitte; Kevin Cornils, International Managing Director International at Peloton; entrepreneur Michelle Feeney, Founder of Floral Street, the sustainable British fragrance brand; and Tilly Franklin, CIO-designate of the Cambridge University Endowment Fund and Founder of GAIN (Girls Are Investors).
The panellists identified the progress that’s been made over the course of their careers, including increased transparency in gender pay gap reporting and technology enabling more flexible and agile working. Despite their varied personal experiences across different industries, they were united on the urgent imperative for diversity – from a business perspective as well as moral standpoint. Reflecting on the male-dominance of tech-led innovation on the US West Coast, Michelle Feeney posited: “The more diverse thinking, the better the outcome.”
Emma Codd highlighted the need for CEOs to focus on the underlying culture to effect real change. “Companies can have every procedure and policy in place, but no-one will take these seriously if they feel they’ll be judged adversely. Expectations need to shift and people need to be empowered by truly inclusive leaders.”
The panel, fielding numerous questions from the girls, imparted wise words on impostor syndrome and internships, as well as tips on asking for pay rises and challenging stereotypes. Dr Osborne, Director of Partnerships and Employability, who organised the event, commented: “We are grateful to everyone who’s inspired our students today. Girls have been encouraged to be genuinely open-minded and to grab opportunities… and, I hope, feel empowered to shape a new, more inclusive working future.”
Watch a short video of the day here.