My Future My Choice

The final speaker in the MD of Atkins Réalis, for a fantastic World of Work interview with Uche at Parkway.

Richard shared how a pivot from Pharmacy to Civil Engineering changed his life, leading him to run a global company of 2,000 people in Bristol. From client travel to midnight site visits with ecologists, his career is proof of why staying agile is key.

His top tip for young people? Keep an open mind to every opportunity that comes your way! 👏

No photo sadly, but hears the students and speakers enjoying their networking lunch!

Celebrating a month of inspiration! 🌟

This Wednesday, we gathered at the City of Bristol College restaurant for a special "World of Work" thank you lunch. It was the perfect way to recognize the incredible speakers who volunteered their time to be interviewed throughout our March festival.

From the Leader of the Council to professional MMA fighters, the diversity of stories shared this month has been nothing short of amazing. Beyond the great networking, the real highlight was seeing the immense growth in our students’ confidence since day one.

A huge thank you to our volunteers for your insight and to our students for your hard work and dedication. You’ve made this program a resounding success! 🥂✨

It was a special session at the World of Work Speakers Festival as we welcomed back former student, Hannah Haskins! It was fantastic to see her former lecturers bringing their current classes along to hear her story.

Interviewed by Uche, Hannah shared how she balances a dynamic "portfolio career." By day, she works in sales at Tortworth Court, but during the summer, she pivots to festival management. 🎪

The students were particularly keen on the festival scene, and Hannah provided some invaluable practical advice on how to break into the industry through volunteering and smart networking.

World of Work Speakers Festival 2026 Continued....

Agastya sat down with Sana, a Year 4 dental student at Bristol University, and Craig, an experienced dentist from Bath. It was a really insightful look at how the profession has changed over the years, particularly regarding work-life balance and the hands-on nature of the job.

The highlight was seeing a student in the audience take a real step toward his own goals. Despite being new to the English language, he worked with his teacher to ask Craig for a shadowing opportunity. It’s great to see students making local connections!

Continuing the World of Work Speakers Festival 2026, we moved into the world of architecture with Kurtis Fleming.

Kurtis sat down with Ben Toogood to discuss the different paths into the profession, comparing the traditional university route with modern apprenticeships. They also talked about the global nature of the job, including Kurtis’s own experience working as an architect in New Zealand.

The highlight of the session wasn't just the advice, but the connection made afterward. Ben left the interview with a huge grin after Kurtis offered to help him personally with his upcoming university application. 📐🏠

We had an incredible session at the with Izzy Sander and Jennifer Hall from club.

We covered everything from the club’s commitment to sustainability to the very exciting new developments on the ground. Think rooftop terraces, family-friendly zones, and a massive push for the Women’s game! 🚀

Our interviewer, Agastya, leaned fully into his "Cricket Badger" status to get the inside scoop on how GCCC is becoming a hub for the next generation of fans.

The future of cricket is looking bright (and the view from that rooftop is going to be even better). ☀️

A great turnout at City of Bristol College for another World of Work Festival session! 👏

Uche interviewed Elaine Brown, who shared valuable advice on how young people can build a pathway into careers in cyber security. 💻🔐

Elaine explained that while technical skills are important, employers are also looking for strong soft skills, including communication, resilience and teamwork. Developing these skills can be a powerful starting point for anyone interested in entering the cyber industry.

It was fantastic to see such a large crowd of students engaged and thinking about their future careers.

A fantastic turnout at the Ashley Down Centre for another inspiring World of Work Festival talk! 👏

Joe interviewed Phill Haddow, Programme Manager at UK Research and Innovation, and the session drew a big crowd of students keen to hear about careers in research and innovation.

Phill spoke about the exciting projects he works on through the Low Cost Nuclear Challenge, including the possibility of building nuclear reactors in factories, each around the size of two football pitches! ⚙️⚡

He also shared how rewarding it is to work at an organisation supporting such fascinating and important projects that could shape the future of energy.

Ben sat down with Matt Justice, CEO of , for a brilliant conversation at the World of Work Festival this week. 🙌

Matt shared the incredible opportunities coming with the new Bristol Youth Zone 224 and the timing couldn’t have been better, as he was literally on his way to pick up the keys to the building straight after the session! 🔑

He also spoke honestly about his own career journey, explaining how he never planned a career in youth work. Starting out as a sports coach, he discovered along the way that he loved working with young people and followed that passion to where he is today.

World of Work Speakers Festival 2026 !

On Monday we welcomed an inspiring line-up of speakers to City Hall who shared their journeys, insights and advice with students eager to learn more about life beyond college. A huge thank you to , , , and Christine Townsend for taking the time to speak and for giving such honest and motivating perspectives on their worlds of work.

From entrepreneurship and sport to public service and leadership, students had the chance to hear first-hand experiences and ask questions about different career paths. 🌍

A brilliant way to kick off a week of talks, workshops and opportunities created by students, for students. The festival continues! 🚀

Its been a great start to the World of Work Speakers Festival 2026. We've had talks at City Hall and in different campuses cross Bristol. With talks from an amazing breadth of speakers from the Leader of the Council to an MMA Fighter! Here's one of our students and Zak Dugdale from today, a fantastic interview!