Hair, Care or Dare?
An off-site event for senior phase female pupils to network with, and gain inspiration from, members of the Business Women Connections (BWC) Aberdeen group.
An off-site event for senior phase female pupils to network with, and gain inspiration from, members of the Business Women Connections (BWC) Aberdeen group.
Date
19th Jun 2024
Employer
Female business representatives across various sectors
School(s)
St Machar Academy, Hazlehead Academy, Lochside Academy, Westhill Academy, Dyce Academy, Bridge of Don Academy
Industry
Cross-sector
This full-day event, which was hosted off-site at the Village Hotel, aimed to give senior phase female pupils an authentic networking and business event experience while highlighting the breadth of career pathways that are open to them.
The event was led by BWC Aberdeen, an organisation that supports women in business in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. The programme included mini presentations from BWC members, interactive exercises and networking opportunities.
For many of the young people who attended, this was their first opportunity to network in a professional environment, allowing them to develop their communication and interpersonal skills. The host venue - and the opportunity to interact with a variety of business women - provided them with an authentic experience of a business event. Hearing a mixture of different career stories - and the message that there is no right or wrong path - was inspiring for the pupils, as many of them are as yet undecided on what they will do when they leave school.
Attendees completed a personalised BELBIN report, the results of which they can use to understand how they work best and interact with others.
Although teachers were present, the pupils were encouraged to speak up and interact freely with their peers and the business women who presented. This created a more relaxed atmosphere, particularly during the networking sessions.
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