Future You – Free Norfolk Careers App launches 6th July
Future You
FREE Careers App available to download from 6th July
Future You is a brand new careers app designed to help young people identify different jobs and careers within the six growth sectors in Norfolk.
Norfolk’s six growth industries have been identified as follows:
Energy Engineering Life sciences Creative industries Financial Services Health and social care
The new careers app will help guide young people through their career choices in Norfolk. Young people will be able to match their skills and aptitudes to a wide range of careers within the growth sectors.
The campaign features six Norfolk people who have all carved out successful careers in the region. Read their stories below.
The new careers app is completely FREE and will be available to download from the AppStore and from GooglePlay from 6th July.
Sign up today at www.futureyounorfolk.com
Win work experience in your dream career
Also win the chance to get work experience in your dream job – tweet your dream job using #futureyounorfolk and you could win a day’s work experience in one of the six growth sectors in Norfolk. Terms and conditions apply.
Learn more about the stars of our Future You Norfolk campaign
We’ve worked closely with six Norfolk residents who have all carved out a great career for themselves in Norfolk – see their stories below.
Lauren Bailey, 25 is an Instrument Technician at Perenco.
Lauren was born in Holt and went to school in Sheringham. After school she knew that university wasn’t for her as he had always been a hands-on practical person, so instead she found out about apprenticeship opportunities.
Lauren worked as an apprentice with Aker Solutions and completed an NVQ, BTEC and HNCin Operations and Maintenance Engineering, specialising in Instrumentation. She now works for Perenco UKon platforms off the coast of Great Yarmouth. Her work involves shuttling between NUIs (normally unmanned installations) as part of a maintenance team, performing preventative and breakdown maintenance of process plant, instrumentation and control systems. Her work can also involve theplanning, installation and commissioning of various project work scopes. The maintenance teams work 12 hour shifts for two weeks and then have two weeks off.
Lauren says:
“I was 19 when I first went out on the platforms – there was only one other female, our platform medic. But my mentor was brilliant and it was like one big family. Doing the apprenticeship meant I could learn whilst earning money. Working off shore is full of excitement and I am pushed to the limit when I am out there. Being able to develop and craft a career within Norfolk has been the icing on the cake for me. Having these options close to home provides you with the springboard to kick-start life in a financially stable way. Many of my friends headed off to different parts of the UK to attend University, however, remaining in Norfolk and forging this path has enabled me the freedom a University student would have – every two weeks of my life.”
Andrew’s story
Andrew Chase, 34 is a Design Draughtsman at Dodmans
Andrew was born in Kings Lynn, when he left school he went straight to West Norfolk college to study a BTEC National Certificate in mechanical engineering. During his threeyears at college he also completed NVQ level 3 mechanical engineering and full welding qualifications, including a draughtsman qualification.
After the first year of his BTEC Andrew got a job at Dodmans in the drawing office and completed the rest of his qualifications on day release – this meant he could learn while also earning and getting on the job training.
My first jobs in the drawing office were the normal filing and admin, but also producing detailed drawings that the other draughtsman gave to me, this meant adding dimensions and producing layouts for the workshop so they could build the machinery. This gave me the basis of learning many drawing skills which later led me to being given whole projects. I spent a year and a half in the workshop to gain experience in welding/fabrication and fitting/turning, learning these skills gave me a better understanding of what they could and couldn’t do in the workshop and to build my designs around this.
Andrew says:
“In my job role now, day to day tasks can include site attendance to measuring up, speaking to the customer direct starting from plain paper stage, designing and creating detail drawings issued to the workshop for manufacture and assisting on site for installation and commissioning. Norfolk is a great place to work and there are loads of opportunities to work in manufacturing and engineering roles in and around King’s Lynn so I am very lucky to have been able to stay and have my career here.”
Joel’s story
Joel Golder, 30 is a Vice President at Marsh.
After leaving Earlham High School at 16 Joel decided not to follow the higher education path and went straight into full time work, although was unsure exactly what he wanted to do. After a brief stint at a local printing company he was then offered a role in Marsh as a Trainee Aviation Wordings Technician. After four years in this trainee role he then had the technical grounding in the industry to then move into a client facing role as an Assistant Client Executive in the General Aviation team. From there Joel progressed quickly to Client Executive, Assistant Vice President and recently promoted to Vice President, heading up a newly formed airline team in Norwich.
Joel says;
“I am now responsible for managing a team of Client Executives dealing with airlines from all over the world which places nearly 70 million US dollars into London and international insurance markets. Marsh is a global leader in insurance broking and risk management so having the opportunity to work for them and have my career based in Norfolk is fantastic. Starting at the company from a young age has given me the opportunity to grow and develop quickly within the industry, plus my role gives me the opportunity to travel around the UK for meetings.”
Jackie’s story
Jackie Thomas, 26 is a Deputy Manager at a NorseCare care scheme.
After leaving high school at the age of 18, not achieving the A level results she hoped for, Jackie decided education was no longer for her. She had always been keen to work in care and so started working as a Relief Care Assistant at a housing with care scheme in Norwich
Jackie stayed here to the next six years working up to a Senior Care Assistant and then a Care Coordinator. Last year following a review at the organisation Jackie was successful in securing a position of Deputy Manager at Weavers Court in Diss
Jackie’s role now means she deputises and supports the Manager in the day to day running of the establishment, including the management of staff and working as the lead member of the team to attend to the personal, social and emotional needs of tenants. She leads the care team to maintain good professional practice of care for people living at Weavers Court
Jackie says:
” I love working in care, originally I thought I might like to work with children but very soon after starting I realised how much I enjoyed working with older people and never wanted to change. There are lots of opportunities in health and social care with an aging population and it’s a fantastic industry to be. I have had the chance to use my skills and develop within the company I work for, and am so happy with where I have got to, and I realise now that education is not for everyone but you can still find a successful career when you work out what you enjoy and where your skills are.”
Jen’s Story
Jen Napolitano, 30 is a Senior Art Director at Osbornenash.
Jen went to Stalham High School, then to Paston College in North Walsham to do A level Maths, Physics and Art and AS French, she was intending to architecture before realising there was too much maths involved for er liking and not enough creative freedom so went to the Norwich School of Art and Design to do a foundation degree. The course taught a bit of everything from textiles to product design to give a taster into different design careers. Jen gravitated towards graphics design and after graduating, took her portfolio to try and get a place on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design course which at the time was one of the top three Graphic design courses in the country and right on Jen’s doorstep.
Graduating from the course in Norwich opened many doors for Jen and she had lots of interviews off the back of it. She then went to work for a design agency in London for a couple of years whilst commuting back home to Norfolk at the weekend. Jen began to outgrow her junior role, so left the rat race and took a job at an award-winning design agency in Norwich. She then went freelance for a couple of years, freelancing at osbornenash before accepting a job as senior art director. Jen loves the variety of clients osbornenash has and the fact that they are an multi-disciplinary agency means she gets to work on a variety of different projects from designing websites one day to creating marketing campaigns the next.
Jen says:
“I’ve found my dream job. An agency that do award-winning work, amazingly talented people to work with, and based in Norwich which has such a creative culture. All the elements I need for a great career on my doorstep.”
Adam’s story
Adam Elliston, 34, is an Industrial Biotechnologist at the Institute of Food Research.
Adam was born in Great Yarmouth and went to school at the Sir John Leman High School. After school, he studied Cybernetics and Control Engineering – University of Reading, and after graduating from there he worked for a Norfolk based company before studying for a PhD at the UEA. His PhD was focused on how municipal solid waste could be turned into bioethanol for motor fuels. Adam’s current work involves studying yeasts, which play a crucial role in biorefining, turning sugars into a range of different chemicals from which a number of useful items can be made, such as fuels, bioplastics, fibres, pharmaceuticals and food additives.
Adam says:
“I always knew I wanted a career in science, I have always been fascinated with how and why things work. Initially this was mainly physical things like electronics and computing but it soon developed into an interest in the natural world too. Studying for a PhD in biological sciences at the UEA gave me a wide range of knowledge, skills and experiences that I will never forget. I was excited to work at the Institute of Food Research with my research not only furthering knowledge in the area but also having real world industrial applications. With state of the art facilities the Norwich Research Park, and a network of over 3000 scientists, Norfolk really is the place to be for a career in science.”
Our thanks goes to our six partner companies who, with the help of their employees, helped bring the Future You campaign alive.
Marsh UK Institute of Food Research Norse Care Perenco Ltd Osbourne Nash Dodman Limited
If you would like any further information about the Future You app and the forthcoming campaign please email the communications team at [email protected]