Local Feature: Northampton High School Creative Workshop

17 Feb' 14 | By Amanda Smith

On Thursday 30th January, Gavin Willis and Nina Billington presented at Northampton High School, which is one of GDGT’s independent schools. The session was part of a Careers Conference to broaden the pupils’ understanding of the career opportunities available.

The school runs this evening every two years where external speakers are invited to give presentations about their careers. This provides a valuable insight into real-life working environments and acts as a source of inspiration to the students.

Gavin, who is Creative Director at GWCM, launched the agency that is based in Northampton town centre 18 years ago. Both himself and Nina, who is Senior Art Director at the company, grew up in Northampton and attended the local University. Therefore, the pair wanted to share their industry experience and local knowledge to encourage students who are looking to decide upon a career.

Their presentation was based around life working in a marketing, design and communications agency, and what the job role entails on a daily basis. They advised the students on the most beneficial qualifications and characteristics to have if they were looking to work in the same industry. They also touched upon the skills required for coping with change and dealing with the world of work.

Making important career decisions in the early stages of Education may seem daunting at first. This is why creative workshops are so important – they aim to aid student choices and provide the pupils’ with real-life examples of successful career paths. Gavin and Nina hope to have inspired, motivated and encouraged the next generation of designers, showing them that it is possible to achieve your ambitions.