Highbury College students learn about the world of work

Young people from Highbury College flooded into Whiteley for the Highbury Handover Day yesterday, an annual day of experience.

Students use the experience to learn skills they can take away for the future.

Public service lecturer Karen Wood said: ‘These are public service students so the skills they’re learning here will support them in their chosen public service; communication, discipline, punctuality.’

The public service students were split into separate groups to work in Trespass and Holland and Barrett where they worked behind the tills in order to gain face-to-face customer service skills.

Another group were sent to shadow the customer service operatives security team as those public service students hope to go down that career path.

Emily Cashman, a 16-year-old public service student said: ‘I was looking forward to gaining more skills and increasing my confidence with people.’

Another public service student Nathan Taylor said: ‘I looked forward to walking about meeting new people and learning new skills.

‘I work outside at the moment so enjoyed being out and about today.’

The aim of Highbury Handover is to put students outside their usual comfort zone in a classroom so they can gain more confidence and experience for their futures.

James Burridge from Portsmouth, who is a public service student, said: ‘I enjoyed the community experience, in order to have the ability to have the skills to work within the community.’