With representatives from more than 50 businesses and organisations – most of them old boys – the 2018 QE Careers Convention was our biggest ever, writes Headmaster Neil Enright.
Volunteers gathered early for a reception and the chance to network in Café 1573. Later, there was a tremendous buzz on the convention floor as alumni shared their experiences and answered questions from Year 11 boys and their parents.
It was an evening that featured a mix of both structured presentations and extensive opportunities for informal conversations between the volunteers and the Year 11 boys with their parents.
We want our boys to be as aware as possible of the many different possibilities that are out there for them, and I am pleased to say that this convention did exactly that, showcasing a very broad 
range of opportunities. It is always incredibly useful for the boys to be able to seek advice from those who have been at the School and who have had the experience of establishing themselves in their chosen fields.
I was really delighted to see so many alumni there, giving something back, reconnecting with their peers – and clearly enjoying themselves in the process! Many were young professionals who have left the School in the past decade or so.
In addition to representatives of the major professions, those present at the convention included a good number who have forged a path in more unusual careers, such as:
- Sergio Ronchetti (OE 2004-2011), who gave a presentation on Sound Design in Video Games
- Kane Evans (OE 2003-2010), who, after working for Manchester United, now works as a business analyst for Formula 1
- Phil Peters (OE 1997-2004) who leads e-commerce operation Zing Zing, vying to be ‘the best Chinese takeout in the world’
- Civil Service Economist Andrei Sandu (OE 2007-2014) who found himself advising a Government Minister at a European summit just months after beginning his career upon graduating
- Ashish Patel (OE 1997-2004), a medical doctor who is now Head of Research at a venture capital firm. He gave a presentation on Medicine, AI and Venture Capital.
Of course, in addition to supporting this event, OE contributions have done much to boost the broader careers and university preparation programmes that we run throughout the year.
It is a real strength of the Elizabethan community that OEs are so willing to be active in supporting the current boys – and naturally I hope to see even more alumni there at next year’s Careers Convention.