This year’s Teacher and Adviser Conference was again jointly hosted by Services for Young People (SfYP) and the University of Hertfordshire. The event offered a diverse programme of engaging talks and workshops, and was a great opportunity for teachers and careers guidance professionals to come together, share ideas, and discuss how they can best support and prepare young people for their future education, employment and training.
Lildonia Lawrence’s keynote: 'Refilling the Cup: everyday wellbeing for busy educators'
Keynote speaker, Lildonia Lawrence, started the conference with an interactive talk about how to sustain energy, clarity and emotional balance in demanding roles. She shared simple but powerful wellbeing tools, micro-reset practices and other everyday self-care techniques for delegates to use themselves and teach their students.
Workshops
After the keynote, attendees could choose to attend three of the 11 workshops on offer during the afternoon, enabling them to personalise the conference to align with their interests.
- What do graduates do? Understanding the Graduate Labour Market – Charlie Ball, JISC
- All About Apprenticeships – Anna Morrison, Amazing Apprenticeships
- Developing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Peter Ambler, Services for Young People DofE Manager
- From Education to Employment: Embedding Real-World Recruitment in Careers Education – Jane Shipley, ELSA
- Supporting Students who are Applying to Cambridge – University of Cambridge
- Understanding and Supporting Priority Students in their HE Transitions – Widening Access Team, University of Hertfordshire
- Working Together to Inspire Young People into STEM Careers – Joanne O'Reilly, STEMPOINT
- Admission Tutor Panel – Admissions Tutors and the Admissions Team, University of Hertfordshire
- Connecting to Your Career Development: Making it Meaningful and Ambitious – Education Department, University of Hertfordshire
- Supported Internships in Hertfordshire – Services for Young People SEND Team
- Work Experience: 'Let's Make it Work!' – Erica Hodges, Shea Costello and Steve Trotter, Hertfordshire Futures and Herts Careers Hub
Anna Morrison, Founder and Director of Amazing Apprenticeships, giving practical guidance and a wealth of information on how apprenticeships in the UK are developing
Tim Edwards, SfYP Business Development Manager said:
"Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a valuable and inspiring conference. It was fantastic to see a strong focus on future pathways, including Apprenticeships, T Levels, and the emerging V Levels, alongside impactful programmes such as Supported Internships and Modern Work Experience.
"The role of partnerships like STEMPOINT in connecting education and employers, combined with the proven benefits of enrichment opportunities like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, highlights the breadth of support available to young people.
"There was a clear, shared commitment to ensuring every learner can access meaningful opportunities and develop the skills they need to succeed. Hertfordshire continues to lead through collaboration, innovation, and a determination to ensure no young person is left behind."
For more information about the services that we offer to schools and colleges in Hertfordshire, please visit the Buy our services section of the SfYP website.
