Year 10 Careers Visit to Global Law Firm
On 26 February, a group of Year 10 students from Westbourne Academy spent the morning in the City of London at the headquarters of the global law firm, Linklaters. The group were taking part in a careers related event called We Can Be, which aims to empower and build confidence in young women. The theme for We Can Be 2025 was ‘Smart Solutions, Confident choices.’
Westbourne was fortunate to have been the only school outside of London selected to take part in We Can Be 2025. This annual event is coordinated by The Lord Mayor of London’s Appeal, in partnership with The Girls’ Network and Young Enterprise. Through exposure to, and in collaboration with City firms, the hope is that that young women will be inspired to aim high – realising and polishing the skills they already have, building confidence and learning how their skills can be transferred into a job in the City in the future.
A rich programme of events was organised by the team at Linklaters, which gave the girls an opportunity to engage in new experiences and explore their potential. The dedication and enthusiasm shown by Linklater’s staff created an environment in which students felt inspired, confident, and supported every step of the way.
Vice Principal at Westbourne, Mrs Woodhouse, extended her heartfelt thanks to Linklaters for hosting another group of Year 10 students again this year. Linklaters’ hospitality and support played an integral role in making this experience truly unforgettable. It was clear from the letters of thanks that the students wrote to Linklaters afterwards, that they were particularly grateful to the amazing volunteer staff who took time out of their working day to engage directly with them. Their commitment to guiding and mentoring the students on the day of their visit made all the difference. The conversations they were able to have with the Linklaters staff played a very real part in shaping the decisions students may make about their futures.
Mrs Woodhouse was delighted to hear that Linklaters had agreed to sponsor the academy’s involvement once again this year, having previously visited Linklaters in 2023 and 2024. The icing on the cake was hearing that Westbourne Academy will also be involved in a twinning project with Linklaters, which Mrs Woodhouse hopes will have a positive impact on an even greater number of students in the future.
