We are kick-starting our National Careers Week celebrations by introducing our amazing Careers Team. We start by introducing our fantastic Careers Lead, Vicky Riseham;Tell us a bit about your working life backgroundI started my career as a Business Apprentice at BAe Systems and worked there for 16 years ending up in the supply chain department, planning the delivery of aircraft parts and monitoring their progress and delivery. After taking voluntary redundancy, I was approached by The Children’s University to be their employer co-ordinator, helping employers to mentor young people in schools. I was then asked by Hull City Council to run a project called the Skills Fund offering funding to employers for academic courses, which I did for 4 years. This then led to me working for the training provider linked to the Council, Hull Training and Adult Education, delivering apprenticeships and ended up as their Engagement Manager. I was recruited by Wyke College as Work Experience and Careers Co-ordinator for Wyke College and in 2019 was promoted to Careers Lead.I have recently completed the OCR level 6 Careers Guidance Course and the OCR Careers Leader Course.How long have you worked at Wyke? I have been at Wyke 5 years in June and still feel like I am learning every day.What is your favourite part of your job?Watching a child walk into my office at the start of their 2 years at Wyke and leave as a young adult prepared to take on the world 2 years later. I will always shed a tear when a student comes to see us to say they have been successful in achieving a great university place or apprenticeship – I can’t help it!What is your best memory of working at Wyke so far?Singing karaoke “How Deep is your Love” with the Major of Phitsanulok in Thailand on a college trip.What are you most looking forward to over the next year?We have just created a brand new team, with two excellent Careers Officers and lockdown has given us a chance to reflect and look at how we deliver our service. I am most looking forward to delivering a careers programme that is absolutely suited to our students, so they leave the college with a full understanding of the exciting opportunities ahead of them.Do you have any hobbies/ interests outside of work?I used to play netball to a reasonable standard until I became too fat and old!! In the last lockdown I did the couch to 5K and really enjoyed it, so I try and keep that up a few times a week (once a week really)!! I also have a one-eyed mental dog that needs walking every night.Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.I have had the same group of girl friends since I was 15. We worked together at my Saturday job when I was at school and we have been best friends ever since. We have gone through so many fantastic times together from engagements, marriages, children and all the bad stuff. I am so lucky to have these friends, they have saved me thousands of pounds on therapy!! A boring fact to other but really special to me.Why do you believe that National Careers Week is so important?There are so many career opportunities out there for our students, many that we don’t know about as careers is ever evolving and it is about our student knowing how to not just plan, but manage their career and National Careers Week is a great platform for highlighting this and some of the great career paths that are available.Thanks Vicky! We can't wait to see how the careers programme develops over the next year.Got an enquiry about careers or supporting our students? Contact: Careers@wyke.ac.uk
