Introduction and Background

The Public Services Event was developed as part of the Future Ready Project, an initiative designed to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those eligible for free school meals, children in care, young carers, and students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The programme involves students from 27 schools across Hertfordshire. Schools commit to the initiative for two and a half years, working in partnership with Hertfordshire Futures and the Careers Hub to provide meaningful workplace experiences and exposure to a wide range of career sectors. The programme aims to equip young people with the confidence, practical experience, and transferable skills required for future success in the workplace.

This event brought together representatives from Hertfordshire Constabulary, the East of England Ambulance Service, and Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Students from Stanborough School, Presdales School, and The Ridgeway School attended the event at Hertfordshire Police Headquarters in Welwyn Garden City. Following an introduction to the day, students were divided into school groups and took part in a carousel of interactive workshops delivered by each emergency service.

Hertfordshire Constabulary hosted a crime scene investigation activity, where students worked collaboratively to identify clues, gather evidence, and solve a mock crime. Students also visited the Force Control Room, gaining valuable insight into how 999 and 101 calls are received, managed, and monitored. During lunch, students enjoyed a special presentation from the Head Police Dog Trainer, who discussed careers within the dog handling unit and delivered a live demonstration showcasing a police dog's specialist search skills. Andy Marier, Temporary Chief Constable introduced himself, gave a brief background to why he joined the Police, what his day is like and opened the floor for students to ask questions.

The East of England Ambulance Service provided an engaging overview of the patient journey, from the initial 999 call through to patient outcomes. Through a variety of interactive activities, discussions, and games, students explored the wide range of careers available within the ambulance service and learned about the different routes into the sector. Students were also given the opportunity to step inside an operational ambulance and gain first-hand experience of the equipment used by paramedics on a daily basis.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service delivered an engaging and interactive session that highlighted the wide-ranging responsibilities of a firefighter beyond responding to fires. The workshop focused on the vital role the service plays in education, community safety, accident prevention, and promoting safe behaviours within homes, schools, and public environments.

Students were given the opportunity to explore a fire engine and gain hands-on experience with the specialist equipment used by firefighters during emergency incidents. Interactive activities included a challenge to put on full protective equipment, including firefighting jackets, helmets, and boots, as quickly as possible, providing an insight into the demands of the role. Students also had the opportunity to operate a fire hose, experiencing first-hand the power and control required when tackling incidents.

 

Throughout the session, firefighters emphasised the importance of key employability skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, resilience, and physical fitness, demonstrating how these attributes are essential for a successful career within the Fire and Rescue Service.

1. Raise the Quality of Careers Provision in Schools and Colleges through training

My work with the 27 schools on the Future Ready Project contributes to building a strong network of contacts that can be leveraged for future careers-related opportunities. By developing these relationships, schools are better positioned to access high-quality employer engagement activities and meaningful interactions that support the long-term development of their career’s programmes.

2. Provide More High-Quality Experiences with Employers

Building strong relationships and establishing clear points of contact for future engagement between schools and employers is essential for sustainable partnerships. A collaborative approach is taken to identify opportunities that align with both employer needs and school timetables, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for all parties involved. Positive experiences help foster ongoing engagement and encourage future collaboration. Time is allocated to reflect on activities with key stakeholders, gathering feedback and identifying areas for improvement. This commitment to reflection and continuous learning ensures that each experience contributes to the development of more effective and impactful partnerships.

3. Amplify Apprenticeships, Technical, and Vocational Routes – pathways introduced

Raised awareness of apprenticeships, technical, and vocational routes through discussions on higher education, volunteering opportunities, and qualification-based training. Students gained insight into a variety of pathways, including courses that provide recognised qualifications and valuable employability skills, such as First Aid.

4. Target Interventions for Economically Disadvantaged Young People

The Hertfordshire Future Ready Project will give 375 socio-economically disadvantaged young people parity and equal access to evidence based Modern Day Work Experience opportunities whilst, also aiming to build employer capacity and generate insights into best practice, ensuring scalable and sustainable impact for the future. Free school meal students with other PRE-NEET indicators such as young carers, care experienced, pupil premium, poor attendance, or child look after are the criteria for the project.

Introduce & inspire – Year 8 - Investigate & explore – Year 9 - Apply & demonstrate – Year 10

Positive Outcomes to Highlight

The event was successful and enjoyed by both students and staff. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting the engaging and interactive nature of the day. All contacts new to the career’s hub and first time for this event to take place.

Students met the Head Dog Handler and a puppy in training, gaining an insight into a specialist role within the police service. The demonstration showed how police dogs are trained and the important

work they carry out. It was a great way to engage students and introduce them to the variety of careers available within policing. The puppy was the star of the day.

Students visited the Control Room and gained a valuable insight into how emergency calls are handled and resources are coordinated. This highlighted an important behind-the-scenes role within public services and the skills needed to work in a busy and demanding environment.

Students had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience using a fire hose, an activity that proved highly popular with all participants. A few teachers also joined in and appeared to be just as enthusiastic about the experience as the students.

Conclusion

The event was successful and engaging experience that provided students with valuable insight into a wide range of public service careers. Through interactive activities, demonstrations, and discussions with professionals, students gained a greater understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and skills required across different services.

The day created meaningful connections between education and employers, allowing students to speak directly with professionals and explore potential career pathways. The enthusiasm shown by students, staff, and participating organisations demonstrated the value of these real-world encounters in broadening aspirations and increasing awareness of future opportunities.

Feedback from all stakeholders was overwhelmingly positive, with a strong desire to build on the success of the event and deliver similar opportunities in the future. The experience highlighted the importance of collaborative working and reinforced the positive impact that employer engagement activities can have on students' understanding of careers and progression routes.

This event would not have been possible without the support, commitment, and confidence shown by Tommo and Dhanmita from Hertfordshire Police. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to them for embracing the project, engaging their teams, and providing such an excellent venue and learning environment for the students and staff. I would also like to thank Emily, East Ambulance Service and Anthony, Oliver and his crew from Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service for their time and commitment to the Future Ready Project.

Their willingness to invest time, resources, and expertise was instrumental in making the day a success. The enthusiasm and collaboration demonstrated throughout the planning and delivery of the event helped create a meaningful and memorable experience for everyone involved.

This event is a great example of how strong partnerships and relationship-building can create valuable opportunities for young people. The success of the day highlights the importance of working together with shared goals and a commitment to supporting the next generation. Building relationships truly is key.

Testimonial’s

Sharon, Herts Police “This has been amazing, we should be doing this for schools every three months”

Dom, Presdales school Careers Coordinator “Our girls have really enjoyed this event and learnt so much. I would love to have other students have this experience from other year groups. As teachers we have found out more about how to get into public services. The fact it has been hands on and practical made it more interesting”

Student, Stanborough “I want to become a detective. I have enjoyed this so much”

Student (girl) Ridgeway “the best part was the Fire service; I want to be a firefighter when I am older”

Emily, Paramedic “I have enjoyed planning and working on this, it is my day off and I have really enjoyed the day. I am happy to be involved with more events; this was different because it was not like a careers fair where you are behind a table”

Oliver, Crew Commander | Hatfield Fire Station Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue “It was a fantastic event that was clearly well organised and gave students a great opportunity to learn about the different emergency services in an engaging way. Although we were unfortunately called away to emergency incidents a couple of times, we still managed to spend time with every group. We spoke about the wide variety of incidents the Fire & Rescue Service attends, shared important fire safety and prevention advice, let the students have a go at putting on firefighting kit, and even gave them the chance to spray some water. It was a fun, interactive day that encouraged plenty of questions and participation. We’d be delighted to support this event again in the future and would happily attend every year we are invited.”