From uncertainty to ownership

Before the Future Frontiers programme, Kaka and Zach hadn’t had the opportunity to discuss their futures and think their different options and pathways. Kaka explained that he didn’t have many feelings about his future as “it wasn’t really something I thought about”, highlighting how distant and abstract career planning can feel without structured support.

Over the course of the programme, however, both pupils were given dedicated time and guidance to explore their interests in more detail. Kaka and Zach worked alongside their coaches to develop their understanding of different sectors, career routes and the steps needed to achieve their goals. Kaka has a particular interest in finance and he highlighted that the sessions allowed him to “narrow down what I wanted to do in the future”, giving him a stronger sense of direction and focus.

Similarly, Zach found that the programme broadened his awareness of the options available to him. He felt that the sessions “really helped outline the different pathways I could take” and spoke positively about the opportunity to explore roles in more depth. In particular, he highlighted how “exploring the different job profiles on the website was very enlightening”, as it allowed him to better understand what different careers involve on a day-to-day basis and the qualifications or skills required.

Beyond exploring career options, the programme also supported both students to develop essential transferrable skills. Kaka noted: “I feel like the programme helped me develop some different skills. I feel like I would be good at interviewing now because I have learned how to talk to different people.”

This growth in confidence is just as important as career knowledge, equipping students with skills that will benefit them in further education, training and employment.

Coming to the end of the programme, Kaka and Zach both emphasised how they would recommend Future Frontiers to younger pupils, recognising the value of having time and support to think intentionally about the future: “It’s helped me quite a lot to think about specific elements. I feel a lot more in control of what I can do now”.