By James Penstone, Secondary Principal
1 December 2023
A Day of Inspiration and Aspiration: Reflecting on the ICS Career Fair 2023
As we look back on our highly successful ICS Career Fair, it is hard not to be filled with a sense of pride and optimism for the future. Our classrooms in the Diploma Studies Centre buzzed with the calm energy and focused interest of our Grade 10 and 11 students. Together, they embraced the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of professionals at our 11th Annual Career Fair, resonating all the while with this year's theme, "Success Is Not A Straight Line."
A series of panel discussions covered a wide array of fields from Engineering and Technology to Non-Profit and Health, Finance to Communications and Marketing. The Q & A sessions generated a comfortable environment for students to ask candid questions, allowing them to explore the realities, challenges and rewards of various professions. The stories shared by our panellists served as a powerful reminder that success with any career can be measured in many ways and often involves navigating unexpected twists and turns, as reflected by this year's theme. The notion of a simple A to B route with a given career has been called into question by today’s increasingly complex world. However, as was clear in many of the sessions, traits such as resilience, adaptability, creativity, and intercultural understanding, as well as ethical and emotional intelligence, should serve our students very well as they enter a fast-changing landscape of employment.
The afternoon was also significant for our Grade 10 students, who were introduced to the diverse array of Diploma Programme (DP) choices available at ICS. Through presentations by the Heads of Departments and individual sessions with DP teachers, students gained in-depth knowledge about each subject, helping them make informed decisions for their academic futures.
As we look back at the day, it is clear that the Career Fair and Options afternoon serves as a platform not just for gathering information but also for igniting interest and envisioning future possibilities. To our students, today gave a glimpse into their possible futures, filled as they are with opportunities and countless paths to explore. And to us, it was a reaffirmation of our commitment to empowering our students to take ownership of their learning and to connect this to the real world.
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the panellists who so generously shared their time and insights today. I would also like to congratulate University & Careers Counsellor Lindsey Young for her coordination of the Career Fair, and the Engagement and Operations teams for supporting the logistics of the day, as did our wonderful student ambassadors. Lastly, I am grateful to Diploma Programme Coordinator Alexandra Carlin and our dedicated teachers who contributed significantly to the afternoon DP choices sessions for Grade 10.