Events
Careers Events at The Trafalgar School at Downton
At The Trafalgar School at Downton, our students take part in many different careers events across all year groups at various points throughout the year. These events enrich the careers education that our students receive during their time here.
To view our Careers events in 2024/25, click here.
Thursday 9th July 2026
Year 9 ‘Meet the Employer’ Event
Today our Year 9 students took part in this year’s Meet the Employer event, giving them the opportunity to 'speed-date' employers from a wide range of local and national organisations.
Students spoke with professionals about their career journeys, day-to-day roles, qualifications, salaries, progression opportunities, and what it’s really like to work in different industries. It was a fantastic chance to ask questions, gain valuable insights, and start thinking about future career pathways.
A huge thank you to our fantastic employer volunteers for giving their time and sharing their experiences:
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Wilton Wholefoods
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Premier Fish
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Magna Mazda
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Wiltshire Council’s Voice and Participation Service
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Qinetiq
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Run Level Three
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The Army
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Royal Air Force
Your support has helped inspire the next generation as they begin exploring the exciting opportunities available to them. Thank you for making the event such a success!
Thursday 2nd July 2026
Year 10 Post-16 Progression Evening
This evening we were delighted to welcome our Year 10 students and their families to our annual Post-16 Progression Evening.
The event gave students an insight into the exciting journey ahead as they prepare for Year 11 and begin exploring their post-16 options. Mr Taylor outlined the different progression pathways available, while Mr Sutton shared valuable information about vocational routes. We were also pleased to welcome Ben Hillier, Head of College at S6C, who provided an overview of A Levels and what a typical day at college looks like.
Our aim was to ensure that families feel informed, confident, and inspired as they attend upcoming college and sixth form open evenings, as well as our own Post-16 Careers Day.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended—we hope you found the evening informative and inspiring as you begin planning for the future!
Tuesday 30th June 2026
Year 8 ‘Students in Business’ Local Visits
Today, as part of our ‘Students in Business’ initiative, a group of students visited Magna Mazda for an inspiring insight into careers in the automotive industry.
James and Barney brought the session to life with a fun gameshow-style challenge, revealing just how diverse the sector is. Students discovered that the UK automotive industry contributes an incredible £181 billion to the economy and supports around 800,000 jobs in roles ranging from sales and customer service to vehicle servicing, parts, and much more.
One message stood out above all: customer service is at the heart of everything they do. Alongside a passion for cars, confidence, communication, and great interpersonal skills are key to success.
A huge thank you to James, Barney, and the team at Magna Mazda for such an engaging and inspiring visit!
Tuesday 9th June 2026
Year 8 ‘Students in Business’ Local Visits
Today’s ‘Students in Business’ Year 8 visit took place at Giant Steps Day Nursery, where students were welcomed by Gemma, the Nursery Manager.
Gemma gave students a wonderful tour of the nursery, from the Pixie baby room through to the Elves room for children aged 2 and above. Along the way, students learned about the daily routines within the nursery and the importance of providing a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment where children can learn through open-ended play.
The visit also provided valuable insight into careers in childcare. Gemma explained the different pathways into the profession, including apprenticeships, and highlighted the rewarding nature of working with babies and young children. It was clear to see the enthusiasm, dedication, and care that Gemma and her team bring to their work every day.
A huge thank you to Gemma, the Giant Steps team, and of course the children, for making us feel so welcome and for sharing such a lovely glimpse into nursery life.
w/c 01/06/2026
Year 8 ‘Students in Business’ Local Visits
This June, we are taking our Year 8 students out of the classroom and into Downton's business community! Our 'Students in Business' initiative connects students with local employers, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the exciting jobs, training, and career journeys available right here in our town.
On Tuesday, we had a brilliant tour at Downton Tyre & Autocare! Anton gave our students a great career talk, sharing his own journey from starting out as an apprentice to joining the family-run business. The group got a real taste of daily workshop life, watching a new tyre being fitted and discovering exactly how the tyre balancing process works.
Our students had an amazing visit to Premier Fish on Thursday! Director Andy and Buyer Chris walked them through the entire journey of seafood, showing how fish gets from the sea to Downton, before being filleted and shipped nationwide. They also shared their inspiring career stories and spoke about some exciting new apprenticeship opportunities launching soon.
We finished the week with Martin at Downton Brewery where the students got a behind-the-scenes look at the brewing process and even got to smell some hops! Martin shared some great advice on what he values in young employees: being proactive and taking initiative. Such a great experience learning about the industry and gaining insights into the skills needed for success.
A huge thank you to all of the local businesses that took part this week!
Monday 2nd March - Friday 6th March 2026
National Careers Week
As part of our National Careers Week celebrations, the Careers team have taken over tutor time every day this week. There were different activities each day which helped students to learn about different careers and to start to think about their own future.
You can head to the Virtual Careers Fair to find out more.
Monday 9th February - Friday 13th February 2026
National Apprenticeship Week
As part of our National Apprenticeship Week celebrations, the Careers team have taken over tutor time every day this week to share apprenticeship and technical qualifications information with students through fun quizzes, videos and slideshows.
You can visit www.amazingapprenticeships.com to find out more.
Thursday 15th January 2026
Year 8 & 9 Assembly with
Wiltshire College and University Centre
Today our Year 8 and 9 students heard from Wiltshire College and University Centre about their wide range of vocational courses, including T Levels and Apprenticeships, that cover Levels 1, 2 and 3 in further education, so there really is a next step for everyone.
Hasna and Deborah talked students through each of the four campuses and the courses that are available at each one. Salisbury Campus is the closest to us and has an incredible new Healthcare Zone with replica hospital wards and even an ambulance! The Careers Team were lucky enough to visit last year and see the hands-on practical skills students would be able to gain from learning in that environment.
It isn’t just the education side that is impressive, they also have a Learning Resource Centre, dedicated Careers Teams, Inclusion and Support Teams and a subsidised Starbucks Coffee at every campus!
The talk definitely got our student’s brains whirring - it’s never too early to start thinking about the future!
Tuesday 14th & Wednesday 15th October 2025
Year 11 Mock Interviews
Over the last two days we have hosted our Year 11 Mock Interviews event. This is an amazing opportunity for our students to practice their interview skills with a representative from the business world to give them a real-life taste of what a job interview could be like. These interviews are a positive experience for our students and hopefully help to build their confidence for any upcoming sixth form or college interviews.
We would like to congratulate the students on how they presented themselves at this event. They were confident, articulate and were able to demonstrate wonderful skills and attributes through both their in-school and out-of-school activities. One employer said… “Thank you for inviting me I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The wonderful students I met shows a huge testament to the school/staff- they were all well engaged, inspiring, and I have no doubt they will have a bright future ahead!”
We wouldn’t be able to run these events without the amazing support of businesses in the local and regional community, so a huge thank you to our business volunteers:
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Dan Hymas & Dave Reed, Premier Fish
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Grant Uphill & Christine Cooper, Inn Gear
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Cameron Draisey & Natasha Robbins, Wiltshire Council Voice & Participation Service
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Lorren Bentley, Chemring Countermeasures
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James Hayes, Fawcetts Chartered Accountants
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Sam Bennie, School Governor
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Ken Parsons, Forest & Avon Group of Churches
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Andrew Faulkner, TS Group International
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John Page, Former School Governor
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Laura Stewart, Magna Mazda
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Andy Stewart, Salisbury Army Careers Centre
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David Osper, Smash Youth Project
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Major Steadman, Publicis Groupe & School Governor
Thank you as well to all parents and carers for supporting your children to prepare for this event.
Thursday 18th September 2025
Year 11 Post-16 Palooza
Today we hosted our ‘Post-16 Palooza’! During the event our Year 11 students had the chance to meet nine further education providers from the local area in a “speed dating” style. Students were able to ask questions, collect prospectuses and even hear from current students about their real-life experiences.
All of the providers were really impressed with how prepared the students were to ask questions and they look forward to seeing everyone at open events soon!
A huge thank you to all of the further education providers for attending the event. You can access their websites through the following links:
Remember: if you need any further support with your post-16 journey, please contact Amanda Sluman (MLP Careers Advisor) via email, asluman@magnalearningpartnership.org.uk