Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School has created successful Internships for Year 12 (Lower Sixth) students over the last eight years and it has evolved into an established annual programme. Students emerge equipped with developed and refined practical skills, knowledge and experience which complement their academic achievements and are ready for work and life beyond school.

The Interns Programme provides a framework for students to learn new professional skills, explore new perspectives and gain real-world practical working insights. They develop and tailor their skills in communications and marketing; business/charity networking; critical thinking; practical problem-solving; team-working and team-building; and leadership. The programme has already launched some talented entrepreneurs and charity leaders of the future who will make significant impacts in their chosen fields.

Our Interns Programme maintains its modern credentials by virtue of the constant involvement of the school’s Corporate Partners who are steeped in respective business sectors, Corporate Social Responsibility commitments and charitable giving. The business-to-students dynamic ensures up to the minute action learning through a variety of school-wide projects. For instance:

• Our student-led Shadow Learning Resource Centre Project Team will be at the forefront of active learning over the next year as they follow the professional on-site multi- specialist project team overseeing the construction progress of this new valuable facility from September onwards. They will learn first-hand about the different built environment professions such as Architects, Chartered Surveyors, Quantity Surveyors, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Site Managers and Project Managers.
• Our Sustainable Business Interns will be handing over the reins to their successors in September who will be identifying further actions and steps to establish BVGS sustainability credentials. The Interns have been analysing sustainable business commitments and activities to help them create the right approach across the school.
• An Interns’ trip to ORS UK Limited where Karl Ward (OV and Corporate Partner) and team explained how a business is run with a view to expansion and growth while adhering to sustainable principles to meet the expectations of customers and investors. The interactive experience was an enlightening exposure to real day-to-day business challenges.
• Every year, the school’s Charity Officers (Year 13) and Charity Interns (Year 12) devise their own Charity Plan that engages all students in raising money and awareness for a whole range of good causes. The plan includes some imaginative and continually evolving House/School charity fundraising to help out people in need such as during the pandemic, the Pakistan Floods and the Ukraine Appeal.
• The BVGS Giving Tree – Spirit of Christmas is a major charity activity led by our Charity Officers and Charity Interns with wider support from the student population across all years. Two Giving Trees are located at Gracechurch Centre, Sutton Coldfield and Mulberry Walk, Mere Green in November/December and every year, the enthusiastic response and generosity of local people and communities is appreciated fully by the charities. Students are confident they will smash the 2023 target of 5,000 gifts donated for local worthy causes.
• Vesey Dragons’ Den has become the established finale to the annual programme. Interns’ teams bring all skills and knowledge learned to present their analyses and solutions for six fictional business and charity scenarios. A panel of four Vesey Dragons scrutinize and provide a constructive sounding board on all proposals and choose the best team. Every year our Intern “Dragonflies” surpass all expectations and confound the Dragons with their strategic ambitions and attention to detail with their innovative and creative solutions.

We are always open to new ideas from existing and new Corporate Partners that increase students’ awareness of diverse career opportunities and experiences in all sectors.

For more information contact Claire Bolton C.Bolton@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk or Graham Swindells G.Swindells@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk