St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Newton Aycliffe has enjoyed an exciting and inspiring Careers Week, with pupils from Reception to Year 6 taking part in a wide range of hands‑on experiences designed to broaden aspirations and introduce children to real‑world career pathways. Across the week, students met professionals from multiple sectors—including public services, technology, sport, and community support—helping them understand the many opportunities available for their futures.

Day One: Exploring Careers at the Library 

Our Careers Week launched with a fascinating visit to the local library, where pupils learned all about the role of a Library Assistant.

Children discovered that this vital role involves:

  • Sorting, organising and caring for books
  • Supporting the delivery of creative events and activities
  • Providing excellent customer service to visitors

Pupils were especially excited to learn that the role can be accessed through an apprenticeship—a brilliant career option for anyone who enjoys reading, organisation, and helping others. It was a fantastic insight into a job that keeps our libraries running smoothly. 

Day Two: Year Five Visit Amazon’s High‑Tech Fulfilment Centre 

Year Five enjoyed an unforgettable afternoon exploring Amazon’s impressive fulfilment centre, where they saw first‑hand how millions of items are picked, packed, and delivered across the UK.

Highlights included:

  • Seeing advanced AI‑powered robots working alongside highly skilled staff
  • Learning that one of the fulfilment floors is the size of 16 football pitches
  • Discovering how Amazon uses innovative technology to streamline logistics
  • Hearing about Amazon’s sustainability goals and apprenticeship pathways

This experience opened pupils’ eyes to the future of technology, engineering, and teamwork—truly inspiring their curiosity about STEM careers.

Day Three (KS2): Sports Apprenticeships with Active Future Darlington 

Key Stage 2 pupils were treated to an energetic and motivating careers talk from Active Future Darlington, who shared what it’s like to be a sports apprentice.

Pupils learned:

  • How many people work within the organisation
  • The key qualities Active Future look for—reliability, hard work, and punctuality
  • That the organisation operates across the UK, supporting schools and care homes
  • Their passion for promoting healthy, active lifestyles

A huge congratulations to our pupil who won a prize for asking the best question of the session! 
The presentation left many pupils feeling excited about future opportunities in sport, fitness, and coaching.

A big thank you to Active Future Darlington for an inspiring session! 

Day Three (EYFS & KS1): Meeting Our Local PCSOs 

Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 welcomed two of our local Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) into school for an engaging and educational visit.

The officers explained:

  • How communication and listening are essential skills in their role
  • The many ways PCSOs support the community, from reassurance to problem‑solving
  • How they work with police officers to keep neighbourhoods safe
  • What the pathway to becoming a PCSO looks like, and what they enjoy most about their job

Pupils loved hearing real stories from the officers and were eager to ask questions.
This session also highlighted the importance of Skills Builder skills, especially Teamwork and Speaking.

We are very grateful to our PCSOs for giving their time and inspiring the next generation of community‑minded citizens.

A Week of Inspiration and New Possibilities

Careers Week at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School has been an incredible success, giving pupils meaningful experiences that help them understand the world of work, build aspirations, and connect classroom learning to future opportunities.

We look forward to even more exciting careers adventures in the coming months!

Careers Week