The Henley College Business Students take part in Mock Interviews

Students studying BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business participated in a business skills event in the Digital Suite at The Henley College on Tuesday 28th January.

Glenn Barton, from Scope AT Recruitment based in Richmond, gave a talk about the recruitment industry, identifying skills gaps and the benefit to organisations of constantly evaluating business needs. He also discussed sourcing talent and the importance of diversity in teams in terms of productivity.

The students all had to wear appropriate business dress and learnt about the importance of interview skills and soft skills. After the talk, students then participated in a set of interviews and assessed on how well they presented.

Glenn said, “The students were really engaged, it’s been a really well put together programme. I only wish that I had the opportunity to experience something like this before going into the world of work”.

Teacher Jayne Atkinson said, “I’ve been so impressed by how much effort the students have put in today. They really have taken on board the professional skills on offer and that they can get some transferable and tangible skills that will really benefit them in the future, either at University or the workplace”.

Curriculum Manager, Swapna Jare said “The hard work that goes into the planning, paperwork and co-ordination is never seen but is always appreciated, and the event ran very smoothly with a fantastic guest speaker who certainly inspired our students to look at careers in recruitment. It also provided them with an upskilling masterclass on CV building and interview guidance which is highly sought after knowledge that the students valued.”

Swapna went on to say, “The students I interviewed were very well prepared with some impressive answers and were very smartly dressed. It was excellent to see the effort they had applied to the task.  They are an absolute credit to the college and their teachers. Well done to all involved.”

Student, Cosmin Apostol said, “It was really interesting, I found out about the importance of CVs and how they can showcase your skills. I understand much more about how to organise my CV and discovered what an interviewer is looking for. I think this is going to be really beneficial for my future career”.

With Labour Market research showing that soft skills are a key demand in employability within a competitive jobs market, The Henley College embeds the skills and resilience needed for students to succeed in their future.