Newtown High School pupil (15) expertly reflects on career advice earned through placement
A 15-year-old Newtownhamilton High School pupil who has just completed his work experience with the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation (CCBC) in Armagh has written a reflective article, expertly detailing all he experienced and learned during his week long placement.
In a beautifully written piece far beyond his years, James Hyde thanked the team who guided him through work experience for their kindness and advice.
Though his placement lasted for only five days, James was incredibly fortunate to have enjoyed several notable events and to have met many inspirational people.
And the team at CCBC have enjoyed having James just as much as he enjoyed being there.
The CCBC team said of the young student: ” We were pleased to have James Hyde on a week-long placement, as part of Newtownhamilton High School’s work experience programme.
“He learnt about the work of the Centre, talked to everyone on the Team about our cross-border projects, discussed university life with Floran from the Université de Strasbourg, and attended an online event on skills and qualifications.
“James joined 100 key stakeholders and influencers from across the island of Ireland for the launch of a major cross-border report – Mind The Gap – on supporting people with disabilities into employment.
“We hope James’s work experience with the Centre has helped him make choices about studying for A Levels and at university. We wish him every success for the future.”
In summary of his week, below is James’ article – which CCBC have now proudly published on their website and social media platforms:
“This week, as part of Newtownhamilton High School’s work experience programme, I have been working at the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation (CCBC) in Armagh. I have had an amazing experience at the Centre as everyone here has been so kind and helpful with any questions I had.
“Anthony Soares is the Director of the Centre. He joined the CCBC in 2013 and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. Anthony is also Secretary to Universities Ireland, Secretary to Standing Committee on Teacher Education, North and South (SCoTENS), and Convenor of the Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation.
“Another reason why I had a great time was because of the fact that no two days were the same. An example of this was when Aidan Campbell (Research Programme Development Manager), Mark McClatchey (Project Coordinator) and I attended the Mind the Gap summit in the Canal Court in Newry on Wednesday.
“It acted as the launch for the information in the Mind the Gap report which describes supported employment and how it is a necessity if we want people with disabilities to find sustainable and suitable employment.
“Numerous speakers came forward to share their encounters of the challenges which come with having a disability and holding down a job. One of the speakers who impressed me was Eoin Kenny (Mencap NI) who explained his firsthand experience with the struggles of having a disability and how he overcame them in order to graduate from Ulster University with a 2:1 degree in cinematic arts. He works with Mencap Northern Ireland.
“Some of the other things which are going on in the centre include the Border People project which is managed by Annmarie O’Kane. The project aims to overcome all barriers to cross border mobility, some of which include: a lack of clear information; complex tax systems; and differences in social welfare. It also provides guidance to people who want to live, work, study or retire in the other jurisdiction.
“Tricia Kelly, is Secretariat & Operations Administrator, and supports Universities Ireland and SCoTENS. She also has an important role in organising the CCBC annual conference which is taking place on Thursday 18 September.
“I used Canva, developed a Facebook post and reel, and found out about newsletters, social media platforms, the website and marketing activities from Lisa Cartmill. Canva is great for preparing social media images, videos, posters, booklets and presentations.
“Another project being organised through the centre is the S2@25 project which is a two-year cross-border scheme which is supported by PEACEPLUS. It will record the collective impacts of the North South Implementation Bodies (which were set up after the Good Friday Agreement) and use the learning from that process to improve strategic cross-border cooperation in the future.
“Also, the ultimate goal of the project is to have eight organisations cooperating across the Irish border in order to form a joint strategy which will benefit the island of Ireland as a whole. The team at CCBC is also working on a training programme.
“So, in conclusion, I would like to thank everyone at the centre for their kindness in taking me in on work experience and also the fact that they all gave me advice on what to do after I complete my GCSEs (next year) and, hopefully, my A Levels in 2028.”
James said the three of the best pieces of advice he received from the team were:
“Get experience in the jobs you want to do before you decide on a career. Do what you enjoy and not what others want you to do. You can always change your mind as long as you find something you like.”
Solid advice for any young student preparing to navigate the world of work or further education!