Alumnus Returns to Give Careers Talk 

Academic Physical Education at RGS Worcester is going from strength to strength. With the introduction of GCSE PE in recent years in addition to BTEC Sport, A Level PE and Community Sports Leadership Award, pupils are offered a wide range of opportunities to study Physical Education alongside Sport as a Co-curricular activity.

In line with our extensive subject choices, our Award Winning Careers Department at RGS Worcester guides and supports pupils who are making these important decisions about their future, throughout their career. Whether that is in Year Seven or Upper Sixth and even beyond School. Our Careers talks form an important part of the service we offer our pupils.

This week we were delighted to welcome RGS Worcester Alumnus, Max Whittle, on 15 November to deliver a talk on Journalism in Sport. Max attended RGS Worcester from 1999-2010 and gained a First Class Degree in Sports Journalism from Southampton Solent University. 

Max’s journalism career has seen him work in radio, including a stint as a producer on talkSPORT, before moving to the Guardian as a video producer. Max has also worked as a presenter and stadium announcer working on exciting live events such as cricket’s t20 Vitality Blast and the Commonwealth Games, and he is the face of Aston Villa Football Club’s pre-match fan zone show.

With his wide experience across radio, social media, national press, broadcast channels and presenting live events, Max was well placed to offer excellent advice to current pupils at RGS considering a career in Journalism. Whilst strong academics are important, Max also stressed the need to ‘make things happen for yourself’ to get your career in Journalism started and the importance of having a strong presence on social media, particularly LinkedIn, to help get yourself noticed and find opportunities. An excellent tip being to start a blog or podcast about something you love to help you to stand apart from your peers whilst at Sixth Form and University.

He also stressed the importance of finding a niche interest to develop your career. An interest in American sports such as American Football and Baseball allowed Max to offer a niche service and find opportunities to cover these sports in the UK and Europe. Max highlighted the key skills needed to be a successful journalist, such as the ability to interview with precise, short questions. People skills, creating a good impression and successful networking skills are also important, particularly as many people in the media work on a freelance basis. Max’s advice also included the importance of preparation and curiosity for success in Journalism, just as they are in School!

This week our Year Eleven pupils were also treated to a Careers talk from Third Year Sports Student Jack Austin from The University of Worcester. Jack shared his experiences of Sport at the University of Worcester and an overview of Sport Courses at University as well as providing an insight into the process of University entry requirements and UCAS.

Thank you to Max for an excellent overview of careers in Broadcast Media and Journalism and to Jack Austin for his insightful presentation.