Investing in Future Talent: Building Confidence Through Real-World Communication

AV isn’t just about hardware and software; it’s about people. At Carillion Communications, supporting local education isn’t a one-off gesture; it’s a long-term commitment. Our continued partnership with Furze Platt Senior School reflects our belief that meaningful engagement with young people is key to both community development and the future of the AV industry.

It’s an opportunity to help students articulate their strengths, understand what employers are looking for, and connect their education with real career possibilities, including the dynamic and evolving world of AV.

Mock Interviews that Build Confidence

Carillion recently took part in Year 12 Mock Interviews at Furze Platt Senior School. This was the second year attending for Barrie Guy, our Project Delivery Manager, and provided an opportunity for students to meet local companies and learn how interviews can work.

The aim is to build confidence in the students; the mock interviews simulate real interview conditions, helping school leavers become more comfortable speaking about themselves, their experiences and goals. At the same time, they can practice communication skills, speaking clearly and professionally whilst answering common interview questions and the odd curveball thrown in to make them think.

The school provides questions and looks for constructive feedback on such things as body language, tone of voice, clarity and relevance of answers, along with any areas for improvement. The school designed the mock interviews to help leavers understand what employers or admissions officers were looking for, and a large number of students took the opportunity to speak to a real local employer.

As they could choose who they saw in advance, the interviewers had the chance to identify gaps in preparation. What had they done in advance with regard to researching the company or institution? Had they looked at their website and prepared thoughtful questions to ask? 

Then what do they want to do, and what have they been doing in school that’s relevant?

Ultimately, the mock interviews increase the chances of success by making candidates more polished, prepared and professional, but at the same time, it was great to chat to the students about what they enjoyed with relation to their courses and giving them pointers on things such as building a portfolio of work to show prospective employers or Universities.

The day went very quickly, and the school’s organisation ensured everything ran like clockwork.