Member Article

Solicitors take interview advice into schools

Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors has committed to bringing real-life workplace experience into some of the region’s schools, giving students guidance in communicating and interview skills.

For the second year, Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors has committed three staff to participate in the ‘Building My Skills’ programme, which has been developed by Esh Group, and has received national recognition for its successes.

Staff from Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors’ Wynyard-based Commercial Law team have prepared presentations for Year 10 students at six regional schools; Sacred Heart RC Secondary School in Redcar, Trinity Catholic College in Middlesbrough, Manor College of Technology in Hartlepool, Saltburn Learning Campus, Greenfield Community College in Newton Aycliffe and Outwood Academy Acklam.

Theresa Carling, an Employment Lawyer with Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors, together with Commercial Litigation specialists Gemma Smith and Helen Lyne have presented in the schools. Theresa commented: “It’s a real challenge to engage with an audience of 14 and 15 year olds, and provide them with relevant, practical and interesting information that will make them better prepared for the workplace. The feedback has been fantastic, with the audience often getting instantly involved with our presentation. Later in the year, we will conduct mock interviews with a selection of students from each school, giving them extensive feedback on this performance, and how they could improve. We found last year that the students were so keen to improve their interview performance that they wanted another mock interview straight away.

“We’re keen to invest in our region’s future, and happy to commit this time to this excellent scheme. We hear too often that youngsters lack essential skills which are used daily in the workplace. If we can help build these skills, and build the young people’s confidence and aspirations, then hopefully we’ll be making a difference. Maybe, we’ll inspire one or two young people to pursue a legal career, potentially with Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors.”

Jill Wright, Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) Advisor at Sacred Heart RC Secondary School in Redcar, added: “We were very keen to take part in the Building My Skills programme as soon as it became available to Redcar schools. Tilly Bailey & Irvine’s presentation was full of relevant information about interviews, and our Year 10 students not only took it all in but actively participated in the session. They’ve since been enthusiastic to put into practice everything they learned in our mock interviews. It’s clear they appreciate that this is priceless advice which will really help them in their future careers.”

Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors is the Tees Valley’s largest full service law firm with offices in Wynyard Park, Stockton on Tees, Hartlepool and Barnard Castle. It has a multi-disciplinary business law team, based at Wynyard Park, offering expertise in fields including commercial property, mergers, acquisitions and disposals, intellectual property, employment law and dispute resolution. For further advice, contact Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors on 01740 646000.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tilly Bailey and Irvine Solictors .