BSN Careers Network Dinner A Resounding Success

Over 100 BSN Sixth Formers and twenty-four BSN Alumni, converged at the Hampshire Fitland Hotel in Leiden on Friday 23 September for the School’s eagerly awaited Careers Network Dinner and it didn’t disappoint! 

The event, now in its second year, brings together current and past BSN students in order to support our Year 12 & 13s with career choices, advice and tips.

Dressed in their best business attire, the Sixth Formers arrived promptly and settled down at their preferred career tables.

As our Alumni and students began introducing themselves the room quickly became animated as students picked the brains of some leading professionals in their field; professionals such as Mivy James (class of 1991) who is now Head of Consulting for National Security, and Smita Chaturvedi (class of 1995); now an Emergency doctor in Delft and Rotterdam with a specialist in tropical medicine. Helen Graham, a criminal defence lawyer, also took part. Helen worked at the UN War Crimes Tribunal (ICTY) in The Hague as Legal Counsel. She said: “ I love my job and am passionate about ensuring that our students can see that a career in law can be both challenging and rewarding.”

As the evening drew to a close, students said how inspiring the event had been. It had given them all much food for thought, with some students considering changing career choices to follow Alumni footsteps whilst others firmly focused on their path after spending time with them.

Dawn Street, Head of Careers Education and Guidance, at the BSN said: “We are hugely grateful to all our Alumni who gave up their time and flew in from across Europe including the UK, Finland, and Geneva, to share their expertise with our students. There is nothing better than getting first-hand career advice from people who have walked the path our current students are about to walk down. Where this event also succeeds is in introducing our Sixth Formers to the power of networking and how important this can be when building future relationships.”