Future Ready: P7 Explore Careers at DG College

As part of Scottish Careers Week, P7 enjoyed a STEM-themed careers day at DG College, Stranraer Campus. The session was delivered by the Skills Development Scotland team alongside campus manager Fiona. Schools from across the Stranraer cluster took part in a carousel of hands-on activities and a tour of the college’s STEM training areas.

Hairdressing & Beauty: Pupils learned how real-life maths is used daily—from mixing products using ratios to managing money and appointment times.
Construction: Teams explored materials, measurement and teamwork across plumbing, plastering, brickwork and joinery. (A joinery apprenticeship takes four years.)
Motor Vehicle Technology: Students saw inside petrol, hybrid and electric engines and heard about a new renewable energy engineering course.
Catering: The group learned about food preparation, hygiene, cooking times, ratios and batch calculations. They also visited the training restaurant and barista area. (The college offers a £20 Christmas meal for the community—contact the campus for details.)
Childcare: Pupils discussed the skills and qualities needed to support young children.

After a snack break, pupils tackled a STEM wind-turbine challenge, testing their designs with an electric fan. The boys generated 4.6 volts and the girls 4.8 volts.

The final activity was a careers session, encouraging everyone to consider future pathways and recognise their strengths. Equal opportunities across all sectors were reinforced throughout, with strong links to metaskills.

Our P7 pupils were excellent ambassadors for our school—positive, focused and respectful all day.

We also explored: Self – Strengths – Horizons – Networks, helping us think about which careers might suit us best.

UNCRC Article 12: Pupils share their aspirations and have their voices heard.
SHANARRI – Achieving: Exploring careers that support each pupil’s potential.
Meta-skills – Collaborating: Building confidence by engaging with professionals.
SDG 4: Supporting lifelong learning and future-ready skills.
This Is Our Faith: Reflecting on talents as part of our God-given purpose.