Whinfell students and staff were thrilled to welcome our local MP Tim Farron to our first ‘Business Breakfast’ of the year!
Business breakfasts are part of our careers programme here at Whinfell, and are designed to enable our young people to meet a variety of employers from across a wide range of sectors, giving the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the world of work, and ask questions about the rewards and challenges of various roles as we begin to plan for our own futures as working adults.
Tim spoke to us about his life and his role as an MP, sharing with us that his career path hasn’t always been straight forward – in fact in his first ever election campaign he failed to be elected at all! Despite the set backs, Tim went on to become leader of the Liberal Democrat party and has served the people of Kendal for 18 years as our MP.
Tim explained that he did not come from a background in politics, nor did he have the financial advantages that some politicians have in their early lives, however by having determination and resilience he was able to overcome barriers and work in a role that he feels passionate about and allows him to do what he cares about most – helping others. He also talked to use about the importance of having a supportive network around us in order to succeed in our goals.
The young people demonstrated maturity, interest and asked many insightful questions about his role and his wider life. This experience will support them in their SkillsBuilder qualification, and has sparked interest in some of them in following a career in politics themselves!
