On Monday 9 June, RHS welcomed Year 10 pupils and their parents to an immersive Futures Evening; an event designed to help pupils begin exploring potential career paths and start considering their sixth form subject choices. Held across a series of interactive talks and workshops, led by industry experts, the event brought together pupils, parents and a line-up of compelling speakers, all committed to opening minds and sparking curiosity about the future world of work.
Following an opening talk from the Head of Sixth Form and Head of Futures, the evening’s real energy came from the carousel sessions, small group experiences where pupils and parents rotated through future-career focused talks.
Dr Will Thomas, Associate Professor at the University of Suffolk, led the Enterprise and Innovation session with a thought-provoking look at disruptive businesses from Zipcar’s sharing model to MiAlgae’s biotech breakthroughs. Followed by a “Start-Up Sprint” which had pupils and parents form mini-enterprise teams, dreaming up and pitching ideas to solve real-world problems in just 10 minutes.
In the Green Careers room, Jade Saunders, Executive Director of World Forest ID, delivered a refreshingly honest account of her work fighting deforestation through science, AI and international collaboration. Her message was clear: climate action is no longer a niche career, it's embedded across industries, and we need young people with vision, resilience, creativity and focus.
Meanwhile, in AI and Emerging Tech, groups heard from Craig Parry, Head of Client Relations at tech consultancy IJYI, whose dynamic session helped demystify artificial intelligence and bring it to life. Drawing on examples from sectors like medicine, retail, football and education, Craig showed how AI is no longer just a futuristic concept but already embedded in our daily lives; spotting diseases, generating music and images, even helping Premier League coaches analyse performance.
Those interested in Creative Industries heard from Mike Wilson, freelance Videographer and Photographer. Mike shared insights into his career journey and the art of visual storytelling, exploring how powerful messages can be communicated through film and photography.
He spoke about using video to inspire change, and the impact creativity can have, especially how creative visuals and messaging can cut through the noise, making audiences feel something and develop an emotion connection.
For aspiring medics and scientists, the Medical and Life Sciences session led by Dr. Aurélie Villedieu from the University of Essex offered a dynamic insight into the real-world impact of healthcare science. Through bioethical case studies, ranging from robot nurses to genetic editing, pupils explored the intersection of science, medicine and morality. The session not only highlighted the breadth of roles within the NHS but also showcased alternative pathways such as degree apprenticeships.
The world of work is transforming at speed, according to the World Economic Forum, a staggering 65% of children in school today will end up working in jobs that don’t yet exist. Even more strikingly, The Institute for the Future predicts that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet! With so much change on the horizon, events like the Year 10 Futures Evening, helps pupils to connect their current learning with future opportunities, giving them early exposure to emerging industries like AI, green technology and digital media.
The evening was carefully structured to spark early conversations about the future, not just about careers, but about purpose, priorities and the kind of world our pupils want to help shape.
