Dr Ina Goldberg, Careers Lead and interim Vice Principal of Oasis Academy Brislington, was one of only three finalists to be shortlisted in the category of Careers Leader of the Year at the Careers Excellence Awards 2019.
Ina’s nomination was endorsed by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which supports the region’s schools and colleges through the Careers Hub and Enterprise Adviser Network. This helps schools like Oasis Academy Brislington to improve knowledge and understanding of career opportunities and experiences of the workplace for young people; allowing them to make more informed choices about their future careers.
The academy which this year maintained its GCSE results in English and Maths and celebrated impressive results in Science, RE and Art, has also seen a huge drop in the number of students not in education, employment or training after leaving school.
Ina said: “I was extremely proud to be nominated for the Careers Leader of the Year Award. It was a great surprise to be shortlisted and commended by the judges. The work I’ve done at Oasis Academy Brislington and in Bristol has been a great privilege as I’ve been able to work with many business and charities who have supported our students in raising their aspirations. We have seen a massive reduction in our figures for those not in education, employment or training, but our aim now is to raise every students’ aspiration to what they can and should become in life and to give a wide variety of opportunities to support them to achieve that.”
The awards were held by the Careers & Enterprise Company in partnership with the Gatsby Foundation, to recognise and celebrate brilliant work that is making a real difference to the lives of young people.
Ina’s nomination was also backed by her Enterprise Adviser, James Robertson, Managing Director of Grofar, who said: “Ina is a passionate and committed Careers Leader. Her vision that every pupil – regardless of background – will get the information, experiences and skills development opportunities in order to choose the right path for a happy and fulfilled life drives everything she does, and sits at the centre of her outstanding careers strategy.”
Regional Mayor Tim Bowles said: “Ina has been an enthusiastic supporter of both the West of England Enterprise Adviser Network and the Careers Hub since its inception. She’s a shining example of how we’re working together to improve careers advice and work experience for the region’s pupils; inspiring them to be ambitious and preparing them for their future careers. I wish to congratulate Ina on her commendation – she’s a winner in our eyes.”