Do year 6 careers' events help to shape our futures?

It was good to be back at my local primary school, comfortably ensconced in a corner of the school hall, answering questions pertaining to my being a relatively new author/illustrator of children’s picture books; my life as an art and design teacher and a former graphic designer/visualiser, at the Year 6 Careers' Event.
The children rotated after 20 minutes to the sound of a bell and a fresh group of children emerged each time to my designated table. The enthusiasm from all groups of children with whom I met, was highly commendable.
With thirty snapshots of art related careers to peruse on my display boards, many of the children eagerly advised me of their ambitions within the arts, such as: interior designers, sketch artists, the performing arts and so forth. One young girl advised me that she was in the midst of creating a book about a Spanish dog but hadn’t quite finished the illustrations yet. I shall keep an eye open for the publication date of this exciting book, as I have agreed to purchase it.
The event left me pondering how many children would persevere with their year 6 dream career, or perhaps re-visit the concept, sometime later in life. During my formative years, when I was just a few years younger than these children, at my mother’s primary school, we were permitted to play during some afternoons. I however, in preference to play activities, would choose to write my stories ‘in neat,’ then illustrate them; the teacher would then back and display them on the classroom wall. Furthermore, with any peer group activity involving ‘collage artwork,’- the little ‘Miss Bossy,’ would transpire, and I would find myself delegating to other children where to place the glued artifacts. ‘A teacher in the making,’ my teacher would say. Conclusively, it could be fair to say that our formative years often do shape our futures.

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