“Trent transitioned me from being pretty hopeless to having a real chance.”
Professor Wesley Vernon OBE (Class of 1977)

In a busy final week of Trinity term, Trent College welcomed 24 Old Tridents back through its doors to take part in What’s My Line?, an energetic and uplifting careers networking event that brings the past and present together in the most inspiring of ways.

Hosted by the school’s dedicated Careers team, led by Head of Careers Fiona Starbuck (OT, class of 1986), the event saw every delegate, each one a former pupil, volunteering their time to speak with Year 10 pupils about the world of work and how their own career journeys have unfolded since leaving Trent. From a Platoon Commander and a Detective Constable to a Freelance Illustrator, business owners, and professionals in law, media, science and finance, the breadth of experience on offer was exceptional.

Fiona said, after the event: “The ability to engage with a range of adults all passionate about their own fields is an invaluable experience for the pupils. Being able to run What’s My Line? again is wonderful, we couldn’t do it without the OTs, and I’ve had a stream of staff by my office since the event saying how excellent they thought the event was.”

Connecting Through Curiosity

The format of this event is fast-paced and engaging: pupils have five minutes with each guest to uncover their job through conversation, learning not just what they do, but how they got there. For many of them, it was their first encounter with such a diverse array of professions and pathways, all brought to life by people who had once sat in the same classrooms, played on the same pitches, and walked the same corridors.

Life Lessons from Life After Trent – What’s the Motivation to Return and Share?

Speaking with a selection of delegates about their time at Trent and the skills and values they carried into their careers, and why they wanted to share that with pupils today:

Anthony Cheung (class of 2012), Criminal Barrister, reflected on the importance of empathy and teamwork, particularly in handling sensitive legal cases.  About returning to Trent to share with the pupils he told us: “The staff and teams at Trent College had always been wonderful with me, giving me many opportunities.  I have really great memories of this place and it's always a delight coming back”.

Helena Wong (class of 2017), Core Network Planner at Virgin Media O2, who joined Trent at Sixth Form as an overseas student from Hong Kong, spoke to pupils about the courage to try new things, even joining a tech field without a computer science background. She told us: “I definitely thrived [at Trent] and tried a lot of different opportunities like playing hockey, joining CCF, being a prefect.  Everyone was very friendly, and they made it really memorable and that's why I came back today.”

Sophie Shaw and Ellie Glover (both class of 2019), now a Corporate Finance Analyst and Legal Assistant (pathway to qualifying as a Solicitor) respectively, encouraged pupils to keep an open mind and say yes to new opportunities. Ellie told us: “Trent always had a lot going on, with lots of opportunities to take advantage of, and I’ve taken that into everything I’ve done since I left”.

Professor Wesley Vernon OBE (class of1977), Retired Forensic Podiatrist, shared that Trent gave him structure and self-belief: “It transitioned me from being pretty hopeless to having a real chance.”

Asked to sum up their time at Trent in just one word, their answers; “Wonderful”, “Eventful”, “Fun”, “Transitional” were as individual as their journeys, but all echoed the long-lasting impact of their school days.

A Call to Our Old Tridents Network

Events like What’s My Line? are only possible thanks to the generosity of time and spirit shown by Old Tridents. For the pupils, hearing from former pupils offers something uniquely powerful; reassurance that they don’t need to have everything figured out just yet, and inspiration to stay curious, courageous, and open to the unexpected.

Student Reflections

Don’t just take our word for it, here’s what a few of the Year 10 pupils had to say about their What’s My Line? experience:

Alyssa found the format engaging and was surprised by how interesting she found the corporate finance session: “I’m not really sure what I want to do yet, but this has helped me think more about what direction I might take.”

Katherine said hearing from science graduates encouraged her to revisit that subject: “I always liked science. Now I think if I put in the work, I could actually do something in that field.” She's even exploring MI6 profiling!

Aston appreciated the variety of careers on show: “It gives you more ideas about what you want to do in the future.” He particularly enjoyed learning about business roles like wealth management and found it motivating to speak with Old Tridents: “It’s good to see where your education can take you.”

Jeffrey valued the clarity the event gave him: “It helps you think about what to study for A-levels and uni. It’s useful.”

Pupils repeatedly noted how valuable it was to speak to people who had once sat where they are now, and how the sessions challenged them to think differently about their next steps.

We are keener than ever to welcome Old Tridents back to share your stories through talks, workshops, interview practice, or careers networking events. The benefit this brings to the pupils’ educational journey at Trent College is significant and clearly evident. Whether you’re just a few years into your professional life or further along in your journey, your insights could make a lasting impact on a young person navigating their future.

If you’d be interested in supporting a future event or speaking with Trent students about your career, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch alumni@trentcollege.net

Together, we can help the next generation of Old Tridents step confidently into their futures.

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Thank you to all What’s My Line? 2025 delegates: