
After an amazing final with 9,000 votes cast, Theo Shenbanjo (Haberdashers’ Askes Hatcham College) and Sarah Linsdell (Steyning Grammar School and Sixth Form College) have been declared joint Careers Champion award winners! Congratulations to both our new Champions.
An incredible online final saw both Theo and Sarah neck and neck on 35% when the frantic voting crashed our little site just 5 minutes before the 3pm close. Apologies to those who were desperately trying to cast a vote at the finish. We obviously need more bandwidth!
To that end, with the margin of total votes at under 0.002% as the site boiled over, we have decided to declare both Theo and Sarah worthy joint winners of the award.
Theo Shenbanjo
Theo has been Head of Careers Education, WRL and Enterprise at Haberdashers’ Askes Hatcham College for almost 8 years. A hands on practictioner, he oversees and delivers personalised CEIAG to the 1000+ students and alumni, including the management of a real-time destination datatbase. A natural networker, Theo has provided the school with an enviable gateway to local business and industry which has raised aspiration and ensured positive outcomes for hundreds of students. Nominator Katherine Lanham said: “His positivity and can-do attitude is an inspiration to all who meet him. He is a builder of bridges and a destroyer of barriers. He speaks to the children as though they were adults and they have a deep respect him.”
Sarah Linsdell
Sarah works full time as a teacher at Steyning Grammar School and Sixth Form College, yet still creates time to deliver a full Careers guidance schedule within her busy week. She selflessly devotes her time working with Year 13 non UCAS students, helping them to secure positive work and training outcomes. In addition, she supports Year 11 students with a full programme of guidance interviews during the Autumn term. Colleague Alex Pinhorn said: “Sarah also has written many of the Careers booklets used in school with all the year groups. She is always trying to find new and better ways to get the careers message over to the students and I feel her efforts deserve to be recognised.”
See details of the other amazing finalists below.