Sir James Dutton spoke to the students about his personal career experiences which include serving 38 years in the Royal Marines, in a mix of policy, training and operational appointments, notably tours in support of the police in NI and the Falklands war in 1982. Appointments following the terrorist attacks on the USA in 2001 were focused on Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010, he joined the US firm Bechtel, spending two and a half years establishing and running a national infrastructure development project in Gabon, West Africa. In 2013, he was appointed as Governor and Commander in Chief of Gibraltar, representing HM The Queen. Back with Bechtel in 2016, he returned to Africa, latterly running development across the continent until 2021.
Included in his talk, James discussed the importance of the students’ upcoming exams when applying for the next stage in their careers but that there are other important factors to also consider. He spoke of leadership skills, not only in the military but also in civilian life, teamwork and taking enjoyment from the work that they decide to go into.
Everyone found the talk very interesting which was showcased with a Q&A at the end of his presentation.
Students said;
"I found the talk from Sir James Dutton very interesting. It was very impressive to hear about the operational roles he had carried out during his near 40 years of service for the Royal Marines."
"This morning's presentation was useful, because Sir James Dutton showed us that there are very successful careers out there, also, it has opened another window for us to look into."
"I thought Sir James Dutton's description of the process into the Marines was interesting, especially for this time of Year 11 when everything is so centred around academics, that he could provide an alternative perspective of how to obtain a successful career, rather than simply through the grade 9s.
I also thought his point about leadership was helpful, that it's about conveying your point and encouraging your team more than having the best ideas and equipment etc."