AUTISTIC students at an Oxfordshire school have been given a helping hand with their career prospects.

Locally-based entrepreneurs and the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership visited the LVS school to give advice to students on different job options and what they can do to achieve their long term goals.

The Begbroke school, which caters for young people aged 11 to 19 on the autism spectrum, is running a series of workshops to prepare its students to take up work experience placements.

Nigel Beales, the school’s assistant head, said: “It is incredibly powerful when students are able to interact with professionals from different industries.

"Hearing what they do, and how they got where they are today, is really inspiring and helps our learners to decide what they want for themselves in terms of further studies and careers.”

Mark Calkin, technical director for Emerald Cube based at Oxford Science Park, gave the first talk.

The company make products that can be used for live and recorded video inspection from air, land and water.

He explained how one of their most challenging projects to date has been in the area of wildlife conservation.

The company were able to install technology to protect the critically endangered black rhino population from poachers.

Mr Clakin brought along examples of the technology that they use and students were able to quiz him on the products.

Learners also worked with Julia Cook, a locally based fashion designer and owner of two shops in Chipping Norton.

She led a lantern building workshop where pupils designed and decorated lanterns made from plant trays, willow and tissue paper.

Julia explained that she was creative at school but didn’t do well academically.

Today, she designs children’s clothes for Tesco and runs a successful children’s boutique called Tickittyboo.