How Traded Career Guidance Ensures Students Fully Understand the Range of Post 16 Options
What our Advisors say about how they delivertraded careers guidance
These brief case studies describes work delivered over the past few months
How traded career guidance ensures students fully understand the range of Post 16 Options
‘The work we deliver in school has a clear, measurable impact on the ‘NEET ‘figures and the number of progression of pupilsinto post 16 learning. Pupils progress into a variety of post 16 destinations; sixth forms, local colleges as well as apprenticeships and training. The range of destinations demonstrates the awareness of local opportunities that pupils develop through the IAG that we give. Ofsted stated in a recent report that a variety of post 16 destinations are a key indicator of good quality IAG, this is something that the school really value and are keen to see. We make sure that pupils have a good awareness of a scope of education, training and employment opportunities through both individual guidance interviews and tailored group information sessions (for example about vocational areas and apprenticeships). Thorough record keeping and follow up is important too enabling us to tailor information to pupils individual interests’.
Traded careers guidance work with 6th formers at a school in Worcestershire
‘One school was keen to provide extra input for sixth formers; the school had a well structured and supported process for those looking to go to university, but not for those who were either unsure, or wanted employment insteadand needed extra guidance. I developed specific group work for these students, delivered in small groups of around 6 at a time and focusing on employability skills and practical job search skills. It also included key labour market information and how to research this – the school was outside of Sandwell so I ensured that this focused on the local and surrounding areas. These group sessions were followed up with one to one guidance interviews in some cases. Feedback from both staff and pupils was that the sessions were invaluable – students had a good understanding of what they needed to do next and had produced clear action plans that sixth form tutors were then able to follow up with them. The school stated that it had a positive impact on sixth formers moving successfully into employment where this is what they wanted’.
Traded careers guidance – working together to meet school and student needs
‘We have a large degree of autonomy in booking students in for their careers guidance interviews. Students are encouraged through assemblies and/or group work to work on what they want out of their interview. They are then prepared to talk about their future even at short notice. The needs of the students, combined with the needs of the school determine when interviews for individual students are arranged. The advisers leave one interview slot free in the afternoons to accommodate any urgent referrals by the senior leadership team, knowing that if it is not needed they have time to backfill. If one of them is then asked to see a pupil, very late in the day, they will make arrangements for the student to be seen when they are next in, or immediately after school if appropriate. The senior leadership team appreciates the flexible working arrangements designed to meet both the needs of pupils and the school.’
Supporting the school’s message to students about expected behaviours by relating them to the world of work
‘We support the school by delivering whole year group assemblies which reflect the current message in school, from an employer’s perspective. When deemed necessary by the senior leadership team, there is an emphasis on aspects of behaviour which need addressing; for example how we treat others, attendance, attitude to learning, making a positive contribution, uniform, putting in maximum effort. We will deliver a short session to the students during assembly demonstrating what employers expect from their employees and the potential consequences of not meeting those expectations, either during the application process or whilst in employment. This has helped reinforce with whole cohorts of students, the link between what they learn at school and what they need to know when they go to work’.
Supporting raising awareness of careers and opportunities with other learning providers
‘My school identified that students who were considering a career within the construction industry needed specific support. As the sixth form did not offer a pathway for this, they were keen to ensure students knew about opportunities available to them. I contacted local training providers, colleges and employers to come into school to talk to students about what was available to them in terms of college courses, training programmes and apprenticeships.
As many students in this locality struggle with the confidence to go into new environments and meet new people, this event was designed to introduce providers to the students within a comfortable environment. Doing it this way enabled students to begin building a relationship with key contacts therefore increasing their confidence to access opportunities on offer.
As a direct result of this construction event students who attended have applied to local colleges and training providers and have successfully attended interviews and gained places to start in September’.
A ‘careers programme in a day’ (1)
‘We delivered a three hour session on post 16 options for Year 10 students at an independent faith school for girls. After introducing ourselves, the session started with getting the studentsto think about all the different jobs related to a tin of beans. This ice breaker gets the students thinking about ‘the world of work’. This was followed by a presentation on post 16 options including information on colleges, 6th form, apprenticeships and traineeships.
Then In groups, we did an exercise called ‘Sinking Ship’, where they have to decide which six people out of nine are to be saved., Initially they have very little information about the people, we then give more detailed information and this always causes a lot of discussion. Through the discussion we make the point that when picking options, it is important to have enough information to make an informed choice.
This was followed by a short presentation on higher education, The students had a lot of questions saw another reason for gaining A-C grades at GCSEs. At the end of the session we asked the students to complete a ‘Looking Ahead’ form to highlight Post 16 and careers plans, this information was fed back to school, which to highlights students needsfor careers support.
We evaluated the session by asking the students to comment on ‘Post It’ notes’.
Comments on the ‘What have I learnt today’ poster included:
“I have learnt the importance of getting good grades in order to do the courses I want to take in college. I have also realised what I would like to do after school”
“There are other options other than just higher education”
“College is not the only option”
“I have learnt the benefits of open days, apprenticeships, when to apply and choosing your career path”
“I have learnt not to jump into one thing without researching about it.”
A ‘careers programme in a day’ (2)
‘We have recently delivered four separate sessions during year 10 collapsed day.Topics
covered included Post 16 Options and the Labour Market, Apprenticeships, The Skills Employers Look For and Higher Education. The lessons were interlinked so as students moved between the different sessions they could see how their aspirations and the choices that were available to them at 16 and 18 were linked to their own academic progress, attendance, attitude, motivation and behaviour in school. The teachers commented that that our sessions have helped motivate students to aim for a specific goal, which in turn impacts upon academic achievement, while students have commented that they are more aware of the world of work and higher education and can therefore prepare themselves better to achieve and overcome the challenges which they will face’.
For further information about Connexions Sandwell traded services contact one of the
team managers:
Debbie Farthing, Subat Khan or Sybil McKenzie on 0845 352 0055 or see below for emails