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Careers

Introduction

Hodge Hill College believes that an effective education around Careers and Work Skills will have a positive impact upon both a student’s academic performance and also creating a young person more prepared for the challenging world of work.  The school, therefore, provides a number of internal and external opportunities for its students, tailored and personalised to their year group which will enable the pupil to make well-informed decisions about their post-16 choices and have the grades available to widen the possibility of these options.

The Careers Programme is consistently being evaluated by the Careers Leader as new technological and labour market developments arise because Hodge Hill College believes that every learner should have opportunities to learn from employers about the world of work, employability skills and personal qualities that are valued in the workplace. This will increase the self-confidence of pupils and raise aspirations.  Furthermore, through our careers education, our students will receive support on other key issues that impact their ability to develop and progress, for instance, personal well-being.

Within lessons, students will have numerous opportunities to discover how their subject and the skills they’re applying on a daily basis related to the world of work.  Schemes of work are linked to the world of work and teachers will provide openings to discuss experiences, skills developments and progression with the students.

Hodge Hill College assesses its programme in a number of ways such as evaluations from key stakeholders, advice from its personal Enterprise Co-ordinator and internally by using the Gatsby Benchmarks (listed below) as a framework for what is considered to be good careers guidance and education.

The eight Gatsby Benchmarks of good careers guidance:

  1. A stable careers programme
  2. Learning from career and labour market information
  3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
  4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
  5. Encounters with employers and employees
  6. Experiences of workplaces
  7. Encounters with further and higher education
  8. Personal guidance
Breakdown by Year
  Overall Objectives Internal Events External Events

All Students

Students to develop a range of transferable professional skills suitable for any career and be aware of all of the possible post-16 destinations.

Soft skills are referred to within all subject lessons by teachers and where possible related to a specific career.

Access to a specific careers section in the school library.

 

Year 7

Students to identify their skill set and areas for development.  Pupils to gain awareness of the different opportunities available to them for post-16.

A weekly video in form time of an employee talking about their role, route, pay and other useful information.

Guest speakers from apprenticeship providers, further and higher education, alumni and the world of work.

STEM workshops.

Selected pupils to attend a university.

Year 8

Students to explore opportunities and match them to their individual strengths and interests.

A weekly video in form time of an employee talking about their role, route, pay and other useful information.

Guest speakers from apprenticeship providers, further and higher education, alumni and the world of work.

Selected pupils to attend a university.

Year 9

Students to have a clear understanding of the post-16 opportunities available to them and relate their GCSE options accordingly.

A weekly video in form time of an employee talking about their role, route, pay and other useful information.

Guest speakers from apprenticeship providers, further and higher education, alumni and the world of work.

STEM workshops.

Careers Speed Dating.

Selected pupils to attend a university.

Year 10

Students learn how to present themselves professionally and become aware of the options available to them for post-18 pathways.

Guest speakers from apprenticeship providers and further and higher education providers.

A weekly careers task completed in form time related to an upcoming event such as preparing a CV, application or practising interview technique.

Mock Interview Day.

Selected pupils to attend World Skills UK/ BT Work Skills Bootcamp/ National Apprenticeship Show/ Further Education taster days.

Work Experience.

Year 11

Students to make well-informed decisions about their post-16 destinations and put into practice their professional preparation in applications and interviews.

Guest speakers from apprenticeship providers and further and higher education providers.

A weekly careers task is completed in form time such as completing a post-16 application or preparing for a post-16 interview.

Personal and impartial support with post-16 applications.

Further Education and Apprenticeship Careers Fair.

Interviews with Senior Leadership Team.

Selected pupils to attend World Skills UK.

*This information is based on the past year’s events and is a base of what occurs.  All events are subject to the availability of the providers and visitors.  There will be different and new initiatives added on a regular basis.

Useful Information and Links for Parents

In England, the options for when a pupil leaves Year 11 are full-time education such as A-Levels at a college, an apprenticeship (see below for more details) or a traineeship.  A traineeship is designed to provide the young person with the skills and knowledge in order to progress to an apprenticeship.  Whatever your son/daughter wants to do in life, a good standard of education and training can increase their chances of success as it helps them to make of their potential, opens pathways to employment and higher education and is statistically proven to increase their financial success.  Hodge Hill College’s CEIAG programme will provide your child with a full range of advice and guidance regarding these options enabling them to make a prudent and well-informed decision.

2021-22 Further Education Information

Full-Time Education

Your child could continue to study full time at a school with a sixth form or a college or a specialist provider.  The options revolve around subject-based qualifications such as A-Levels or more work-related and vocational awards such as BTECs.  All students who do not gain a Grade 4 in English and/or Mathematics will be expected to retake these subjects until they gain that Grade 4.

Apprenticeships

If your child already knows what sector they want to enter, they could apply for an apprenticeship which will prepare them for skilled employment and higher-level training and/or education.  Apprenticeships are now available in thousands of different careers such as engineering, construction and law and enable your child to earn while they learn.  More detailed information can be found in the links below:

Higher Education

If you and your child are thinking about university it would be a good idea to consider whether the qualifications being taken at post-16 level enable your child to progress onto these pathways.  The two links below (Success at School) and Russell Group’s Informed Choices provide more information on this:

Career Pilot has a vast array of information ranging from A-Level study to job growth areas aimed at parents:

Parental Engagement

If you attended Hodge Hill College as a student it would be great if you were willing to join our growing Alumni network and help to inspire the next generation of students.  If you would like to join this network, please email the Careers Leader: Miss S Jamil on careers@hodgehill.bham.sch.uk or 0121 783 7807

Hodge Hill College Alumni Newsletter
Sources of Labour Market Information
Measuring Impact

Careers Coach

Careers Coach is a tool which allows pupils to :

  • Take a careers assessment to see which careers match their likes and interests
  • Browse careers to find out new information
  • Browse courses available at Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMET) including A-Levels, BTECs & Apprenticeships
  • Build a CV to reflect their experiences which they can match to real job descriptions

Careers Coach

Our Careers Leader

Our Careers Leader is Miss S Jamil who can be contacted on careers@hodgehill.bham.sch.uk or 0121 783 7807