Careers

Aims

Information Advice & Guidance are central to the ethos of St Mary's College.

We aim to:

• support students in understanding themselves, their skills and their potential and thus recognise the learning path and career opportunities that will suit them.
• ensure that every student receives CIASG throughout their College life in advance of key decision-making milestones.
• ensure that every student leaves us ready for their next step in the world of work, training, further or higher education.
• provide a focused approach to careers education and employability that enables all students to develop the transferable skills to succeed in a competitive job market.
• engage parents, employers and other key stakeholders in ensuring that we have a collaborative approach in supporting our students in their developing good employability skills and traits.

The Careers programme:

Please see details of our careers programme and special careers events in the documents below.
If you are an employer and would like to get involved in supporting our careers programme then please email Vivian Connell vconnell@smchull.org

Overview

Even before students commence their secondary schooling all Year 6, students take part in a programmed transition process to help them settle in more easily and aid transition from the Primary to the Secondary phase. This programme culminates in a week of various activities within St Mary’s in July before students join us in September.

Students who leave us to go on to Further or Higher Education, Employment or Training are guided onto the appropriate pathways and are invited to continue seek our guidance after they have left us.

Our CIASG strategy

Every member of staff in St Mary’s, whether teaching or non-teaching is fully committed and involved in CIASG delivery in some form at every stage of a student’s development. This could be as a personal tutor, a learning mentor, a teaching assistant, head of year or a subject teacher. Several staff have professional experience within the framework of IAG and are supported by an independent Careers Adviser, who is in College every day and is supported by an additional advisor assigned to us by the LA.

The College holds a Gold Standard Award for the excellent careers, guidance and support it offers its students.

Date of next strategy review: September 2024

One to one careers interviews

Every student in Year 10 and 11 is offered a 1-2-1 careers interview. Some students have more than one interview. Feedback is sought after each interview and a career plan is also sent home in the post.

Some students in Year 8 are offered a 1-2-1 interview if they need additional support in choosing their GCSE options.

Mrs Connell is available at lunchtimes for ‘drop ins’, such sessions are often used to assist students in writing a CV and in preparing for work experience etc.

Visits

The College generously supports visits and trips. We engage with key stakeholders in supporting a range of experiential learning. We have a whole host of trips and visits across the subject spectrum from the Arts to Science and Mathematics [via STEM]. Activities of this sort enable learners to interact with different professions and widen their horizons. Every year 350+ pupils from Year 9 attend ACE day at the University of Hull.

Workshops

We have a thriving Medical, Health & Social Care Academy where regular workshops are held with key providers. This ensures that external agencies can support and advise our students at different and critical points in their learning journey.

Several other departments also work with external providers in order to link their subject specialisms with the reality of the workplace.

Work Experience

Students in Year 10 go out into the world of work for a week in July. Students are encouraged and supported to find their own placements. Students attend a series of planned preparatory sessions in College prior to going out on placement. Each student is provided with a work experience diary and receives a visit from College staff whilst out on placement. Each placement is comprehensively Health & Safety checked to ensure that it is safe and appropriate. There is a similar provision for Years 12/13.

• Letters of application and CVs
• CV Example Year 10
  
• Example Cover Email
  

During the 2021 Covid-19 restrictions, students were offered alternative programmes to add to their understanding of the working world. This included virtual work experience and employment-led project work.

• Getting support in finding your placement

The document below will support students in thinking about their futures and thus help inspire areas to sample for their work experience:

• Shape Your Future 2023

Resources

There is a Careers Service office situated within the LRC, where students can access paper and computer-based information and resources. We have specific Careers resources and IAG computer-based packages for example Fast Tomato and Unifrog. Learners are introduced to these via PSHE lessons and can then use them as and when they wish in school or at home.

NEETS Record [Not in Education Employment or Training]

We have an excellent track record of ensuring that our pupils do not end up NEET at 16.
The College tracks leavers to ensure that they are engaging with their planned pathway post-16.

Careers Programme

Our CIASG delivery model is one that is embedded in our pastoral and PSHE and RSE curriculum. It has been revised to cover the Gatsby Benchmarks and is regularly updated to incorporate new developments.

Opportunities for Provider Access

Several events are integrated into the school careers programme which can offer providers an opportunity to come into school to speak to students and/or their parents. Access to students and/or parents will be granted on the understanding that information and guidance offered by providers is related to technical courses and apprenticeship opportunities. Providers will be expected to meet the school’s safeguarding requirements.

Our Provider Access Policy Statement can be found below:

• Provider Access Policy Statement SMC 2023-24
  

Premises and facilities

Access to appropriate rooms and facilities will be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit.

Literature regarding events

Providers are welcome to email, provide relevant brochures and other printed material specifically related to technical courses and apprenticeships.

CV Writing

How to write a great CV - please follow the web link and guidance documents below:

• BBC Bitesize CV Writing
• How to Write a CV
  
• How to Write a CV Questions
  
• How to Write a CV: Example
  

Contact details:

Mrs V Connell
email: vconnell@smchull.org
Tel: (01482) 851136

Careers Advisor
St Mary's College
Cranbrook Avenue
HULL. HU6 7TN

Upcoming events and opportunities

Applications for the HETA Engineering Apprenticeship Programme

The next recruitment Open Event in Hull takes place on:

• Thursday 14th March 2024

Book your open evening place here: HETA Open Evenings 2023/24: Hull Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

As part of the application process this year, it is important to note that places on apprenticeship programmes are based on a "first-come, first-serve" basis due to the number of applications received during the year.

Students can apply via our website (www.heta.co.uk) or via LogOnMoveOn, Lincs2, Lincs4U.