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Careers Education

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

Vision

All students will achieve excellence by embracing opportunities that raise their aspirations to prepare them for the ever changing world.

The intent of the careers programme at Hodge Hill College is to provide a stable careers programme which raises the aspirations of all students by challenging stereotypes, informs students about different pathways and careers with the support to enable students to access them. Students will experience a range of sequential encounters tailored to their individual needs which will include encounter of workplaces, an insight into further and higher education institutions and opportunities for personal guidance.

Hodge Hill College has a statutory duty to adhere to the Provider Access Policy (PAL) published in January 2023 and is working towards achieving all eight Gatsby Benchmarks by 2026.

Strategic Objectives 2023-2026

  • Objective 1: Utilising a careers advisor to provide independent careers advice to all students
  • Objective 2: Develop a programme of encounters by creating a network of employers & encounters who support the learning of careers in the curriculum.
  • Objective 3: Track and evaluate student's journey through the careers programme to ensure it is impactful

CEIAG Provision

Encounters with Further and Higher Education

Students are informed about the various opportunities available in Further & Higher Education, through assemblies from local colleges and universities such as Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College, University College Birmingham and Aston University.

Apprenticeships

We promote apprenticeships by promoting them in general terms, through employers FE & HE institutions.

Careers Fair

The annual Careers Fair is held in Year 11 and is attended by various FE providers such as BMET, Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College, Department for Work & Pensions, Cadbury College, Loconomy, etc. This enables students to speak directly with employers and representatives from colleges.

Work Experience

Students will take part in work experience after rollover, at the start of Year 11.

Careers Advisor

By the age of 16, all students at Hodge Hill College will have at least 1 interview with a qualified independent careers advisor who will produce a careers action plan for students to work towards.

Assessing Our Careers Provision

CEIAG at Hodge Hill is measured and assessed in a number of ways. Firstly, we evaluate all careers-related activity, including gathering stakeholder voices from all relevant parties. We monitor our careers programme termly using SIMS. We are supported by our Enterprise Coordinator and Enterprise Advisor. Finally, we assess learner Post-16 destinations and monitor to ensure that our young people remain in education, employment or training, continuing to support where required.

Useful Information and Links

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.

During Year 10 & Year 11 parents evening, the Department for Work & Pensions delivers a presentation to parents & students about Post-16 pathways.

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:

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

https://hodgehill.lightcastcc.com/

Other Links

Pupils

Teachers

Employers

If you are an employer who wishes to engage with our Careers programme, please contact Mrs S Jamil, Careers Leader via the following: careers@hodgehill.bham.sch.uk or 0121 783 7807.

Please follow Hodge Hill College on LinkedIn.

We actively encourage employers to get involved in the following activities:

  • Mock Interviews
  • Speed Networking
  • Work Experience
  • Careers Fair
  • Employer Encounter EventData

Data

https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/103503/hodge-hill-college/secondary

 

Our Careers Leader

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

 

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