Students

There has never been a time when careers guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. The landscape of education, training and employment opportunities that students need to navigate is more complex and more challenging than that faced by previous generations. While the economy is beginning to recover from the recent recession, levels of youth unemployment and under-employment are still high. The raising of the age for participating in learning means that young people face a wider range of choices of courses and places to study.

Qualifications such as GCSE and A level are changing, and opportunities in higher education extend now beyond the UK to other parts of Europe and further afield. Students need help to make choices and manage transitions: they need good quality careers education, information, advice and guidance.

The careers plan sets out how Workington Academy intends to provide a good careers programme with the available resources which will provide our students with the knowledge, inspiration and ability to take ownership of their own career action plans which will enable them to succeed in their chosen career paths.

The plan is based on the DfE document “Careers Guidance and Inspiration in Schools” dated March 2015. The main outcomes of the plan (over the coming years) is to achieve the 8 recommendations of the Gatsby report “Good Career Guidance” dated 2014.

Careers education does not just mean informing students about their options after school but also how their school career will affect their futures. It is our statutory duty to ensure that all pupils receive independent, impartial advice and guidance regarding all options within school and how they will affect their options after school and which careers pathways will become available to them. By helping students with decisions at crucial stages, informing them of all their options and introducing them to the world of work, we aim to prepare them for life after school whichever path they choose.

We believe that at Workington Academy we offer good advice and guidance for our young people. The Careers and Enterprise company provide the ‘Compass’ tool in order to assess and evaluate the schools’ current careers practices and procedures. Our progress towards achieving the eight benchmarks identified as key for outstanding careers provision are outlined below:

We know that you want to be successful and have a successful career. As students we ask that you:

• Regularly access Unifrog to explore opportunities available at 16 and 18.
• Regularly log activities and competencies via Unifrog as a record of your experiences to build up your C.V. and information for future applications.
• Complete tasks relating to careers education that are set via Firefly.
• Take part in all trips and visits provided relevant to the year group you are in.
• Actively participate in careers lessons delivered through RE/PD lessons.
• Engage with our Future Friday programme to find out more about different careers.
• Attend relevant CEIAG talks and fairs.
• Engage with our Skills Builder programme delivered through form time and all curriculum lessons.
• Complete questionnaires and surveys about the effectiveness and usefulness of careers events.

We continue to recommend that all students regularly log-in to Unifrog to conduct searches and log their activities and competencies weekly. Information and self-help material are available on the student careers page on Firefly. Below are additional resources that can be used with young people to support their decision-making processes.

Resource	Description
www.yeuk.org.uk	YEUK is the leading campaigning and membership organisation dedicated to tacking youth unemployment in the UK
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/	Provide information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work
www.icould.com	Features films of real people talking about their careers and the route they took
www.careersbox.co.uk	Free online library of careers related films, news and information
www.ucas.co.uk	Information about university courses and applications
http://ncfe.org.uk	Information about careers and qualifications you need
www.successatschool.org	Lots of information about careers sectors, information and advice
www.plotr.co.uk	For 11-25 year olds with articles and expert advice, plus employer profiles
www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk	Over 7000 reviews by school leavers on apprenticeships and lots of advice and opportunities.
www.getingofar.gov.uk	Information about apprenticeships with video clips and opportunities
www.healthcareers.nhs.uk	Lots of information, advice and guidance on careers in the NHS
www.notgoingtouni.co.uk	Aims to help young people make informed decisions showing opportunities outside of traditional university
www.parentalguidance.org.uk	Careers information and advice for parents and carers
www.goconstruct.org	Information about careers in the construction industry
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk	For young people aged 13-16. CV Builder, job profiles and lots more.
www.barclayslifeskills.com	To learn about life skills, interview skills, application and CV writing
www.princes–trust.org.uk	Information to help young people make informed decisions about careers
www.volunteering.org.uk	Information about volunteering in different sectors
www.bestcourse4me.com	Independent and free information that shows links between what you study, what you can earn and what jobs are available
www.applytouni.com	Information about applying to university
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk	The official website for comparing universities.
www.how2become.com/resources/ultimate–guide–tobuilding–a–cv	Information about how to write a winning CV
http://www.cumbrialep.co.uk	The Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership providing information about the current labour market.
https://www.inspira.org.uk	Information about the Labour market in Cumbria, what support is available
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk	The largest student community in the world, discussing universities, health, lifestyle, relationships and has free university application help
https://www.gov.uk	Link to Job Centre Plus and National Careers Website