2. This session will cover…
• Careers resources available within school for
sixth formers
• Sources of information & inspiration
• Information & advice for Year 12
• Informaition & advice for Year 13
3. Careers Resource Centre
• Books & printed resources to browse
• Prospectuses
• Computers (Moodle, Careers
Software, Facebook)
• Posters about courses/taster days etc
• HEAP: University Degree Course Offers
• Printed copy of Mentoring Database
• Resources to take away
14. Lunchtime Speakers
• Languages • Natural Sciences
• Anthropology & • Veterinary School
Conservation • Social Worker
• Politics • Apprenticeships
• Psychology • international charity
• Dentistry work
• Forensic Science • Midwifery
• Law • Textiles/Design
• Medical School • Performing Arts
18. Year 12
• Choosing courses:
– Start research early
– UCAS Course Search & KIS
– LMI & What do graduates do?
• University Open Days
• Taster days/courses
• Work Experience
• Study Abroad
• Oxbridge
• Personal Statements
19. Begin course research early in Year 12
“The most important decision for students is finding
the right course for them, rather than the right
university. This requires a huge amount of research
into the content of a degree programme and also, as
importantly, the career prospects after graduation
and whether those are of interest to the student.”
Dr Tim Westlake, Director of the Student Experience at the University of
Manchester
23. “Research the course thoroughly and be sure it’s
what they want to do rather than something they
think they should study to get a good job. Most
graduates do not need to study a particular subject
to gain graduate-level employment; studying what
they love is far more important!”
Nathalie Mortimer, Head of UK Student Recruitment, the University of
Nottingham
24. Labour Market Information (LMI)
“recruiters expect that over a third of this year’s
entry-level positions will be filled by graduates
who have already worked for their organisations –
either through internships, industrial placements
or vacation work”
“The ten universities most-often targeted by
Britain’s top graduate employers in 2012-2013 are
Warwick, Nottingham, Manchester, Cambridge, Br
istol, Durham, Oxford, Birmingham, Bath and
Leeds.”
25. What do graduates do…
– Key Information Sets (KIS)
– University web pages
– Moodle > Careers > What can I do with my
degree?
– HEAP
Aim to finish no later than 3.30pm. Want to raise awareness of the all the resources in school that are available to help you and students with post-18 decision makingWhistle-stop tour, returning to subject of personal statements at end of session to look at it in a little more depth and try a short exerciseIf it becomes apparent there’s a need to focus on any one aspect in more depth, let me know and we can arrange a further sessiontime to explore resources online at end of sessionStatutory duty on schools to provide independent and impartial IAG to Yrs 9/10/11This will be extended to include Years 8/12/13 from this September. This means that any information and advice you give must not be biased towards any one institution or qualification route.The best way you can do this for your students is to ensure they are aware of all the options open to them. I hope to be able to show you all the options today. No-one is expected to know all the details or have all the answers but I hope that, after today, you’ll know where to signpost students to find out more.
Use CRC as a resource during Mentoring but best to have a defined outcome you want to achieve with students
These resources are constantly updated.After any meetings/conferences, I update info and am constantly adding information or amending existing content
Careers information and inspiration on their phones+ new phone app in March+ now on Twitter too – www.twitter.com/SLGGSCareers
Handy for being able to see a list of all the unis that offer a particular courseAlso useful are the suggestions at the end for other similar courses that students might want to consider if they like a particular degree. Great way to be sure that students are exploring all their options.
Go to Moodle > Careers > Careers Software to get the Access CodeOr check your emails!
Also available via MoodleWould be good to encourage students to think about becoming mentors themselves when they leave
Spare prospectusesMagazinesBMJs – use as libraryDonated medical text booksDonated law text books
For students who are stuck, needing a kickstart
Encourage students to at least check the contents each weekCould use it as a prompt for discussion during mentoring sessionsSo many new opportunities – shame for our students to miss out
Poor attendance by Year 12/13 in pastSeems to be little enthusiasm? Is lunch time a bad time? When would be better?So who do they want to hear from? Please find out!
Moodle > Careers > Careers SoftwareHigher Ideas: Find courses appropriate to interests, career ambitions, and current studies Careerscape: Explore different careers and discover the skills and personal qualities required for each jobPathfinder: an online career guidance program offering job matching, interest profiling, careers information and comprehensive information on jobs, HE courses and Apprenticeships Another possible option for use during Mentoring
AllAboutCareers - Career Test Tool: find out which career sectors best suit personality, skills and interests www.allaboutcareers.com/career-testCareersBox Skills Explorer: match personal skills and preferences with different careers
Can help you identify the trendsIn 2011, 2 students entered direct into employment. in 2012 there were 24 students including Increasing number of students taking a gap year16 students went to UCA in 2012 to do a foundation diploma (more than double the number who went to UCA in the two previous years)
Looking more specifically at issues relevant to this year group
I’m introducing course search to students in Year 11Year 12s should be doing this now if they haven’t already startedSo many choices, such a big decisionA £50K investment demands quality research
Use the keywords to find courses Many courses offered as joint hons or in combo with another subjectSome degree courses such as anthropology that they’ll never have heard of – encourage them to exploreSo many courses, need time to explore so start early in Year 12
Key Information Sets (KIS): You’ll see KIS on university course web pages. The KIS comprises information which students have said they find most useful when making choices about which course to study. Some of the items are measures of student satisfaction from the National Student Survey (NSS), which is completed by final year students in the UK each year. Some of the items are from the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) which surveys students who gained a qualification from a university or college, six months after they left:Great way to compare one course with another
Important that you choose something you genuinely want to study rather than select a subject you think you should study – what are you curious to know more about?Around 70% of graduate employers recruit students from any discipline – looking for 2:1 or 1st , evidence of transferable skills and portfolio of work experienceEncourage students to develop their employability right from the very first term of their very first year at Uni. Take advantage of all the student societies, get involved in volunteering, look for internships during vacations, attend campus careers fairs etcWhat students do OUTSIDE of their studies tends to be the factor that makes them more employable!
Labour Market Information: information about the labour market (LMI), offers a helpful background and context in which to consider future careersThe biggest cuts in vacancies in 2012 were at the accounting & professional services firms and the investment banks.The biggest growth in vacancies is expected at public sector employers, retailers and engineering & industrial companies.Whilst the total number of graduate vacancies is set to increase in 2013, recruiters expect that over a third of this year’s entry-level positions will be filled by graduates who have already worked for their organisations – either through internships, industrial placements or vacation workThree quarters of the graduate vacancies advertised this year by City investment banks and half the training contracts offered by the leading law firms are likely to be filled by graduates who have already completed work experience with the employer.The largest recruiters of graduates in 2013 will be Teach First (1260 vacancies), Deloitte (1,200 vacancies) and PwC (1,200 vacancies).The ten universities most-often targeted by Britain’s top graduate employers in 2012-2013 are Warwick, Nottingham, Manchester, Cambridge, Bristol, Durham, Oxford, Birmingham, Bath and Leeds.Over half the recruiters who took part in the research warn that graduates who have had no previous work experience at all are unlikely to be successful during the selection process and have little or no chance of receiving a job offer for their organisations’ graduate programmes. (all this is in this week’s weekly careers bulletin)
Moodle > Careers > Taster Days & Summer SchoolsWeekly Careers BulletinVia EmailPosters in CRC
Complete a ‘Work Experience Request’ form at least TWO weeks before the placement begins – form available to download from Moodle or from meRefer students to WEX resources on Moodle for contacts/ideasPicture on slide is an example of the kind of WEX contact info available on MoodleEncourage students to interrogate people who are doing the jobs they’re interested in about the qualifications they took etcAlso encourage them to record their experiences and reflect on the skills gained – so important!
Best to start planning now for applications to USA. For students considering USA, have a copy of Jess Korzeniowska’s timelineGood time to start researching options in Europe (particularly Holland)Moodle > Careers > Study Abroad .
Begin wider reading for Oxbridge entryMoodle > Careers > Oxbridge
Select courses BEFORE writing PSPS must address skills/qualities/requirements of chosen coursesClues for what to include are in the course descriptions on the university websitesWill return to look at this in more depth at end
Issues relevent to students in Year 13
Moodle > Careers > InterviewsRequest mock interviewPractice academic discussions with friends/family/teacher: If these practice discussions excite an interest in the non-expert listener, then they’re doing wellLots of resources online (partic for Oxbridge) to help
Plan the yearUse time to prepare CVs – one for casual work, one for work placementsMoodle > Careers > Gap YearsMentoring DatabaseKezia (Hist & Pol at Edinburgh) said friends who hadn’t planned their gap years were not having a great experience
Increasing number being offered to students who are predicted good gradesMoodle > Careers > Not going to uni: Plus the two weblinks shown on the slide and new site just launched today, www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.ukSchool leaver programmes are structured training and development schemes , similar to graduate schemes,Typically, the schemes are tough to get onto, the entry-requirements are usually quite high, and the young people who join these programmes are offered lucrative salary and benefit packages. Can lead to good prospects with no debt.Tesco, Whitbread, Deloitte, PwC, Reeves, National Grid, KPMG, Barclays, National Audit Office
Designed jointly by universities, colleges and employers, they are available in a range of work-related subjects. less rigorous entry requirementsMore vocational/practical - combine academic study with work-based learningThey’re university-level qualifications, equivalent to the first two years of an honours degree.. One-year top-up course to convert to BA/BScOften, the tuition fees are cheaperTaught at colleges, accredited by unisTutors not involved in research (more contact time)You can search for them via UCAS at http://fd.ucas.com/CourseSearch/Default.aspx
Learn while you earnTo find out moreMoodle > Careers > Not Going to UniNational Apprentices Website: www.apprenticeships.org.ukCanterbury College: www.cant-col.ac.uk/studying-with-us/Courses/part-time/apprenticeshipsKent Apprenticeships: www.kentapprenticeships.comNotGoingtoUni.co.ukAdvanced Apprenticeships = L3Higher Apprenticeships = L4Some of the companies offering apprenticeships include Aviva, BAM Nuttall, Barclays, BT, National Grid, IBM, Rolls Royce, AirbusSome of these schemes also incorporate foundation degrees as part of the learning element
Moodle > Careers > Not Going to Uni – for a list of websites advertising local vacanciesMoodle > Careers > CVs Moodle > Careers > Interviews
Students can apply early in 2013. Don’t need to wait until they’ve accepted firm or until they know which uni they’re going to.Apply as early as possAll info and links on MoodleTalks arranged in school, booklets will be made available too
Chance to look at PS in a bit more detail
Clues as to what admissions tutors are looking for in PS are on the university’s web pages(handouts) – pick out the bits that you think would help students when compiling a PS for Sports Science at these four Unis
“unsatisfied intellectual curiosity” - does the PS reflect a desire & enthusiasm for more knowledgePlan the statement as they would an essay or other structured piece of writing . Aim for 3 main sectionspersonal & specific reasons academic suitability - make the link between subject knowledge, coursework, topics, EPQ, interests, reading and activities etcrelevant skills & qualities drawn from extra-curricular activitiesAim for 75% of PS being 1st two sections and final 25% for the final sectionDon’t let them make any unsubstantiated statements such as “I have good leadership skills” - must provide evidence for everything they say about themselves otherwise anyone could write it!Important to round off the statement with a closing sentence that reaffirms their enthusiasm and capabilityMight be helpful for students to picture the academic who’ll be reading the PSDon’t begin with statements such as “From an early age I’ve always wanted to be a……” – these are overused and have been pointed out by UCAS as being clichedDoes the PS contain lots of positive words- achieved, developed, learned, discovered, enthusiasm, commitment, energy, fascination….
General and subject specific advice available on Moodle – Law, Medicine, Nursing/Midwifery, Dentistry, Oxbridge, Vet MedStructured worksheets from UCAS and Kent Uni walk you through the process of constructing a PSSample statements available in CRC “Writing Effective Personal Statements” PDF book on Moodle with examples from different subject areasEmail former students on the Mentoring Database for advice or ask them to review your statement
So many fantastic opportunities they could be missing out onAt Uni or in the work place, they’ll have to check emails on daily basis‘The List’ from PathMakers
