• Abbey College, Abbey Road, Hollow Lane, Ramsey Cambridgeshire PE26 1DG

 Our Careers Team

 Year 10 Work Experience Week – 2024

Work Experience Week is a key part of our careers programme and this year our Year 10 students will be heading out into the world of work from Monday 10th June – Friday 14th June 2024. Students will get the opportunity to develop an understanding of how business and industry operate, build self-confidence and develop skills that will help to prepare them for the responsibilities and opportunities of adult life. In order for students to also gain valuable job-hunting experience we encourage them to take responsibility for planning and finding their own placements.

This year the deadline for finding a Work Experience Placement and handing completed forms into the careers office is Friday 8th March 2024.

If you have any questions, or concerns about this process please contact Charlotte Wilson as Work Experience Co-ordinator at  

CEIAG Event (Careers Fair):

Each year we organise a CEIAG (Careers education, information, advice and guidance) event, where students can find out about a wide variety of careers and ask questions on a one-to-one basis.  The CEIAG event can provide many ideas for possible careers and should ensure that when students are choosing their GCSE options later in the academic year, they will have some idea of the qualifications they require to pursue a chosen career path. Our next Careers Fair will be held in 2024.

Parental/Carer Support:

Please see the attached PDF document on the right hand pane to give a few guidelines on how you can support your child's future decisions.

Also please keep your eye out for our newsletters issued throughout the academic year.

 

Unifrog

 

Unifrog is an online platform that supports secondary schools to deliver their statutory duty to provide students with impartial and independent guidance on the full range of post-school options. The platform is particularly helpful because it is the only place students can compare every undergraduate university course in the UK as well as international opportunities. Additionally, the Unifrog platform allows students to access FE courses and the most comprehensive list of apprenticeships available across the country, including higher, SLP and degree apprenticeships.

Once students have explored their interests and compared the full range of pathways available to them, Unifrog provides one place for students to draft all materials needed for applications such as CVs or Personal Statements.

All students in Years 7 - 13 now have access to this website, in keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers guidance and tailored support when choosing their next step after school.

If you would like more information on Unifrog please visit their website here. www.unifrog.org

Employers and Alumni:

Our careers programme includes regular interactions with local employers and alumni, giving students the opportunity to engage directly with the world of work through a combination of face-to-face visits and virtual talks. It is our hope that the Alumni can inspire our students and broaden their aspirations for their future

These interactions are fundamental to the success of our careers programme so if you would be interested in sharing your knowledge and experience please do get in touch:  

 The Career Development Framework

Careers provision at Abbey College is linked to the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks for good practice and the CDI (Careers Development Institute) Career Development Framework.
The CDI’s Career Development Framework describes the six career development skills that people need to have positive careers.
These six skills are the learning areas that career development programmes and interventions should focus on, with individual having the opportunity to engage with all of these.

Click here for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employer Engagement

PAL Legislation:

The update provider access legislation (PAL) - (please see the attached document (Careers guidance and access for education and training providers)has now been enacted. It specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education for all their students:  

  • Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend 
  • Two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend 
  • Two encounters for pupils during the ‘third key phase’ (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend 

This new legislation will become a key mechanism to further help learners understand and take-up, not just apprenticeships, but wider technical education options such as T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications.  

As well as working with Growth Works, the following organisations have also supported us in recent years by attending a variety of our careers events to help our students prepare for their futures.

Veolia

Breheny

ARU Peterborough

NHS

The British Army

Kier Integrated

     Ensors Accountants

Cambs Fire and Rescue

Caterpillar

Whiting and Partners

TESCO

The Royal Navy and Marines

The Royal Air Force

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

WEBTEC Products Ltd

Blue Prism

Urban Dance Academy

BAE Systems

Northampton University

G's Fresh

 

Below are a few pictures from our most recent 2023 events/activities : (Click on each image to enlarge)

 

 

Post-16 & Post-18 Options:

We would like to make you aware of the Employer Services offer from the County Council that may be of support for those students and their parents/carers who are not looking to go on to further education.

Please see the link below to the Learn Together site and local Post-16 job vacancies that provide training as per the Raising the Participation Age (RPA).

All vacancies are up to date and can be filtered into sectors via the spreadsheet into businesses etc so that preferences can be prioritized.

The site is updated everyday and is secure within the County Council system.

Local Job Vacancies for 16+ and Apprenticeships Information - Learn Together (cambslearntogether.co.uk)

 

For more information about T-Levels, Apprenticeships, A-Levels, Traineeships etc.... please follow the link below:

 Post-16/Post-18 Options

 

Labour Market Information (LMI):

What is LMI?

LMI effectively describes the world of work – ranging from descriptions of different careers, their entry routes, promotional prospects, salaries paid, skills and qualifications needed, etc. Crucially for young people, LMI also covers future demand – what kinds of jobs will be in demand after leaving school and what kinds of skills will be needed?

Why is LMI Important to Young People?

‘It is vital, in an environment where new industries are emerging and many of the most important jobs of the future don’t yet exist, that individuals have access to high-quality labour market information and earnings data to underpin their choices’. Anne Milton MP

Please use the links below for useful websites regarding LMI locally and nationwide:

Local:

Cambridgeshire Insight

Nationwide:

Careerometer

LMI for All 

Please click on the image below to see LMI for our local area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Useful Websites

There are many useful websites that will help with your childs future and career choices, please see the attached document for a full range.

Please also see the attached document with the update to date websites for other Local Further Education and 6th Form Colleges.

A few more useful websites for you to try.

Suitable for students in Year 9 and above, Youth Employment UK have created a free downloadable booklet which contains tips and activities to boost skills, knowledge and confidence with topics such as ‘Choosing a Career’, ‘Pathways’ and ‘Volunteering’.

https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/free-skills-careers-activities-booklet-for-young-people/

Suitable for all years, The Buzz “animal” quiz is a quick and fun way to better understand your strengths and how these can relate to your career choices.

The quiz is free and takes just 5 minutes: https://icould.com/buzz-quiz/

T-Levels:

We have attached a document to explain T-Levels or please click on the following link for more information:

T-Level Information

Meridian Trust Careers website:

Meridian Pathways (meridiantrust.co.uk) 

Resources:

Students have access to a well-resourced careers library in our Careers Hub, with a wide range of current publications and prospectuses. There is also careers computer software which can be accessed from any of the school’s networked computers. If students have a query or want to talk to someone face to face, then they can call at the Careers Hub and see Ms Pollard or Mrs Wilson. We use the website Unifrog for students to research and build their careers plans. 

The information on the careers page website is reviewed and updated annually. The next review will be January 2025.

 

 

 

Careers & CEIAG Support