Careers

Stevenage Education Support Centre is committed to providing students with high quality Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) regarding education pathways, apprenticeships and careers. Promoting a career development ethos is an essential part of the vision of the Centre. We aim to support the aspirations of all our students to ensure they gain the understanding, skills and experience required to make progress and succeed in learning and work. Effective careers education and guidance contributes to the wellbeing of individuals but also to the wellbeing of their families and the communities to which they belong. To achieve this aim the Centre uses the Gatsby Benchmarks to develop and improve the careers provision offered. National and Local Expectation

• We are committed to meeting national and local expectations in relation to careers by:
  Securing independent and impartial careers guidance for year 8-11 as required by the 2011 Education Act. In implementing this we will pay particular regard to the DfE ‘s principles of good practice and Ofsted’s inspection criteria for evaluating careers provision in schools, academies and PRU’s. (September 2015)
•  Fulfilling our duties under the Equalities Act 2010 to promote equality of opportunity, foster good relations across all people, eliminate harassment and discriminatory practices and support children with protected characteristics.
• Meeting the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks that support the Centre to deliver high quality careers and enterprise provision. This will help the Centre identify strengths and areas for improvement.
• Raise the aspirations all students through mentoring, group sessions and assemblies, visits to University of Hertfordshire, Enterprise events, Careers Fairs and the Apprenticeship Show

The careers programme includes careers education lessons, careers guidance activities through individual work and one to one interviews with the YC Herts Personal Advisor. Work-related learning and work experience is available for all KS4 students. They participate and attend extended work experience at local businesses in the community, gaining work related learning and preparing them for work. Visits to local businesses to understand the labour market and recognise STEM opportunities for all students in the local community are undertaken every academic term.

Work Experience (KS4)

Work Experience is always important, especially now in our current economic climate. Therefore, gaining more work related experience is likely to give them an advantage in the labour market by the time they leave full-time education.
We offer a placement with an employer for a one day a week, where students learn about a particular job. While students are working there they are able to find out about the types of skills employers look for when they are contracting someone for a vacant job. This opportunity also gives students the chance to develop communication skills and self confidence.
Some examples of our work experience placements are: The Finance Department at Stevenage Borough Council, Bob’s Tyres, Wickes, various construction companies and dog training.
It is always rewarding to hear of success stories from employers. In particular some of our employers have had such good experiences with students they offer them part-time jobs which may lead to full-time employment or apprenticeships post 16.

Steve Fuller, Assistant Headteacher, is the Careers Lead for the Centre. He can be contacted by email on: s.fuller@stevenage-esc.herts.sch.uk or by telephoning the Centre on 01438 369119.

The SESC Centre Policy for Careers, Education and Vocational Guidance can be found on our Centre Policies page or by clicking Link

National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice. This is supported by qualified careers advisers. The National Careers Service website aims to: help you with careers decisions and planning support you in reviewing your skills and abilities and develop new goals motivate you to implement your plan of action enable you to make the best use of high quality career related tools.

Plotr is a website created to help 11-24 year olds discover and explore careers they’ll love. It’s built around the Game which uncovers careers matched to their skills, interests and personality.

Careersbox is a free online library of careers related film, news and information. As the preferred digital new media partner to the Institute of Career Guidance, the largest careers body in the UK, Careersbox aim is to deliver a new way for students to explore their skills and career options.

LifeSkills, created with Barclays, is a free, curriculum-linked programme, developed with teachers to help improve the skills and employability of young people in the UK.

icould has a range of video clips showing real people talking about their jobs and careers.

Success at School is the place for young people to explore careers, get the lowdown on top employers, and search for the latest jobs, courses and advice.

The study guide section within youthspace contains a range of information including help on making options choices in Year 9, post 16 options, and getting into higher education.

Central Governments dedicated apprenticeship website has a whole range of information to help young people decide if Apprenticeships are the right route for them. You can also search for apprenticeship vacancies.

Useful Careers Websites for Students, Parents and Carers 

Further information

Further information about The Careers and Enterprise Company can be found here: https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/

Further information about The Gatsby Benchmarks can be found here: http://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance

Gatsby Benchmarks

The 8 benchmarks are a framework for good career guidance created to support schools and colleges in providing students with the best possible careers education, information, advice, and guidance.

They were established as part of Sir John Holman’s research into what pragmatic actions could improve career guidance in England and now form part of the government’s careers strategy, launched December 2017.

The Gatsby Benchmarks have a key role in: raising young people’s aspirations and promoting access to all career pathways; enabling all young people to develop the skills and outlook they need to achieve career wellbeing, including adaptability and resilience; underpinning the Department for Education guidance to schools on meeting their statutory responsibility for careers guidance.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career 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

Link Provider Access Legislation

Jobcentre Plus Support For Schools Newletter (January 2023)

SESC KS4 Careers Day Poster