Careers

 

Access to high quality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is a learning entitlement of all pupils. The Careers Department in Down High School continues to develop a wide range of innovative strategies to encourage every pupil within our school community to take ownership of his / her own individual career plan.   A dedicated Careers Team has been built up within the school and strong links have been forged with local businesses, colleges and universities. We strive to help our pupils and their parents to make informed decisions at the key transitional stages, guiding them into Further & Higher Education and the world of work.

 

The Careers Team

Head of Department	Mr K Williamson
Careers Assistant Co-ordinator	Mrs K Calvert
Teacher in charge of Work Experience	Miss L Halligan

Careers Advisors

Mr T Woods                   Mr J Gunson

Mrs S Stanley                 Mr J Simpson

Mrs J Smith                    Mrs R Adams

Mrs N Wojcieszak          Mr C Knox

Mrs A Burtney                Mrs M Emerson

Mrs H McGuire

Mrs Eileen Arnold (DELNI)

Aims of the Careers Department

1)      To ensure that all pupils participate in the Careers Education programme.

 

2)      To enable pupils to:

• develop the necessary skills to make informed decisions relating to their futures
• promote their self-development and social skills
• develop their communication skills – written and verbal
• integrate socially within the school community
• develop independence, tolerance, confidence and sensitivity to others

3) To provide:

• information and guidance to pupils and parents in relation to subject choices and Further & Higher Education
• training and practice in compiling CVs, Application Forms, Interview Skills and online UCAS Applications
• specific guidance for Medicine, Veterinary and Dentistry applicants and for Oxbridge and Trinity candidates
• information relating to student finance
• a secure structure for Work Experience to be delivered in a meaningful manner
• up-to-date information on developments at government and university level
• advice and assistance to pupils on all Careers related matters

 

4. To prepare pupils for:

• adult life through responsibility and work experience
• the challenges and opportunities of an ever-changing economic landscape
• lifelong learning, decision-making and personal development

 

The Careers Programme

The aim of the Careers Guidance Programme is to make pupils curious about the rapidly changing world of work and to help pupils as individuals to make informed decisions about their career pathways.

“Each young person is entitled to the best possible Careers Education and Guidance. It can make the difference between a false start and a successful career.”

(Better Choices, DfEE 1994)

Key Stage 3 (Yrs 8–10)
The Careers Programme in the Junior School is an element of the Learning for Life and Work programme known as Employability. The Employability strand is taught in a 12 week course and deals with:

• Introduction to Employability
• Working in the Local and Global Community
• Employability
• Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Skills
• Option Choices for KS4

Key Stage 4 (Yrs 11&12)
The Careers Programme in the Middle School is also an element of the Learning for Life and Work programme known as Employability.

In Year 11 the course is 12 weeks long and deals with:

• Introduction to Employability
• Working in the Local and Global Community
• Employability
• Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Skills

In Year 12 the course is 20 weeks long and deals with:

• developing a Personal Career Plan
• identifying and developing skills
• Action Planning
• careers research
• matching Skill Profiles to jobs
• Further & Higher Education
• Routes to Entry
• Option Choices for A-Level and further study
• what employers want
• CVs, Application Forms and interview skills

Sixth Form (Years 13 & 14)
In Year 13, students receive two periods of Careers Education each week.

Year 13 students:

·         research various third-level education options

·         revise their CV

·         prepare for a mock interview

·         benefit from a range of visiting speakers

·         formally plan and report on their work placement

·         compose a Personal Statement

·         receive training in applying through UCAS

Students have access to ongoing careers advice from Mrs Calvert, Mr Williamson and Mr Woods. Prospective Oxbridge candidates attend special tutorials led by Mrs Calvert. Towards the end of the year, students begin their online UCAS Application and receive training in UCAS Apply.

In Year 14, students are given the opportunity to attend an Open Day at Queen’s University, Belfast. There are no designated Careers periods for this year group, although there is a special programme of support for those wishing to pursue a course in Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry and Law delivered by Mrs Calvert. Oxbridge entrants also receive additional support from the Careers Department. (Mr B Coffey, the Head of Sixth Form, takes the lead role in this area.)

Work Experience
In Year 13, pupils are afforded the opportunity to sample the world of work. This one- week placement provides a worthwhile insight into a working environment and also fosters greater understanding between school and businesses. Pupils observe working relationships and structures in action. This is an essential element to successful Career Planning.
Miss L Halligan works with Charter who issue local placements. They establish placements, check that companies are adequately insured and ensure that the placement will offer a genuine work experience. Miss Halligan also organises a team of staff to visit students during their work placements to monitor and assess progress or indeed any issues that may have arisen. Students keep a diary of their work placement and write a report when they return to school.

Mock Interview Evening
This provides our Year 13 students with their second taste of ‘real life’ as local business people and employers give up their time to provide an excellent interview experience in line with current recruitment trends. Students give a 5-minute presentation followed by an interview. Verbal feedback is provided immediately and a written assessment is given to students to help them to review their technique prior to future interviews. We have an excellent group of interviewers who work in pairs and, as a result, we can often match our students to the job/specialist areas of our interviewers. The support that we have for this event from the local community is second to none.

 

Careers Dept - Teambuilding Day for Year 13

 

UCAS
The vast majority of students in Down High will apply to university; as a result we have an excellent, well-organised and successful UCAS procedure managed by Mrs K Calvert.
Year 13 students receive information and guidance on applying through UCAS and writing Personal Statements. They also carry out extensive research on universities and courses that may be of interest to them. In June, Year 13 students attend a UCAS Training Day in which they register online and formally begin their UCAS application. Parents are invited to an UCAS Information Evening to ensure that they remain fully involved in what are life-changing decisions for the students involved. Completion of their UCAS Application is therefore a priority for students during their summer vacation. This ensures that they are ready to submit their application for the final checks at the start of Year 14.  
Students are encouraged to use their free time to research courses and institutions, write their Personal Statement and complete all details on the UCAS form. Students are assisted throughout by the Careers Department. This help consists of individual guidance for every student on how to complete the UCAS application (especially the Personal Statement). Down High School is very fortunate that Mrs Kathleen Calvert is constantly available in the Careers Library, assisting students and parents with any queries that they may have.

Extra preparation for Oxbridge and Med/Dentistry/Vet candidates

From the start of Year 13, prospective Oxbridge and Med/Dentistry/Vet candidates receive additional coaching through university-style tutorials. Down High School is also currently exploring new ways to raise the aspirations of particularly gifted pupils at an earlier age.

Mrs Calvert pioneered a new initiative in 2010, bringing outside specialists into the school to prepare Oxbridge and Med/Dentistry/Vet candidates for interview. The students who took part found it to be an immensely useful experience. This forward-thinking initiative is now going to be embraced by the wider Lecale Area Learning Community (representing all of the secondary schools in the Downpatrick area) and possibly expanded to include applicants to Nursing and Teaching courses.

Careers Guidance Interviews
In Year 10 every pupil receives a Careers Guidance Interview. Pupils are interviewed in pairs during a session lasting 30 minutes.

The pupils have the opportunity to:

• discuss their individual needs, including subject choices
• research their areas of interest using ICT and literature
• discuss their transferable skills and qualities
• recognise the skills they need to develop

After completing the Employability programme in Year 11 each pupil carries out the Getting Connected survey that is facilitated by DEL(NI). Pupils are categorised as Green, Amber or Red, enabling the Careers Advisers to identify the type of guidance each pupil requires. Those in the Green and Amber categories are interviewed by Down High Careers Advisers and those in the Red category are interviewed by Mrs E Arnold from DEL(NI).

In Year 12 every pupil receives a Careers Guidance Interview. Pupils are interviewed individually in a 30 minute session. Pupils have the opportunity to:

• discuss their individual needs and subject choices
• research their career using ICT and/or Literature
• focus upon their own personal skills and qualities
• recognise the skills they need to develop
• seek advice and carry out research on Further & Higher Education courses

In Sixth Form different members of staff (including the Head of Careers, Careers Assistant, Academic Tutors and Head Teacher) interview students at various stages throughout their two years of A-Level study.

Our Careers Advisers will never tell a pupil what they should do for a career; they will simply point them in the right direction in order to help them to make informed choices. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own future by carrying out individual research and keeping up-to-date with changes in courses and entry requirements. This is an important skill that our pupils continue to use after they leave school. Careers Education and Guidance is about preparing pupils for what comes next and encouraging them to take their place in the modern world.

 

 

The Careers Library
The Careers Department is based in the Careers Library, which is resourced with ICT facilities, prospectuses, books and magazines. The Careers Library has an open-door policy for Sixth Form students, whilst Junior and Middle School pupils are encouraged to visit during break and lunchtime. Mrs K Calvert is in the Careers Library every day and other members of the Careers Department are frequently available.

STEM
In response to current Labour Market Information and government guidelines, the Careers Department promotes the value of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as attractive career pathways for many pupils. The Invest NI website identifies growth areas in our regional economy (including the Agri-Food Sector, Renewable Energy, Finance, Tourism, Small Businesses, Life Sciences and Software Development). There is a very high uptake for STEM subjects in Down High School, but the Careers Department is trying to encourage pupils to become more discerning in regard to the STEM pathways that they may pursue.

In addition to the STEM options, pupils in Down High School are also encouraged to take a balanced approach when making their subject choices. The business world is crying out for more linguists and a foreign language is viewed as very useful if a pupil is interested in mastering computer programming. Literacy and communication skills are also highly valued in the workplace and traditional grammar school subjects (including English Literature, History, Geography and Religious Studies) develop these transferable skills. Down High School also offers a wide range of applied subjects which are popular with many pupils and are relevant to a wide range of career pathways.

Lecale Area Learning Community and Careers
Careers teachers and advisers from throughout the Lecale ALC meet several times a year to share good practice and co-ordinate some of our activities. Very strong relationships have been formed and the over-arching aim is to share knowledge, resources and expertise for the collective benefit of all of the young people of this area. An obvious example of this effective collaboration may be seen in the promotion of STEM across the Lecale area. It also makes sound economic sense to share the expense of interview workshops and other employability initiatives amongst all of the interested stakeholders. 

Calendar of Events
In addition to the core programmes outlined above, other events are facilitated by the Careers Dept in order to support the programme, build links with outside agencies and give pupils a better understanding of the world of work.

 

Event	Date	Year Group
QUB University Visit	September 2011	Year 14
Focus-group: preparing for Oxford and Cambridge	Ongoing	Year 14
Presentation on Employability Skills	October 2011	Year 13
Team-building and decision-making workshop	November 2011	Year 13
Careers Information Evening for Year 10 parents	December 2011	Year 10
Interview prep - Nursing, Teaching and Social Work	December 2011	Year 14
Learn to Earn	January 2012	Year 10
Work Experience	Jan - Feb 2012	Year 13
Lecale Year 10 Careers Convention	February  2012	Year 10
Focus On…(new subject information sessions)	February 2012	Years 10 & 12
YENI Master Class	February 2012	Year 9
Scottish Universities	February 2012	Year 13
Mock Interview Evening	March 2012	Year 13
Cambridge & Oxford Student Conference	April 2012	Year 13
Your School, Your Business	June 2012	Year 8
Personal Economics	June 2012	Year 11
“Experiencing Cambridge”	June/July 2012	Year 13

 

Students are provided with information about other events and encouraged to go to any that are relevant, e.g. Pre-Law Day at UUJ, SERC Open Days etc.

 

Useful Links

1. Careers Service - www.careersserviceni.com

2. UCAS- www.ucas.com

3. Job Explorer Database- http://jed.c2kni.net

4. Subject Choices and Careers Options - http://connexions-direct.com

5. STEM-related careers - http://futuremorph.org

6. IT/Computer Science careers - http://bringitonni.info

7. Best UK universities – http://thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk