Careers Programme for KS3
As part of the Learning for Life and Work Programme at KS3 (Employability Theme) pupils are encouraged to develop an understanding of their own personal skills and qualities and how these correspond with those required for particular careers.
Towards the end of KS3 a subject mapping event organised by Eye4Education forms the beginning of an 8 week careers module. This module involves Form classes visiting the Careers room, attending a talk given by the School’s Careers Adviser and completing a variety of activities such as researching databases on different careers. In addition, all pupils (parents are invited to attend) have a careers guidance interview with a member of staff. These events help pupils choose their GCSE subjects and assess their suitability for certain careers.
Careers Programme for KS4
Career Planning is taken a step further at KS4. Pupils in Form 4 learn more about entrepreneurship and employment, and the skills required, through a Learn to Earn event organised by Young Enterprise.
Pupils regularly review how their personal skills and qualities are changing. In Form 5 a series of careers talks from local professionals and interviews with a representative from the Careers Service NI take place to assist pupils with making choices about their future in the fields of education and employment. For most pupils, this culminates in their choice of subjects for AS/AL in term 2 of Form 5.
Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth
For pupils in sixth form, there is one taught careers class per week over almost 4 terms focusing on the development of employability skills and post-18 options.
They also benefit from:
● 5 days of work experience
● Talk on Health & Safety
● Accessing several computer software packages and websites to research higher education and career options.
● Talks by former pupils on their courses and careers
● Visiting university presentations (for example, QUB, University of Ulster, Newcastle, Northumbria, St Andrews, Scotland’s Modern University Tour, Scottish University Tour, Southampton, Dundee, Oxford, Cambridge, Trinity College Dublin, Liverpool John Moores, Liverpool Hope, Lancaster, SERC, Belfast Metropolitan College)
● Talks from specific university school admission tutors for high demand courses
● Talks from representatives in career areas where there is likely to be growth in the future
● Attendance at local university open days, UCAS Higher Education Convention
● U6 Practice Interview Evening
● Guidance interviews with the Careers Adviser as requested
Young Enterprise
Young Enterprise provide half-day programmes that are usually delivered to Forms 1, 2, 3, 4 & L6th. In addition, online resources are used by F4, 5 & L6th. L6th also have the opportunity to participate in the Company Programme.
‘The best careers advice to give to the young is find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it’. Katherine Whitehorn journalist
Guide to Career Entry Routes
DfE have recently published A Guide to Career Entry Routes, a concise resource offering an overview of entry routes available locally, and the progression between different levels of qualification, from Entry Level through to Level 8. The guide covers traditional classroom-based education provision, such as A Levels; vocationally-related qualifications/vocational education and training, such as apprenticeships; as well as training programmes, such as those funded by DfE. The guide can be found by clinking the link above or by following this link: https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/economy/Careers-Service-guide-career-entry-routes.pdf
Department of Economy Careers occupational information
Careers occupational information | Department for the Economy (economy-ni.gov.uk)
