Careers and Work-Related Learning
Career preparation and Work Related Learning is of paramount importance here at Bishop’s Hatfield. As a cornerstone of our motto, Achieving our Potential and Enjoying the Journey, we believe that all pupils should have the opportunity to gain awareness of how their own unique blend of talents and interests can lead to a wide range of futures in a complex and ever changing world.
We constantly search for new opportunities for our pupils. If you have an idea or could offer us support please contact Mrs Higgins, Careers Leader (jhiggins@bishophatfield.herts.sch.uk)
The work related learning goals reflect the Gatsby Benchmarks, and focus on the development of core employability skills for a fast paced economy. These are met through subject teaching, dedicated lessons and experiences in the Lifeskills programme; combined with individual guidance sessions and a variety employer encounters in all year groups.
We work with a range of partners including the Careers and Enterprise Company, YC Hertfordshire, The Engineering Development Trust, Young Enterprise and The Rotary Club. We are members of the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (HOP) Careers Hub and enjoy sharing ideas and best practice with partner schools and businesses across the wider county. We also have strong links with local business partners, including Computacenter, Roche, Tesco, PayPoint, Morgan Sindall alongside many other small and medium sized business partners who offer work shadowing and work experience placements, talks, mock interviews and workshops.
If you are a business leader or employee and could offer us support please do get in touch.
The Gatsby Benchmarks are an 8 point framework that we meet:
- A stable careers programme
- Access to careers information
- Addressing the needs of pupils as individuals
- Individual independent careers support and guidance
- Curriculum links to the world of work
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
Throughout the year there are a wide variety of events that link specific aspects of the curriculum and to general careers skills development. This may include visits to careers conferences, visits by employers to get our pupils “careers ready” through to specialist visits to corporate locations in the world of IT, pharmaceutical, law and finance. We also have enrichment activities that enable our pupils to develop employability skills further such as our Business games – Young Enterprise.
Whole school focus weeks, such as National Careers Week and Mental Health Week challenge preconceptions about work place environments.
National Careers Week (NCW) is a celebration of careers guidance and free resources in education across the UK.
Apprenticeships
Bishop’s supports National Apprenticeship Week with a series of assemblies and sessions during registration for those keen to apply.
The ‘Amazing Apprenticeships’ website has some valuable information including short videos: Amazing Apprenticeships.
Parents/carers can also access a parent-focused zone which is very useful for those who are unfamiliar with apprenticeships Parent Zone – Amazing Apprenticeships.
Remember that there are apprenticeships for all levels, GCSE’s (Level 2), A-Levels (Level 3) and more than 100 universities now offer apprenticeships at degree level. The school are working with Services For Young People who are delivering ASK programme workshops for the Department Of Education, apprenticeships.gov.uk to raise awareness about apprenticeships in your area.
There is a parent and carer pack too which you may also find useful. Parents_and_Carers-_Pack_December_2023.pdf (ctfassets.net)
You can also listen to this recording of an information webinar that we held in association with ASK: Apprenticeship Awareness Webinar – ASK recording
Services for Young People (SYP) also produces information on apprenticeships and other training that you can apply for: Information on Jobs and Apprenticeships
Below are some hints and tips for parents/carers as well as a list of Higher and Degree Apprenticeship vacancies for 2023/2024 recruitment (correct at the time of printing).
You might also want to take advantage of an opportunity for Parents & Carers to understand their children’s career options and guide them at a Virtual Apprenticeship and T Level Careers Fair.
Wider Educational Provider Access (to be updated in January 2024)
This statement sets out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. Moreover, we welcome providers into school, and are happy to send information about the range of opportunities to our pupils and their families.
Programme of work related learning
Year 7
- Discovering Unifrog, recording activities and keeping track of careers progress.
- Using careers language and terminology
- Discovering your interests: Investigating possible pathways and utilising our IT system Wouldyouratherbe.com
- What’s your dream job? Learning from Labour Market Information
- What does success mean to you? Evaluating progress and setting goals
- Your skills, your team, your future. Introducing employability skills
- June: Guest speaker and workshop session on Branding and Sustainability with Tesco. Workshop encouraging creativity, team working and communication skills
- Career-related assemblies including apprenticeships
Year 8
- Developing the use of the IT Careers tool Unifrog and learning Skills for Careers: What are employers looking for in candidates?
- What makes a great communicator?
- Developing Teamwork and Leadership skills.
- Creating a positive mindset: responding to challenges in a positive way.
- Why is problem solving so important ?
- Careers exploration and Learning from Labour Market Information
- April: Work Shadowing Day with local employers.
- Career-related assemblies including apprenticeships
Year 9
- Further developing the use of the IT Careers tool Unifrog to make choices in Year 9: How to make important decisions.
- Using the Careers Library to learn about labour market information
- BTEC Myth Busting: the benefits of vocational courses
- Discover your competencies: Move out of your comfort zone.
- Developing skills focus: Time management and Resilience.
- Developing skills focus: Independence and Analysis.
- January: individual advice and guidance appointments with senior staff for all pupils.
- April: Employability Skills Day: Event with local employers to support the development of critical employability skills and to raise aspirations.
- Career-related assemblies including apprenticeships
Year 10
- Stereotyping and discrimination in the workplace
- Understanding employment rights and responsibilities.
- Preparation for work experience, including applications and interview technique.
- Maximising your potential: Designing an outstanding CV
- Interview skills: Competency based questions and the STAR model for responding.
- Health, safety and behaviour at work
- Awareness assemblies on Apprenticeships Myth Busting and finding Apprenticeship opportunities
- Throughout year: Individual careers guidance with the YC independent adviser, Lucy Osman.
- Mentoring programme run for small group of pupils. Includes careers guidance and trips. Runs for two years +
- Throughout year: Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award
- July: Work Experience Week: Pupils are immersed in the workplace for an extended experience which enables them to further develop employability skills and gain a deep understanding of the demands of a workplace environment.
- Career-related assemblies including apprenticeships
- January: ASK Apprenticeship assemblies
Year 11
- Coping with changes – What happens after Year 11? Making Post 16 choices
- Revisiting Apprenticeships Myth Busting and finding Apprenticeship opportunities – external speakers
- Learning from Labour Market Information
- Developing a growth mindset: Aiming high
- Careers resources for occupational research: using Unifrog independently.
- September: Post 16 Choice Event: 6th form and college tasters sessions.
- February: Generation Welwyn and Hatfield Careers Fair – Hatfield Fielder Centre
- January: Individual post 16 advice and guidance appointments with senior staff
- Ongoing: Individual careers interviews with the YC independent adviser, Lucy Osman.
- January: ASK Apprenticeship assemblies
- November: Alumni career sector skills workshop
Year 12
- Making post 18 choices
- Careers library refreshers and Learning from Labour Market Information
- Young Enterprise Company Programme competition
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Silver
- Throughout year: individual careers guidance sessions with independent advisor Lucy Osman YC independent advisor
- Volunteering – why is it such a great idea ? Community Service
- Employer led workshops and vocational talks on ad-hoc basis as opportunities arise.
- Preparation for higher education and apprenticeships: Apprenticeships Fair visit.
- Degree Apprenticeships – could they be right for you?
- Amazing Apprenticeships Talk and workshop.
- University or Apprenticeship: Which route is best for you?
- Discovering MOOCs
- Work experience preparation
- September: Using Unifrog to research future pathways
- September: Consortium Oxbridge evening
- December: University Challenge event
- November: Careers in Law visits to St Albans courts
- February: Careers in Law: Visits to Clifford Chance, London.
- Employer led workshops and vocational talks on ad-hoc basis as opportunities arise
- January: Mock assessment centre and understanding employers priorities, with Computacenter.
- January/February: CV skills workshop and LinkedIn
- March: Mock Interviews with local employers
- Spring: visits to Computacenter for students interested in business and apprenticeships.
- July: Careers Convention: talks and workshops from a wide range of employers.
- July: Work experience week.
Year 13
- Barclays Lifeskills Young People Programme: Developing employability skills and workplace confidence.
- UCAS Applications: personal statements support
- Visits to university open days
- University open day visit support – time for visits is authorised.
- Apprenticeship application support: Apprenticeships Fair visit.
- Mock interviews for applicants to apprenticeships and competitive courses
- Post-18 Options/Information Parents’ Evening
- Talks from Higher Education providers and apprentices as part of the ongoing lifeskills programme preparing students for life after school.
- Amazing Apprenticeships: Talks and workshop.
Labour Market Information for pupils, parents, teachers and employers.
Hertfordshire and Welwyn Hatfield have many local opportunities and these can be accessed through the Hertfordshire Opportunity Portal (HOP)
For students and career explorers, HOP is the premier gateway in Hertfordshire to find out about:
- Career path options
- Employment opportunities
- Apprenticeships and work experience
- Skills development and professional qualification programmes
It is also important for pupils to know which sectors are growing. These documents and video will help you to understand the local labour market.
For more information about other districts in Hertfordshire please visit: https://www.hopinto.co.uk/questions/labour-market-information/
Video: Hertfordshire Labour Market Overview
For sector-specific information about career pathways in Hertfordshire, check out these 8-10 minutes clips:
- Technology from Computacenter Technology Sector Careers
- Film, TV and Media from Elstree Studios: Film Media Creative Sector
- Construction from BAM: Construction
- Health and Health and Social Care from the NHS NHS Health / Health & Social Care
- Science Science Sector
- Engineering from Volker Engineering Sector
- Finance from PWC Finance Sector
Virtual Employer Encounters
Hearing from employers and employees is an important way of discovering potential future pathways.
Generation Stevenage is a partnership venture between Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal, Careers and Enterprise Company, Stevenage Development Board and co-organised by educational charity Stempoint East. It is jointly funded by Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Stevenage Borough Council. It has provided a series of free employer-facing events which have been a great value to both pupils and sometimes their parents too.
Through Generation Welwyn Hatfield, the Hertfordshire LEP’s skills portal Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (HOP) and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council offer a careers fair gathering an array of local employers to highlight different job sectors and opportunities open to young people in the Welwyn and Hatfield areas. This usually takes place in February and a Twilight session is also available for parents/carers to join in.
Work Experience Programme
Face-to-face work experience in real businesses and organisations is paramount for pupils to develop transferable skills as part of their ongoing and important careers education. Any opportunities to work with businesses and to hear what employers are looking for in employees is valuable knowledge and helps them to build these skills sets and experience to put on that all important CV for their future. The work experience benefits their skills and character development and enable them to step into the world outside school better prepared.
To gain these invaluable skills, Year 10 pupils are encouraged to secure a one-week placement in July with a business or organisation of their choice. A member of staff visits them during their placement.
Skillsometer
Skillsometer can help you discover what jobs you might like to do in the future. You will be presented with a series of statements. Select the emoji that shows how you feel about each statement. You will be given suggestions of jobs linked to what you most enjoy doing.
Labour Market Search Tool
Use the tool below to below to find out the labour market information on careers that interest you. Type in the job area and choose from the job titles or fields that are listed.
For ideas of dream jobs and first days at work for work shadowing and experience, please follow this link to a few interesting videos for KS3 – KS4 pupils :
Useful Documents & Links
For our Careers Policy, please click HERE