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. The Gatsby Benchmarks are an 8 point framework that we meet: 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.
If you are a business leader or employee and could offer us support please do get in touch.
National Careers Week (NCW) is a celebration of careers guidance and free resources in education across the UK.
Latest Careers News
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. 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. 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). 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. Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Year 13 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: 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. Video: Hertfordshire Labour Market Overview For sector-specific information about career pathways in Hertfordshire, check out these 8-10 minutes clips: 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. 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 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. 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 : For our Careers Policy, please click HEREApprenticeships
Parents/carers can also access a parent-focused zone which is very useful for those who are unfamiliar with apprenticeships Parent Zone – Amazing Apprenticeships.
There is a parent and carer pack too which you may also find useful. Parents_and_Carers-_Pack_December_2023.pdf (ctfassets.net)
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 Spring 2024)
Programme of work related learning
Labour Market Information for pupils, parents, teachers and employers.
For more information about other districts in Hertfordshire please visit: https://www.hopinto.co.uk/questions/labour-market-information/
Virtual Employer Encounters
Work Experience Programme
Skillsometer
Labour Market Search Tool
Useful Documents & Links
