Careers Programme

There are a number of links and resources listed below to help support your child’s future pathway and answer any questions you may have. Parents/carers also have access to our online OLC which has a number of resources and leaflets about the different types pathways available such as; sixth form, T-Levels, Apprenticeships and University. Your child also has open access to Miss Fletcher our in house careers advisor, either on an ad hoc basis or planned meetings. We offer a variety of services to help parents/carers engage with their child’s careers advice, guidance and support. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you wish to discuss how we can support your child together.

We welcome feedback from parents on any aspect of our careers programme by completing the form link below.

Parental Feedback

Employers are extensively involved with the school, as patrons, partners, governors and mentors. They help to shape the curriculum, through an employer forum which meets five times each year. Consequently, the school is able to respond quickly to local needs and changes to employment patterns. The school is extremely well integrated into its locale and the construction and built environment sector. It is successfully helping to address local employment priorities within the sector and regeneration priorities in the Black Country. - (Ofsted, 2018)

A substantial number of employers work closely with the UTC to develop and deliver a programme that offers students an authentic experience in the workplace. Throughout the year, opportunities may arise and vary, but a typical programme will incorporate Work Experience, Mentoring, Careers Advice and Guidance, Employer Projects, Mock Interviews, Guest Speakers, Site Visits, and the list goes on. The Work-Related Learning Programme is coordinated to complement the wider PSHE and Careers Programme. We frequently receive feedback from employers and others remarking on the preparedness of our students for employment. Links can be found below with provisional activities for each year of the Work-Related Learning Programme. Provisional activities for each year of the Work-Related Learning Programme can be located by clicking the links below.

Our work related learning program is reviewed every academic year. The next review is July 2023.

Effective careers education in all years helps students to plan their next steps in education and employment. Employer mentors provide much helpful support and knowledge, especially of the construction and built environment sector. Students told inspectors that they valued the support and advice from their mentors. Several were particularly appreciative of the high-quality work placements that mentors had helped them to secure - (Ofsted, 2018)

It is okay to be unsure of what your next step might be. Through our time with you, we will help you develop your understanding of the opportunities available within the sector as well as beyond. Try the Buzz quiz or Skills Health Check below for and little fun and self-discovery.

Buzz Quiz

Skills Health Check

As a UTC, we commonly have an equivalent number of students at 16 years of age who choose to pursue a Level 3 (Sixth-Form) study as those choosing a college to follow a pathway into a trade apprenticeship. At 18 years of age, approximately half of our students follow the pathway to University while the rest follow a higher or degree apprenticeship. Both routers are equally valuable, and students will be well prepared from their studies at the UTC for continued success. For a structured breakdown regarding the levels of qualifications, please click on the link below.

What qualification levels mean

There is no doubt that going to University is a substantial financial investment in your future, with the trade-off being measurable benefits such as job satisfaction, lifelong earning potential, and increased life expectancy. For those that choose to pursue a degree level apprenticeship, you will benefit from being funded by your employer, and you will study on a part-time basis over the span of 5 years, enabling you to earn whilst learning at a steady pace. Whichever pathway is right for you will depend on many things. Below you will find further information about how University financing works.

What is LMI?

Labour Market Information (LMI) is a useful tool to help research future jobs in the local area, understand the skills needed for certain roles and the demand for future employment. LMI helps to break down the complex ‘world of work’– ranging from descriptions of different careers, their entry routes, promotional prospects, salaries paid, skills and qualifications needed, etc. Crucially for young people, LMI also covers future demand – what kinds of jobs will be in demand after leaving school and what kinds of skills will be needed. - Black Country Skills Factory

Why is LMI important to Young People?

The world of working is changing rapidly. New technology and industry changes create some new jobs and also make others obsolete. Alongside the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic changing the way jobs are carried out and having a huge impact on the job market, it can be hard to keep up. It is important that young people are given the tools and information to aid their decisions about future careers and LMI is a key part of this. - Black Country Skills Factory

For more information regarding the Labour Market, please click the link below and read throught the booklet.

LMI Booklet

National Apprenticeship Week 2022 - Evans and Finley Part 2

Watch the video, made by the Midland Metro Alliance, and find out how apprenticeships may benefit you on the Careers Programme.

Here at Thomas Telford UTC we work closely with the Careers and Enterprise company. This is an external organisation that was set up by the Government to support schools, colleges and employers follow the Department of Education Careers Strategy, and work in partnership with one another, by sharing good practice and spreading outstanding careers advice and guidance to every young person across the country, regardless of their social or economic background.

As a school, we ensure we use the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks as a foundation when planning our CEIAG Careers provision and, the effectiveness of our provision is inspected and audited regularly. Inspections are carried out by the Careers and Enterprise Company, using the Compass Plus Careers Benchmark Tool on a termly basis, by the Careers Leader (Miss Fletcher) and our Careers Enterprise Co-Ordinator (Carol Codner). We are currently achieving all 8 benchmarks at 100%.

All CEIAG events are evaluated by students and staff. Feedback is collected though questionnaires, student voice and interviews after each event.

The effectiveness of careers guidance is reflected in students’ destinations such as apprenticeships, sixth form and further education colleges, universities or employment. Destination data is used to assess how successfully students make the transition into the next stage of education or training, or into employment and to inform future CEIAG provision.

The CEIAG policy is reviewed annually by the Careers Leader, SLT and ratified by Governors. The next date for when the Careers Policy will need to be reviewed is September 2023.

Destinations

Please click on the links below to see how our year 11 and Year 13 students have progressed, after completing their studies with us.

Here at the UTC we welcome all providers, such as; Further and Higher education providers and employers to support further academic and vocational preparation. We want to give our students an insight into as many pathways and future careers as possible, therefore, We welcome all employers from different industries to the UTC. There are a number of ways in which you can reach students, advertise vacancies, and take part in events, such as: Work Experience; Mock Interviews; Careers Story; Employer Mentoring; Guest Lectures; Careers Fair and many more. Please contact Laura Fletcher at the UTC to find out more information.

Commitment

Thomas Telford UTC is devoted to delivering a robust CEIAG programme for all students from Year 7 and beyond, and we recognise the statutory requirements needed to achieve that. As a school, we strategically align with the 'Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership' (BCLEP) in addition to ensuring our programme fulfils the requirements of the DfE statutory guidance, the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (BCLEP)

Gatsby Benchmark

In line with the Baker Clause, we welcome other providers to come and speak to our students regarding their offerings to give them an overview of all available options including apprenticeships, technical qualifications, and A-Levels. Where possible, we will look to accommodate the request in full, however, where we are unable to do so we will liaise with external providers to deliver a compromise.

Baker Clause - Provider Access Legislation (PAL) policy statement

Introduction

This policy statement establishes the UTCs arrangement for managing the access to and from providers for students and the information we give to students regarding a provider's education or training offer. Under the policy, the UTC fulfils legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. In light of recent changes, "schools must allow colleges and training providers access to every student in Years 8 to 13 to inform them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships", our careers programme fully allows our students to access a wide range of external providers throughout their time here at the UTC.

Pupil Entitlement

All students are entitled to:

• Know about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities as part of the careers programme, which supplies details on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
• Hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships often presented through options and taster events, assemblies, and group discussions;
• Understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

The updated provider access legislation (PAL) has now been enacted. It specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education for all their students:

• Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
• Two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
• Two encounters for pupils during the ‘third key phase’ (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend

Management of Provider Access Requests

A provider wishing to request access should contact Laura Fletcher, Director of Careers. Details found below.

Opportunities for Access

There are numerous events intergrated into the UTC careers programme that will offer providers plenty of opportunities to come into the school and speak directly to the students. To find the best opportunity, contact Laura Fletcher, Director of Careers.

Premises and Facilities

The UTC will make a presentation space available for discussions between providers and students, depending on the activity and date/time required. The UTC will also make available specialist equipment to support provider presentations agreed upon in advance of the visit/event. In addition, providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature with the careers leader which will be made available to all students.