Careers

Careers Guidance and Development at LVA

Careers guidance and development are an essential part of the curriculum for all LVA students. It aims to ensure that students achieve their full potential academically, socially, physically, and personally. Students from year 7 onwards are given the opportunity to learn and make informed choices as maturing individuals within a global society, which encompasses making healthy choices based on the richness of what is taught enabling further development in understanding skills needed to improve their life chances for the future. As a diverse community the value of career education is a key aspect to enjoying economic well-being, work-related learning an essential component. LVA has a critical role to play in preparing our students for transitions into the next stage of their career, whether that be in education, employment, or training.

All students at LVA take part in our Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) which forms a crucial and integral part in our students’ learning and entitlement programme incorporating Gatsby Benchmarks and Government Careers Legislations.

Gatsby Benchmark 1 - A Stable Careers Programme
Gatsby Benchmark 2 - Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
Gatsby Benchmark 3 - Addressing the needs of each pupil
Gatsby Benchmark 4 - Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers
Gatsby Benchmark 5 - Encounters with employers and employees
Gatsby Benchmark 6 - Experience of workplaces
Gatsby Benchmark 7 - Encounters with Further and Higher Education
Gatsby Benchmark 8 - Personal Guidance

Parental Engagement

At LVA, we like to work closely with parents and carers to support their children in their education and future career needs. Parents/carers are invited to Parent evenings, Information Evenings, Pre NEET interviews and open Evenings. Where appropriate, we also invite and encourage Parents/carers to deliver workshops for specific career related activities. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact Ms Pastore with any queries regarding careers education.

Provider Engagement

We encourage employers, Higher Education, Further Education Colleges and other careers groups that want to engage and support the students at LVA to contact the LVA Careers Leader Ms S Brown - Career Guidance & Development Advisor using the details below.

Email: sbrown@edact.org.uk Telephone: 01992 763 666

Annual Careers Fair

The Careers fair is a great opportunity for students in Years 11, 12, 13 and 14 to begin their journey in deciding what they would like to do with their future. It is always so much easier to put the work in to something when students have an idea as to what it is they are working towards. To support students in their decision-making process, we invited a number of providers that can help students on their journey to success in both degree and alternative routes.

Why are Careers Fairs Important?

Attending our Careers Fair allows students can engage with external providers from a variety of industries and educational centers they have not yet considered or heard of.

· Multiple Possibilities for Learning about Different Careers and Courses – Obtain answers to questions about employment and education, distribute CVs to employers, register with employers, Further and Higher Education to receive information.

· Public Speaking Confidence – Face-to-face interactions will help build confidence.

· Learning – About new skills needed for different careers, opportunities available in different industries, information on new jobs opportunities.

To view Photo Gallery, click here

Who takes part in the Careers Fair?

Representatives from a wide range of colleges, universities, apprenticeship providers and ns industries. If you would like to take part in future, please contact Ms Pastore, Careers Leader at gpastore@edact.org.uk

LVA Pathways and careers guides

We have put together a range of short guides to support students at each step in their learning and careers journey:

Post-16 progression pathways

The majority of our Year 11 students choose to continue their educational journey in our highly successful Sixth Form. Please see our Sixth Form pages on this website. We have also produced a post-16 guide available here: Post 16 Progression Pathways.pdf

Post-18 progression Pathways

At LVA we support our students’ post-18 choices so that by the end of Year 13 (or Year 14) they will have either completed their university application process through UCAS, decided to take a gap year, applied for an apprenticeship, or apply for full time employment. Before the students can make these choices, they will have engaged with employers both in-person and virtually, visited workplaces, careers fairs, been taught the importance of skills they will need to benefit them in the workplace. Download our full post-18 guide here:

Post 18 Progression Pathways.pdf

Work Experience

Year 10 and Year 11 students are currently not given work experience due to curriculum time restrictions. If any student would like to participate in work experience, to enhance their knowledge and life skills, they could arrange their own work experience that could take place during school holidays. Students requiring guidance can do so by researching the work experience website links on this webpage for further information and/or obtain assistance through the school’s careers advisor.

At LVA, all Year 12 students receive the opportunity to attend a two-week work experience as well as works skills workshops which proves to be an invaluable opportunity. It gives students skills and experiences that will allow them stand out to potential employers as well as helping students choose the right sector to work in. The workshop also equips students with a number of soft skills such as team working, communication skills and commercial awareness. It is important not to leave it to the last minute to look for work experience as it could reduce your chances at obtaining a placement in a working environment that you prefer.

Download our full Work Experience guide here: Work Experience Notes May 2023.pdf

CV Writing

Putting together a Curriculum Vitae (CV) will show you in the best possible light, whether you are applying for work experience, an entry-level job or apprenticeships and similar programmes. Download our full CV writing guide here

Cover Letter Writing
A cover letter is a document you send along with your CV that is specially designed to highlight your suitability for the job you are applying for. It is the most effective way of making you stand out compared to other candidates. It gives the prospective employer a glimpse at your personality, what you actually want from the job and an insight as to why you applied.

Useful websites

https://website.u-explore.com/

At LVA, we are providing ALL students in year groups 7 to 11, the opportunity to join U-Explore Start Profile as part of our career programme. This will give each student their own individual career path that will stay with them thorough out their time at the school. This online web app allows users to learn about the world of work, the various career options available and the training you will need to get on the right path.

Start-Profile is an online careers platform designed to connect 11–18-year-olds with their future career potential. It combines the most comprehensive source of information with a personalised experience and career planning tools, helping our students to make more informed decisions about their future study and career options, as well as developing their employability. Start-Profile includes:

A student profile: students build their profile and access personalised study and career information.
Modules: activities to guide students through the information on Start at the right time.
Up to date information: engaging content on what to study, where to learn and the world of work.
Locker: an online record of achievement to evidence skills for future applications and CVs.
Employability action plan: Students can set goals and stay in control of their career planning.

www.unifrog.org/

At LVA we are providing all Sixth Form students, the opportunity to join Unifrog as part of our career programme. They help students find their future by bringing all the available information platform that helps students make the best choices for their future careers.

A University Graduate’s Guide to Boosting Career Prospects – 20 Ways to Make You Stand Out to Employers" - https://www.s1jobs.com/resources/20-ways-to-stand-out-to-employers-after-graduation/

Other Useful links

The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice. This is supported by qualified careers advisers.

The National Careers Service website aims to:

help you with careers decisions and planning support you in reviewing your skills and abilities and develop new goals motivate you to implement your plan of action enable you to make the best use of high-quality career related tools.

Careersbox is a free online library of careers related film, news and information. As the preferred digital new media partner to the Institute of Career Guidance, the largest careers body in the UK, Careersbox aim is to deliver a new way for students to explore their skills and career options.

Plotr is a website created to help 11–24-year-olds discover and explore careers they’ll love. It’s built around the Game which uncovers careers matched to their skills, interests and personality.

LifeSkills, created with Barclays, is a free, curriculum-linked programme, developed with teachers to help improve the skills and employability of young people in the UK.

i could has a range of video clips showing real people talking about their jobs and careers.

Plan your study & work. Your choices at 14, 16 and 18, explore different job sectors and how you can study and work at the same time - even to university level.

S uccess at School is the place for young people to explore careers, get the lowdown on top employers, and search for the latest jobs, courses and advice.

The study guide section within youthspace contains a range of information including help on making options choices in Year 9, post 16 options, and getting into higher education.

This is the Science Council's careers website designed to provide information for young people, their parents and teachers about the jobs available after studying maths and science? www.futuremorph.org

Enables you to explore a wide range of professional careers and provides information and articles to inspire you to achieve your dream career. www.totalprofessions.com/home

Another excellent resource to find out about jobs in the south west region. www.myworldofwork.co.uk/

Diverse career opportunities in business and technical environments with apprenticeships in in the Vehicle Repair industry. www.careers.autoraise.co.uk

The Government’s dedicated careers website, www.getingofar.gov.uk/ has a whole range of information to help young people decide if Apprenticeships are the right route for them. You can also search for apprenticeship vacancies.

Register on this website to find out about current Apprenticeship opportunities. www.gov.uk