Careers & Employability Strategy

MISSION CONTEXT

Croydon College has a commitment to its current and future students to ensure they receive high quality advice and guidance on their progression and continual development. We also have an obligation to ensure that students receive comprehensive employability advice and guidance; as well as opportunities to develop key employability skills both broadly and in within relevant vocational context, linked to the curriculum.

A broad and diverse study programme is regularly reviewed using links with local employers, HEI institutes in order to meet demand within the local community. Consideration is given to market data using EMSI, to ensure skills and qualifications are being delivered to meet growth in relevant industrial sectors and that the college’s offer remains current with clarity of progress and destination.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the College had not been able to deliver as strong a work placement and employer engagement programme once face to face deliver stopped in March 2020. Whilst the College was swift to switch to remote learning activities, there had been a halt to work placements; a reduction in the development of practical skills sets; and emergence of missed learning opportunities that would secure our students readiness for employment.

Working with the support of the Croydon Careers Cluster this strategy supports our careers and employability programmes ensuring they are accessible to all, sustainable and robust.

To provide high quality impartial careers education, information and guidance that supports ‘Careers not Courses’ and leads to high aspirations in chosen career paths.

GATSBY BENCHMARKS

The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework of 8 guidelines that define careers provision:

Every college should have an embedded programme of careers education and guidance that is known and understood by learners, parents, teachers, employers and other agencies. This programme should be informed by clearly defined career learning outcomes and should be supported by a strategic careers plan.

Every learner, and their parents (where appropriate), should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.

Learners have different careers guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each learner. A college’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.

All subject staff should link curriculum learning with careers, even on courses which are not specifically occupation-led.

Every learner should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace.

Every learner should have firsthand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks.

All learners should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes, and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

Every learner should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a Careers Adviser, who could be internal (a member of college staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level.

PROVIDE A STABLE CAREERS PROGRAMME

WITH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES

LEARNING FROM CAREER AND LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION EXPERIENCES OF WORKPLACES

ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF EACH PUPIL ENCOUNTERS WITH FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION LINKING CURRICULUM LEARNING TO CAREERS PERSONAL GUIDANCE

THE SIX LEARNING AREAS

GROW THROUGHOUT LIFE

Grow throughout life by learning and reflecting on yourself, your background and your strengths.

SEE THE BIG PICTURE

See the big picture by paying attention to how the economy, politics and society connect with your own life and career.

EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES

Explore the full range of possibilities open to you and learn about recruitment processes and the culture of different workplaces.

BALANCE LIFE AND WORK

Balance your life as a worker and/or entrepreneur with your wellbeing, other interests, and your involvement with your family and community.

MANAGE CAREER

Manage your career actively, make the most of opportunities and learn from setbacks.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES

Create opportunities by being proactive and building positive relationships with others.

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

• Access to highly experienced level 6 career quality staff

• Quality career resources accessible to all in Moodle

• Strong differentiated curriculum offer including apprenticeships across both campuses with a good range of industry standard facilities

• Strong commitment to ‘Careers not Courses’ and staff development

O• Expert staff with industry experience

• Strong destination data management and follow-up

• Investment in Navigate system to track progress

• Good access to employers/ feedback mechanisms.

• College slogan Careers not Courses not fully embedded

• Personal development programme is not generic/ centralised so there is not yet a standardised CEIAG offer.

• Students do not consistently access LMI

• Careers learning still seen as separate to curriculum learning in some areas

• Use of Navigate not yet fully understood

• No single point of contact for wider employer engagement or dedicated school liaison team.

• Offer in-house IAG training to progress tutors and/or teaching staff

• Support students to link learning with future career goals

• Many students are 1st generation scholars – opportunity to further engage them and parents/ supporters to ensure they are aware of all HE options including degree apprenticeships

• Ongoing review of curriculum offer linked to LMI

• Teacher exchange across campuses could enable sharing of good practice in LMI/career awareness as essential drivers across the curriculum

• Student/Staff survey data could be used to track perception of career offer and inform future training

• Maximise benefits of membership of Croydon Careers Cluster up to March 2023 then South London Partnership Careers Hub.

• Covid legacies – mental health challenges, stress, low morale, learning loss, negativity about the future, leading to confidence loss and disrupted motivation for future planning

• Competition from other providers and for employer input

• Challenges linked to the transition to T levels including work placements

• Recruitment difficulties across sector

• Local perceptions of the college are out of date and need challenging.

THREE YEAR PLAN

Promote careers not course

• Incorporate launch of strategy into SLW ensuring clear and explicit understanding of this core mission

• Include ‘strap line’ within all College messaging and provision

• Update website

• Annual report to Governors that provides and evidences oversight at the highest level

• All students (16-19s) to use Navigate to record, evaluate and own their career learning and skills development

• Encourage 19+ students to make use of Navigate

• Provide a range of cross college activities outside of individual curriculum areas

• Launch T Levels in Science and Engineering

• Launch Supported Internship programme for students with SEND

• Continue with Pathway events that include alumni and local business

• Work in collaboration with the University Centre to focus on career progression

• Further develop and embed the approach through policy and process review.

• Embed the Pathway events that include alumni and local business

• Create short student led video to ensure careers information is relevant to students

• Embed the use of Navigate in each curriculum area

• Onboarding programme to include careers related training

• Review curriculum offer to ensure it continues to meet local need

• Review ‘Careers not Courses’ approach

• Review Pathway events

• Provide a wider choice of T Levels –focusing on specific industries linked to local LMI

Create opportunities

• Secure robust WEX offer across all courses and levels

• Promote opportunities to develop employability skills through social action

• Encourage entrepreneurship

• Engage parents/carers with LMI and career pathways

• Provide careers CPD for teaching staff

• Increase number of SEND students accessing meaningful work placements

• Increase number of students accessing external work placements across all areas

• Increase range of external partners contributing to careers education

• Work collaboratively with Croydon Careers Cluster and the South London Partnership to ensure community awareness of current and future labour market opportunities.

• Monthly guest speakers in each faculty/school

• Increase range of enterprise and entrepreneurship activities to broaden aspirations

• Increase range of careers support and progression activities for SEND students

• Sustained working with Croydon Careers Cluster and the South London Partnership to ensure community awareness of current and future labour market opportunities.

• Fully embed enterprise and entrepreneurship in cross college curriculum activities

• Provide well established bespoke programmes for SEND students

• Sustained working with Croydon Careers Cluster and the South London Partnership to ensure community awareness of current and future labour market opportunities.

Support positive transitions (school to College, within College, College to University/Apprenticeship/ Work)

• Increase engagement opportunities with in-house careers guidance service

• Review IAG booking system

• Fully utilise the ‘Swop Don’t Drop’ programme – there’s a course for everyone

• Improve information gathering and communication of it within the College

• Review tracking of destination data to inform planning

• Promote and share good practice of SEND transition programmes

• Develop range of alumni events

Strengthen Employer Engagement

• Implement coordinated approach to employer engagement through a dedicated Employer Engagement Strategy

• Foster relationship with the business community through interactions at senior level

• Incorporate Access statement into CEIAG Policy

• Circulate good news stories

• Cultivate Alumni Networks

Enhance CEIAG service integration and development

• Mapping of activites against outsomes for students

• Review marketing of careers materials: intranet, website etc

• Develop Careers and Employability Steering Group to implement strategy

• Develop CPD programme for staff – both curriculum and support

• Develop parental involvement opportunities at preenrolment

• Embed the use of progression data

• Analysis of alumni – have they been successful in first year?

• Review intended destinations compared to actual destinations in a pilot area

• Detailed analysis of data to inform strategy (including uptake of degree apprenticeships, progression to university etc)

• Review alumni progression trends

• Continue to review curriculum offer –does it meet local need?

• Review intended destinations compared to actual destinations across the curriculum

• Showcase WEX success stories with potential employers

• Review opportunities for employers to ‘sponsor’ curriculum areas.

• Establish a skills hub for technical areas

• Establish employer partners to codevelop and deliver careers education within curriculum

• Embed cross college activities

• Expand CPD offer

MECHANISMS FOR DELIVERY

• Apply for Investors in Careers Award

• Apply for AoC Beacon Award for Careers Provision

Annual action plan will identify the responsibilities and accountabilities for delivery of outcomes. These will be evaluated and reviewed through the Careers and Employability Steering Group.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX

Employability

1: CAREERS CALENDAR

Introduction to Work Experience & Placements

Placement preparation (H&S / professional standards)

World of Work Team

2,3,4,5,6

World of Work Team 2,3,4,5,6

WEX and Industry Placements World of Work Team 1,2,3,4,5,6

Navigate Journey (incl skills assessments)

World of Work Team/ Tutors/Progress Coaches 2,3,4,5,6

Reflection on Work Experience Curriculum 2,3,4,5,6

Guest Speakers

World of Work Team/ Careers Team 2,3,4,5,

Employer Led Briefs / Projects

Curriculum/ World of Work Team 2,3,4,5,6

Site visits /Industry Related Trips

Curriculum/ World of Work Team 2,3,4,5,6

Industry Days

Curriculum/ World of Work Team 2,3,4,5,

Activity Owner Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Gatsby BM

Employability

Careers in the Curriculum Activities Curriculum/ World of Work 1,2,3,4

Recruitment Activities Careers Team/ World of Work Team 2,5

Interview skills; including Mock Interviews Careers Team/ World of Work Team 2,3,4,5

CV Support Careers Team/ World of Work Teams 1,2,3,8

Employability Skills Development Employability Skills Development Curriculum 1,2,3

Job Search Curriculum/Careers Team

Career Planning Progress Coaches/ Careers Team 1,2,3,4

National Careers events:

*Creative Careers Week

*National Careers Week

*National Apprenticeship week College wide 1,2,3,4,5,7

Activity Owner Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Gatsby BM

Progression

Apprenticeship Talks & 1:1 advice Apprenticeship Team /Careers Team

Preparation for Higher Education Curriculum/ Careers Team 1,3,8

Higher Education Fair Careers Team 1,3,4,7,8

Departmental University Trips Curriculum 1,3,4,7,8

UCAS SupportResearch & Application Careers Team/ University Speaker 1,3,4,7,8

UCAS Personal Statement Support (Workshops, Talks, 1:1 & Checking service) Progress Coaches/ Careers Team 1,3,4,7,8

University Assessment & Interview Preparation (Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work) Careers Team 1,2,3,7,8

UCAS Extra & Clearing Support Careers Team 1,3,7,8

Student Finance Talks Careers Team/ University Speaker 1,3,7

Job Search (including LMI) Careers Team 1,2,3

Careers Guidance

1:1 Careers Guidance at Enrolment & Open Events Careers Team 2,3,8

1:1 Transition Checks (Change of Course) Careers Team 1,2,8

1:1 Careers Guidance Appointments and Drop-in Careers Team 1,3,8

1:1 Appointments (Progression) Careers Team 1,2,3,8

Email & Telephone Careers Guidance Careers Team 3,8

Open Access Careers

Resources: Library Area & Online (Student Moodle) Careers Team 1,2,3

PROGRESS AGAINST GATSBY BENCHMARKS

BENCHMARKS & STANDARD

1. Provide a stable careers programme

1.1 Every college should have a structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of the senior management team and has an identified and appropriately trained person responsible for it.

PROGRESS AGAINST BENCHMARK

1.2

The careers programme should be published on the college’s website in a way that enables learners, parents, college staff and employers to understand it.

1.3 The programme should be regularly evaluated with feedback from learners, parents, college staff and employers as part of the evaluation process

2. Promote learning from career and labour market information

2.1 During their study programme, all learners should access and use information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options.

Head of Student Services holds role of Careers Leader

Careers & Employability Strategy in place

Termly update on progress of actions at Exec

Link Governor in place

Careers & Employability Steering Group in place to drive forward Careers & Employability Strategy

CEIAG staffed trained to level 6

College careers brand developed

Careers page and CEIAG Policy on college website

Careers page created on Moodle

Careers page expanded on website to include section on how parents and carers can support their child’s careers education

Questions on support for next steps included I our on-programme survey

Feedback from learner destination survey

2.2 Parents should be encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options to inform their support to the learners in their care.

Careersoft Job Explorer Database (JED) available to all students and staff, providing LMI for individuals and group tutorials

Links to careers resources on college website

Data on actual destinations used during curriculum planning process

Careers related sessions embedded in tutorial programme

Prospectus branded with ‘Careers n Courses’ messaging with signposting of career routes

Courses linked to jobs on the college website

Section of careers webpage for parents supporting careers education

‘Get College Ready’ booklet includes career action planning activity

Links to key website so parents can look at with their children

CEIAG presence at parents’ evenings and open events

3. Addressing the needs of all learners

3.1 A college’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations

AGAINST BENCHMARK

3.2 Colleges should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each learner, and subsequent agreed decisions.

3.3

The records of advice given should be integrated with those given at the previous stage of the learner’s education (including their secondary school) where these are made available. Records should begin to be kept from the first point of contact or from the point of transition.

3.4

All learners should have access to these records to support their career development.

3.5 Colleges should collect and maintain accurate data for each learner on their education, training or employment destinations.

4. Linking curriculum learning to careers

4.1 Throughout their programme of study (and by the end of their course) every learner should have had the opportunity to experience how their subjects help people gain entry to (and be more effective workers within) a wide range of occupations

Posters around college and in prospectus show diversity of learners on different courses

Extensive range of visiting guest speakers linked to national awareness events challenge stereotypes and broaden learners understanding of career paths

Supported Internship programme in place

Diverso programme partnership to enhance careers programme for SEND learners

IAG staff maintain records of careers meetings, interventions and outcomes

5. Encounters with employers and employees

5.1 Every year, alongside their study programme, learners should participate in at least two meaningful encounters with an employee. At least one encounter should be delivered through their curriculum area.

5.2 Colleges should record and take account of learners’ own part-time employment and the influence this has had on their development.

Records (and previous records where available) are stored on each learners My Progress Tracker (MyPT)

My Progress Tracker (MyPT) has action plan facilities that learners are encouraged to use to manage their career planning

Intended destination data collected for FT FE and actual destination data collected for FT FE, PT FE, HE and Apprenticeships

Reported to HoSs/HoFs/SMT/Exec/Governors

All learners are advised by vocational and English & Maths teachers on the importance of English & Maths to obtaining a job

Relevant industrial context information is embedded within units for vocational qualifications

Curriculum delivery mapped to industry careers and job specifications

Regular programme of industry guest speakers and workshops across all curriculum areas

Programme of vocationally relevant visits across the curriculum

Careers fair in the summer term

All employer encounters and experiences recorded on the college Navigate system

BENCHMARKS & STANDARD

6. Experiences of workplaces

6.1

By the end of their study programme, every learner should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.

PROGRESS AGAINST BENCHMARK

A minimum of 30 hours of work experience is an embedded requirement of all study programmes at Croydon College

Work Placement Officers support students to access meaningful placements

Work readiness sessions embedded in tutorial programme

7. Encounters with further and higher education

7.1

By the end of their programme of study, every learner should have had a meaningful encounter with a range of providers of learning and training that may form the next stage of their career. This should include, as appropriate, further education colleges, higher education and apprenticeship and training providers. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and learners.

Futures Fair in Spring term with range of HE and apprenticeship providers

Careers fair in the summer term

Range of university visits throughout the year

UCAS application workshops

University led personal statement clinics

8. Personal guidance

8.1 Every learner should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers advisor, who could be internal (a member of college staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available for all learners whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all learners, but timed to meet individual needs.

All learners introduced to Careers Guidance team during induction

Regular promotion of careers guidance interviews throughout the year

Careers guidance interviews offered to all learners who are uncertain of their next steps

Careers guidance interviews arranged for all learners with an EHCP on an annual basis

IAG offered at pre-application and enrolment stages

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS

AND

STRATEGY: