Careers Advice

careers

At Wave Multi Academy Trust we are passionate about supporting pupils through the process of deciding upon the direction they take after finishing school. We provide impartial guidance and advice on further education, training or employment across KS3 and KS4 and involve many outside agencies such as employers and education providers.

If you have any queries about careers, further or higher education or work experience please contact your school or e-mail enquiries@wavemat.org

Wave Academy – Student Entitlements

Key Stage 3

By the end of Key Stage 3, you will have been supported to:

Complete a personal profile describing your strengths, skills and interests
Be able to name at least 3 jobs/careers/sectors where you could use your strengths, skills and interests
Be able to describe the main options in post-16 education or training
Take part in at least 3 employer led activities (visits to workplaces, guest speakers etc.)
Complete a first draft of a CV, a job application and a mock interview
Make decisions about GCSE options for Key Stage 4

Key Stage 4

By the end of Key Stage 4, you will have been supported to: 

Review and update your personal profile, describing your strengths, skills and interests
Be able to name at least 3 jobs/careers/sectors that you would like to work in
Describe the steps you need to take to enter your chosen job sectors/careers
Take part in at least 2 more employer led activities (visits to workplaces, guest speakers etc.)
Update your CV
Complete a range of job applications
Participate in a mock interview
Take part in at least one work experience placement
Visit at least one local College of Further Education
Speak to at least one apprenticeship provider
Speak to at least one Higher Education provider
Discuss your plans for the future with a qualified Careers Adviser and draft a Careers Action Plan
Decide on a first and second choice option for post-16 education or training
Complete applications and interviews for your first and second choice post- 16 options

NB Pupil entitlements are the list of learning and experiences that each pupil will have during their time at Wave. These are expressed in externally facing, ‘pupil friendly’ language and are taken directly from the framework of learning outcomes on the next page.

Wave academy – Learning Outcomes

KS3 – Year 7-9

Pupils are encouraged to identify personal traits, strengths and skills and develop confidence and have high expectations of themselves.
Pupils are encouraged to think about what they might like to achieve after school and the different pathways open to them to encourage ambition.
Pupils’ aspirations are raised through visits to workplaces and employer encounters in the academy/online. (minimum of one meaningful encounter with an employer in every year group)
Pupils develop their skills and strengths and begin to link them to specific careers.
Pupils are encouraged to develop skills to support them to make realistic and informed decisions at transition stages.
Pupils are introduced to the world of work and how it is constantly changing through a range of labour market information and resources.
Pupils are encouraged to use careers resources and their personal support networks to find out about specific courses/careers/industries.
Pupils are encouraged to review their personal skills and strengths and how these transfer into the work place including entrepreneurial opportunities.
Pupils are encouraged to investigate different jobs, what they mean in terms of lifestyle, budgeting and a work/life balance and develop economic awareness.
Pupils are encouraged to challenge stereotypes within the world of work and traditional job roles.
Pupil begin to think about GSCEs or vocational options in terms of career pathways
Pupils start to explore the skills required to research job vacancies, write a CV, covering letter and complete an application form

KS4 -Year 10

Pupils begin CV/cover letter writing, explore how to complete application forms and develop interview techniques.
Pupils are provided with opportunities to find out more about pathways open to them including college and university experience days, talks from and visits to apprenticeship providers and other training opportunities.
Pupils’ economic awareness is developed further, and pupils are encouraged to think about their employability, which pathways/careers appeal to them and to identify and set themselves realistic future goals.
Pupils are supported to access a relevant work experience placement with a local employer. (including researching, contacting, preparation, experiencing and reflecting on the placement). **
Pupils are provided with a 1:1 interview with an independent careers adviser. **

KS4 - Year 11

Pupils review their progress towards their skills and strengths development and agree a personal action plan to identify what specific action is required to achieve their future goals.
Pupils are supported with post 16 choices and encouraged to consider all their options including further study in 6th form and apprenticeships.
Interview techniques and self-presentation skills are further developed through mock interviews.
Pupils are supported to understand different career pathways and entry requirements and encouraged to make contingency plans should results be better/worse than expected and set personal targets for development.
Pupils are encouraged to attend careers fairs, talks, college open days and taster days with employers.
Pupils are supported to complete post 16 applications.
Pupils are further assisted with CV writing and encouraged to have a completed CV and cover letter and online application forms.

Measuring and assessing the impact of the careers programme on pupils

At Wave we believe it is very important to assess the impact of our careers programme on our pupils. We do this in a number of ways.

1. We identify and analyse the destinations of our Year 11 pupils taking into account their prior attainment. For Year 11 pupils, we record pathways including:

GCSE Results
Level 1 courses
Level 2 courses
Employability certificates
Analysis of sector based outcomes to ensure our advice is relevant to the jobs available and to ensure that we promote equality of opportunity

The proportion of pupils going onto:

Apprenticeships
Traineeship
FE College
School Sixth Form
Sixth Form College
Employment with Training
Other
At risk of becoming NEET

2. Working with Careers South West (CSW) we track pupils from the end of Year 11, identifying and reviewing where pupils leave or change courses/apprenticeships.

3. During the Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms we will obtain the views of pupils on the Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) they received during their time at the academy. We ask all Year 11 to complete an on-line survey to find out their views on individual elements of the CEIAG programme and their overall assessment of the programme. In addition, our Enterprise Advisers (business volunteers who support the academy develop its careers provision), meet representative groups of Year 11 to find out more about what they liked and disliked about the careers programme and ways they believe it can be improved.

4. We value the views of parents and carers on how well we have helped them to support their child or children make rational informed career decisions, this will be done by using an on-line survey during the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms, results are then evaluated to help inform and improve the careers programme.

5. Business volunteers are asked for their feedback on each individual careers events that they take part in, such as ‘I Love My Job’ talks, a speed networking session or mock interviews. In addition, the school’s Enterprise Advisers evaluate the careers programme from a business viewpoint and collate the views of other business volunteers during the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms, results are then evaluated to help inform and improve the careers programme.

Student Area

Wave Multi Academy Trust wants you to have a successful future! In order to achieve this, you will take part in the activity below during your time with us:

Explore different roles and the job market

Find out about courses and pathways

Build your skills and strengths

Helpful guides

Parent / Carer Area

Education Options

There are a variety of educational routes available to students when they leave Example School. Click each button below to find out more:

Types of jobs

Pupils who have a vision of where they want to be in the future may find it easier to plan their next steps more easily. To help pupils and parents to get an idea of what types of jobs are out there we would suggest looking at a number of these websites:

Local opportunities

With developments in technology there are now numerous jobs that did not exist 10 years ago. It is important to keep up to date with what is happening locally, nationally and internationally.

Get Involved

Wave Multi Academy Trust work with a number of businesses who support our careers programme. If you or your business would like to support our activities in the future, please let your academy's ‘Careers Leader’ know.

Employer Area

Local businesses – we need your expertise!

At Wave we are busy growing your employees of the future. We need your help to raise their career aspirations, develop their employability skills and learn more about the exciting industries in the South West.

Inspire young minds

Being part of our business support network will provide you moments of great satisfaction but striving to make a difference can also be an exciting challenge! Having employers like you helping to inspire young minds and transform attitudes through a range of activities and opportunities is the foundation of an excellent careers programme as set out by the Gatsby Foundation’s eight Benchmarks of good practice and the Careers and Enterprise Company.

Wave has the benefit of a key business volunteer who works with us on a strategic level, encouraging the development of our careers programme and connecting us to the business community across the county. This role is recognised nationally as an Enterprise Adviser (EA) and they are part of the Cornwall Careers Hub and Heart of the South West, community of support driving the connection between careers education and the business sector.

For information on how to become a Enterprise Adviser go to: Volunteer as an Enterprise Adviser | The Careers & Enterprise ...

Ways to support

Be part of our Mock interviews with Year 10 or 11 students and help them structure their CVs
Get involved in extracurricular clubs and activities
Give an inspiring talk based on your industry or job role
Provide a coaching/mentoring service through a structured programme
Run a hands-on workshop with activities relating to your area of expertise
Be part of our discussions about pathways after school, e.g. apprenticeships
Help champion specific issues and challenge barriers in the workplace around gender stereotyping, disability etc.
Help bring a subject lesson to life by linking it to your industry
Offer a work experience placement for students at your business premises
Become an ambassador supporting employment routes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and offer a work experience placement that is co-supported by the school
Provide a Supported Internship opportunity

What to expect

By getting involved you will not only be supporting future workforce development and helping to broaden the minds of the young people but you will also be developing new skills for your staff, forging community links and building a positive profile for your company.

We will support you throughout your visit to us to ensure we maximise the use of your valuable time.

Get Involved

Wave works with a number of businesses who support our careers programme. If you or your business would like to support our activities in the future, please let your schools ‘Careers Leader’ know.

Teacher Area

Wave is committed to providing high quality Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance to help inspire pupils and to enable them to make rational informed career decisions. Wave aims to meet all eight Benchmarks identified by the Gatsby Foundation.

Commitment from all subject areas to:

have a prominent display that links subject learning and skill development to different careers
develop links with businesses and organisations
to invite alumni and other external speakers to come into school (virtually where an actual visit is not feasible)
where appropriate to organise external visits by students to local businesses/organisations
record careers learning opportunities for students in schemes of learning
take part in whole school ‘Careers Days’ where all teachers start their lesson with a careers focus, such as talking about their career pathway or showing a short film where people in a range of job roles explain the relevance of skills developed in a particular subject area to their role.
explore the possibility of developing real projects/challenges for students with a local business or organisation e.g. a local company setting IT students the task of designing/updating their website
consider the needs and interests of all students and ensure that information challenges stereotyping including gender and disability

Subject teachers will be supported to develop and integrate careers learning opportunities into their schemes of learning through INSET sessions. This will include the opportunity at least once a year, to meet representatives of local businesses and organisations on the school site.

Useful Websites: