Careers

Aims of Careers Education

  • To help pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of themselves and others as individuals – their strengths and limitations, personal qualities, interests, abilities, skills, potential, values, motivation and needs.
  • To help pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live; the major roles which people play concurrently or sequentially in various spheres of life; employment and other career opportunities available and routes of entry available to them.
  • To help pupils to develop the skills and personal qualities needed to manage their career development including the ability to make informed choices, formulate and implement personal career plans and cope with the transition from school to adult life.
  • To meet the recommendations and requirements as set out in “Preparing for Success” DENI

About the Department

Staff:

Careers Department

Mr. P Beaton: Head of Department
Mrs. K Palmer: Assistant Careers, Responsibility focus – Mock interviews and Work Experience.
Mr. N Armstrong: Senior Teacher, Responsibility focus – Oxford and Cambridge applications.

General

  • There is a well stocked careers library to which all pupils have access. These can be borrowed from the careers office.
  • There is a dedicated careers room in which pupils can spend time at break, lunch-time and after school.  By arrangement, Year 13 and 14 pupils can use the careers room during the school day when they are not in timetabled classes.
  • Visits are arranged to places of higher education, local industries, and places of work.
  • Speakers are invited on a regular basis throughout the year to address pupils on a variety of issues related to higher education and the world of work.
  • Careers officers from the Careers Service regularly assist in the delivery of the careers programme in school.
  • In Years 10, 12, 13 and 14 the integrated teaching programme, delivered by the LLW and Careers Department staff, ensures that the requirements of both are fully achieved to include careers research, a completed CV and a personal statement

Programme of Careers Education

Year 8 and 9: Careers Education and Guidance is delivered as part of the Employability component of Learning for Life and Work. Career Planning is introduced, reflected and reinforced over these two years.       

Year 10: Personal Planning takes place as part of GCSE subject choice process and runs concurrent with the Employability strand of Learning for Life and Work. A Year 10 pupil event is held in Spring term where GCSE choices are formalised.

Year 11: Careers Education and Guidance is delivered as part of the Employability component of Learning for Life and Work. Career Planning is further reflected upon and developed.

Year 12 : During Term One, our Year 12 pupils participate in an Industry Based Learning placement. They spend three days in a local business as part of their careers education and research. This programme is designed to engage students in the sectors which will take priority for the future economy of Northern Ireland. The programme develops essential employability and transversal skills, which are invaluable for pupils as they progress through their education and into future employment. 

Personal Planning takes place as part of post 16 choice process and runs concurrent with the Employability strand of Learning for Life and Work. A Year 12 pupil event is held in Spring term where post 16 choices are formalised. Final confirmation is on the publication of GCSE results. Students also complete a Summary of Achievement.

Post 16 Provision

Year 13: Careers Education and Guidance is delivered as part of the L6 extended curriculum. The programme includes:

  • Work experience in January
  • Research and Personal Career Planning
  • Researching 18+ options
  • Completion of a CV
  • Completion of a Personal Career Plan
  • Year 13 attend a Higher Education event in June.  This event covers:
  •  Making the right choice of course and university
  •  Personal statement guidance
  •  Registering with UCAS.

Year 14 : 

  • Completion of UCAS application and parent presentation on UCAS
  • Mock Interviews to include MMIs
  • Students also complete a Summary of Achievement

Pathways Research

Local market Information a handy website to explore employment market data

Xello

With Xello, you can deliver your own, tailored careers curriculum while ensuring autonomy to individual school careers leaders within your group. 

Xello encourages deeper, more meaningful reflection in students while providing careers and senior leaders, as well as trust leaders, with at-a-glance progress reports to allow for tailored intervention where it is most needed. https://login.xello.co.uk/

Subject Choices

See our Academic Page

GCSE choice
Use this handy link as part of choosing your GCSEs
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/subject-choices-year-10
Post 16 choice
Use this handy link as part of choosing your post 16 options: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/options-after-year-12

Post 18 choice
Use this handy link as part of choosing your post 18 options:
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/options-after-year-14

FE Colleges

SERC https://www.serc.ac.uk/
Belfast Metropolitan College https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/
CAFRE https://www.cafre.ac.uk/

Earn and learn Opportunties

Deloitte https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/careers/articles/brightstart-business-apprenticeship-scheme.html
PWC https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/student-careers/school-careers/our-programmes/flying-start-degrees.html
Kainos https://www.kainos.com/careers/earn-as-you-learn

Other Links

UCAS https://www.ucas.com/
CAO https://www.cao.ie/
GAP Year https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/student-life/gap-year/gap-years-ideas-and-things-think-about
The Uni Guide https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/
Student Finance https://www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/