Careers Guidance
Choosing a direction in life can be one of the most challenging and confusing things we can do at any age! However, there is a pressure placed upon young people, throughout their Secondary education, to have an idea of where they want to go with their future based on the subject choices they make. We want to relieve some of that pressure on our students by helping them to feel empowered and informed about their options for the future.
All students at Oasis Academy Enfield receive Careers information and advice. Our careers curriculum includes dedicated sessions on careers, advice and guidance that is tailored to each year group with activities that range from what a career is, motivations, careers paths and exposing them to a range of industry professionals.
Work Experience
The Academy supports students in developing their skills, knowledge and experience in preparation for their chosen career through a variety of projects.
In the summer term of Year 12 students complete a one week work placement to gain practical experience of their chosen career. Preparation for university and employment is an integral part of Oasis Sixth Form. Employability or work-readiness is becoming more and more important to universities and employers and work experience can give a valuable advantage when applying for university or work.
Support and advice will be given to students when finding a place to do their work experience, and through a visit to their workplace during this time. Previous work experience placements have included: KPMG, Barclays, ExCel Centre, London City Airport, Brunel Museum, Maritime Museum, Restaurants, EPLS Design, NHS, Vets and Hearst publications to name some.
Advice and Guidance
Our Oasis Life Days is dedicated to careers advice and guidance that is tailored for each year group with activities that range from what a career is, motivations and careers paths and building a CV.
Oasis Academy Enfield also holds an annual careers fair where we invite a range of different professionals and businesses into the academy for the day to inform and inspire our students on career decisions.
When students are choosing their KS4 pathways towards the end of Year 8 their Learning Guides, Head of Year and Subject teachers are there to advise them and their parents, so each student makes an informed choice about their future studies at our options evening event.
KS4 and KS5 students receive an hour ‘one-to-one’ careers interview with an experienced Careers Advisor from Enfield Careers services, to ensure that students are fully aware of all the options open to them and then create an action plan of their next steps. Our careers advisors are also available twice a week for ‘Drop In’ careers sessions in the library 3.30pm-4.30pm.
All Year 11 and year 13 students are informed of the opportunities available to them and supported in their applications to Sixth Form, College, Apprenticeships and the UCAS process through their Learning Guides and Heads of Year.
Careers guidance on offer to students is reviewed at the start of each academic year, with appropriate changes made in conjunction with DfE Guidance as well as student feedback to measure impact and usefulness.
Evaluating Careers Education
How do we evaluate careers education at Oasis Academy Enfield?
The quality of the careers education will be evaluated twice each year in the following ways:-
· Next steps taken by students once completing Year 11 and Year 13
· Evaluation and student voice taken through questionnaires in the summer term Year 7 - 10
· Impact on options based on careers evaluation at the start of Year 10.
Provider Access Policy:
This policy statement sets out the Academy’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer.
This complies with the Academy’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. Pupil entitlement – all pupils in years 8-13 are entitled:
· to find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
· to hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies and group discussions and taster events;
· to understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.
The OAE Careers Guidance Policy can be accessed here.
The OAE Careers Plan can be accessed here.
Opportunities for access to a number of events, integrated into the Academy careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come into the Academy to speak to pupils and/or their parents/carers when any events take place.
Contact Information
If you want to know more or believe that you may be able to support our work in this area, please do get in touch. Our careers and work related learning lead is Mr Young and he can be contacted via email on Martin.Young@oasisenfield.org or by telephone on 01992 655 400 extension number 51035. For more information, you may also contact our Careers and Work Experience Co-ordinator, Ms Hussain via email on Zakkiyah.Hussain@oasisenfield.org.
National Careers Week 2023
Careers and apprenticeships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
There is a great skills shortage in many STEM areas from Physics Teachers to Engineers. Living in a technological age requires a huge number of scientific and problem solving minded people. There is also a gender gap – currently only about one quarter of people working in STEM are female. Most of all, STEM related jobs boost the economy and create new roles.
Careers Website Links:
https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/ - students guide to University.
http://www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk/ - students guide to Apprenticeships.
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ - this is the Government’s hub for careers advice for people of all ages where you can find help with drafting letters, CVs, exploring your skills or seeking careers advice.
https://successatschool.org/- gives clear and comprehensive information about a range of Career sectors- in an easy to access format. Students can create a profile to help to collate useful information. ’60 second interviews’ giving profile of professionals, providing a useful insight into specific careers. This website also provides CV templates.
www.plotr.co.uk – investigate careers, watch videos, and get great advice, find out about employers, and work experience opportunities in your area.
www.careersbox.co.uk – video-based job profile information and skills explorer tool.
www.notgoingtouni.co.uk – opportunities that exist outside of university.
www.russellgroup.ac.uk – represents 24 leading universities, source of careers information & advice including ‘informed choices’ a downloadable guide to making post 16 choices.
www.prospects.ac.uk – find out which areas you could access after a particular degree and provides job profiles.
www.healthcareers.nhs.uk – allows student to explore careers within the NHS with a really good quiz to find out what careers students may be suited to.