Useful Information for Students, Parents and Staff
Advice for Parents – Investing in your child’s future
Research has consistently shown that parents and carers are the most influential factor in students’ decisions about the future. Your support and encouragement influences their choices, and the guidance you provide will be invaluable to their eventual achievements and career pathways. This might feel a little daunting…the jobs of the future may be very different from your own experiences and choices. In fact, they may not even been invented yet!
There are some very simple and practical steps you can take to support your child.
- Talk to them about their current educational attainment and estimated grades and encourage them to aim high (the skills shortages of the future will be in higher level jobs)
- Discuss where they want to be and research how to get there (lots of great resources in the School and on the internet)
- Use the links on the School website
- Encourage them to seek out the advice and experiences they need to help them achieve their goals
- Help them with the steps they need to take
- Encourage them to seek out their own work experience in the year 10/11 summer holidays
- You are welcome to attend your child’s careers meeting and we encourage you to contact Serlby Park Academy if you need any more help or information.
Together with a range of career professionals, businesses and training providers we will support your son’s/daughter’s career development in a number of ways including:
- Information and discussion in lessons and assemblies to help them make decisions about your future
- Activities and events such as employability days
- Access to careers advisers in a variety of ways including individual meetings, drop-in sessions, enrichment activities, parents and option evenings and on results days
- Careers information and computer-based careers programmes
- Information and updates on notice boards, plasma screens and websites
National Careers & Apprenticeship Services
nationalcareersservice.direct.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://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships – the National Apprenticeship Service website provides general advice and information about apprenticeships. Also advertises current vacancies.
https://amazingapprenticeships.com/app/uploads/2018/08/Apps_A5_Learner_Support.pdf – Essential Guide to Apprenticeships (for students, parents, carers, teachers, advisers)
Other websites
www.icould.com – aims to help you to make the most of your potential by showing how others have used theirs, take the ‘Buzz’ personality profile quiz.
www.startprofile.com – 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.successatschool.org – gives clear and comprehensive information about a range of Career Zones (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, provide a useful insight into specific careers.
www.how2become.com – offers detailed advice on how to access a range of sectors. Also offers the purchase of resources, compiled in conjunction with professionals working in these fields, designed to enable you to achieve your dream career or course. A selection of these books and online psychometric testing access have been supplied to the School by How2Become.
www.careerswales.com – a good general careers website and job profile database.
www.fasttomato.com – an interactive careers website to help with ‘careers matching’ programme to help with career choice (log in for a free guest pass).
www.notgoingtouni.co.uk – opportunities that exist outside of university.
www.ucas.com – information about university courses on offer, also the Stamford test to help with ideas about subjects to study.
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.
MyCareerSpringboard.org – Springboard is for students. It is divided into two main sections: the Career Test and the Career Exploration Tool. In tandem, these two interactive tools allow students to find some career inspiration and gain an insight into their different career options.
www.jobapplications.co.uk – this site has useful videos, demonstrating how to complete the online applications for many top companies in the UK, as well as providing detailed information on salaries and interviews. Applications forms can be printed off directly from this site.
jobs.telegraph.co.uk/careers – lots of information about specific sectors as well as advice on how to create a CV and prepare for interviews.
www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk – displays current apprenticeship and school leaver programme opportunities, to the latest school leaver job news, and gives career journey advice.
www.allAboutApprenticeships.co.uk – gives live apprenticeship vacancies, organised by sector or area. Also offers plenty of advice on making applications.
www.getingofar.gov.uk – For information on apprenticeships:
https://apply.army.mod.uk/how-to-join/entryoptions/soldier-junior-entry/afc-harrogate – if you’re 16 or 17, you’ll start your Army training at the Army Foundation College, Harrogate. 98% of soldiers enrol on an apprenticeship, making the Army one of the largest apprenticeship programmes in the UK. Find out more details via this link.
https://futurelearncareers.com/ – support with career exploration.