Careers Guidance

Good career guidance helps inspire students towards further study and enables them to make informed decisions whenever choices are open to them.
It helps them to understand enough about the world of work to know what skills and qualifications they need to succeed. It is critical for social mobility because it helps open students’ eyes to careers they may not have considered.” Sir John Holman

BSix regularly reviews its Careers provision to make sure that we are meeting all The Gatsby Benchmarks as laid out in the Government’s Careers strategy.

The 8 benchmarks for colleges are:

• A stable careers programme
• Learning from career and labour market information
• Addressing the needs of each student
• Linking curriculum learning to careers
• Encounters with employers and employees
• Experiences of workplaces
• Encounters with further and higher education
• Personal guidance

Read more here: Gatsby benchmarks for colleges

The Careers Lead at BSix is:
Kishan Pithia: Vice Principal Student Services

Student Entitlement:

Students are entitled to impartial and confidential CEIAG which is student-centred, delivered by professionally trained staff and meets the professional standards of practice. The College publishes a CEIAG entitlement statement which is displayed at the entrance to the Careers Centre, displayed in the Library, advertised on the college website and incorporated into the student handbook.

All students will have the opportunity to:

• Access careers advice and guidance during college hours staffed by a team of advisors
• Have a 1:1 appointment with a professionally trained impartial careers advisor
• Attend an annual Careers and Progression Fair supported by a range of universities, employers and training providers
• Receive information and advice on applying to university and preparing for the world of work at key points of the year via their tutor
• Explore undertaking work experience or volunteering organised by the Work Experience Coordinator and DofE lead
• Access information and resources from the library
• Attend insight days and careers events with a range of employers
• Attend a wide variety of in-house HE and employer talks throughout the year
• Receive regular information about opportunities to attend a range of university taster courses and masterclasses
• Access Labour Market information via the College website and Careers Centre
• Receive a weekly bulletin on apprenticeships and college leaver schemes
• Feedback their views on the quality of the careers programme

All Parents can expect:

• To be able to make an appointment to discuss their son or daughter’s career options
• To be invited to careers related events
• To be informed about opportunities that their son or daughter can access
• To receive important information about UCAS
• To have the opportunity to feedback their views on the quality of the careers programme

Delivery methods

• All students at all levels will have access to a comprehensive and impartial programme of careers and work-related learning activities. This will include formal delivery of dedicated CEIAG topics within tutorials, within lessons, external visits, internal presentations and cross-college events.
• All CEIAG sessions, events and external partnership services will be published in a comprehensive careers plan.

The methods by which the CEIAG team, Heads of Departments, Senior Tutors and Personal Tutors will accomplish these goals are:

• Providing a range of opportunities that enhance the curriculum (live briefs, visits and trips, guest speakers)
• Promoting awareness of the world of work through employer engagement (advisory boards)
• Promoting a range of opportunities and provisions which assist in raising aspirations and achievement (Inspire! Careers Carousel, UBS Bank visits, Employer Speed Dating, Choices in the City Programme)
• Providing an Apprenticeship programme for those not pursuing progression to HE
• Providing mentoring and support for higher level apprenticeship programmes (KPMG)
• Developing students’ personal and social skills to relate to the world of work (Skills to Success Academy)
• Providing vocational students, and where appropriate, A-Level students 35 hours of relevant work placement
• Enabling students to make considered decisions in regard to future choices (1:1 Careers Interview)
• Providing students with a comprehensive UCAS programme
• Providing a tailored mentoring and support programme for those wishing to pursue medicine/Oxbridge
• Providing informed and impartial guidance (open evenings and students interviews)
• Maintaining, developing and evaluating effective links with key partners including Inspire! and Prospects
• Ensuring schemes of work, assignment briefs and project briefs should recognise the importance of Careers Education and outline opportunities for students to develop their employability skills
• Ensuring departments display subject links to occupations and progressions

Use the Careerometer to get up-to-date labour market information

Download Quality in Careers Award here
BSix CEIAG Policy 2018-19 download here
BSix Careers Programme 2018-19 download here
Labour Market Information download here

Meet the Careers Advisers – Find us located in the Learning Resource Centre