Careers
Careers Support
The Careers Service provides a personalised and impartial information, advice and guidance service to students during the relatively short Sixth Form stage of their education. Our qualified staff deliver a planned programme, which is designed to offer the most appropriate support for students at different stages of their Sixth Form life. They are also able to respond to students’ specific enquiries and needs regarding their progression and career planning.
The Careers service at each site has its own dedicated room/library, which is a large, open access space offering a friendly welcome and facilities for one-to-one advice, small group sessions and online and hard copy research activities. Careers staff also work with students in Year 13 groups to provide support for the UCAS process, Apprenticeship and other employment applications.
Careers Provision
Careers staff are available to assist prospective students with important study programme decisions throughout the application, enrolment and induction processes. We recognise the crucial importance of making the right course decisions in advance, but also that it is sometimes important for young people to change their plans as new career ideas develop or if study challenges need to be addressed.
For Level 1, 2 and Lower Level 3 students, we work closely to raise students’ awareness of the choices open to them post-Sixth Form and to prepare them as fully as possible for these opportunities. This involves a combination of tutorial sessions, presentations, careers events and trips to employer and Higher Education venues. Students can also drop in for advice or book a one-to-one careers interview with one of our Careers Advisers.
For final year students, the Careers Team is involved in direct applications support, including the UCAS process and for apprenticeship/employment applications. Assistance is available through tutorial sessions, a mixture of group work and individual interviews.
Highly experienced staff work with students on the particular challenges involved in making ‘Early Applications’ for Oxford and Cambridge universities, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and other highly competitive Higher Education, apprenticeship and employment opportunities.
Useful Links
Universities
- UCAS – Comprehensive information on university courses and admissions
- UCAS – Course Search
- UCAS – Information for Parents
- Prospects – A valuable source of information on the links between qualifications and careers
- University Open Days – Check out all the universities’ open days and events for applicants
- Unistats – An official source of data on universities’ performance, satisfaction rates etc
- The Student Room – A blog by students, for students
Apprenticeships and Employment
- Apply Apprenticeships – The official website for all apprenticeship vacancies
- All About School Leavers – Information on all sorts of options for 18+ students
- UCAS – Apprenticeship Search
- Not Going to Uni – Information on all sorts of non-university options
- Student Ladder – Excellent on higher level non-university opportunities
- Get My First Job – Job vacancies for young people
Volunteering
Careers advice for University Graduates
Gap Years
- Gap Year (Omio Travel)
- Gap 360
- Plan my Gap Year
Resources for Parents
- Talking Futures
- Advice for parents, guardians and carers | Undergraduate, Conservatoires, Apprenticeships, 16-18 Choices | UCAS
- UCAS: A Guide for Parents, Guardians and Carers
- Success at School: A Parents Guide to Apprenticeships
- Parents and Carers University Guide 2023/24 (successatschool.org)
- Apprenticeships.gov.uk: Support for Parents, Guardians and Carers
Career Events
We hold a number of Careers events during the year, which offer excellent opportunities for students to conduct research, develop contacts and to get their foot in the door for work experience. Below are some of the key events we target or put on to support students:
- Higher Education and Higher/Degree Apprenticeships Fair (Skills London, September)
- UCAS “Early Application” Information Evening With CTK Alumni (January)
- Careers Conference at CTK: University/Employment/Apprenticeships (March)
- ‘Future Pathways Information Evenings’ for Parents (May)
- Regular visits to HE and employer venues (organised with curriculum staff throughout the academic year)
- Support for students and parents at post-16 transition events such as Open Evenings and Preparation Days.
Current opportunities are promoted in a regular Careers Bulletin, which is available on the school’s Moodle and emailed to every student. Topics covered include news about upcoming work experience placements, careers-related webinars, apprenticeship and school leaver schemes, careers exhibitions, taster days with universities and local firms, new resources, like websites and podcasts, and public lectures organised by nearby universities.
LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION
Please find a LMI update from the EDT here
Start in London includes helpful information about jobs and career opportunities in London as well as information about local education and training provision. It will support you on your journey towards the world of work, helping you make informed choices about study options and be employment ready. Read more here
Here you can find out where to get more information and intelligence of the UK labour market. The widget and websites listed here all use data from the LMI for All service. Some of the websites combine LMI for All data with other types of information, such as videos, whilst others present data as charts. Take a look and see which websites you like.
Evaluation
The Careers Programme is constantly evaluated. After every activity, when practical, student, staff and guest feedback is taken and evaluated against the Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure that we are providing the best possible learning activities in terms of our Careers Provision.
Impact
The Impact of the Careers Programme is accessed through evaluations, an annual Service Review and our Destinations Report.
Staffing and Communication
The Careers Team consists of one full-time and two part-time staff whom all are Level 6 qualified in CEIAG. Students and parents can contact us on the following email address: careers@ctksfc.ac.uk
Telephone contact with all members of the Careers Team is available via our reception team on: 020 8297 9433
Most initial enquiries will receive a response from either:
Lorraine Lower, Careers Adviser at CTK Aquinas l.lower@ctksfc.ac.uk
Will Peat, Careers Adviser at CTK St Mary’s w.peat@ctksfc.ac.uk
Rio Cheung, Careers Adviser at CTK Emmanuel r.cheung@ctksfc.ac.uk
Holly Power, CTK Aquinas Principal (Careers Lead) h.power1@ctksfc.ac.uk
Additional Information
CTK Aquinas Summary of Careers Provision
CTK Emmanuel Summary of Careers Provision
CTK St Mary’s Summary of Careers Provision
We are fully committed to the Government’s strategy for careers guidance ‘Careers guidance and access for education and training providers’ (July 2021) and its eight ‘Gatsby Benchmark’ standards. The policies and strategies above have been written taking into account a number of other key policies and statutory guidance, including:
● Career Development Institute (CDI) Career Development Framework (2021)
● Education Act 2011 and statutory guidance for governing bodies, school leaders and school staff (DfE, 2018) Careers guidance and access for education and training providers (2018)
● Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Careers Guidance (see definitions in Appendix 1)
● Ofsted Inspection Framework (2019 & subsequent updates)
● The Technical and Further Education Act (2017) – See separate Technical and FE Provider Access Policy
● Updated Provider Access Legislation (PAL) of January 2023