At Wyke College we strive to ensure that our students are making aspirational, informed choices based on comprehensive cross college information, advice and guidance. Together with teachers and tutors, our dedicated Careers Team work closely with students to ensure that throughout their study programme they have the opportunity to develop and grow and are equipped with the right skills and competencies. These skills will enable them to make the right decision about their next steps and progress onto some fantastic destinations.
We engage with the students early and work in close partnership with many other stakeholders including employers, universities, parents/carers and the wider community throughout their programme of study. Our Careers Programme gives a detailed description of what we do and at what point we do it, ensuring that students achieve those key employability skills via a full programme of study and enrichment with the thread of careers advice and guidance running through the full programme.
Our Careers programme gives detailed overview for all students, parents, employers and other stakeholders of what is offered and when. The College works to a clear timeline throughout the two years of study for students and this is embedded across both tutorial and curriculum. At key points in the year it is reviewed and amended.
Our Careers Lead at the College is:
Gemma Hayes-Logan, gemma.hayes-logan@wyke.ac.uk
You can download and read through our Careers Programme here
There is lots of further information supporting parents/guardians in our Careers programme, the Careers team are available to all parents for any concerns that they may have about their son/daughters next steps and encourage parents to make contact if they have any issues. We hold Careers events for parents of new students both at the beginning of their studies where we inform them of what support is available and talk about key points and stages in the year and where they fit in. Also, at the end of their first year, to enable parents to support their son/daughter through the application process of their next steps. This talk includes the options for their next steps, student finance when applying to university and lots of other information. At these events, we also have information regarding student finance and holds area also holds information for parents regarding next steps.
Download the UCAS Parent Guide
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is an integral part of Wyke Sixth Form College’s education programme. It is coordinated by our Careers team and is embedded into our tutorial programme and across the curriculum. It is supported by our teaching staff with the overall backing of our Senior Leadership Team. This ensures that students receive the timely and detailed support, advice and guidance, skill development and experience.
This provision helps prepare students for their next steps whether it be university, apprenticeships, gap year, further training or employment and is committed to raising the aspirations of our students. As part of our careers’ guidance to students, we also aim to develop their employability skills and attributes, enabling them to enter the next stage of their career successfully. We want to ensure that our student destinations are achievable, realistic and aspirational and work closely with other stakeholders including employers, universities, gap year organisations, armed forces and training providers. The college has achieved the Quality in Careers Standard.
The majority of students here at Wyke Form College go on to study at University and others goonto some amazing pathways including degree apprenticeships at prestigiouscompanies and fully packed gap years. We also support students with gaining keyemployability skills and the college stiveto embed these throughout everyprogramme Please refer to the Careers Programme which has detailed informationregarding the support we offer, which includes:
Last year as a college we sent over 800 UCAS applications. We support with how to research universities and courses, planning a personal statement, completion of a UCAS application, student finance, ensuring our students have all the information to help them make the right choice for them.
Our students are successful in applying for and obtaining some of the most sort after employment opportunities, apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships offered. We will support in researching organisations, help students with the application process and help them prepare for assessment centres, online tests and interviews.
Some of our students decide theywant a gap year before pursuing their next steps, and we offer lots of supportto ensure that the gap year is bespoke to each students, we help them determinethe purpose of the Gap Year and help ensure they achieve the most from it.
We offer advice and guidance on applying for these next steps to help ensure that students have the right information on how to apply. We help them prepare well in advance of applying to enable them to gain the key skill and qualities required for these roles.
Wyke Sixth Form College believe in offering work experience placements to students to help them overcome barriers to entering work, either through enhancing their CV, or more importantly gaining confident and really believing that they are adding a contribution to an organisation.
We have a dedicated Work Experience and Careers Coordinator that is here to give advice and guidance in getting the right placement for the students. They will help identify which areas our students would like to work in and give ideas and suggestions on how to find work experience.
We also have a group of employers that support our students’ year after year and help with other opportunities as well as work experience such as mock interviews. Employers are always looking to recruit staff with work experience and out programme helps students to do this.
We also help with work experience when it is an essential requirement for a university course.
Elisha Froggett, one of our students, recently completed work experience and she said:
“I had a really amazing time on my placement. I found it to be a really hands-on experience, I wasn’t expecting to be allowed to do so much. I got a really good insight into the world of work and chemical engineering and it’s helped me decide that a career in chemical engineering is what I’d like to pursue”.
Employers play a key role in supporting our students with important advice for their next steps. We work in partnerships with many employers across the region and understand the importance of making our students aware of the many different roles and opportunities available to them. We help our students to understand that there are some great local companies to work for and we are continually developing ways to engage with them.
Employers can get involved in a number of ways including:
• Offering to do a subject/sector specific talk as part of Careers in the Curriculum
• Offer a visit to your Company
• Offer a T Level placement
• Offer to partner with students to work on a project or case study
• Offer work experience
• Support with CV / Interview techniques
