CAREERS, EMPLOYABILITY & PROGRESSION

WE HAVE EXCELLENT FACILITIES IN PLACE TO SUPPORT YOU IN THE PLANNING OF YOUR FUTURE CAREER, WHETHER THIS INVOLVES HIGHER EDUCATION, AN APPRENTICESHIP OR EMPLOYMENT.

We are committed to providing the high quality, impartial advice, guidance and information needed to enable students to make informed choices and the right decision for them whether they are going onto higher education, apprenticeships, or employment. This is in line with Gatsby Benchmarks and the Baker Clause.

Our careers focused education has been designed to help you think about your long term goals and reaching your full potential.

There are several ways in which we will help you with planning for your future:

  • 1:1 career advice appointments
  • Higher education events
  • Careers and apprenticeship events
  • Industry guest speaker events
  • Work placements
  • Training opportunities
  • Volunteering opportunities
  • Help sourcing apprenticeships
  • Trips to universities
  • Skills development workshops
  • Links to industry and business and much more

Please click on the tabs below to find out more:

HOW WE HELP YOU...

The provider access policy can be downloaded HERE

An example of careers activities taking place this year can be downloaded HERE

See our latest Careers & Enterprise Compass Tool Tracker results

Work experience is an important part of your college experience, and all students should look to undertake some during their time at college. Placements will give you a great insight into the type of career you might be interested in and help you develop the skills needed for employment.

Work experience is also imperative for some Higher Education courses. If you are looking to study medicine, health, and social care-related courses, or veterinary science, admissions tutors will look closely to see whether you have undertaken any work experience alongside your course. Doing so shows your commitment and dedication to the subject you are interested in, but also develops those soft skills that you might not get to use during your lessons. All students studying a pre-level 3 programme and those on double/triple vocational courses are required to complete work experience as part of their course.

The College also offers a Supported Internship Program where the students attend college for two days a week and then aim to attend a work experience placement for the other two days. These students may have support from a Job Coach at the start of their placement, but the intention is the student will be able to work independently and the initial support withdrawn. The students will still be supported by the College but to a lesser degree. Occasional visits to the work placement support, and guidance when at college to help them at work. For example, they may need help with money skills or timekeeping.

There are many aspects linked to employability and we will offer you a menu of activities to ultimately make you more employable, whether this is to help you secure part-time work, a work experience placement, or getting that dream apprenticeship.

We will run a variety of workshops and events on the following topics:

  • CV writing
  • Application writing
  • Cover letter writing
  • Job seeking guidance
  • Interview techniques
  • Mock interviews.

We work closely with local universities (including Southampton, Surrey, Solent, Winchester, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and Chichester), as well as the Southern Universities Network project, to help our students from all walks of life achieve their goals.

Help with university applications is available throughout the year and we have an excellent record for supporting student progression to highly selective universities.

We actively promote and encourage students to take advantage of the many summer school opportunities offered by businesses and universities. Former students have taken part in the Access to Southampton (A2S) scheme, through the University of Southampton.

We can help students who choose not to go to university to secure apprenticeships, by assisting with applications, any tests that applicants have to undertake, as well as practice interviews and help with presentation skills.

Useful careers websites:

  • Prospects – A website with everything in one place from careers quizzes, job profiles, qualification information and much more.
  • National Careers Service – Main website for the National Careers Service, there are links to job profiles, CV writing and other careers information.
  • Career Pilot – A free website with helpful quizzes for students and parents to discuss what careers they might like to do in the future. Provides information about salary, qualifications and skills required for each job.
  • Careers Box – Parents’ Club, free work-related film content covering hundreds of different employment and training opportunities

Apprenticeship websites:

  • Apprenticeships – The main National Apprenticeship website – students can register and apply for apprenticeship vacancies in their chosen occupation.
  • Not going to Uni – Information for those who would prefer an apprenticeship, distance learning or employment with training, rather than university when they leave college.
  • Amazing Apprenticeship – Information, advice and support around applying for apprenticeships. Monthly Parents Pack Apprenticeship available with up to date information and support
  • SUN Out Reach – The Southern Universities Network support for parents helping their child access an apprenticeship in the future
     

University information:

  • UCAS – Universities and Colleges Admissions Service:  Information for those who would like to go to university, everything you need to know including how and when to apply.
  • SUN Out Reach – What is university? How does my child apply? What do they do about accommodation? How do they apply for student finance? All of these questions and more answered here.
  • SUN Out Reach – The purpose of University Open Days and how can I support my child to access them?

We are delighted to announce that St Vincent College works with SUN.

SUN offers a range of events and activities that aim to help young people decide on the best educational path for them. These activities are for St Vincent students who live in certain postcode areas and is an additional externally funded resource to benefit all students directly or indirectly. As part of the programme, students could have the chance to get involved in activities such as:

  • Visits to universities
  • Mentoring (individual support and guidance about education and career options, perhaps from people who are currently at university, in employment or doing an apprenticeship)
  • Courses held at a university where students take part in activities and stay in university accommodation
  • Career discussions
  • Workshops, assemblies and academic taster sessions held at the college.

If you are a parent/guardian and would like to know a little more about how SUN works, take a look at their website HERE.

We work closely with local secondary schools so that students have all the information they need to make an informed choice on their next steps. We want students to feel fully supported when transitioning from school to college. 

Here are some of the activities that can be delivered in schools:

  • Bespoke Presentations
  • Application Advice & Guidance
  • Support Transition Workshops
  • Attending Year 9 Networking Events and Option Evenings
  • Attending Year 10/11 Parents/Information evenings
  • Pop-up Shops
  • Assemblies

If you’re a parent or employer and you’d like to support us, we’d love to hear from you. Here are a number of ways you can help:

  • Employer Encounters / Careers Fairs (Opportunities to speak to a group of students about your career, how you got there, skills required)
  • Mentoring (Supporting a student to transition into an apprenticeship or college placement)
  • Work Experience (Offering a placement to students to be able to access a place of work)
  • Curriculum links (providing time during curriculum time to explain how your work links your area)

If you would like to get in touch, please contact our Careers & Progression Manager / Careers Leader: Jemma Cheviot jemma.cheviot@lighthouselearningtrust.ac.uk

Careers & Progression Manager / Careers Leader:
Jemma Cheviot jemma.cheviot@lighthouselearningtrust.ac.uk

Group Vice Principal for Student Experience, Welfare and Progression / Careers Leader:
Tiff Baxendale tiffany.baxendale@lighthouselearningtrust.ac.uk

SUN (Southern University Network) Progression Mentor:
Louise Bateman lbateman@stvincent.ac.uk

Careers & Progression Officer:
Kate Cotterill kcotterill@stvincent.ac.uk

Careers & Liaison Assistant: info@stvincent.ac.uk