Careers Programme
The College’s careers programme is delivers a specialist careers and progression advice and consultation for all students.
Throughout Year 12 and Year 13, the College arranges a number of career and progression events providing students with a variety of opportunities to help them make informed decisions about their path forward beyond Sir John Deane’s. These include:
- Career and subject specific employer talks
- Work experience sourcing and advice
- Opportunities to meet with the College’s Careers Advisors
- Progression and careers advice from specialist external careers experts
- College visits and trips
- Interview preparation and guidance
- General career advice, planning and support from specialist pastoral tutors
- Co-curriculum opportunities to broaden and enrich students’ experiences
- A range of volunteering opportunities
- A personal tutorial programme designed to promote successful progression
- Advice and access to providers of higher and degree level apprenticeships and technical training routes
Work Experience
Every student in Year 12 has the opportunity to complete a two day work experience placement during the Spring term. Students have been successful in securing work experience in a number of o organisations across the region, including Chester Zoo, Cheshire Police, Manchester United Football Club, Deloitte and Tui to name a few. Students have found these two days, built into the College calendar, incredibly informative and insightful for researching and planning their next steps.
Aspiring Apprenticeship Programme
Year 13 students pursuing the degree apprenticeship pathway are able to join a bespoke programme offering support and guidance throughout their application process. The programme aims to enhance skills in application writing, online assessments and interview techniques and is delivered the College’s dedicated Careers Manager and external visitors from a range of industries. Students also engage in specific careers events such as an alumni apprentice networking showcase, mock interviews, CV industry clinics and a mock assessment centre. Many students have been successful in gaining degree apprenticeships with companies including Airbus, JP Morgan, GMP, The Civil Service, KPMG, Bentley, JCB and Rolls Royce.
Higher Education
In addition to general careers and progression advice, the College has a significant programme to support progression to higher education, including:
- A large scale annual University Fair held at College
- Apprenticeship and Employers Fair in National Apprenticeship Week
- Access to the Careers Hub throughout the College day
- A dedicated support programme named ‘Aspiring Apprentices Programme’ for year 13 students who are pursuing higher and degree level apprenticeships across a wide range of sectors
- University liaison officer support for Year 13 higher education applicants
- A dedicated Higher Education Information Evening for parents
- Specialist advice and support throughout Year 13 via specialist pastoral tutors
- Support from highly qualified teaching staff
- A dedicated support programme for the specialist fields of Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry and Oxbridge applications
- Opportunities to visit universities
One-to-One Support
Each student throughout the two year programme is supported by their Progress Mentor in terms of career planning, and preparing for either post 18 employment or training or for a higher education course. Students meet weekly their progress mentor, and as part of the pastoral programme, will be supported and advised to ensure a secure destination is achieved.
All students in Year 12 and 13 can make an appointment with the College’s Careers Manager, Danielle Oultram.
The College’s policy statement of Provider Access can be viewed here: Application for Provider Access
For further information about the College’s Careers Strategy please contact:
Stephanie Dean, Assistant Principal ( dean_s@sjd.ac.uk )
Barbara Haskew, Careers Manager ( haskew_b@sjd.ac.uk )
Working with us
We regularly engage with a wide host of businesses and universities through events such as the Higher Education Day, mock interviews, workshops, online seminars and as guest speakers. We welcome any opportunity to work with employers and institutions. If you would like to work with us and link with the College as part of the career programme please contact our Careers Lead, Danielle Oultram via email at careers@sjd.ac.uk
