Careers, University and Employment
The Sixth Form College, Colchester Careers Programme
The College’s mission is to provide suitably qualified 16 to 19 year olds wishing to pursue full time academic general education in the Colchester area with a supportive and inclusive environment, in which they are able to acquire the necessary qualifications, talents and skills vital for success in adult life.
The College’s priority is to get students to think about their progression possibilities very early on in their college careers. The College’s careers programme is well-publicised in tutorials, in the student handbook, on the website and on newsletters. This helps to make students aware of the College’s commitment to them as well as the College’s expectation that they will take responsibility for getting the most out of the careers programme.
Careers Programme and Events
We have an annual programme of events throughout the year: see "Key Dates" section below for timings. Individual subjects will also offer progression activities and opportunities for students, especially during the Progression Event in June. We also encourage external providers and employers to give talks to students. We support students in researching, finding and applying for their next steps through the tutorial programme and in the Careers Department where we provide independent careers information, advice and guidance with qualified careers advisers. We have also tracked our progress in meeting the National Gatsby Benchmarks for Careers Education and we are launching the use of a student tracking tool, Morrisby, for students to record their activities and skills to help inform Personal Statements for University entry as well as CVs.
The College provides an extensive range of additional studies, which form part of the 4th course students complete whilst enrolled. These provide opportunities to develop the skills of students, whilst allowing them to focus on personal interests. Additional Studies also enhance students' experiences to assist in their future progression. Some of these include: Oxbridge, MEDIC's (Doctors, Dentists and Vets), Lawyers, Pre Teaching (Primary), Sports Coaching, Work Experience, Pre-Foundation Art, Storm Radio and Records.
Students are informed of events via many sources – direct emails, College calendar, Tutorial Programme, Student Bulletins, Personal Tutors, talks from the Principal, Newsletters, College website and Moodle. Parents' are informed via Newsletters, the College calendar, Parents Handbook and the College website of key dates and activities. External agencies are contacted via email but we are always happy to include external agencies that have heard about our events. Staff are informed by the College calendar, SharePoint notices and staff briefings. We especially welcome our local educational providers and have a Providers Access Policy (see below).
Other stakeholders such as former students are encouraged to return to assist in the programme to give talks about their work experiences or career paths, either through staff contacts or via the destination form on our former students page. The Sixth Form College, Colchester believes in giving further and higher education and training providers the opportunity to talk to pupils at the college. Please contact the College Careers Team for information.
We celebrate the success of our A Level leavers in December at our Annual Reunion and Awards event at Charter Hall, Colchester. Students and parents are invited to attend this event via an invitation sent in the Autumn term.
Please see the links we have provided below and contact us if you have any enquiries, especially if you are an instution or employer who would like to join us for careers events.
Skills Agenda
Encouraging students to develop their employability skills and enhance the skills they already possess underlies the work that is done at college. We help students to recognise the skills that they have developed and will need for their future. Subject teachers will highlight and help students develop skills during lesson times and personal tutors through the tutorial programme, promote employability skills and assists with the writing of a personal statement by encouraging students to recognise their skills and ways to enhance them. Students can record the achievement of their skills via Morrisby.
The information provided is reviewed every September; however, the information is updated as the year progresses, with review of the resources being used at certain points in the year and also when new resources are added.
Contact Careers
The Careers Department is located in room 113, through the Library, and is open to students from the following times:
Mon-Thu 8.30 am - 4.30 pm
Fridays 8.30 am - 4.00 pm
Careers Leader/Head of Careers and Progression: Evette Hawkins
Tel: 01206 500700 or 500714
Email Evette via the careers team
Useful Websites
- UCAS - a useful website for Higher Education/University and also for Apprenticeships
- Student Finance - for students wishing to attend Higher Education
- UK University Search - YouTube channel including videos about Russell Group universities
- Apprenticeships - Government search tool and guidance
- National Careers Service -a comprehensive careers website with job profiles, outlining: the skills required, main tasks, pay levels and career prospects for hundreds of different jobs. In addition, valuable guidance on the different stages involved in getting a job.
- Open Days - website detailing all University open days
- Videos about the university process from Advancing Access focus on Russell Group Universities
- Amazing Apprenticeships - everything about apprenticeships
- Not Going to Uni - a website for students not wishing to go to university which looks at other options
- Prospects -experts in Graduate careers - what can I do with a Degree in....?
- Icould – helpful videos about a wide range of job roles
- ‘LMI for All’-Careerometer can be used to explore and compare key information about occupations, help you learn about different occupations and identify potential careers.
- Careers Enterprise company
- Essex Careers Magazine produced by Essex County Council with routes into careers and Labour Market information
- LSIP The Local Skills Improvement Plan for Essex
- Success at school Covering everything from UCAS to accommodation to studying abroad, this guide will help parents and their children think through everything they need to consider including expert, first-hand advice from universities and employers
Careers Programme and Policy
We have a programme which is delivered through many ways, trying to ensure students can access information, advice and guidance about their future progression in a timely manner to meet deadlines or at a time when students are ready to make decisions about progression. This is achieved through the Tutorial Programme with Personal Tutors, activities/talks/trips within departments, Careers and Progression Events, talks from outside agencies, Bulletin notices – daily student and weekly Careers bulletins, emails to students from Careers and Progression department and subject tutors about opportunities and activities. Resources can be accessed by students at any time via MOODLE or this website.
Click here for Career progression key dates and activities 2023-2024
Click here for the Careers programme and Gatsby benchmarks 2023-2024
Click here for the Careers strategy
Click here for Careers Education, information, advice and guidance policy
Click here for Destinations of 2023 Leavers
Click here for the Students progression event schedule - June
We are supported by Independent Careers Advisers from Directions. Directions is Matrix accredited and Careers Advisers qualified to level 6/7. https://directions-careers.co.uk/useful-information/
Continuing in Education (Including University)
The majority of our students will progress after college into Higher or Further Education. We actively encourage students to engage with local and national providers. We organise 2 Employment and University fairs a year, inviting all providers to attend. Information and advice around applications, student finance and interviews is provided at college. Students are encouraged to sign up to the UCAS hub which provides information on university admission and Apprenticeships and careers. Parents can also sign up to receive information from UCAS or can simply use their website. Funding for University is provided by Student Finance, England. Their website contains information on eligibility and has a link to the application form.
Please find information on Progression - What to do after you leave College here
Websites:
UCAS is the organisation for all UK applications to Conservatoire and University
Student Finance advice for parents from UCAS
Conservatoires - parents information from UCAS
Students who are estranged from parents
Student Finance, England for information on eligibility and applications
How to fill in the UCAS application
Local Providers:
Colchester Institute, Colchester and Braintree
University of Essex, Colchester
University of Suffolk, Ipswich
Anglian Ruskin University, Chelmsford and Cambridge
Writtle University College, Chelmsford
University of East Anglia, Norwich
Apprenticeships and Employment
A large number of students will progress to Employment and Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are where the employee will gain a nationally recognised qualification whilst being employed. There are many levels of apprenticeships, our students wishing to progress to a practical career might need to join a Level 2 or 3 apprenticeship to gain the skills needed before advancing. There are some degree apprenticeships where the employee can gain a degree whilst working. Apprenticeships are sought after and so the higher and degree ones can have high entry requirements and they can also be difficult to find. Students need to prepare a CV and have researched the opportunities that they are interested in.
Click here for Progression - what to do after you leave College
Click here for Progression - Apprenticeships
Click here for Securing an apprenticeship in the digital age
Click here for CV Personal statement guidance
Click here for Employability Skills presentation
Click here for our Employability Skills Grid for students
Useful websites
Apprenticeships – ASK
Support for alternatives to university
Apprenticeship guide from UCAS
Employment help from DWP
Morrisby - Careers
All students on enrolment are asked to sign up to Morrisby, via a link we send them. This is a package designed to support students in their decision making and also to store in one place all the activities they undertake. The recording of the activities help Personal Tutors write references and help students write Personal Statements. Morrisby also allows students to complete a questionnaire that will then return career ideas that based on the answers the student might be interested in – it then explains that career and how to gain the job role. It has information about University, Further Education and Apprenticeships. A complete one stop for students to navigate in their own time.
Click here for our Employability Grid for students to complete
Click here for our Employability Skills update 2023
Provider Access
We actively encourage students to engage with local and national providers. We organise 2 Employment and University fairs a year, inviting all providers to attend.
Providers can also contact the Careers Office to arrange to speak to students about relevant courses careersoffice@colchsfc.ac.uk (please be aware we do not have assemblies and have over 122 Tutor Groups but can offer Lunchtime sessions between 12pm and 1pm)
Some of our local providers are:
Colchester Institute Colchester and Chelmsford
Vocational Study Programmes designed to help you learn about specific employment areas, they are hands-on and provide the opportunity to practise skills in real situations while working towards recognised qualifications. Courses on offer up to level 3 Colchester institute also offers Higher Education and degree level courses Applied Technologies (Business Management, Engineering, Construction) Social Sciences (Education, Policing Practice, Counselling), Visual and Performing Arts (Art, Fashion and Textiles, Modelling and animation, digital film and performance and production) Courses available
Chelmsford College Whether you are about to leave school, want to study part-time to improve your skills or would like to get onto an Apprenticeship programme. They provide Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) and Level 3 (A Level equivalent) courses https://www.chelmsford.ac.uk/courses/courses.asp
Writtle College Chelmsford
Further Education Courses in Agriculture, Animal Studies, Conservation, Equine, Floristry, Gardening and Landscaping, Sport. They have now merged with Anglian Ruskin University
Help
Students
Come to see the Careers and Progression Team in the Careers Department at college – we are through the Library in the main site on the first floor. We are there from 8.15 to 4.15 every college day. Or email us at careersoffice@colchsfc.ac.uk
Make an appointment to see an adviser – you can have a 40-minute appointment to speak to an adviser who will help you answer your enquiry, help you find places to go for information/vacancies or help you decide what you can do next.
Look at the information above on Education or Apprenticeships/Employment
Parents/Carers
Look at the Careers Programme section of this website or the other sections for information
Your child will have lots of information that they can access from college, emails, Moodle, Morrisby etc. Email your child’s Personal Tutor.
You can phone the Careers and Progression Department on 01206 500714
Employers/ Education Providers
Please email careersoffice@colchsfc.ac.uk with your enquiry.
Parent Presentations
Feedback
We welcome any positive feedback on our events, programme, talks, resources or any other comments on our provision. We also welcome constructive feedback on areas or points or provision we can improve. The quickest way of providing feedback is to email careersoffice@colchsfc.ac.uk
Other feedback can be provided by completing requested feedback after events and during the year. This feedback updates processes and provision for the next year.