Choosing a career can be a challenge at any age, but as a young student where anything seems possible, how do you narrow it down to one particular industry or specific job role?
Student ‘A’ from Outwood Academy Valley had dreams from a young age of becoming a doctor. She had confidence that she would achieve the grades to help her progress into this role. The challenge for her was not choosing what career her future would hold, it was choosing the right path to make her dreams come true.
CareersInc provides impartial careers advice and guidance within the academy for several students. After spending a lot of time in a Professional Learning Community (PLC), ‘A’ missed a large part of Year 10 and called upon her CareersInc Adviser, Rachel Jones, for extra support. They started sessions that took place throughout the year where they would meet up every quarter to discuss the different educational routes and pathways that would best suit her. During one of the sessions, ‘A’ had informed Rachel that she preferred not to study both Biology and Chemistry at A-Level, so they researched all of the medical schools in the UK to find out the entry requirements.
Successfully achieving her grades in 2019, ‘A’ went on to study Biology, Psychology and English Literature at Thomas Rotherham College and plans to do a foundation year in Biomedicine in the future. Careers Adviser Rachel recently contacted ‘A’ to see how she was getting on at college. She responded,
“I want to thank you again for all of your help honestly, even at college there is nobody like you. They expect you to make your own plans and go to them when you’ve decided but that’s awful for such an indecisive person like me! Nothing tops the support you gave me.”
As the designated Careers Adviser for Outwood Academy Valley, Rachel regularly stays in contact with students to check on their progress. She said,
“My job has to be up there within the top ten most rewarding job roles! Helping young people to map out their career journey and see how their skills can link to the various job roles available to them gives me the greatest feeling of job satisfaction. I can remember how hard it was being that age and not having a clue what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Student ‘A’ is only one example of many young people that CareersInc has supported nationally to visualise their career journey. Careers Advisers can assist school leavers with their next steps after Year 11, discuss the various routes into higher education and help with CV writing and interview tips, as well as providing careers advice and guidance. Furthermore, due to the pandemic, CareersInc is now offering this service online, so students can book a one-to-one online session with an Adviser.