Managing your careers department

Jonathan Hardwick

September 2007 – ISCO South West Director

1987 – 2007 Wycliffe CollegeEconomics, critical thinking, PSHEHead of careersHead of sixth formLifeskills co-ordinator ISI inspector and critical thinking examiner

1981 – 1987 Goole Grammar SchoolHead of economics and business studiesExaminations officer

What is there to manage?

• Scope

• Perceptions

• Expectations

• Delivery

• Resources

• Staff

• Workload

Scope

•CEG – careers education guidance

•HEG – higher education guidance

•CHEG – integrated

•Lifeskills – CHEG integrated into a personal, social, health, study skills education programme

• Check your job description – if you have a one

Perceptions

What is your school’s ethos and mission statement?

• Developing skills for life in the 21st century

• Fostering self-confidence and independence

How do students, parents, staff, SMT and governors view career education and guidance?

• A waste of time, effort and resources?

• A necessary evil?

• A central part of the school’s function?

• The reason why the school exists?

Expectations

• One size fits all?

• Individual advice and guidance?

• Tradition of HE entry?

• Everyone must go to Oxbridge?

• Silk purses from sows’ ears?

Delivery

• Timetabled lessons

• Carousel

• No lesson time

• Tutorial time

• House time

• Lunch queue

• Off-timetable

• Year group activities

• Enrichment activities

• Out of school activities

• Work related learning

(see section 4 of the Careers Manual)

Resources

• Careers, choices, HE information – books, guides, prospectuses etc

• Computers, internet access, printers, photocopier

• Audio-visual equipment

• Equipment – paper, pens, scissors, flip charts, spaghetti etc

• Accessibility and storage

Staff

• School staff:YouWilling volunteersForced labourSenior staff

• External staff:Specialist agencies and providers (such as ISCO)ParentsGovernorsAlumniBusinessesVolunteers NB: CRB and

Safeguarding

Workload

• 168 hours in the week

• Realistic job description – section 2 of careers manual

• Other commitments

• Careers work never ends – there is always something else that you could do

• Quality better than quantity

• Build in time to monitor, evaluate and adjust

Careers policy and programme

Sample careers policy and programme – see section 2 of the Careers Manual

Three strands to manage:

Careers information

Careers education

Careers guidance

Careers information

• Resource area – dedicated area or part of school library?

• Budget – dedicated or general?

• Ordering – what, when and from whom?

• Access – location, times and year groups?

• Signposting + help – students need to know where to find relevant materials and how to use them – CRCI classification, staff presence, careers librarians/monitors

• See section 6 of the Careers Manual

Careers education

• Self-development

Students understand themselves and the influences on them

• Career exploration

Students investigate opportunities in learning and work

• Career management

Students make and adjust plans to manage change, transition and progression

Careers education

• When/how is this delivered?

• Entitlement statement

• Expected learning outcomes

• Careers Manual section 3, appendix H gives an example of a programme

Careers guidance

• Informal – most teachers give information, advice and guidance in some form

• Formal – interviews by school, ISCO and/or Connexions staff

• Written records and joined-up guidance

• See section 5 of Careers Manual

When does this happen?

• Information – always available

• Self-development: all year groups, any time

• Career exploration: Years 9, 11 during autumn and spring terms, Year 12 summer term and Year 13 autumn term

• Career management: Year 9 GCSE choices, Year 11 post-16 choices and Years 12/13 post-18 choices

• Careers guidance: Year 9(?),Year 11 and Years 12/13

Assessing your current situation

• Where are you now – ie first day of autumn term?

• What works?

• What can you live with?

• What must be changed?

• First year cycle - monitor, evaluate and adjust for second year

Audit

• Monitor, evaluate and refine careers programme

• Identify strengths and areas for development

• Internal review – SMT support

• ISCO audit

• One or two-day process• Interviews, observation and discussions• Report + recommendations• Effective pre-inspection tool• See section 1 of the Careers Manual

Developing your programme

• Short, medium and long term goals

• Implications for:

Time – including disruption to school routine

Staffing

Budget

• Present to line manager, SMT, Head and governors

Career Mark

• Career Mark 5, is an award which recognizes quality careers education and guidance

• It is awarded on the achievement of a set of rigorous standards:

Standard M: ManagementStandard C: CurriculumStandard I: Information Standard G: GuidanceStandard O: Outcomes

www.cnxnotts.co.uk/partners/education/curriculum/careermark.html

Professional qualifications

Diploma &Certificate in Careers Education & Guidance:

Distance learning via Canterbury Christ Church University

www.canterbury.ac.uk/education/career-and-personal-development/programmes/ACCEG.aspx

Distance learning via University of the West of Scotland www.uws.ac.uk/courses/pg-courseinfo.asp?courseid=395

Interested? Contact John Watson (ISCO’s training manager) john.watson@isco.org.uk

TipsYou cannot do everything yourself – enlist support from SMT, staff, students, parents, universities, businesses

There is no need to re-invent the wheel

• ISCO support: Careers Manual – especially section 2Helpline: info@isco.org.uk Regional DirectorTraining coursesWebsite: www.isco.org.uk

• Other support: Institute of Careers Guidance www.icg-uk.orgCEGNET: www.cegnet.co.uk Local networks

Q & A