Student Careers
Strategic Vision
Harbour School Dorset is dedicated to providing a comprehensive Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) programme to empower all students with the skills and knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about their future. Our vision centres around the idea of educating through empowerment, fostering students’ development of the skills, attributes and resilience required for success in both life and learning. This vision extends the horizons of our students by enhancing their awareness of career and educational opportunities, ultimately bolstering their confidence to pursue goals that may have previously seemed unattainable.
To make an appointment with the Careers team, please contact:
Careers Lead – Donna Featherstone
Tel: 01929 508286
Careers Adviser – Jules Benton
ADVICE FOR STUDENTS
Building Skills:
Having a career is not just about getting a job. It is about how we help you to build the skills you are going to need for the future, such as teamwork, communication, decision making, self-esteem, and confidence. These are all really important transferable skills to have as you move into your adult life.
Study Programme:
School life revolves around these areas. We try to meet your needs as an individual whatever your ideas are about getting a job. We make sure you access the most appropriate learning programme and work on all the skills you will need. You will meet people who might give you a job in the future or let you try out that job. We will arrange visits to places where people work within the local community, and you will take part in work experience.
We’re here to help you
We will help you with all of these things. The Careers team will help you to think about different types of jobs, how you will get to work, who will support you, how to apply and interview techniques as well as much more.
Here are some useful websites to help you to start to think about careers and what you might like to do in the future.
If you want any more information about careers, please contact us using the details below:
Donna Featherstone – Careers Leader: Tel: 01929 508286 Email: [email protected]
ADVICE FOR PARENTS & CARERS
Life after School
HSD has the ethos of education to employment. To help you and your young person to start to think about life after school. What will this look like? Do I want a job? Do I want some social activity in my week? Where do I want to live? ……. We have gathered some information to help you.
The following website has useful information about introducing your young person into the world of work and how to start those conversations: MY WORLD OF WORK
Preparation for working life
At HSD we will help each student to think about all of those things during their time with us. We offer external careers advice from Cosmic Cactus our partner who have Level 6 and 7 careers advisers to talk to each student.
We also have internal staff who work with students across the school to advise and develop meaningful transition packages ready for when they leave.
Each student will experience external workplace activities with the opportunity to visit or meet various employers and work placement providers to give them a real insight into working life.
HSD can also offer help with independent travel training if appropriate to ensure young people can get to and from work safely.
Each Local Authority has compiled a list of providers who can offer help and support for our students and families during their school life. This is called the ‘Local Offer’.
The following links will take you to local authorities Local Offers. There is more information about what the Local Offer is detailed below.
https://www.fid.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/kb5/poole/fis/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0
PARENT & CARER PARTICIPATION
Parent feedback and participation is something HSD encourages. While we arrange for speakers to come into the school, we are also conscious that the parents and carers of our students also have a wealth of knowledge and experience that could benefit our students. If you are interested in getting involved in providing a talk to the students about your career journey or to provide feedback on our careers programme, please get in touch with:
Donna Featherstone – [email protected].
INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS
Employers are really important to us at HSD. Getting a job can be life changing for a young person and their families.
The information below has examples of how employers’ benefit from engaging with education providers as well as the students who attend.
Offer a work placement
We are committed to offering students placements in their local community to develop their skills.
Our team will support you every step of the way, to ensure that you, your employees and our students, feel confident and comfortable. Contact Donna Featherstone who can provide you with all the information you need.
What we’re looking for
- Entry level employment roles
- Training opportunities
- Volunteering opportunities
- Work experience placements, both short term and long term
- Employers to support our Post 16 Stepping Stones programme (a form of supported internship)
- Employer visits
Benefits to your business:
- Introduce new perspectives and talents
- Improve diversity in your workforce
- Provide development opportunities for your staff e.g. mentoring
- Support your local community
- Provide known applicants for apprenticeship
Please email Donna Featherstone, Careers Leader, if you are able to support us in any way. Thank you!
Information for Staff
Careers Programme
HSD believes that every young person needs high-quality career guidance to make informed decisions about their future.
In 2013, The Gatsby Foundation commissioned Sir John Holman to set out what career guidance in England would be like if it were good by international standards, resulting in the Good Career Guidance report. The eight benchmarks set out in the report serve as a framework for improvement in careers provision and have been adopted as part of the Government’s Careers Strategy and statutory guidance for schools and schools. In addition, The Careers & Enterprise Company now supports the implementation of the benchmarks in schools and schools with a national network of support and resources.
HSD works with The Careers and Enterprise Company Careers Hub in Dorset to ensure we are meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks and providing all our students with high quality careers advice and guidance to inform their next transition steps and where possible meet the career aspirations of each student.
One of the main focuses at HSD is to ensure that throughout their time at school each student becomes equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes to progress onto further education, training or into their chosen professions.
The emphasis is on practical tasks and a curriculum that is adapted to suit the needs of all our learners. Careers is embedded within the curriculum and careers advice given with a student-centered approach.
The Gatsby Benchmarks
As an education provider Harbour School has an obligation to meet the 8 Gatsby benchmarks.
Personal 1:1 Guidance is provided by Cosmic Cactus our partner who have Level 6 and 7 careers advisers to talk to each student.
