Members of the Department

Mrs S McLaughlin
Ms L Burns
Mrs C Mulholland-Shields

Aims

The Careers Department in Our Lady s focuses on the key requirements of CEIAG - Education, Information, Advice and Guidance. We work in partnership with outside agencies to ensure that pupils receive impartial Careers Advice. Our work at all Key Stages is focused on ensuring that pupils make informed decisions that are right for them.

Key Stage 3

J2 students, in Employability classes, complete three Units of Work. The first introduces students to the concept of having a job and what that means. They explore the concept of a job for life, learning about transferable skills and why employers require such skills.

They will also have the opportunity to develop the skill of independent research, learning about unfamiliar jobs and using Careers programmes such as Career Starter to do so. The second Unit focuses on the idea of Entrepreneurship and the importance of having entrepreneurial spirit.

The final Unit of Work is a STEAM project. The students learn about the importance of working collaboratively and a number of Departments are involved in delivering the project.

They learn the importance of STEM, but with the Arts, in particular the skills of communication and creativity. STEAM is about working collaboratively and the project ends with a celebratory STEAM Day, which people from industry also attend.

J3 students focus on making GCSE choices and as part of this, they think about what subjects they enjoy and what subjects they are good at. They engage in research, using Careers software, such as Careers Starter , which encourages each student to think about her individual skills and qualities and to use this information to make informed GCSE choices. Students also complete Progress Files.

When they have made their choices, students focus on presentational skills, in the Unit entitled, Presenting Me . This Unit involves students presenting themselves in a number of ways: verbally, using pictures to represent their dreams and finally in writing, by way of a personal statement.

By the end of Key Stage Three, it is expected that pupils can: understand job sectors and what skills employers look for, think about how to be entrepreneurial and engage in meaningful, independent research, focusing on skills and qualities unique to each student.

Key Stage 4

In Year 11, pupils engage in an Employability project, which involves creating a company and designing, making and selling a product. Each pupil has a specific role and the aim is to encourage pupils to work collaboratively and independently and for each pupil to identify her own, specific key skills and qualities.

A Business Adviser from a local company will visit, to help the pupils and to give advice. Pupils also continue to work on Progress Files, with each pupil recording her goals and achievements, both inside and outside of school.

In Year 12, pupils focus on preparing for A Level choices, which are made in February. As part of this Unit of Work, they will explore Post-16 choices, looking at alternatives to A Level study, such as FE courses and finding out about institutions such as CAFRE. They get the opportunity to talk to Year 14 students about this process and each pupil also has a one to one interview with a Careers Adviser from Careers Service NI.

They engage in independent research and this is two-fold: they learn how to use a University Prospectus and use that knowledge to research University courses that may be of interest. Secondly, they use Careers software, such as Career Ideas and Career A-Z , to research jobs. They learn about Labour Market Information too. When they have made their choices, the next Unit of Work focuses on the application process. Pupils will look at job advertisements, complete an application form, learn interview techniques and write their C.V.

By the end of Key Stage Four, it is expected that pupils will have made informed A Level choices, based on identified skills, what subjects they enjoy and are good at, learned how to read and use a prospectus, be aware of alternative Post-16 options and understand the process of applying for a job. Each pupil will finish Year 12 with an up-to-date C.V.

Key Stage 5

In Year 13, pupils explore post-18 options and alternatives to University. They also engage in researching these options and in University research, with research forming a large section of their Careers time.

They engage in work experience and some of their time in Careers is dedicated to thinking about suitable potential placements. Towards the end of the year, they learn about University application processes, such as CAO, direct application to institutions such as FE Colleges and UCAS.

In relation to the latter, they do a lot of work around how to structure and write a personal statement. It is expected that, at the end of Year 13, pupils understand how to write an effective personal statement. At the end of the year, pupils will have a mock interview with someone from industry and all pupils will complete registration for UCAS, ahead of their busy Upper Sixth year. A number of visiting speakers will attend during Year 13.

In Year 14, pupils do not have Careers classes; they have a slot once per fortnight, for visiting speakers and talks. They begin the year by attending the QUB and UUJ Open Days and then they focus on UCAS applications; the Careers Department gives support and guidance regarding personal statements and choices and each pupil will have at least one interview with a member of the Careers Department. This is in order to discuss any concerns or issues the student may have and to help with the UCAS application of each student.

A number of visiting speakers come to school and these include: UK and ROI Universities, SRC, St Mary s, Young Enterprise, companies offering Apprenticeships and Student Finance. By the end of Year14, it is expected that pupils will have researched and planned for leaving school.