Academy Life
Careers Education at Erdington Academy
At Erdington Academy we help our students to make well informed and realistic decisions in working towards their career goals.
We support students throughout their time with us at the academy, in particular at key times in their education, such as their transition to us in Year 6, GCSEs and Post 16 choices. Our dedicated careers leader, Miss L Millward, is available for both students and parents during the academy day, after the end of the day and at parents’ evenings.
Erdington Academy believes that Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is a whole school responsibility.
Our aim is that all students have realistic yet audacious aspirations about their future choices, and leave the Academy fully equipped with all the necessary experiences, skills and qualifications to be successful in modern Britain.
If you would have any questions about Careers Education at Erdington Academy; would like to join us for one of our careers events; or would like to arrange a meeting with one of the careers team below, please email enquiry@erdington.fmat.co.uk.
- Mr S Mallett – Head of Academy
- Miss L Millward – Careers Leader
- Miss M Cambridge - Careers Advisor
Miss L Millward can be contacted on:
Tel: 0121 373 180
Email: l.millward@erdington.fmat.co.uk
Miss M Cambridge can be contacted on
Tel: 0121 373 1080
Careers Entitlement
We are committed to ensuring all our students are aware of the range of educational / training routes available to them. Please click here for our policy that ensures colleges and training providers have access to every student in Years 8-11 to explain all educational routes that are available to them. Known as the Baker Clause, every academy must:
- Ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training
providers to access all pupils in Year 8 – 13 for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships. - Publish a policy statement setting out their arrangements for provider access and ensure that it is followed.
Careers Coach
This Careers Coach website: erdingtonacademy.emsicc.com has been developed with BMET to help students with Careers.
This is great website that allows students to
Take a Career Assessment to learn about yourself and Career Coach will give you career suggestions based on your interests.
Browse Careers
Browse or search for careers and we will give you relevant data on wages, employment, and the training you need.
Browse Courses
Browse or search for the available Courses that lead to the career you want.
Build Your CV
Use CV Builder to give the most relevant detail to your CV, with suggested tasks and skills based on real job descriptions that match your experience and desired jobs.
Careers Education at Erdington Academy
We are proud of our strong established links with a variety of employers and education partners who we work closely with throughout the year. Careers Education at Erdington Academy is a coherent programme of activities that inform, inspire and motivate young people, preparing them for work and helping them to understand where different education and training choices could take them in the future. This is delivered throughout all year groups.
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is a major contributing factor towards the successful transition into the world of work.
This is supported by parents, teachers, professionals and advisory agencies and includes information provided by the DfEs statutory guidance. Erdington Academy is also guided by the eight benchmarks for delivering good career guidance, as identified in the Gatsby ‘Good Career Guidance’ report. The aims and objectives are that students feel confident and well informed about their choices and are able to engage proactively in decisions about the pathways they will take now and in the future.
Erdington Academy’s Careers Team are dedicated to ensuring students between Years 7 and 11 receive independent and impartial careers guidance, developing an embedded culture of high expectations and potential attainment.
All students have direct access to https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers
Throughout each stage, students experience a host of coherent and progressive programmes, each inspiring and enabling the students to think ambitiously about future careers options.
As a school we received the Quality in Careers Standard Award for our careers programme in 2018. We measure the impact of our careers programme through stakeholder voice after each event and student final destinations at the end of Year 11.
Year 7
One of our Key trust values is AMBITION. From the outset students receive a succession of career lessons delivered through the Erdington Edge programme. All students also receive inspirational lessons, assemblies covering career pathways and decision-making topics. Along with meaningful visits to Colleges, Universities in their first term at the academy and all the cohort having the opportunity to visit the Big Bang STEM careers fair in March. They will also have meaningful encounters during ‘futures week’ at our annual careers fair which is well represented from apprenticeship, further and higher education providers and at the apprenticeship fair in March.
Students and parents are given access to the Unifrog website to explore at home and at school.
Careers Entitlement
During Year 7 students will have:
- Time to reflect on their personal qualities, skills and the way they relate to their peers during Erdington Edge lessons.
- Understood more about how they learn.
- Access to impartial careers information and advice via Unifrog careers platform unifrog.org and the careers pages of the website
By the end of Year 7 students will:
- Have had the opportunity to have had a meaningful encounter with a university, college or apprenticeship provider
- Have had the opportunity to have visited Big Bang Stem Careers fair at NEC
- Have had meaningful encounters at the annual Careers Fair as part of futures week and the opportunity to have visited the Apprenticeship Fair
- Have raised their levels of personal awareness
- Have begun to identify their strengths and how you can make best use of the them
- Planned personal targets for Year 8.
What our students say about Careers Education
Year 7 Oxford University Visit – Enrichment Day
“For me Oxford seemed like a really lovely and safe place where my ambitions could easily become a reality.”
Year 7 BMET Visit
“This was a great experience because I got to learn more and more things about my career in the future”
Year 7 Make UK Visit
“I enjoyed my visit because it was very inspiring. The most fun part about it was making the model.”
Year 8
Students in Year 8 start thinking about the careers pathways available to them post 16. They identify their strengths and careers interests in their Erdington Edge lessons and research and start to access labour market opportunities. They present to their peers on different careers.
Students and parents are given access to the Unifrog website to explore at home and at school. All students can attend the World Skills show at the NEC in November to really start to focus on the careers pathways that are appropriate to them. They will also visit EA annual Careers Fair and Apprenticeship Fair.
Careers Entitlement
During Year 8 students will have:
- Time to build upon the self-awareness skills developed in Year 7 during Edge lessons.
- Begun to explore a range of careers pathways, during careers education lessons within Erdington Edge
- Access to impartial careers information and advice via the career’s pages of the website and Unifrog
By the end of Year 8 students will:
- Have had the opportunity to have visited the Skills Show Careers Fair at NEC
- Have had meaningful encounters at EA Careers Fair as part of futures week and annual Apprenticeship Fair
What our students say about Careers Education
Year 8 Skills Show – Enrichment Day
“I loved the trip to the Skills Show because I found out about lots of careers I didn’t know existed before. I would like to go again.”
“The Skills Show was helpful for me to understand what career I want to have.”
“I really enjoyed learning about the different careers available around Birmingham.”
Year 9
At this stage each student, together with their parents and guardians choose their GCSE or equivalent options. Students are given lots of information via assemblies, option evening/mini careers fair and during curriculum time to understand how GCSE / Vocational subjects relate to careers paths and employment.
From Year 9 onwards students are given more specific careers advice and guidance specific to the needs of each students. All students experience meaningful encounters at the annual careers fair and careers related workshops and visits as part of ‘futures week.’ Students are briefed about apprenticeships and labour market information as part of Apprenticeship week in March. They will also experience a more tailored visit to either a college, university or apprenticeship provider based on their feedback from their career’s questionnaire in the Summer term. Girls’ in Year 9 can participate in the annual Girls into Engineering challenge run by Amey PLC.
Careers Entitlement
During Year 9 students will have:
- Time to look at gender differences in the workplace, particularly the difference in pay and promotional prospects during timetabled Erdington Edge lessons.
- The opportunity to consider an apprenticeship as a post 16 option.
- Access to impartial careers information and advice via the career’s pages of the website and Unifrog careers platform
By the end of Year 9 students will:
- Have used their developing knowledge of yourself and various career pathways to help make good option choices
- Have reflected on what they have learnt about apprenticeships having visited the Apprenticeship fair in March.
- Have the opportunity to have visited a more tailor-made university, college or apprenticeship provider based on your personal career reflections.
- A 1:1 career’s interview with an independent, impartial advisor (available to students for whom the school feels it is the most suitable support).
- Planned personal targets for Year 10
What our students say about Careers Education
Year 9 HPA Girls Engineering Amey Challenge
“This visit has helped me for the future as I had to stand up in front of lots of people, overcoming my anxiety and furthermore, I also learned how to work in a group and getting a range of ideas into something big.”
Year 9 Enrichment Day
“I had a great time visiting the college and it has opened my eyes to many different things. I would love to go again.”
Year 9 Apprenticeship Fair
“I found the apprenticeship fair very useful as it has made me think me about what I might be interested in and what to do next after Year 11.”
“Really grateful for the representatives as it really helped me understand what path I want to take post 16. I got really inspiring pep talks to strive as far as I can to get my best possible marks in my GCSE’s. I really do think it has helped me.”
Year 10
Year 10 and 11 encounter another important stage of transition. Students are working hard towards their GCSEs / Vocational subjects Throughout Year 10 students have opportunities to attend more bespoke college or specific career pathways taster days. Our Higher Prior Attainment (HPA) students attend Keble College, Oxford University to further raise their aspirations. Students will have meaningful encounters with a wide range of apprenticeship, further and higher education providers during ‘futures week’ and apprenticeship fair.
As well as having an enrichment day focus on interview skills, students also have two separate schemes of learning as part of the Erdington Edge which focuses on Skills to ‘get that job’ at the start of Year 10 and look at how to develop a CV and develop interview techniques towards the end of the academic year. Students in Year 10 will all complete a one week work experience placement in the Summer term.
Careers Entitlement
During Year 10 students will have access to:
- Timetabled careers education lessons in Erdington Edge focusing on the development of employability skills.
- A 1:1 careers interview with an independent, impartial advisor (available to students for whom the school feels it is the most suitable support).
- CV preparation workshops and interview practice, culminating in a mock formal interview with an employer.
- A one-week work experience placement in the Summer Term
- Access to impartial careers information and advice via the careers pages of the website and Unifrog careers programme
By the end of Year 10 students will:
- Have developed a wide range of employability skills
- Have gained genuine insights into the world of work
- Planned your personal targets for Year 11.
What our students say about Careers Education
Year 10 HPA Oxford University
“Keble College visit has inspired me to work harder for my exams and I definitely want to attend University in the future. I have learned to succeed you need not just academic qualifications but also have a passion for the subject that you want to study.”
“I like the way school takes us on amazing educational visits about our future possible pathways when we leave school. It was a very good trip.”
Year 10 HPA Insight into Law
“I’m more confident in deciding if I would like to pursue a law careers and what I need to do to achieve it.”
Year 10 HPA Insight into Optometry
“Today I learnt about the different roles and about different eye conditions and qualifications needed.”
“I’m going to become an Optometrist – no matter what.”
Year 10 Graphic Designer Workshop
“I had fun exploring graphic design and spending the day creatively.”
“I enjoyed making my own company logo and company name.”
Year 11
Students receive at least one interview with their Careers Adviser and receive a personalised Action Plan. They are supported with writing applications and developing personal statements to use on their own or in conjunction with Unifrog.
As well as having an enrichment day; students experience a variety of workshops and assemblies that are aimed at building self-esteem, confidence and aspirations for the future. They have meaningful encounters with apprenticeship, further and higher education providers as part of futures week; at the careers fair, bespoke assemblies, events and again at the apprenticeship fair in March.
Students are encouraged to participate in the National Citizen Service (NCS) scheme.
Careers Entitlement
During Year 11 students will have:
- Meaningful encounters with apprenticeship, further and higher education providers
- At least one 1:1 careers interview with an independent, impartial advisor
- Regular mentoring sessions with their form tutor
- Received information that signposts open events for post-16 providers
- Access to impartial careers information and advice via the careers pages of the website and Unifrog
- The option to undertake National Citizen Service in the Summer
By the end of Year 11 students will:
- Have a CV and a personal statement that focuses on your personal skills and qualities.
- Know about post 16 learning options.
- Know how to prepare for and make effective applications to prospective employers
- Know how to find and use a range of careers information resources.
- Know how and where to access careers guidance
- Be able to make effective career decisions and transitions.
Scan the QR code if you would like to see the
Academy Careers Advisor
Please find below some useful links:
Apprenticeship resources for schools, teachers, parents (amazingapprenticeships.com)
Apprenticeship Pack for 16-19 year olds – Amazing Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships – Amazing Apprenticeships
Parent Zone – Amazing Apprenticeships
British Science Week – Smashing Stereotypes
