ET-MAY22-PG16-17.qxp_Page 6 09/05/2022 14:46 Page 17


VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM


Microsoft Teams played a big part in enabling inspirational careers talks to take place. Thankfully, as COVID restrictions have now


eased, it has been full steam ahead for us here in the careers team. We have since relaunched the skills strategy with onsite face-to-face activity taking place on a regular basis.


Mock interviews Job interviews are daunting for anyone at any age. The Academy of St Nicholas recognised that the necessary skills required for job interviews lacked in young people. As part of its careers and skills strategy, the academy recently ran mock interview days for Year 10 students. The event introduced students to the often


complex recruitment process and gave them an opportunity to engage in a professional conversation and be questioned about their skills and ambitions for the future. Businesses which took part included the Co-op


Bank, NHS, Civil Service, Border Force, Liverpool John Moores University and entrepreneurial self- employed business owners. Individuals from these businesses spent the day putting students through their paces and giving them insight into how a job interview is conducted. The mock interview day was a great success all round. We received wonderful feedback from employers who were amazed by the confidence and knowledge in our young people. Students felt that the day gave them a better


understanding of the interview process and they now feel prepared for what is to come in the future. Jasmine Dias who is in Year 11 enjoyed the


experience of being interviewed. She said: “The mock interviews will help us in the future because it makes us feel more prepared. The feedback given helps us to improve and will increase our chance of employment.” Still to come this academic year is the industry


expo. The careers fair was renamed to an expo as the academy aims to have professionals and employers from businesses which are aligned with sectors that are growing rapidly.


The event will allow students to find out more


about the industries which are currently thriving and encourage them to look at the different career pathways available to them.


Thinking outside the box It is important for our young people to think outside the box when it comes to careers. By delivering events like these, they can gain lots of information and advice from people in the know. The academy also works in partnership with


Everton in the Community, the football club’s official charity, which is considered one of the Premier League’s leading community schemes due to the quality and reach of its various programmes. Our ‘Pathways to Construction’ programme


has also been well received by students and highlights construction as a potential career pathway for young people. It offers students a range of meaningful


encounters with employers that widen their career horizons, challenge stereotypes and support them to achieve their career ambitions. Through the pandemic it was virtual, however, in recent months students have been able to meet industry specialists face to face. Students in Year 10 have been getting to grips


with computer-aided design whilst Year 11s have learnt more about apprenticeships in construction. We understand that going to university isn’t for


everyone. Many students prefer hands-on learning and so apprenticeships are a great option for them. Showcasing the many apprenticeship opportunities available to them is a good way of keeping them motivated and focussed on their GCSEs. Year 11 student George Daly said: “I gained


significant experience from the sessions and learned more about the skills required to work in the industry, including bricklaying, material management and technical skills. It has opened my mind to possible job opportunities for the future.”


The importance of partnerships Outside of school, our headteacher Jeniffer Sign and I are championing the importance of school and industry partnerships. The Liverpool Chamber of Commerce has launched a School-Business Network to help facilitate engagement and introductions between businesses and the education sector. Jeniffer and I were guest speakers at the


launch event and talked at length about the advantages of schools and industries working together and how it can improve life chances for young people. We also demonstrated what good school and industry partnerships look like, and the need for more long-term, sustained, joined up working between the two sectors. It is really important to highlight how


collaborations can be mutually beneficial for everyone involved. Giving examples of the current partnerships we have in place already with Liverpool City Council and PwC helps people realise how it could work for them and that overall, they are creating their own talent pipelines to meet their skills gap, whilst ensuring local students secure local jobs with prospects. Each academic year, my team and I audit the


CEIAG provision for the trust and its schools. This ensures that we can identify where there are gaps and use our industry partnerships to raise aspirations and awareness of the job sector. Frequent audits mean teaching staff are


utilising every opportunity to create links between curriculum learning and careers in the classroom. The benefit of a comprehensive careers


education is reflected in the consistently low levels of students categorised as NEET (Not in Education, Employment and Training). The Academy of St Nicholas has been significantly below local (10%) and national (6.8%) levels for two consecutive years at just 2%. With COVID measures now at a minimum, the


CEIAG offering is now back on track and will continue to ensure students thrive and flourish at The Academy of St Nicholas.


uhttp://theacademyofstnicholas.org.uk//


May 2022


www.education-today.co.uk 17


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48