Young people today are living in a rapidly changing world and so preparing our students for the challenges and opportunities out there is a vital aspect of their education. Woodlands Community College is committed to developing and arming each individual student with the most up to date research and knowledge as they progress through the different key stages.
A key element to aiding a student’s development is instilling the valuable ideals of responsibility and independence to forge their own paths forward. Working in partnership with parents, the Careers Department guides and supports students in an enthusiastic and professional relationship throughout their time at Woodlands Community College.
How can you help?
- Talk about careers regularly at home – the different jobs you may have had, how you decided on your current career path and what you have learned from all of your combined experiences.
- Encourage your child to read the Careers opportunity emails, discuss what is on offer and support them to sign up to everything that could be of interest.
- For parents of Year 10 students, help your child to secure a work experience placement, support them in the application process and talk about the experience before, during and after the placement. More information on work experience can be found here (insert link)
- Share your CV and help them in producing their own. Going through the motions of detailing their skills, experiences and qualifications on paper can really help students to see their current development clearly.
- Run through typical interview questions and talk about your own encounters – both good and bad! All of our students take part in a practise interview with a real local employer before they reach Year 11 – a vital but sometimes daunting experience. Learning how to present themselves professionally and keeping a cool head in an interview situation is a valuable skill which will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
- Check out the links provided on the Resources page. There is a wealth of information and guidance available out there, tailored for both students and to yourself as a parent to help walk you through the variety of routes and opportunities possible.
- Attend our events such as the annual Careers Fair for the opportunity to speak in person with employers and further education institutions. A good tip is to take a ‘backseat’ for this occasion and let your child take control of the event and ask the questions directly themselves.
- Attend College and University Open Days to explore what different establishments have to offer. Prospectuses are always available but there’s nothing quite like walking around a campus to really get the feel of a place.
Get directly involved yourself! If you work for an employer who would be willing to support our careers education providing, be that through attending a Fair as an exhibitor, or being a practise interviewer, we would love to hear from you. Head over to the Employer page to find out more.
For support with helping your Child make the right decision please see our frequently asked questions page and https://www.parentalguidance.org.uk/applications-interviews for further post 16 guidance.