Year 9
Careers Education
This year you'll continue to learn about careers in tutor-time, PSHE and in your classrooms while learning.
In tutor-time you'll begin to learn careers terminology, tools we use to explore careers and education and learn about the different types of jobs currenlty available.
In PSHE you will be learning about employability skills and how to strengthen areas for development.
You'll begin to explore the education and training pathways from GCSE to higher education, in preparation for choosing your GCSE options.
You'll begin to gain a greater understanding of employment, working from 13 and employment rights.
Your teachers will begin to play videos during lesson time, of people talking about their jobs and how it links to the topics you are studying in your classrooms. We hope you'll understand why it is you learn particular topics at school and how that will link to jobs and interests you may have in the future.
You will also be invited to a careers event, where you'll meet employers who will show you what they do in their job roles through demostrations or pieces of work they have brought in for you to explore.
We hope this year's careers programme is inspirational and has given you ideas and skills you may want to develop in future study and clubs.
Fun Quizzes and Websites
This section provides links to fun websites that offer personality and skills quizzes to learn more about yourself and your interests. You may even want to take a careers quiz and explore the jobs sectors that your current skills are matched to.
National Geographic Personality Quizzes
The Buzz Quiz- which animal personality will you have?
Careers Pilot
Explore careers and skills, information on GCSE and vocational choices and what to study at 14, click here!
Watch Videos of people talking about their jobs
Careers Terminology
What is a career?
Career actually has two definitions. The word career is often used to refer to a profession, occupation, trade or vocation. A career could define what you do for a living and range from those that require extensive training and education to those you can perform with only secondary school qualifactions and a willingness to learn.
A career could mean working as a doctor, lawyer, teacher, carpenter, veterinary assistant, electrician, cashier, teacher or hairstylist.
What is a careers sector?
Careers or job sectors are are similar jobs put into groups. For example, the following are examples of job sectors:
retail, construction, healthcare, Information Technology (IT), sports and leisure and the creative industry.
What is a skill?
A skill is a talent or something you are good at.
What is a labour larket?
It's a job market, the availablity of jobs currently in the UK for example.
What is employment?
Having paid work or a job.
What is a wage?
A wage is the money paid to a person with a job. This person will get paid for the work by the hour, so if they have worked 30 hours that week, they will be paid 30 hours work.
What is employability?
Employability refers to the attributes of a person (skills and personal qualities) that make that person able to gain and maintain employment or a job..
This could be developing their skills and knowledge through education, training and work experience.
What is enterprise and entrepreneurship?
Enterprise is another word for a business or company that makes profit.
Entrepreneurship, is setting up a business or businesses and taking on financial risks in hope of making profit
What is Post 16 or Further Education?
It is a term used for education and training after secondary for 16 to 19 year olds.
What is Post 18 or HIgher Education?
This is a term used for education or training available for 18/19 year olds after completing post 16.
Post 18 or higher education, is usually university, higher or degree apprenticeships or a job with training.
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is gaining a qualifaction in a job. This will involve 4 days a week in your job and one day a week in a college, training provider or university.
You can start an apprenticeship straight after secondary school, after Post 16, or even after university.
The great thing about apprenticeships is you get paid and the qualifaction is paid for as well.
What is university?
Is a high-level educational institution in which students study for degrees and where academic research is done.
You may go to univeristy to work towards being a Doctor or Nurse, Lawyer or police officer, Teacher, Manager, Engineer or an area of beauty, media and fashion. Or you may want to study a subject you really enjoy, such as geography, computer science or mathematics.
You can also gain a degree through the apprenticeship scheme and you won't have to pay for this qualifaction!
For more information on university and undergradguate study, please visit the UCAS website by clicking here.
For information on apprenticeships and the types of apprenticeships currently available in the UK, click on the following links.
Guidance on choosing your GCSE options
A short video for information on choosing GCSE options,click here.
There are a few things to think about when exploring options for GCSE:
1, Do something you're interested in and will really enjoy! Be sure you fully understand what it is you're considering as an option. Quite often students choose a subject without doing the research and are quite shocked when they have discovered the subject is involves a lot of writing or the topics don't interest them.
For more information on the key stage 5 curriculum (GCSE options) at Ralph Allen School click here!
2, To study a particular Post 16 course you may have had to have studied it at GCSE level, such as an Art A level or a language. If you have an idea of a career you'd like to pursue or a course you'd like to study in the future, check what you need.
You can do this by exploring careers and education pathways on Careers Pilot or BBC Bitesize Careers.
You can also check what entry requirements you'd need for an undergraduate degree by heading to UCAS.com and search for a degree of interest.
3, English Baccalaureate (EBacc)
EBacc is a set of subjects at GCSE that keeps young people's options open for further study at Post 16 and Higher Education and future careers. For more information and guidance and EBacc subjects pleaseclick here!
Alternatively, you can ask to speak to the Careers Adviser ( info below), teachers and your tutor.
4, UTCs and Studio Schools
There are other provisions that offer KS4 curriculums with a spectific focus, such as Engineering, construction and STEM, the high tech creative industry and business.
What is UTC
A university technical college (UTC) is a type of secondary school in England that is led by a sponsor university which specialise in STEM.
What is a Studio School
Studio schoools are similar to UTCs with employer involvement, work experience, personal coaching alongside a standard school curriculum.
A list of the local UTCs and studio schools.
- Digitech School- High tech creative industry- Warmley, Bristol Digitech Studio School - Kickstart your creative career
- Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy, Bristol Abbeywood School - Home
- SGS College of Engineering UTC Berkeley Welcome to SGS Berkeley Green UTC (sgscol.ac.uk)
- IKB Academy, Bristol Home / IKB Academy
- Somerset Studio School Home - Mendip Studio School
For more information on UTCs, studio schools and Year 10 transfers, follow the link to the local authorty website.
Admissions to a UTC or Studio School | Bathnes
Information on Working From 13 Years Old
Most young people would like to work, this is an essential part of gaining independence, learning work and life skills, and most importantly for you, earning some money!
We would like to offer you some guidance from BANES local authority, on child employment.
Where can I find work?
Ideas of the types of work available to young people :
- Hair, beauty and barber salons
- Deli, cafe and restaurants
- Babysitting
- Dog walking and pet sitting
- Farming and gardening
- Office work
- Shop assistants
- Car Washing
- Delivery of newspapers
- Riding stables
- Sports coaching
- Market stalls
- Updating businesses websites
- Hotels- house keeping- front of house
- Working farms, entertainment parks and softplay
Who can I talk to about careers and education?
Miss Taylor the Careers Adviser is available to speak with students who would like to discuss education, employment and careers.
You are invited to email Miss Taylor: e.taylor@palladianacademytrust.com
Alternatively, you are very welcome to talk to Mrs Rogers Teacher in Charge of Careers in M18.