Careers Programme and Policies
Introduction
Woking college maps the Careers Programme to the:
The programme is reviewed annually in July.
Student Entitlement
All students are entitled to be fully involved in an effective CEIAG programme.
Students are encouraged to take an active role in their own career development, so the careers programme emphasises student participation with a focus on self-development; learning about careers and the world of work; and developing career management and employability skills.
Careers education and information
Much of the careers education and information is delivered through the college tutor programme which takes place in weekly tutor group sessions.
Classroom talks and visits – Subject teachers organise relevant speakers and trips for students to learn about career pathways, workplaces and employment experiences.
The March and June careers mornings gives students an initial opportunity to explore their next steps through a carousel of external talks and teacher led sessions.
A live Careers bulletin advertises university, career and apprenticeship talks, visits, open days, competitions and part-time jobs. Our Careers newsletter highlights opportunities and key dates and deadlines.
Woking College Careers Programme 2025-2026 Neal, I don’t know how to collate this into a PDF, sorry!
Measuring the Impact of the Careers Programme
When students join the college, they complete an initial careers profile to help us understand their aspirations, interests and support needs.
Throughout their time with us, we gather feedback from students, staff and, where appropriate, parents and carers on all careers‑related events, including talks, workshops and guest speakers. This feedback is used to inform and shape future provision. All careers events are evaluated for their impact, and the outcomes directly inform our action plan and next steps.
When students leave college, they complete a careers exit survey. This is supported by the collection of final destination data. We review this data annually to understand the career and education pathways our students take. This analysis enables us to refine and develop the careers programme and curriculum each year.
Internal IQR- The Careers department is subject to internal auditing via the Internal Quality Review cycle
Our progress towards our achievement of all 8 of the Gatsby Benchmarks in full, is formally assessed each term using the Compass evaluation tool as part of our partnership working with the Careers and Enterprise Company.
Careers Department Staff:
General Career Resources
There are many resources available that provide information, but we have signposted a few websites below that are a good place to start:
- Careers Bulletin Board– Woking College live Careers Bulletin board, updated daily
- https://www.unifrog.org/ - Woking college paid for Careers platform; students have their own account.
- www.careerpilot.org.uk – choices at 14, 16, 18. Different qualifications and routes and job information.
- Prospects | Job & Course Search | Career & University Advice– Aimed at graduates but lots of useful information for all ages
- https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/– National Careers Service gives information, advice and guidance for learning, training and work.
- www.icould.com– over 1000 video stories form people working and their roles.
- https://successatschool.org/ - Success at School is the place for young people to explore careers, get the lowdown on top employers, and search for the latest jobs, courses and advice.
- www.notgoingtouni.co.uk– make informed decisions about non university choices such as apprenticeships, Higher and Degree apprenticeships, gap years, job opportunities.
- https://www.omio.com/travel/gap-year - gap year ideas for volunteering, working abroad, travelling.
- https://careermap.co.uk/careermag-parents - Careermap is a useful resource which is used in many schools and colleges.
https://careermap.co.uk/careermag-students-teachers/ - This CareerMag spotlights the different opportunities and paths for the students leaving school - https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/career-planning-and-your-degree - Identify your strengths and learn how to use your time at university to explore career options and prepare for future job roles.
Apprenticeship information
- https://completeapprenticeshipguide.com/ – Apprenticeship information
- https://apprenticeshipguide.co.uk- Apprenticeship information
- www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship– National apprenticeship service, provides listings for vacancies and useful search tool by area and level of apprenticeship.
Higher education
- www.ucas.com– options at 16, 18 and alternatives to university. Applying for University, personal statements, applications.
- Aspire Guide – Your essential guide to careers, further education and university
Next steps for those who need extra support e.g. SEND
- Career Starter Apprenticeships Career starter apprenticeships
- Finding an inclusive employer advice
- Support for apprentices with additional needs
- Apprenticeship application support
- Reasonable adjustment advice
- The King’s Trust (was Prince’s Trust) Refer a young person to The King’s Trust | How we can help
- Talk Back Autism and Learning Disability Services | Talkback | Your choices
- For students 16 years old and over: Scope employment advisers can talk with you and agree the level of support you need to reach your goals.
Job Application Process Support
- CV writing – Cv – Student – Unifrog
- A complete guide for students in dealing with psychometric tests during interview processes for internships and first full-time jobs. Free practice tests can be found on Institute of Psychometric Coaching, BarclaysLifeSkills or Practice Reasoning Tests.
- Saville, SHL and Aon are the most commonly used test providers in early careers recruitment - they provide practice tests to help you prepare for the selection process.
- Saville practice tests
- SHL practice tests
- Aon practice tests
- Many organisations use recorded interviews as part of their selection process. Hireview is one of the providers many firms use – we would encourage you to practice recording an interview using this website. This video gives you some advice when preparing for your interview.
- www.barclayslifeskills.com– has interactive practice module, useful interactive CV builder, cover letters, job quizzes
