Careers Advisor

Shelley College, A Share Academy; West Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Shelley College is seeking an experienced Careers Advisor to provide impartial careers education and guidance to students across KS4 and KS5. You will run one-to-one interviews, organise careers events, and support post-16 applications while tracking destinations and collaborating with families, employers and external agencies.

The role requires safeguarding commitment, ICT proficiency and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a school setting.

Qualifications

• GCSE A-C (4+) in English and Maths is expected.
• Willingness to work towards Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development.

Responsibilities

• Provide impartial careers guidance to KS4 and KS5 students.
• Conduct one-to-one guidance interviews and small group sessions.
• Organise and deliver careers events and work experience placements.
• Support post-16 applications and track destinations.
• Collaborate with families, employers and external agencies.
• Lead the school's work experience programme and careers library updates.
• Use ICT systems for recording interactions and tracking students.
• Promote safeguarding and work within the school’s safeguarding policies.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

.ICT literacy

Relationship building

Time management

Safeguarding commitment

Flexibility

Engage and influence others

Education

GCSE A-C (4+) in English & Maths

Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development

Tools

Word processing

Databases

Spreadsheets

Email/CRM systems

Job description

As Careers Advisor, you will provide high-quality, impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance to students across Key Stages 4 and 5. You will support students to explore their options, make informed decisions and successfully progress to further education, training or employment. The role includes delivering one-to-one guidance interviews, organising careers events and work experience placements, supporting post-16 applications, tracking destinations, and working collaboratively with students, families, employers and external agencies to enhance career opportunities.

The Ideal Candidate will:

• Be passionate about supporting young people to achieve their full potential.
• Have experience working with children and young people, ideally within an educational setting.
• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Be able to build positive relationships with students, families, staff and external partners.
• Have strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Be confident using ICT systems and maintaining accurate records.
• Demonstrate initiative, professionalism and a commitment to high standards.
• Hold, or be willing to work towards, a Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development.
• Have a strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people.
• Be flexible, enthusiastic and able to contribute positively to the wider life of the school.

Overall Purpose of the role:

To support pupils, to provide impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance to students, to advise on the delivery of quality careers education, ensuring students have a wide range of opportunities and experiences provided to explore KS4, Post 16 pathways and for after sixth form.

To access and use a range of resources, both electronic and paper based, to increase the knowledge on a range of topics relating to the National Curriculum, students' personal/social development and reading for pleasure. Lead extra-curricular activities including reading buddies and a debating/critical thinking club. To maintain a pool of resources for teachers, provide training where necessary and support teachers in the use of the resources in the classroom.

Safeguarding Requirement:

This post requires the post holder to work in settings with children and young adults. Any employment offer is therefore subject to the results of an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). People who may have contact with younger children (i.e. primary school age) are also required to complete a declaration about family or other members of their household.

Key outputs:

• Provide 'good quality, impartial careers guidance that helps young people to progress, empowers young people to plan and manage their own futures, responds to the needs of each individual young person, provides comprehensive information and advice, raises aspirations and actively promotes equality of opportunity and challenges stereotypes'. (Extract from the DofE Statutory Guidance: Impartial Careers Education March 2010.)
• To interview students on a 1:1 basis or in small groups as appropriate to student's/school's needs and ensure students have a transition and action plan accordingly.
• To prioritise 1:1 interventions for vulnerable students (Pupil Premium and Looked After Children) in years 8 to 13 inclusive.
• To provide information, advice, guidance and signposting to specialist agencies about a range of issues, such as careers, education, employment and training, housing and money, including signposting within school to key areas of support within the pastoral team.
• To research careers, options pathways and support organisations to meet young people's needs.
• To run small group sessions or larger presentations on all aspects of careers guidance and topics related to personal development.
• To liaise and negotiate with other organisations, with and, on behalf of young people.
• To work with families and carers to access and facilitate the young person's wider support network.
• To prioritise support and guidance for students and parents at key points in the school year; specifically, the KS4 Options Programme and Evening, Year 10, 11 and 13 parents evening, results days.
• To use, and where appropriate, establish IT systems for administrative tasks, such as recording interactions with and tracking clients.
• To coordinate and manage the destination tracking of all Year 11 and Year 13 and ensure that this is coordinated and returned to the LA in a timely manner.
• To lead the post-16 application processes including supporting students to complete applications.
• Support the Careers Leader in the meeting of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
• To lead the organisation, coordination and management of all education and career pathway events to include for example, careers fairs.
• To organise and update the school careers library and appropriate career displays.
• Support the Careers Leader, with the delivery of assemblies, sign posting services and the provision of specific careers related resources.
• To keep up to date with labour market information, legislation, and professional and academic developments by visiting employers, training providers and training events run by educational and professional bodies and disseminate this information.
• To lead, coordinate and develop the school's work experience programme, ensuring that all students have access to high-quality, meaningful encounters with employers and workplaces. The post-holder will work closely with students, parents/carers, staff, employers, training providers and external agencies to organise placements that support students' career aspirations, employability skills and personal development.
• As part of your wider duties and responsibilities you are required to promote and actively support the school’s responsibilities towards Safeguarding. Safeguarding is about keeping people safe and protecting people from harm, neglect, abuse and injury. It is about creating safe places, being vigilant and doing something about any concerns you might have.
• Carry out your duties with due regard to current and future School policies, procedures and relevant legislation. These will be drawn to your attention in your appointment letter, your statement of particulars, induction, and on-going performance development and through School communications.

Expertise in role required:

Essential

• Be able to demonstrate levels of numeracy and literacy to GCSE [A-C] or 4+
• Experience of working with children/young people
• Possess or a willingness to obtain a Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development.
• Possess or a willingness to obtain a Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development.
• Experience of using ICT as a learning resource. Practical knowledge of word processing, databases, spreadsheets, emails and researching information on the internet, and giving advice to others on the use of ICT
• Ability to engage and influence others
• Experience of working across departments and with external organisations
• Excellent communication skills
• Interpersonal skills to establish and maintain professional working relationships with other members of staff and pupils to enrich learning experiences using the resources of the ILC
• Excellent behaviour management skills
• Commitment to the safeguarding of young people
• Organisational skills to prioritise and re-prioritise own work, working under pressure to potentially conflicting deadlines
• Experience of selecting and adapting resources to be used to give learning opportunities to others appropriate to their ability
• Understanding of the National Curriculum and the range of subjects taught at the Key Stage(s) taught at the school
• Is willing to work flexibly within scope of overall hours, e.g. evening meetings.

Desirable

• Experience of working with children/young people in a school