How to book an appointment
There is lots of information online to help you support your son or daughter in making effective decisions about their career and next steps following on from Wilberforce. You may also wish to discuss their options with the college Careers Information, Advice and Guidance Manager, Sarah Didsbury.
Sarah is available full-time all year round, including holidays; Monday – Thursday 08:30am – 16:30pm, and Fridays 08:30am – 16:00pm. You can phone to book an appointment on (01482) 711688 (extension 134) or alternatively, email SLD@wilberforce.ac.uk.
Advice and information
The following websites offer a range of resources and useful advice aimed at learners, parents and carers, about all post 16 options:
- Aspire | Aspire (upreach.org.uk)
- Careers Advice for Parents
- The Parents’ Guide to Work Experience
- The Parents’ Guide to Helping You Know ‘What’s Next?’
To help parents understand what options their children have after GCSE and Sixth Form, we’ve created a summary of the different levels of education, what types of qualification are available, and how different options suit different students. This guide includes information for parents on how their children can:
Decide which subjects to study next;
Understand apprenticeships;
Select the right university and the UCAS application process;
Write a personal statement; and
Alternatives if academic learning is not for them.
ALTERNATIVES TO UNIVERSITY
Parent Guide to Apprenticeships- Gov.uk
NEW! Amazing Apprenticeships Guide
UNIVERSITY AND STUDENT FINANCE
Money Saving Expert- parent’s student finance guide
Which? Student Finance Guide for Parents
PROVIDER ACCESS POLICY
Provider Access Policy
BAKER CLAUSE STATEMENT
“Wilberforce College is committed to advising all students through its careers service on the whole range of pathways available to them. This includes university, apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships and the world of work. We adhere fully to the guidelines of the Baker Clause.
Introduced as an amendment to the Technical and Further Education Act 2017, the Baker Clause stipulates that schools must allow colleges and training providers access to every student in years 8 to 13 to discuss non-academic routes that are available to them. It is expected that by doing so this will help address the UK’s productivity challenges and address skills shortages experienced across several sectors of the economy. This regulation has been enforced since January 2nd 2018.”
IMPARTIALITY STATEMENT
“All learners at Wilberforce College are entitled to access free and impartial careers information, advice and guidance that is specific to their individual needs. This forms part of Gatsby Benchmark 8- Personal Guidance- “Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs.”
Our college Careers Adviser, Sarah Didsbury, is qualified in Level 6 Careers Guidance and Development, and Level 6 Careers Leadership. As a member of the Career Development Institute she adheres to the CDI Code of Conduct and ensures that all students are provided with the opportunity to benefit from a one-to-one personal guidance interview by the end of their study programme with the college. Opportunities are made available for students to book pre-scheduled appointments, and to attend by drop-in, as advertised outside the careers office – P112.
Can you help?
We are always seeking opportunities to link with new businesses and professionals in order to create work experience opportunities for our students. If you are a business owner, or work for a company that would consider supporting the education sector, there are a number of ways you could help Wilberforce College Students:
- Offer a work experience or taster day at your place of work
- Deliver a talk to a group of students about your own career pathway or area of work
- Attend the annual college careers fair on behalf of your business or employer
- Take part in college mock interviewing activities
- Mentor a young person
- Sponsor the Careers and Employer Engagement Hub and Student Job Shop
If you would like to find out more about how you can support our students, please contact the Careers and Employer Engagement Team on (01482) 711688 and ask to speak to Sarah Didsbury (Careers Manager) or Wendy Macadam (Employer Engagement Manager).
Thank you!
