Careers Guidance

Sixth Form

Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey has its own Sixth Form: visit our page to view our range of A-Level and BTEC Level 3 subjects.  There are also other Sixth Forms available in the Swale area.

Colleges

There are a number of Further Education Colleges in our local area, these include:

• Sheppey College
• Canterbury College
• MidKent College

Apprenticeships

The National Apprenticeship Service offers information about apprenticeships for students, parents and employers. You register to create an account and apply for current vacancies

• Apprenticeships.Gov
• Kent Training and Apprenticeships 

For further information on apprenticeships – please see the apprenticeship tab

An apprenticeship is a great way to learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money at the same time.

An apprentice will spend most of their time in the workplace gaining job-specific skills, but will also be supported by a specialist learning provider to build up knowledge and qualifications.

Apprenticeship training can take between one and four years to complete and the length of your apprenticeship will depend on its level, the industry you’re training in and the skills you already have.  You must be 16 or over to start an apprenticeship.

There are over 250 types of apprenticeships in a variety of sectors ranging from accountancy and engineering to veterinary nursing and floristry.  This link will show you the various opportunities:

• Publishingservice.gov.uk

Intermediate Apprenticeships

This is the first level of apprenticeship; a Level 2 qualification – equivalent to five good GCSE passes.   They are designed to equip apprentices with the skills to thrive in the world of employment. 

Advanced Apprenticeships

This is a step above Intermediate Apprenticeship, and designed for more challenging roles and developing advanced skills at a Level 3 qualification – equivalent to two A-level passes.  It’s a chance to access great training, develop skills and gain qualifications whilst working for an employer.

Higher Apprenticeships

After A-levels there are plenty of options; two of which are Further Education College or Higher Apprenticeships. These are the equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree Level 4.

Degree Apprenticeships

They offer the highest academic attainment – Degree Apprentices split their time between university study and the workplace and be employed throughout – gaining a full bachelor’s or master’s degree while earning a wage and getting real on-the-job experience in their chosen profession.

Please see links below for further information:

• Apprenticeships.Gov
• School Leavers
• Apprenticeship Parental Information
• Apprenticeship parent pack
• Rate My Apprenticeship 
• Unifrog
• Student resource pack

• Target Careers - resources, hand-outs and lesson plans
• Unifrog - career resources and activities to support students
• UCAS-Apprenticeships - everything you need to know about apprenticeships
• The Kent and Medway Progression - we are partner school with KMPF, as such we eligible students can take part in KMPF and KaMCOP outreach activities.  Please email our Progression Mentor – Miss Chere Kempt, Chere.Kempt@oasisisisleofsheppey.org for more information.
• Careers Lab - provides ‘Business Ambassadors', volunteers from business or in employment who bring their knowledge and experience of the work to the classroom to help inspire and motivate students to start thinking about their own careers.
• Canterbury University - workshops, visits, talks, master classes, taster days and mini activities available at Canterbury Christ Church University.
• Join The Pod – understanding energy, science and sustainability.
• Futurelearn - free online courses

Teamwork

These are skills which help you to function well as part of a team. Employers often look for 'team players' who can work with others effectively. The key skills involved in teamwork include: communicating openly and respectfully; sharing ideas; giving and receiving feedback; organisation; being actively involved; being flexible; having the same goal as everyone else on the team and being committed to working towards it.

Technological literacy

This is the ability to work using a range of technology, including: computers; smart devices; online programs and platforms; search engines; word processors; spreadsheets, printers and many more electronic forms of production. Each job will involve its own specialised forms of technology, and you will probably need training in how to use it. However, a good general standard of technological competence in the basics will help you to progress in your chosen field.

Problem solving

These are skills which help you to continue a task productively even when you run into problems or unexpected challenges. Some of the skills involved here include: identifying the nature of the problem; thinking logically and creatively for solutions; determination; resilience; resourcefulness; communication and teamwork.

Personal presentation

This refers to the way in which you present yourself. This includes your choice of appropriate clothes to wear, as well as your personal hygiene. It also includes your behaviour and manner towards other people. This can be communicated through your body language, tone of voice, eye contact, as well as through the appearance of your clothes, hair, face etc.

Positive attitude

This means taking a 'can-do' approach to your challenges, as well as recognising and celebrating your successes. Having a positive attitude enables you to be resilient in the face of difficulties, and motivates you to achieve your goals. It doesn't mean that you don't acknowledge negative things, but it means that you can also see the positives and that you don't give up. A positive attitude is also something that is valued by many people, for example in a team or group setting. If you have a positive attitude, you are more likely to notice things that you can praise people for. It can therefore help with your interpersonal skills.

Communication skills

These are skills which help you to share ideas and information, and to listen to others' ideas effectively. These can cover verbal, non-verbal and written forms of communication. This can include what you say, how you say it, who you say it to, why you say it. These skills also cover interaction with colleagues and clients. They give you the ability to express ideas, process information, respond to the needs of others and ensure the smooth running of your business.

Leadership skills

These are skills which enable you to be an effective leader of a group or organisation. Key leadership skills include: being able to motivate and inspire people; being able to delegate (this means dividing tasks between your group instead of doing it all yourself); being able to communicate effectively with a range of people;  being confident and clear about your goals, whilst also being good at listening to others; being good at making sure that things get done.

Initiative and enterprise skills

This refers to the ability to take smart risks; notice opportunities to improve things; notice gaps in the market; be a 'go-getter’ and make plans in order to achieve your goals. These skills also include the ability to research thoroughly and to create strategies based on what you've found in your research. Creativity and organisation are both skills which are part of initiative and enterprise

Self-management and organisation

These are highly valued skills of discipline, which involve planning, prioritising, and commitment. They both involve the ability to use time, energy, and other resources in an effective way in order to achieve a goal. Part of self-management and organisation is the ability to set goals.

Interpersonal skills

These are skills which help you to communicate effectively with other people and develop productive and healthy relationships. Interpersonal skills can include: being a good listener; being able to empathise with others; showing an interest in the ideas and feelings of others; being confident; being considerate; being willing to collaborate with others; being open to feedback; being able to make others feel valued.

Literacy and numeracy skills

These are skills of written communication, i.e. reading and writing and basic numeracy (e.g. maths). Having a high standard of literacy doesn't just mean being able to read, punctuate and spell; it also means knowing how to express yourself appropriately for the situation. For example, a business email to a boss may need a different form of expression from a text message to a close friend. A high degree of literacy enables you to tailor your communication effectively and most employers will want to see at least a level 4 in Maths from their candidates.

Find out about the different ways you can gain the work experience you need to impress employers and get hired, whether or not you go to university first: 

• What you need and how to get it

Make the most of your work experience by finding out what to wear, how to impress and what you should do once it is completed: 

• How to make the most of your work experience

Labour Market Information (LMI) is information about the job market – it shows patterns, trends, facts and figures which help students to understand the job market and make careers decisions.

LMI enables students to make informed choices on the economic and labour market conditions and how this will impact education, qualifications, training and skills.  It provides a better understanding of current and future supply and demand of labour and jobs, vacancies and recruitment.

Researching LMI allows students the opportunity to understand what the job market looks like and areas that will help you make your career choice.

LMI for All is an online data portal, which connects and standardises existing sources of high quality, reliable labour market information (LMI) with the aim of informing careers decisions. This data is made freely available via the widget below. 

You will be able to search information such as salary, working hours, the workforce, where you might find jobs and a brief overview of the careers.

Be Ready

Our academy has collaborated with Be Ready to provide students with free, accredited online training modules covering key ‘soft skills’ such as resilience, leadership, communication skills and job hunting. The training is written by experts, and features quizzing and video-based content.

We have developed a micro-site which can be found by clicking on this Be Ready link where students may find lots of resources which will help them hone these important employability skills, providing them with the best possible chance of future success. 

Be Ready complies by GDPR data protection regulations and will provide a fantastic, enriching service for your child.

Click on the images below to access opportunities from the provider. 

The websites below contain information for supporting students with GCSE, post-16, post-18 options.

• Career Pilot - Information to help parents and carers support young people in making the right decision about study and work
• Parental Guide - careers information and guidance from the Careers Writers Association
• Parent Adviser – advice for parents/carers about career options for their children
• Futurelearn - free online course opportunities for students, parents/carers
• Apprenticeship Parent/Carer Information - information on apprenticeships (for further information please see the apprenticeship page)
• Apprenticeship parent pack

Employers are you looking to work with a school?  Then get in touch we would love to connect!

We are looking for employers who are keen to share their skills and experiences with our students. 

We hold a number of careers events in school, including Careers Fair, Career Assemblies and interview workshops and volunteers to support would be most appreciated.  We are also planning to start a Careers Café which you might like to attend.

If you are interested or would like to learn more, please contact:

Andrew.Murphy@oasisisleofsheppey.org