National Careers Week (NCW) is a celebration of careers guidance and opportunities in education across the UK.

It aims to promote the importance of good careers education in schools and colleges and provides an opportunity to support and engage young people to develop awareness and excitement about their future pathways and the world of work.

Providing quality CEIAG resources and linking education with the world of employment can help students get an important insight to the future of work and further learning. 

At Longdendale High School we are celebrating National Careers Week for all students through our Raising Aspirations Day on 8th March.

All students have had an introduction to Labour Market Information for Greater Manchester and the careers section of our school website. They have also looked at the Personal Development Learning Journey for Longdendale High School and how the skills they develop at school through personal development opportunities fit into their careers path.

Year 9 & 10 will also have an assembly on Knife Crime.

Here are the details of the Raising Aspirations events for each year group:

Year 7: Discover - Students understand their own individual skills and strengths and that other interests they develop in school will lead to exciting future opportunities.

The programme for Year 7 students today:

• An introduction to Xello
• Creating hope boards to reflect upon their aspirations for the future and to plan how they will achieve these aspirations
• Exploring careers in different sectors and the qualifications/routes into these careers
• Considering their own skills and the skills employers look for
• Investigating the employability skill of Team Work

Year 8: Explore - Students develop awareness of potential future journeys, their involvement with the community and map out their path to further education or employment after school finishes.

The programme for Year 8 students today:

• Investigating what an entrepreneur is
• Looking at sustainable business ideas
• Using their entrepreneurial skills to compete in the 10X Challenge

With just a £10 initial investment (provided by the 10X challenge) and 4 weeks, teams have to create, market, organise and financially manage their own business with the intention of making a profit.

Year 9: Pathways - Students make informed choices for their GCSE options based on an understanding of Further Education and Industry requirements as well as their own strengths.

The programme for Year 9 students today:

• An outline of the options process at Longdendale High School
• Exploring T levels as a post-16 option
• Considering their own personal strengths
• Looking at the options booklet in depth
• Exploring apprenticeships as a post-16 option through a multiverse webinar
• Select students visiting Ashton Sixth Form College as part of the Stamford Park Trust raising aspirations programme

Year 10: Experience - Students create opportunities through being proactive, gaining experience by actively managing their career and balancing their life and work, making the most of the possibilities that come their way.

The programme for Year 10 students today:

• Preparing for Work Experience
• Exploring T levels as a post-16 option
• Practising Interview Skills with Barclay’s Life Skills 
• Exploring the NCW2023 careers fair 
• Exploring apprenticeships as a post-16 option through a multiverse webinar

Year 11: Apply - Students see the big picture by connecting their own life and career, balancing their wellbeing and building positive relationships with others.

The programme for Year 11 students today:

• Analysing what makes a good CV - workshop provided by Fortem
• Creating a CV
• Preparing for College - workshop provided by GMHigher
• Understanding routes into hospitality - workshop provided by Nandos
• Exploring the NCW2023 careers fair 

If you would like any further information about the careers programme at LHS, please click here