The value of Careers Leader Training for academy trusts

The value of Careers Leader Training for academy trusts 

Klara and Rachel are both National Lead Practitioners for Careers Education at Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT). In this blog post with Adam, a Careers Leader at Ormiston Bushfield Academy, they reflect on the value of the fully funded Careers Leader training. 

Why should trusts provide Careers Leader Training? 

The unique role of a Careers Leader is a fantastic opportunity to have an impact on the lives of young people. In 2018, Sir John Holman articulated that ‘career guidance is one of the keys to social mobility,’ so we need passionate and driven individuals to lead a careers programme that makes a real difference for our pupils - particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.   

Yet, the size of the role, and the influence that is needed to perform it well, can be underestimated by schools, and can sometimes be given to colleagues with little experience or any training.   

High-quality careers training is vital for our Careers Leaders; they need to fully understand the complexities of the role and why it is so important. At OAT we want our Careers Leaders to have training to feel empowered and confident to perform their roles well. 

Here are some quotes from Careers Leaders who have completed the bursary funded offer from CEC: 

"Completing the Post Graduate Award in Careers Leadership was empowering, informative and helped give direction to the careers program at my academy. Being new to post, I found the conference to be particularly insightful- the seminars and recommended reading helped me to understand the history of CEIAG in the UK and contextualise my agency as a careers leader in driving change.  

In addition to informing the academy development plan, having the opportunity to inspect how CEIAG was delivered and researching leadership theories, empowered me to become an informed, knowledgeable, and active leader within the school."  

• Adam Tan, Careers Lead, STEM Lead and Teacher of Science, Ormiston Bushfield Academy 

“Completing the accredited L7 PGA in Careers Leadership allowed me to fully understand the role of the Careers Leader and gain new insights and ideas to support improved provision. The qualification improved my knowledge, skills and understanding of leadership, management, co-ordination and networking, and has given me the tools I need to perform this role successfully and effect change.  

The course allowed me to read around the subject of career theory, which gave me confidence in revising the design of the career programme in school and make the necessary improvements to provision to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks. It also provided a reminder of policies and frameworks to support practice. 

I was able to network and collaborate with other Careers Leaders and share best practice and ideas. The course made me reflect on how exciting this role is, as it impacts on every student, getting them ready for their future ‘world of work’. It has helped raise the profile of careers and ensure the importance of a ‘whole school’ approach is recognised. Since completing the course, I have been able to help gain the Quality in Careers Standards at my school and raise the Gatsby Benchmarks even further. I have also been able to offer support to other academies within the trust to gain their QiCS as well.  

The funded Careers Leader training that the CEC provides is invaluable, interesting and inspiring.”  

• Rachel McCarthy, Careers Leader at Ormiston Forge Academy and OAT Lead Practitioner for Careers and Eco -Trust.  

Our next steps 

The CEC bursary has been crucial in driving up the standard of careers leadership, and the bursary has had an incredible impact. Currently 19 of our 33 secondary academies have a bursary funded Careers Leader who has completed the programme and as part of the 2021-22 careers strategic plan is to encourage new, and remaining Careers Leaders to benefit from this training. The selection of courses is fantastic, and we fully respect the autonomy of the Careers Leaders to be able to choose the right training package for their own needs. 

As national lead practitioners, we must be confident that any CPD we recommend is high quality, professional and robust training.  We are very grateful to the CEC for supporting our Careers Leaders with their challenging role; ultimately one that benefits young people and enables them to plan well for their futures. 

All Careers Leaders require outstanding training 

We offer training courses to help Careers Leaders understand their role and develop the skills required to strategically embed a careers programme in their school or college. All Careers Leaders working in state-funded secondary schools and colleges, including SEN and AP, are eligible to apply for a fully funded training place with a £1000 bursary upon complete.

Find out more about our Careers Leader Training.