“Your aspirations are your possibilities“

At KITE College we are passionate about developing learners’ aspirations, skills and confidence to enable them to achieve their future ambitions and become role models for others. We aim to provide a comprehensive programme of careers information, advice and guidance, to support curriculum content and work-related learning and experience, in order to prepare our learners for their next step in their career journey into apprenticeships, traineeships, employment or further education at another establishment. Our aim at KITE College is to raise the aspirations and achievements of our learners and equip them with the skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding to enable success.

At KITE College we are committed to ensuring that the Careers Statement of Intent and Programme follows local, regional and national frameworks for good practice, as well as guidelines from Ofsted and Gatsby benchmarks for careers guidance.

We believe that all learners are entitled to careers education, information, advice and guidance which meets professional standards of practice and is both personalised and impartial. The programme is structured to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks of good careers education, raise aspirations, challenge stereotyping and promote equality and diversity.

• Each learner is entitled to 1:1 impartial personal guidance from a qualified Careers Advisor to enable career planning, consider options and take the next step in their careers journey. At KITE College we have a CXK Careers Advisor who has 1:1 appointments with learners throughout the academic year. 
• A planned programme of employability and careers events designed to inform, raise aspirations and add value to academic and vocational experience. 
• Access to information, news and resources on apprenticeships, traineeships and jobs via UNIFROG and the KITE and CXK website.

External partnerships and agreements exist with the Kent and Medway Careers hub and
CXK. We also have links with local employers and trainee providers

KITE plans to deliver a careers programme, which includes advice for learners, parents and staff as well as employer engagement and support. Learners are also supported in their “ career planning “by Christine Murrells. Christine is an independent and impartial Career Development professional employed by CXK Ltd ( www.cxk.org )

The government has introduced the following mandatory guidance called the Gatsby benchmarks:

1. A stable career programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal Guidance

We want:

• all of our learners to understand the full range of opportunities available to them, to learn from employers about work and the skills that are valued in the workplace and to have 1st hand experience of the workplace;
• all learners to get an excellent programme of advice and guidance that is delivered by individuals with the right skills and experience
• all learners to get support tailored to their circumstances, with access to face-to-face advice
• all learners to get the information they need to understand the job and careers opportunities available, and how their knowledge and skills can help them in considering suitable careers.

Learners have independent, individual careers advice and support from an external provider, CXK. They also have informal chats with the Careers Lead Rachael Cretten.

Learners are supported to gain work experience tailored to their needs, throughout their time at KITE.

Learners have Life skills lessons once a week where amongst other things they learn about resilience, time management, and gain 3 accredited units for City and Guilds in Employability.

Useful links for parents:

www.talkingfutures.org.uk:  Talking Futures is a resource created to help you have informed and constructed conversations with your child/young adult about the training and education pathways available to them.

www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk : This information is aimed at 16-19 year olds to explain the different pathways available. This link is  useful for students/parents/carers.

www.kentprospectus.co.uk: Find out about options search and apply for colleges, training providers, apprenticeships and work experience.

KITE College – Provider Access Statement

Introduction

This policy statement sets out the college’s arrangements for managing access to providers for learners at the college, with the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with the college’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.

Pupil entitlement

All learners at KITE College are entitled to:

• find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities as part of a careers programme, which provides information on the full range of education and training options available.
• hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships- through group discussions and visits
• understand how to make applications for the full range of progression pathways

Management of provider access requests

Procedure

A provider wishing to request access should contact: Miss Rachael Cretten, Careers lead – Rachael.Cretten@KITE-college.org

Opportunities for access

Events will be integrated into the college’s career programme and will offer providers an opportunity to come into the college to speak to the learners. This could be done in various ways throughout the year.
Please speak with our Careers Lead to identify the most suitable opportunity for you.

Premises and facilities

The college will endeavour to provide the boardroom, wellbeing room or any other suitable room available for discussions between the provider and learners, appropriate to the activity. The college will also make available, specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Lead or a member of staff.

Providers are welcome to leave a copy of literature about their business or any other relevant paperwork for the Careers Lead, this will be made available to the learners.

Safeguarding

KITE Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy

Education and training providers will be expected to adhere to this policy.

THINKING ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS?

More and more young people are considering apprenticeships to start their career.

Are apprenticeships for learners who don’t get the grades for university? NO

Apprenticeships are valuable hands-on qualifications that allow young people to earn money whilst they learn in a whole range of industries.

We encourage all learners to consider apprenticeships as a possible future pathway they are a great way to start your career.

The National Apprenticeship Service advertises upcoming vacancies from the country’s biggest apprenticeship employers:

https://amazingapprenticeships.com/vacancies/
http://www.apprenticekent.com/home
http://www.kenttrainingandapprenticeships.co.uk/

Parents

Learners are seen by our independent careers advisor from CXK who offers unbiased advice.

There are a number of useful resources that will help you talk to your child about their Career aspirations and future paths:

Useful CEIAG Website links:
https://www.careerpilot.org.uk/
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
http://www.allaboutcareers.com/