TCA offer work experience for students in Year 10 and Year 12. This is to give them an insight into the world of work and develop their employability skills for the future.

Year 10 students complete one full week of work experience during February and Year 12 students have the opportunity to complete two weeks in the summer.

In the first instance, students are given 'own placement' forms that they can use to approach employers and agree their placement. This encourages students to source placements relevant to their own interests or test out a career they are considering. Alternatively, we have access to a database that students can use to request a placement.

Student Placement Form

Work placements provide a very valuable experience for students and we hope students will make the most of this opportunity. However, should students be unable to attend their placement at any point, for reason such as illness, both the employer and TCA must be informed of their absence. Employers are also required to confirm with TCA is a student does not attend.

For more details, click here to view the TCA Work Experience Protocol.

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To access the recording please click on the link below. 
Parents/Webinar – 23rd November 2023 
https://youtu.be/Qa1JSXbMy3M

Parent/Carer's Guide to career education and guidance

UCAS Guide for Parents

At Thomas Clarkson Academy, we recognise the importance of engaging with employers and offering students the opportunity to experience the world of work.  This could be through careers events within school, work experience, talks from professionals or visits to work sites.  These types of activities are vital in ensuring that our students are ambitious in their personal goals and that they are prepared for making future choices, and ultimately entering the work force, whether that be from university, college or through an apprenticeship.

We rely on employers working with us to deliver these experiences and ensure students are aware of the opportunities available not only within their local community, but also nationally and internationally.  We appreciate your time is valuable, but would welcome the chance to discuss how you feel you could be involved -  we’re happy to work with you to agree your commitment.  For example, you could:

• Host a stand at our Careers Event – details TBC 
• Provide a work experience placement 
• Come in to give a talk about your profession to interested students.
• Take part in a careers activity – we often run these in conjunction with the Skills Service and employers share their knowledge and experiences with students, set them challenges or work with student groups to achieve a goal.
• Interview our students – enabling students to practice their interview skills and understand how they need to prepare. Each year, we look for people to interview our Year 13 students.
• Facilitate a visit to your workplace, allowing students to get a really good idea about what you do and how a workplace operates.

Some Previous Work Experience Providers

Name: Neil Kirby

Company: Stainless Metalcraft Ltd

Position: Apprentice Training Manager

Activities: Stainless Metalcraft hosts an event for Year 10 students in conjunction with the University of Cambridge, which is an introduction to engineering through a bridge-building challenge. The feedback I receive is very positive.

We also offer a work experience program for Year 10 students interested in a career in engineering.

The benefits of engaging with students: It benefits us because we offer opportunities for students to experience the working environment in an organisation that they may not have otherwise thought of. This could lead to them beginning a career in engineering and becoming the next generation of engineers within our organisation.

Companies in all types of industry should offer students the opportunity to experience the workplace environment.

Name: Marcia Davies

Company: Anglian Water

Position: Community Education Team Manager

How has Anglian Water worked with TCA?
Anglian Water has engaged with the staff and students at TCA in a number of different activities – from mock interviews to delivering whole days during Grab a Grade week, focusing on STEM and geography. With one of our partner organisations, Capgemini, we have also run ‘App in a Day’ for Year 12 students. During this activity, students work in teams to design a technological solution to reduce water consumption in agriculture, business, homes, while protecting the environment.

Another activity we have delivered is the ‘Water Supply Challenge’ challenging teams to design, cost, build and test a water supply network - a creative way to learn. 

How have the activities been received by students?
The activities we are involved in are always well received by the students. They are all designed to enhance the student’s employability skills (problem-solving, communication, working under pressure, deadlines, negotiation skills, teamwork, organisation skills, etc).

How does it benefit your organisation to work with our students?
Anglian Water is committed to making a difference in the communities we serve. The existing and planned growth for the region requires a diverse skilled local workforce and we believe working with schools and teachers to inspire students in order to raise their aspirations and attainment is vital. We are committed to improving social mobility and improving diversity in our workplace.

Why do you think other companies should get involved?
Working with schools not only develops the students by raising attainment and aspiration, but it also has a positive effect on our workforce who get involved and helps develop their employability skills.

Additional Information

Click on the links below to view some of the ways in which companies and organisations have worked with us to offer our students an experience beyond the classroom.

Thomas Clarkson Academy - Anglian Water offers insights into future career options

For more information or to find out how you can get involved, contact us at office@thomasclarksonacademy.org or by calling 01945 585237.

We look forward to working with you to create an inspiring future!

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The Gatsby Benchmarks

The Government’s careers strategy, published on 4 December 2017, sets out a long-term plan to build a world-class careers system that will help young people and adults choose the career that is right for them. To achieve this aim, the careers strategy sets out that every school and academy providing secondary education should use the Gatsby Charitable Foundation’s Benchmarks to develop and improve their careers provision. 

The 8 benchmarks are set out below: 

Click here to see the Careers framework 2024-2025

 

Careers Hubs

Since October 2015, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, in partnership with the Careers and Enterprise Company, has also been running a Careers Hub in East Cambs and Fenland Enterprise Partnership area. This Careers Hub was put in place to build on the support provided through the Enterprise Adviser Networks to achieve benchmarks 5 and 6 and support schools / colleges to achieve all eight of the Gatsby Benchmarks. 

What is a Careers Hub? 

A Careers Hub is a group of secondary schools / colleges / SEN Schools located in the same geographical area working with universities, other education and training providers, employers and career guidance professionals to ensure that ALL the Gatsby Benchmarks are delivered in each school and college within the Hub and that careers outcomes are improved for all young people. Schools and colleges within the Hub should have a shared vision of how they will work together to improve outcomes for the young people in their area. TCA is supported by Alvina Morey (Senior Enterprise Co-ordinator) and Kieren Cross (Enterprise Advisor). The role of the Enterprise Co-ordinator and Advisor is to work directly with the school  careers leader to support their careers programme. They combine their passion for raising the aspirations of young people with their strategic skills to help put opportunities with local employers at the heart of a young person’s education.