Careers and Employability Lead

Careers and Employability Lead - College

£30,000 - £35,000

Role Purpose

The Careers and Employability Lead will play a pivotal role in delivering professional career guidance and employability support to post-16 students, particularly those from Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) backgrounds. The role involves collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders to design, implement, and lead initiatives that empower learners to achieve their career aspirations and align with the college's vision.

The role will deliver:

• Increased engagement of SEMH students in career planning activities.
• Successful placement of students into meaningful work experience opportunities.
• Positive feedback from students, employers, and partners.
• Achievement of Gatsby Benchmarks and other strategic goals related to careers and employability.

Role responsibilities

1. Careers Guidance and Support

• Provide one-to-one and group career planning sessions tailored to the needs of post-16 students with SEMH challenges.
• Conduct career assessments to identify students' strengths, interests, and aspirations.
• Develop individual career action plans and support students in exploring further education, training, or employment opportunities.
• Deliver workshops and resources on CV writing, job applications, interview preparation, and employability skills.

2. Work Experience Facilitation

• Collaborate with the Social Values Partnership Manager and learning support mentors to identify suitable work experience opportunities.
• Coordinate and oversee the planning, placement, and evaluation of work experience programs for students.
• Work alongside the Social Values Partnership Manager to develop relationships with local businesses, organisations, and employers to establish a network of work experience partners.
• Support learners during their work placements, ensuring their needs are met and learning outcomes are achieved.

3. Careers and Employability Projects

• Lead on designing, implementing, and evaluating careers and employability projects that align with the college's vision and strategic priorities.
• Create initiatives to raise aspirations and broaden career pathways for students from SEMH backgrounds.
• Monitor and report on the progress and impact of careers and employability projects, ensuring compliance with relevant benchmarks and frameworks (e.g., Gatsby Benchmarks).

4. Collaboration and Partnership

• Work closely with the Social Values Partnership Manager to ensure a cohesive approach to student career development.
• Liaise with learning support mentors to address individual needs and barriers to employability.
• Foster partnerships with external agencies, local authorities, and industry professionals to enhance career opportunities for learners.

5. Administration and Compliance

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of student interactions, career plans, and work experience placements.
• Ensure all activities and day to day practices adhere to safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Ensure all activities adhere to health and safety regulations, and equal opportunities standards.
• Stay informed about labour market trends, apprenticeship opportunities, and higher education pathways relevant to the SEMH demographic.

Skills and abilities

• Coordinating work experience programs or employer partnerships.
• Effective project management skills, with a track record of delivering successful initiatives.

Experience and qualifications

• Relevant qualifications in Careers Guidance (e.g., Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development).
• Experience of working with safeguarding policies and procedures relating to Children and Adults
• Proven experience providing careers and employability support, preferably to SEMH or vulnerable young people.
• Strong understanding of the challenges faced by SEMH students in accessing career opportunities.
• Knowledge of the Gatsby Benchmarks and other career development frameworks.

Behaviours and attitude

· Demonstrate the businesses values; Passion, Performance, Trust, Respect

· Empathetic and student-focused, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

· Highly organised, proactive, and adaptable to the diverse needs of SEMH students.

· Passionate about making a positive impact on young people's futures.

Declarations

We aim to create and maintain a safe environment and community where all young people and adults feel safe, secure and valued. We work hard to create strong relationships and show a commitment to safeguarding all young people.

Our work is classified as Regulated Activity as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (SVGA). This role will include regular contact with Children 1:1 or group setting. This includes those that could be classified as vulnerable and both an understanding of and experience in adhering to UK safeguarding legislation is required.

Further information relating to our Safeguarding, Child Protection, Ex-offender of Safer Recruitment policies are available upon request.

All applications are assessed on an individual basis in relation to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

This post will require the successful candidate to complete our Disclosure Barring Service, Vulnerable Child and Adult register checks as well as reference checks. We may also carry out additional online searches such as social media as part of the selection process.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £30,000.00-£35,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Schedule:

• Flexitime
• Holidays
• No weekends

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: MLA-10