Schools are challenged to create an effective careers programme with often limited resources. Careers Advisors are increasingly being measured against the Gatsby Good Careers Guidance Benchmarks.
I’m a Scientist and our other student-led enrichment activities can help support a school’s career programme.
1. A stable careers programme
Every school should have an embedded programme of careers education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents and carers, staff, governors, employers and other agencies.
All of the I’m a… series of activities follow a clear pattern of activity that is recognisable to teachers and easily understood by students of all abilities and ages. The strong format and branding communicates to teachers the careers guidance opportunity regardless of the subject.
The activity is run throughout the school year, making it easy for schools to schedule the activities into their annual careers programme. The programme is stable – I’m a Scientist has run in the same format since 2008.
2. Learning from career and labour market information
All pupils, parents and carers, teachers and staff who support pupils should have access to good-quality, up-to-date information about future pathways, study options and labour market opportunities. Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers may require different or additional information. All pupils will need the support of an informed adviser to make the best use of available information.
There are currently hundreds of professional profiles across I’m a Scientist, I’m an Engineer, and other activities. Profiles contain Labour Market Information and Career Pathway links. School careers advisors and parents can access these profiles.
During certain activities there are opportunities for joint parent-student interaction with the professionals, in the form of evening Chats which students can attend from home.
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
Pupils have different careers guidance needs at different stages. Careers programmes should help pupils navigate their concerns about any barriers to career progression. In addition, opportunities should be tailored to the needs of each pupil, including any additional needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils, young people with SEND and those who are absent.
The activity is student-led, with pupils able to pose the questions most important to them as individuals, to the professionals most relevant to their personal interest. The questions they ask reflect their current stage when thinking about careers – one Y9 may ask for GCSE advice, while another might want to know about work experiences, or the UCAS application process.
The activity’s online platform allows 1000s of students to have near-simultaneous conversations with 100s of professionals, each tailored to their own needs.
Teachers pick a theme for their students’ activity from a list of over 100. Each theme has an average of 25 professionals of different backgrounds, specialisms, ethnicities, ages, and gender. In addition, professionals are able to talk about their personal lives on their profiles, allowing for diverse representation including LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and other minorities.
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
As part of the school’s programme of careers education, all teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. Subject teachers should highlight the progression routes for their subject and the relevance of the knowledge and skills developed in their subject for a wide range of career pathways.
The I’m a… activities are careers interventions that are embedded in curriculum studies – I’m a Scientist takes place in science lessons, I’m a Mathematician in Maths, I’m History in History and so on. Teachers often refer back to the activity and the professionals involved during later teaching of relevant parts of the curriculum.
The student-led nature of the activities mean that conversations revolve around a mixture of subject specific questions and careers/education questions, based on the interests of the students. Professionals often link subject-specific questions to their work and careers, and their varying careers demonstrates the value of STEM subjects for a range of future professions.
5. Encounters with employers and employees
Every pupil should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment opportunities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes, and could include pupils’ own part-time employment where it exists.
Every student taking part in the activity has the chance to connect with at least 5 different professionals in different work environments. This includes those in the students’ activity theme, and the opportunity to visit the profiles and work environments represented in other themes. The professionals involved are working for a range of employers, which is especially useful to students from schools in areas where employer diversity is limited.
The online, informal, pseudonymous nature of the activity provides students with direct and authentic encounters in a manner unmatched by more formal face-to-face meetings.
Through their conversations, professionals communicate to students the skills that are valued in the workplace, and what it is like to work in their field on a day-to-day basis – they’re not just showcasing the best parts.
7. Encounters with further and higher education
All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them, including academic, technical and vocational routes. This should incorporate learning in schools, colleges, independent training providers (ITPs), universities and in the workplace.
The activity will normally include a mixture of professionals, some of whom have taken a vocational, others an academic route. Some are fairly recent graduates with current experience of higher education and apprenticeships, able to offer relevant advice and insights to students.
Profiles often include links to employers and educational facilities, and, where available, links to more information about entry routes to their profession.
For more information about the Gatsby Benchmarks, see goodcareerguidance.org.uk
Get in touch with us: support@imascientist.org.uk or call 01225 667 922
