At Linkage, we’re committed to providing high quality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) to help our students and people we support develop the skills they need to be career ready.
Alongside our Linkage Employability team, we support them to achieve qualifications, enabling them to be self-motivated, confident and ready for their employment aspirations.
The Gatsby benchmarks for careers education
We’re committed to providing CEIAG, following the eight Gatsby benchmarks of good practice for careers education:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each young person
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
In 2020, 61% of Linkage College graduates moved into further education – or some sort of work-based activity – including paid and voluntary work.
Careers education, work experience, employability and workplace learning, all play a big part in what we do.
Our CEIAG aim
We aim to raise the aspirations of our students, develop career ready skills and achieve qualifications enabling them to be self-motivated, confident and ready for employment.
Our careers education empowers students to develop their inter personal skills, explore and give them knowledge relative to their career choices and to prepare them for the world of work through ‘on the job’ experience.
How our careers education programme works
You’ll work with Linkage Employability to complete an Individual Advice and Guidance review (IAG).
The IGA will provide a structure around determining your career pathway, taking into consideration your bespoke study programme your talents, skills and career aspirations. You’ll also have the opportunity to attend a careers tutorial with a Level 6 qualified Careers Advisor.
Alongside the Linkage Employability team, we’ll work collaboratively with you, your parents and carers, giving regular updates, so we can keep providing the support you need, and prepare you for your career journey.
Careers education is embedded into all of our courses and lessons. You’ll develop an understanding of how each subject links to the world of work. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from employers who visit Linkage College to speak about their industry and experience workplace visits.
Linkage College has a good working relationship with an Enterprise Co-ordinator who supports us to further develop our careers education programme and create links with employers. They also provide labour market information.
Corporate partners
We work in partnership with a wide range of employers to offer students the opportunity to experience real working environments.
There are a variety of opportunities available from working in shops, residential care homes, holiday cottages, educational settings and animal shelters to working with mechanics and gardeners.
Post-college
We’ll work closely with you and your parents and carers, in an effort to plan and facilitate a smooth transition into post-college life.
A careers event runs alongside each Parent Evening where you’ll be encouraged to speak to stallholders, representing Further Education, day services, employment services, Department for Work and Pensions, supported living and advice services.
We’ll provide guidance, information and facilitate visits to potential services, to help you make effective decisions about all available options once you leave college.
Areas for development
We are proud of our careers education programme, but we are committed to doing better.
We are working hard to:
- Further develop our Careers Week
- Raise our profile with employers and the local community using press and social media as a platform to highlight good practice, focusing on employers and skills
- Further develop Breakfast Meetings for employers
- Develop Alumni and invite them to speak to learners about their career pathway and development.
Linkage Employability team
| Email: | supportedemployment@linkage.org.uk |
| Call: |