Our Vision

The importance of effective careers education within schools has never been greater. The increased choice of education and training pathways available to young people, the modularisation of the curriculum and the need to develop key employability skills, place careers education at the heart of the curriculum. This centrality is recognised in RSD.

The overall aspiration is that young people will develop the skills and confidence to make the most of their life choices and follow the career paths which suit them best.

The vision for the Careers Department is that on leaving school pupils will:

• have developed the appropriate skills to become effective career decision makers;
• have a clear understanding of the impact of their education, training and employment choices and will make career choices, which are informed and well thought through and are based on self awareness; understanding of the relevance of their education, skills and experience; and awareness of the opportunities and pathways available;
• be lifelong learners and will be motivated to pursue continuous professional development to achieve their own potential, to become effective employees and to make a valuable contribution to the local economy;
• have developed information handling skills and will be aware of career opportunities locally, nationally and internationally;
• have had access to a well equipped Careers Library,
• have had the use of technology to support access to relevant information, advice and guidance.

Careers at RSD

Year 8 pupils are introduced to Careers in the “Education for Employability” module taught during their weekly “Learning for Life and Work” classes.  In the junior forms pupils begin to identify their qualities and skills, research a variety of careers and begin to carry out some basic career planning. 

In Year 10 pupils use the Job Explorer Database software to identify careers that interest them and time is spent in preparation for choosing their GCSE subjects.  It is hoped that by the end of Key Stage 3 all pupils will have begun to consider seriously their academic futures at RSD and their long-term career plans.

In the Employability module of Learning for Life and Work Year 11 pupils examine their options at 16, recruitment, employability skills and entrepreneurship as well as continuing to research career areas and to review and develop their personal career plans. 

In Year 12 pupils have a Careers period each week.  In these classes pupils are encouraged through target setting and decision making exercises to research carefully the careers in which they are interested, so that they make the right decisions which choosing their options after GCSE.  All pupils in Year 12 are interviewed individually by a member of the Careers Department and time is spent discussing A level subject choices or, in some cases, vocational courses may be considered.  Advice is available in August following the publication of the GCSE results.  During Year 12 pupils develop their own CV and personal statement as well as other material that will comprise part of their “Progress File”.  RSD has established a good relationship with the Careers Service NI and Year 12 pupils have been benefiting from interviews with one the Department of Employment and Learning’s Careers Advisers.

All pupils in Forms LVI and UVI have a period of Careers every week and in addition they can opt to spend a study period in the Careers Library.  In Sixth Form pupils develop their presentation skills in preparation for university or job applications and interviews.  Assistance is given with making choices about Further and Higher Education and visits to Higher Education Establishments are arranged.  This year we had pupils on Work Shadowing placements in a wide range of professions and locations, including journalism with UTV, at the news desk in the Belfast Telegraph, working with Farrans Construction on the A1, and a number of pupils observed a vast array of medical procedures and conditions.  This year we hosted seven different university talks to which LVI pupils were made most welcome.  All LVI pupils also attended the UCAS Higher Education Convention in the Kings Hall, Belfast and those interested in applying to Cambridge University enjoyed a “Taster Event”.  At the beginning of the UVIth year each pupil is allocated to a member of the Careers Staff who will give one-to-one advice regarding the pupil’s application to university and assistance with completion of application forms.  Careers Department organises an interview training programme and UVI pupils are offered “mock interviews” in preparation for university interviews.  In November 2010 we held an "Interview Skills Day" which culminated in all UVI pupils having a mock interview with a local businessman/woman.  Accommodation and finance are topics that are also covered in UVI Careers classes.  During their UVIth year pupils update their “Progress File” material.  Careers Staff are available to give advice in August when 'A' level results are published.

Members of the Careers Department are available for consultation at Parents’ Evenings and presentations for parents are arranged at the important transition stages in Years 10 - 14.

The school provides a well-equipped and modern Careers Suite where pupils have access to a wide range of reference material. Each year the Careers Department purchases the annual edition of “Careers” – which offers comprehensive information on most available careers – a good starting point for anyone wanting to get a quick overview of a particular job.  There are many more books, each focusing on a particular career area, which provide more detailed information and many addresses and web site addresses for further information.  Some of these books are aimed at giving Junior School pupils a taste of a career whilst others are more suitable for older pupils who are researching the qualifications and training they may need.

The Careers Library contains copies of prospectuses from over 100 of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland’s Universities and Colleges. There are copies of “The Good University Guide” and many other books which help pupils to compare universities and courses. There are a number of reference books which provide tips for completing the UCAS form as well as others which cover topics such as interviews, presentations, job searching and GAP year opportunities. There are books giving advice about Student Finance and Student Life in general.A section containing books such as “Choosing Your GCSEs” and “Which A Levels?” offers advice at crucial decision-making periods in a pupil’s life.

As well as books and prospectuses the Careers Library has a wide range of magazines and CD Roms.  “Navigator” is aimed at Sixth Form pupils who are considering their options after A levels.  “It’s Your Choice” is written for Fifth Formers whilst there are many other more general magazines alongside those written specifically for pupils interested in specific careers.

There is a section containing literature from the various sections of the Armed Forces.

There are six computers all offering Internet access.  Pupils may also use software packages such as “Pathfinder” and the “Job Explorer Database” on these computers.

Staff:

Miss A E Chestnutt (Head of Dept)

Miss J Garvin

Mr J W Hunniford

Mrs C L Kerr

Mrs P McMullan

Miss H Montgomery

Mrs P L Matthews

Links

2010 Leavers' Questionnaire - http://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHU4aExSMDZ4NEwwX1VmVU9YQXRmWHc6MA

General Careers Information
NI Careers Service - http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/careers
Sector Skills Councils - http://www.sscalliance.org/Home-Public/SectorSkillsCouncils/SSC_Contacts.aspx 
Prospects (graduate careers website) - http://www.prospects.ac.uk/
Pathfinder https://pathfinder.lifeskillslive.com/ssl/index.asp

Local Universities and Colleges
Queen's University Belfast - http://www.qub.ac.uk/
University of Ulster - http://www.ulster.ac.uk/
CAFRE (Loughry, Greenmount & Enniskillen) - http://www.cafre.ac.uk/
Belfast Bible College - http://www.belfastbiblecollege.com/

Local FE Colleges
South West College (SWC) - http://www.swc.ac.uk/ (Dungannon, Cookstown & Omagh)
Southern Regional College (SRC) - http://www.src.ac.uk/ (Armagh, Portadown, Banbridge, Lurgan, Kilkeel & Newry)
Loughry & Greenmount (CAFRE) - http://www.cafre.ac.uk/

UCAS – www.ucas.com
Gap Year info – www.realgap.co.uk

University Admissions Tests
BMAT - http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/bmat
UKCAT - http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/
LNAT - http://www.lnat.ac.uk/
HPAT Ulster (for Allied Health Professions at UU) - http://hpat-ulster.acer.edu.au/
HPAT Ireland (for Medicine in Republic of Ireland) - http://www.hpat-ireland.acer.edu.au/
ELAT - http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/elat
STEP - http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/step
Thinking Skills Assessment
TSA Cambridge - http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/tsacambridge
TSA Oxford - http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/tsaoxford
TSA UCL - http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/tsaucl

Student Finance
Student Finance NI - http://www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
Higher Education Scholarships (JP McManus - Dept of Educ) - http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/80-curriculum-and-assessment/115-curriculum-and-assessment-qualifications-pg/115-higher-education-scholarships.htm
EMA - http://www.delni.gov.uk/index/further-and-higher-education/ema-educational-maintenance-allowance.htm

For use in School
Job Explorer Database: JED - http://jed.c2kni.net/JED/ChooseProfile.aspx