Our careers team offers a client-centred, confidential, impartial and accessible service, delivered by professionally qualified staff. We serve learners of all ages and meet the needs of all our learners.
Careers Education Information, Advice & Guidance (CEIAG)
All current learners have access to qualified and impartial Careers Advisers, who can support with your career planning whilst you are at college.
Careers learning and employability is embedded throughout the curriculum and many opportunities for such learning and support will be through class & tutorial work. Additional activities will be made available through extra-curricular events such as Careers Fairs, workshops and trips to UCAS fairs.
The College achieved the Quality in Careers Standard, which means it is recognised as meeting the Careers benchmarks (Gatsby), for recognising best practice and an embedded careers curriculum. https://www.qualityincareers.org.uk/what-is-the-quality-in-careers-standard/
Further Support through National Careers Service & other partner agencies
We work with a number of agencies who also come into college to work with some of our learners and provide Careers Advice and Guidance. All are suitably qualified and offer impartial information, advice and guidance:
National Careers Service: Luke, Sarah and Gillian work closely with our Careers Team and are the link advisers available for our Adult Learners. They offer a range of services including 1:1 support and workshops, available both through the college and in the wider community.
Our careers team and request for further support from our partners can be contacted here: Careers@eastleigh.ac.uk
General Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG)
In addition to the Careers Team information, advice & guidance (IAG) may also be given by others:
The college has a dedicated team of staff who offer a range of support prior to, during and after your time at college.
Our Learner Recruitment Executives will offer IAG to those who are looking at joining us and want to learn more about the courses and apprenticeships we have on offer: bebetter@eastleigh.ac.uk
All tutors are industry trained and will work with learners to help them progress in their studies and into potential careers.
The Work Experience Team are on hand to support learners with getting prepared for work placements and ensure that learners get the most of their industry placements workexperience@eastleigh.ac.uk
The Progression Mentors are on hand to support those learners who feel they may be struggling whilst they are on study programme and will be supported to try and achieve and complete.
These cross-college teams are Matrix accredited which ensure the advice you receive will be impartial and covers the full range of options to meet your needs. https://matrixstandard.com/
Useful Contacts
Tracey McAdam, Head of Learner Support & Designated Safeguarding Lead
Trudy McKenzie, Careers Leader and Adviser
Paul Stannard, Vice Principal of Quality, Compliance & Improvement (Overall responsibility for Careers)
All Learners will have a range of careers and employability opportunities throughout the year delivered through one-to-one guidance, group sessions, drop-in sessions and progression events.
Our Careers Adviser is qualified to Level 7. They are impartial and maintain professionalism by working towards the CDI code of ethics: https://www.thecdi.net/write/Documents/Code_of_Ethics_update_2018-web.pdf
We work in partnership with The National Careers Service, who often deliver workshops onsite and are available to specifically work with our adult learners.
The Gatsby benchmarks are at the heart of the Government’s Careers Strategy, published in 2017, and form the framework for Best Practice and good embedded careers guidance. They support the College in raising young people’s aspiration and promoting access to career pathways for all students. By embedding the Benchmarks throughout our Study programmes, young people will be better equipped, more motivated and informed to make good choices and enjoy greater success, Eastleigh College is committed to meeting the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks which are:
A Stable Careers Programme
Eastleigh College Career Programme
Learning from career and labour market information
Addressing the needs of each pupil
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Encounters with employers and employees
Experiences of workplaces
Encounters with further and higher education
Personal Guidance
All learners on full time programmes will undertake work experience. Most programmes of study include industry placements which fully complement their programme by offering up to 315 hours (one or two days per week) in a role linked to their work interest. Such long-term placements are sourced with local employers across a range of sectors. We have a dedicated team to support learners with accomplishing their work placement requirements: workexperience@eastleigh.ac.uk
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to enhance your employability skills, gain valuable experience and contribute to your community. We can help you source opportunities should this be something you are interested in.
The Southern Universities Network (SUN) is a collaborative partnership comprising HE providers in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight. The SUN provides outreach activities for schools and colleges as part of Uni-Connect – an Office for Students (OfS) funded project.
Uni Connect programme was launched in 2020 and works with schools and colleges with learners who live in areas of England where they are less likely to progress to higher education.
We have a dedicated SUN Progression Mentor at the College who will work with these learners to provide a range of activities to support and encourage their progression choices.
Activities available for schools & colleges
We recognise that parents and carers play an influential role in supporting their child to make important decisions about their education and future career. Parents/carers are welcome to contact the careers service and attend meetings if this is appropriate careers@eastleigh.ac.uk
Supporting your child with searching for apprenticeships
UCAS advice for parents and guardians
If you would like to provide feedback on the College's careers provision or have a suggestion on expectations, please do email: careers@eastleigh.ac.uk
We enjoy a fantastic relationship with local and national employers who support us with a range of activities including work placement, guest speakers, work visits, career fairs, mock interviews and other career/employability-related activities. We pride ourselves in developing our learners to be work ready on leaving their programme of study with us, and with your help can continue to offer a range of activities to help get our learners work-ready.
If you are interested in supporting our learners in any capacity, please contact us at careers@eastleigh.ac.uk
We are also able to advertise any job vacancies suitable for our learners, via our internal digital jobs board. If you would like us to advertise (free) such vacancies, please email us.
We have a huge range of courses to suit a variety of interests and levels. Many of our level 3 courses are the equivalent of A Levels and can be used to progress onto University study, should learners wish. Otherwise, our courses are designed to give you the best skills and opportunities to become ready for the world of work and get your career started.
Thinking of joining us? Keep an eye out on our website for latest news and follow us on social media.
Get a real flavour of our courses by attending one of our open events
General advice on courses can be gained from the Learning Executives Team: 02380 911000 bebetter@eastleigh.ac.uk
Speak to your School’s Careers Adviser for support in making decisions after year 11. They will be happy to talk to you about your options.
If you are an adult thinking about returning to learning, the National Careers Service are available to help you with your career planning. You can chat with them on the telephone or arrange to meet them locally. More information here:
If you are unsure about your future, whether that be what course to take or career to pursue, you may find the following link helpful where you can browse careers and check how they fit in with the local labour market here.
Regardless of where you’re up to with your course or what your next steps might be, you can always book in for an appointment with us to get extra help, check you’re on the right path, or plan ahead for the future. You can ask your personal tutor to make a referral for you, visit us in the Learner Hub or email us on careers@eastleigh.ac.uk
For other information, advice and guidance on taking your next steps after college, you can access our dedicated careers & progression page.
We work with a range of Higher Education Institutions, Colleges and Training providers to ensure our learners get access to the most up to date information and support, as possible. If you are an educational provider and want to connect to work more closely with us, please email careers@eastleigh.ac.uk
Curriculum Staff
We are using Compass as a tool to demonstrate that we are successfully meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks which is how schools & colleges measure their CEIAG provision.
Eastleigh College is keen to develop meaningful relationships with education providers, employers and businesses to ensure our students gain the qualities, skills and qualifications required to fulfil their ambition and aspirations.
As staff, your role is to continue to provide dynamic and inspirational opportunities to bring careers learning both inside and outside of the classroom. We are very lucky at Eastleigh College to have a dedicated Careers Lead, Trudy McKenzie: tmckenzie@eastleigh.ac.uk who will answer any questions you may have, share opportunities and resources to help staff build careers into the curriculum.
See the Careers and Enterprise teacher resources for information and links that can help staff support careers education within their curriculum areas.