We hope you enjoyed the bank holiday weekend. As we (still) await the updated statutory guidance a slimmed down newsletter for you this week. To continue to help you prepare for the upcoming changes we have created a useful summer term checklist for careers leader full of useful links and information. There are also links to slides and recording of last weeks AI masterclass and our Term 3 Kick off meeting and an exciting announcement about our inclusion conference taking place later this term.
Inclusion Conference – we’re pleased to announce that the South Midlands Careers Hub will be hosting an Inclusion Conference on Tuesday 1st July 2025 at The Forest Centre, Station Rd, Marston Moretaine. This will be for Careers Leaders and Industry Partners working in Special schools and Alternative Provision settings. There will also be a limited number of places available to SENDCos working in mainstream settings (with the option for the careers leader to also attend as their plus one)
The conference will focus on preparing for the updated Gatsby Benchmarks and ensuring compliance with Provider Access Legislation, with a SEND-specific focus. In addition, there be guest speakers, interactive workshops, exhibitor stalls and networking opportunities. A registration link via Microsoft Forms will be shared directly shortly, but in the meantime, please save the date or if you work in mainstream share with your SENDCo
For Information
Term 3 Kick off – narrated slides from our term 3 kick off meeting can be found here and download below
Careers Hub Industry Newsletter – you may have seen our reimagined industry newsletter on Linked In – copy available below, please share with employers and volunteers in your network
CPD Opportunities
Learn more about key product functionality and how it can effectively support you to make important strategic decisions about careers delivery in your institution. Click on the webinar titles below to register
Thursday 8th May, 3.30pm – 4.30pm – Delivery, analysis and impact of Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) – https://bit.ly/3DL2aAJ Thursday 15th May, 3.30pm – 4.30pm – Preparing for and recording a Careers Impact internal leadership review – https://bit.ly/4jdUHJv Tuesday 20th May, 3.30pm – 4.30pm – Compass+ : Using data intelligence – https://bit.ly/3FVM47K Thursday 22nd May, 3.30pm – 4.30pm – Using Compass+ effectively to support learners with SEND – https://bit.ly/3FMByjc
If you are unable to attend a webinar, register for the webinar anyway and you will be emailed a copy of the webinar recording after the session
Webinar to Support Current Unqualified Staff in School who wish to train to teach and gain their QTS – 21st May 5-6pm – Please share details below with staff in your school
This webinar is designed to support those currently working in school who do not hold a QTS qualification: It will explain
The different routes available to enable these staff members to train to teach. This will include tuition fee and apprentice routes.
How The Postgraduate and Teacher Apprenticeship Degrees work.
How the funding for these and other QTS courses work.
With the updated benchmarks, incoming updated statutory guidance and Modern Work Experience on the horizon and what will already be a busy term with many events, trips, visits, exams and work experience taking place along with strategic planning for 2025/26 we have created a handy checklist with links to tools and resources to help you.
Welcome back, we hope you had a great break and are well rested and energised for the term ahead.
Next week we will be sending out our latest industry newsletter so please add your volunteer requests by the end of the week. Increase engagement by adding a photo from a previous event or your school/college logo. Remember to ensure you give enough information and a full description of the activity easily understood by someone outside of education, offer flexibility where possible for volunteers that may not be available for the duration of the event and include the aim of the event and how it will impact students.
Celebrating Success
There were some really impactful employer engagement events taking place last term across our careers family, so before we dive into into another hectic term lets celebrate the hard work of our careers family with some examples of whats been happening across the hub. If you have a success story that you would like to share please let your Careers Consultant know.
Schools in Milton Keynes have had an incredibly productive term! The variety of career opportunities and initiatives such as workplace experiences, alumni talks, and employer visits, are fantastic ways to engage students and broaden their horizons.
The Hospitality Connect project seems particularly impactful, with its hotel visits, assemblies, and chef sessions. It’s wonderful to hear that younger students at Ousedale School had the chance to interact with a hotelier, sparking curiosity about careers in hospitality. Engaging students at KS3 is a great strategy to help them explore future options early on.
Following up with attendance at transition evenings for parents and carers ensures that everyone involved has the chance to learn about the various roles and pathways in the industry. It’s clear that the schools in Milton Keynes are dedicated to providing comprehensive career education and support. 🌟
The Duston School: Teacher CPD/Employer Engagement
Duston School kicked off 2025 in style with an employer/teacher engagement event, supported by over thirty five employers who turned out on a, quite frankly, horrible winter morning to engage with educators sharing insights into their industry sectors. The South Midlands Careers Hub were delighted to be part of the planning process.
The team at Duston, Principal, Sam Strickland, Careers Leader, Diane Fisher, Careers SLT Link, Simon Beal, Industry Partner, Helen Russell and staff body warmly welcomed the business community, facilitating meaningful conversations.
Apprenticeship Volunteers Inspire Year 9 Students at Manor School, Raunds
Six dedicated apprentice volunteers took centre stage at Manor School in Raunds, offering Year 9 students an insightful exploration of apprenticeship opportunities. Max Deans of KIER Construction, George Smith of Weetabix, Hannah-Louise Iddon of Pinsent Masons, Hannah Gonzalez of Delapré Abbey, Joshua Barnett of easipc Services Ltd, and Jaeceena Anderson of Greatwell Homes shared their personal journeys, highlighting the value and versatility of vocational career paths.
The event provided an interactive platform where students engaged directly with the panel, asking their own questions and receiving authentic, first-hand insights into apprenticeship life. This two-way exchange ensured a meaningful and comprehensive understanding of apprenticeships, equipping students with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their futures.
“This is a fantastic example of the power of engagement between industry and education,” said a spokesperson from the event. “Thanks to the support of local business leaders, young people can explore all post-16 and post-18 pathways, enabling well-informed decision-making about their careers.”
George Smith from Weetabix shared his thoughts on the event, describing it as “well-organised, simple, and effective.” He encouraged others to get involved as Young Inspirers, stating, “Great way to express apprentice work that you may do, letting the younger generation know how good they can be instead of just considering university’.” Reflecting on his experience, he added, “It was great fun, improved my public speaking skills, and helped me build valuable workplace connections.”
Max Dean of KIER Construction added “I really enjoyed being on the young inspirers panel again, the students were great and really engaged throughout the session. Once the ball got rolling they were more confident to ask more questions. All information and support was provided prior to the day, including a virtual meeting with the other panellists and school staff – making arriving on the day far easier.”
“It’s really great for students to see lived experiences and have the opportunity to speak to people that were once sat in the same assembly hall as them, even in Year 9, it’s so important to start the conversations around careers and apprenticeships. This is the second time I have been on a young inspirer panel and both times I have returned to work feeling proud and like I have helped make a difference.”
Year 8 Speed Networking – Wrenn School
A fantastic Speed Networking event with Year 8 students at Wrenn School. In this fast-paced format, employers had just three minutes with small groups of students as they tried to guess their jobs , well done to Joanne Bolton for organising such an excellent event!
Testimonial from Mike Foster, Digital Service Delivery Manager, Tresham College
‘Participating in the speed networking event with Year 8 students at Wrenn School was a truly rewarding experience. Seeing such enthusiastic young minds eager to learn, ask insightful questions, and explore different career paths was inspiring. One of the most engaging aspects was when students had the opportunity to guess the jobs we do—I was genuinely surprised by how quickly many of them identified mine!
Testimonial from Rebecca Drage: Senior IT Technician Tresham College
‘It was particularly meaningful to see the growing recognition that women belong in STEM fields. Compared to just a few years ago, it’s amazing how perceptions have evolved, opening doors for young girls to envision their futures in science and technology. I left feeling both inspired and hopeful for the future, knowing that events like these play a crucial role in shaping aspirations and breaking barriers.’
Northamptonshire Business Network
Careers Coordinator at Latimer Arts College, Vicky Stanyon and Industry Partner, Vikki Overson, U-Work Professional took the plunge into the world of networking by attending the Northamptonshire Business Exhibition, held on Thursday 6th March at Wickstead Park. There they met Simon Cox, Director of NNBN (Northamptonshire Business Network) and Head of Policy for Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce and Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce who said, ‘I can’t stress how important it is for local businesses to support the future of tomorrow and share our business knowledge and experience with students’. Well done to both Vicky and Vikki for stepping out of their comfort zone and raising the profile of the Latimer Arts College careers programme.
Sustainability workshop at Chiltern Academy
Chiltern Academy and their Enterprise Adviser from London Luton Airport (LLA), Hannah Dunford, have collaborated to develop and deliver a highly impactful sustainability-focused careers event. This initiative culminated in a dedicated Sustainability Workshop held at LLA’s Head Office on Thursday, November 7th, coinciding with Green Careers Week. Fifteen Year 9 pupils were selected to participate in this unique experience.
The workshop was carefully designed to educate students about the far-reaching effects of climate change and, crucially, the skills needed for climate adaptability in the modern workplace, specifically within the context of an airport environment. The students had the invaluable opportunity to hear from three guest speakers working in sustainability-related roles at LLA. These professionals shared their experiences and insights, providing a real-world perspective on career opportunities within the sector and the diverse entry routes available. This direct interaction with industry professionals provided the students with tangible examples of how their studies can translate into future careers.
The Chiltern Academy pupils embraced the project brief with enthusiasm, embodying the school’s “Chiltern Champion Values.” They engaged actively in the workshop, generating outstanding ideas to improve sustainability at LLA. Student feedback highlights the event’s success. Adwoa noted, “We learned lots about sustainability in the aviation industry and what LLA does to reduce their impact on climate change. We found out how exactly climate change affects the world including the impact on travel and local areas. We then came up with ways to solve problems the airport is facing.” Abi commented, “My opinion on the trip was that it was very interesting because we got to learn about some of the jobs that have an important role in Luton airport and their experiences about their jobs. They showed us how climate change can affect Luton airport and the ways they have tried to adapt to it.” Another student, NE, described the day, saying, “We talked to professionals about their jobs: there were Sustainability Performance Enhancers, Habitat & Painting Manager, Executive Event Planner and much more. We did a competition on who had the best poster idea on how to improve sustainability at the airport and some people even did a product that would help. We got green water bottles and pens as a reward. We learnt a lot of information about how the airport doesn’t just take people to destinations but how they try to fix the environment with specialist workers. Today was really amazing and it will help me in the future to know more about sustainability.”
The workshop not only provided valuable insights into sustainability within the aviation industry but also encouraged students to think creatively and critically about solutions to environmental challenges. The collaborative approach between Chiltern Academy and LLA, facilitated by their Enterprise Adviser, has provided these students with a significant and inspiring experience, potentially influencing their future career paths. This project has benefited significantly from the collaborative partnership with Hannah, whose experience and expertise have been instrumental in enriching students’ aspirations. Furthermore, the collaboration has provided a valuable opportunity for Hannah to develop her facilitation skills, while simultaneously enhancing the career leader’s understanding of local labour market information (LMI) and relevant initiatives.
Key dates for your diary
Summer term kick off meeting
28/04/25
Modern Work Experience consultation – Northampton
21/05/25
Modern Work Experience Consultation – Bedfordshire
04/06/25
Modern Work Experience consultation – Milton Keynes
12/06/25
New Career Leader Induction
16/06/25
Bedford Borough CL network meeting
13/05/25
Central Bedford CL network meeting
16/05/25
Luton CL network meeting
09/06/25
MK CL network meeting
05/06/25
North Northants CL network meeting
13/05/25
West Northants CL network meeting
22/05/25
For Action
If you haven’t done so already please share details of 4YP’s Careers Guidance Community Group’s next meeting with your Careers Adviser.
CDI Webinar: Update on Post-16 qualifications reform, Wednesday 30 April, 11 am, online. Want to understand what’s changing from 2026 and how it affects learners? Post-16 qualifications are under reform, with decisions underway about which routes and subjects will be available from 2026. Hear from the DfE on level 3 reformed qualifications – from AAQs to technical routes – and how these can be combined for learners. NCFE will also share how they support providers and Higher Education Institutions in their role as an awarding organisation. book here
Careers in racing work with 2 training providers the National Horseracing College (in Doncaster) & The British Racing School in Newmarket This is where the apprenticeships will start with a residential stay and is available from 16 years-old. You work towards a Level 2 Diploma in Race Horse Care on the Foundation Course this would incorporate a residential stay at one of the training providers where you would learn to care & race ride. Once completed there you would then start your apprenticeship at a trainer in the industry. Both training providers have open days which you can visit the facilities and find out about the courses.
Careers in Racing also showcase the vast mix of jobs you can do in the sport. This ranges from media, marketing, events, sales but first part jobs on a racecourse such as hospitality & seasonal staff. We can also participate in careers fairs, events in person or with online webinars explaining about all the roles and how someone can find their career path in the sport. We also have plenty of online content so if your interested in that please let me know.
They are hosting several Explore Racing Days up and down the country this is an opportunity for guests to come along and find out about the options and careers paths in the sport on the racecourse. You can keep an eye on the following page for this https://careersinracing.com/explore-racing-days/ or if you have a group keen and local to a course we can arrange something. Plus we have early careers programmes that young people can also get involved in, one of which is our Step on Track Programme which can be more of a bespoke day designed for your group or network.
Useful contact for British Racing School British Racing School – Naomi Lawson Naomi.Lawson@brs.org.uk
Latest Army Careers Newsletter from Beds / Northants outreach is now available to download
With 4 sleeps to go until the Easter Break this is our last newsletter of the term. If you have not already done so please ensure you complete a Compass evaluation before you break up. Next term is going to be a busy one so do take a look at some of the key dates that we have coming up.
Compass evaluation tip – to save time rather than completing a new evaluation, copy across your last one and update and changes – details here
Upcoming Dates
Following on from last week’s modern work experience update we are hosting a series of stakeholder consultations next term taking place across our patch these dates and area where they are taking place below along with other key dates for next term. Places will be limited and further details will be shared next term.
Summer term kick off meeting
28/04/25
MWE consultation – Northampton
21/05/25
MWE Consultation – Bedfordshire
04/06/25
MWE consultation – Milton Keynes
12/06/25
New Career Leader Induction
16/06/25
Bedford Borough CL network meeting
13/05/25
Central Bedford CL network meeting
16/05/25
Luton CL network meeting
09/06/25
MK CL network meeting
05/06/25
North Northants CL network meeting
13/05/25
West Northants CL network meeting
22/05/25
For Action
With the updates to Gatsby BM4 everypupil in everyyear should have the opportunity to learn how the knowledge and skills developed in every subject help them gain entry to and be more effective workers, within a wide range of careers.
My Learning, My Future is a suite of Benchmark 4 resources to help subject teaching staff to highlight the relevance of their subjects to future careers and pathways
To further support you the Careers & Enterprise Academy the new home of careers education CPD has two courses aimed at teachers to introduce them to careers and to support them with careers in the curriculum ACTION – ensure you get some teacher CPD for careers scheduled in. Benchmark four now also has a requirement for careers to form part of the ongoing staff development programme for teachers and all staff who support pupils.
For information
Local cohort – Career Leader training. We are planning to run two local cohorts for the CEC funded career leader training next academic year on to begin in September and one in the spring term. We plan on doing this in partnership with the University of Derby again and after listening to feedback from this years cohort the course will span a longer period of time and will consist of
Introductory webinar
In person workshops 1 & 2
Middle webinar
In person supported study day including access to hub ambassador, EC & hub lead
In person workshops 3 & 4
Final webinar
We are just finalising dates and will share these as soon as available. Please note that the CEC will continue to fund the cost of the course (providing you complete the course) and will still be providing a bursary paid to your school upon completion. However with effect from March this year this will be reduced from £1000 to £500.
Internal Leadership review – if you have not yet done your internal leadership review here’s a Easter bonus to help you – a new short course to support you with understanding and preparing for your Careers Impact internal leadership review, available on The Careers & Enterprise Academy. Make haste, invitations to take part in Peer to Peer reviews will be winging their way to those that have completed ILRs early next term.
Keeping it brief this week as appreciate many of you will have lots of NCW related activities and events happing throughout the week. We would love to hear more about your activities this week and share across our SMCH careers family. Please email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk and tag @southmidlandscareeershub into anything you share on LinkedIn.
Masterclasses
We had a great turn out for our last masterclass which focused on another of the themes that came out of the Gatsby 10 year review – Engagement of Parents & Carers. Please find the slide deck below and a copy of the recording here. Massive thank you again to our Sarah MacDougall from Wootton Park school for her fab contribution and to Dawn Lord from Vandyke Upper School for sharing her great practice too.
Our next masterclass is 18/03/24, focusing on another of the 5 themes from Gatsby 10 meaningful and varied encounters and experiences. Calendar invites will be sent out to Careers Leaders this week. Details of relevant info from the updated GBM (Gatsby10) below
‘The most impactful careers guidance balances the number and variety of encounters and experiences in education and work, while also providing time for young people to prepare and reflect. This principle has been recognised by expanding the definitions of ‘meaningful’ in Benchmarks 5 and 7 and adding one to Benchmark 6. The updated definitions encourage variation and flexibility in how educational institutions and employers work with young people, with a focus on ensuring the activity has a real impact and benefits their decision-making.
Planning encounters and experiences as part of a progressive and sequenced careers program for each student will also help ensure the greatest impact.
All three definitions emphasise that encounters should offer young people the opportunity to experience what study or work is truly like in that setting, including the recruitment and application process. They also stress the importance of sharing the purpose of the activity with all involved parties, ensuring the activity is underpinned by learning outcomes, promoting two-way interaction between young people and employers or education institutions, and supporting young people to prepare for their interactions and reflect on what they have learned. For a meaningful workplace experience, the importance of students being assigned tasks by the employer and receiving feedback on their work has also been highlighted.
The importance of young people engaging with a broad range of stakeholders has been made clear.
Benchmark 5 emphasises engagement with the self-employed, businesses of various sizes, and different sectors.
Benchmark 6 encourages meeting a variety of people in the workplace.
Benchmark 7 stresses interacting with a range of staff and students.
The definitions also reiterate the need for tailored support for disadvantaged, vulnerable, and SEND students.
As technology changes workplaces and recruitment practices, it can support young people in their preparation and expand the range of educational institutions, businesses, and other agencies they can access. However, virtual encounters and experiences should complement, not replace, in-person activities.’
Using AI to support planning and delivery30/04/2025 @14.00
This will be a practical session delivered by Rob Howe , Head of Learning & Technology at University of Northampton. Prior to joining the session please check you can log on to Copilot or Chat GTP etc.
Agenda to include
Intro to AI via a fun task!
Using AI to support developing plans
Using AI to support development of resources and presentations
Ethics
If you have any specific questions or anything in particular you would like covered lease email mandy.green@southmidlands.org.uk wit AI Masterclass I the subject box
Generation Logistics free resources
Details and links below to new resources from Generation Logistics to help you inspire your learners about careers in the fast-paced, well-paid world of logistics! All the resources are ready to be weaved into dynamic, engaging lessons including:
📐Maths: Mini Market Produce a feasibility study to determine whether an electric van should replace a diesel lorry
🖥️ Computing: Programming A coding challenge to create a working computer programme to calculate how much a journey costs
⚛️ Science: Which fuel is best?Building pupils’ knowledge so they are able to select the best fuel for delivery vans and justify their choice
⚙️ Tech & Engineering: Podcast – What future careers can engineering and tech enable? James, Sanjay and Lucy talk about the importance of engineering and technology in logistics
Educator Hub:All the resources featured are curriculum relevant and ready to be weaved into dynamic, engaging lessons. Use the filter function to display according to key stage or subject (and find the perfect content for your students!).
Careers Booklet:Our hope is to help you deliver memorable learning experiences that deliver career- changing moments along the way
We hope you are all settling into the new term, we have shorter update for you this week. Thank you to all of you that attended our Term 2 Kick Off meeting. You can view the slides from this briefing here.
All Careers Leaders should now have received a calendar invite to our first masterclass of the term which will be a 30 minute virtual session with an additional 15 minutes Q&A and discussion. This is taking place on Thursday 30th January and will cover Internal Leadership reviews including how careers can be positioned as a driver for school, special school and college improvement, the benefits for Careers Leaders and an opportunity to hear from local careers leads that have recently undertake an Internal Leadership Review.
If you would like to attend and have not received a calendar invite please email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk
Reminder – Key Dates for the Spring Term
Wednesday 22nd January – New Career Leader & Industry Partner Careers Hub Introduction (for all new CL & IPs that have not yet attended, an opportunity to join our Hub Leads and learn more about South Midlands careers Hub. Invite will be sent via Teams, email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk if you would like to attend)
Masterclasses – Calendar invitations will be sent out to all Career Leaders, if you do not receive an invitation and would like to attend please email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk.
Thursday 30th January – Masterclass – Internal Leadership Review
Tuesday 25th February – Masterclass – Parental Engagement
Tuesday 18th March – Masterclass – Making in Meaningful
Thursday 24th April – Masterclass – Universal vs Targeted Careers Education Programs
Career Leader Network Meetings
05/02/25 West Northants Career Leader Network Meeting
06/02/25 North Northants Career Leader Network Meeting
06/05/25 Central Bedfordshire Career Leader Network Meeting
27/02/25 MK Career Leader Network Meeting
Adding a volunteering opportunity to our Careers Hub Website
It has been great to see the variety of career learning opportunities taking place across the South Midlands! We though it would be helpful to share some feedback and tips on how to make your volunteer requests stand out.
Increase engagement by adding a photo from a previous event or if not your school/college logo
Remember to ensure you give enough information and a full description of the activity easily understood by someone outside of education
Offer flexibility where possible for volunteers that may not be available for the duration of the event
Volunteers love to feel valued, include how them volunteering will impact students
Don’t forget to proof read your content
Add events as far in advance as possible
Show your appreciation by capturing volunteers in a photo and or sharing some student/staff feedback on the impact they have had. We now produce a termly newsletter for our volunteers and this type of content would really help encourage more volunteers. Please share any potential content with your Careers Consultant or email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk
We hope you have had a great festive break and are feeling well rested and refreshed! As we ease ourselves into 2025 we wanted to celebrate our current volunteers and share volunteering opportunities for businesses and individuals across The South Midlands to support our young people to become career ready!
For those of you new to South Midlands Careers Hub (previously South Midlands careers Hub, SEMLEP) we are the strategic arm of the Department for Education (DfE) responsible for supporting schools and colleges to improve the careers provision. We currently support 152 schools and colleges across Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire. Our mission is to strengthen business and education links locally and build career-ready young people. Employers are vital to help bridge the gap between education and employment and there are lots of ways you can support young people and school leaders, provide personal development for your staff and identify new talent.
Partner with one of our schools or colleges as an Industry Partner
Enterprise Advisers partner with a school or college for a period of time, offering careers education support from an industry perspective, as a consultant, critical friend and coach, or to support a specific project. This is an great opportunity to make a real and lasting impact in the community.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Massive shout out to our Industry Partners (previously known as Enterprise Advisers) who provided a match to one of our schools or colleges in 2024
Miss Leanne Walton, Ms Rosalind Chisholm
Ms Charlene Jerman
Mr Timothy Mason
Mr Richard Cooper
Mr James Bryant
Mrs Lorraine Emerton
Ms Emma Adams
Ms Ruth Devine
Ms Laureen Kinsella, Mrs Lesley McNeill
Miss Kerri Skingle, Ms Hannah Fehr
Mr Tatenda Ward
Mr Manish Amriwala
Ms Aimee Gomez
Mr Max Deans
Mr Nick Levens
Ms Sally Wood
Mr Joshua Keating
Ms Michelle Theuma
Mr (Philip) Ian Ashcroft
Mr James Petrides
Mr John Allen
Mrs Wendy Ingram
Ms Paula Grayson
Mr Richard Last
Mr Callum Hutchinson
Ms Mari Paduos
Mr Charlie Wood, Ms Alys Martin
Mr Colin Rodden
Mr James Stancombe
Mrs Alison Thompson
Ms Marie Jones
Mr Richard Osborne
Mrs Leona Gerald-Okoli
Mr Adam Fox
Mr Simon Wheeler
Ms Sara Simpson
Mr Peter Swallow
Mrs Rebecca Hudson
Mrs Rebecca Newman
Mr Jonathan Bates
Mrs Elizabeth Albone
Mrs Helen Russell
Ms Liz Allister
Mr Ian Stewart
Mr Sunny Singh
Mr Julian Winch
Mrs Debbie Dymock
Ms Siobhan Godden
Mr Anthony McCool
Mr Paul Turney
Mr Thomas Cliffe
Mr Gav O’Brien
Mr Stephen Kimbell
Mr Richard Halderthay
Mr Tanpreet Bhachu
Ms Fay Field, Ms Natasha Rose
Mr James Cooke
Ms Raswella Warburton
Miss Hannah Dunford, Ms Loraine Thomas
Ms Hannah Gifford
Mrs Lydia Selby
Ms Hannah Sears
Mr Ade Abimbola, Mr Justin Hammond
Ms Anna Ganapathee, Dr Susan Izadkhasti
Mr Neil Walcuch
Mr David Gilmour
New Industry Partner Matches
Pictured above, a new partnership between Manor School, Raunds and Industry Partner, Adam Fox, Senior Vice President of Wellingborough & East Northants Chamber of Commerce & Director of Evolve Business Coaching Ltd. Careers Leader, Simon Hill, SLT Careers Link, Justine Mitchell-Bunce & Careers Coordinator, Lisa Smedley provided a warm welcome to Adam and have already established a positive partnership.
A huge welcome to Adam and our other new Industry Partners who we have listed below
Agnieszka Smith, easyJet
Celine McGuigan, easyJet
Lydia Selby, University of Northampton
Natalie Gibbings, Aiimi
Charlotte Sykes, CWR Consultancy
Elaine Kendall, Kori Construction
Kushilka Zaharia, easyJet
Sandra Trew, Get Real Parental Coaching
Wendy Ingram, easyJet
Lucy Randall
Robin Evans, easyJet
Industry Partner Vacancies
We are keen to ensure that all young people across the South Midlands benefit from the support of an Industry partner. The schools below do not currently benefit from am Industry Partner. If you live, work or are Alumni from one of these schools and interested in a match please let us know, email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk
Alameda Middle School
Arnold Academy
Bedford College
Bedford Free School
Biddenham International School and Sports College
Biggleswade Academy
Billing Brook Special School
Bishop Stopford School
Brooke Weston Academy
Brooklands Middle School
Campion School
Castle Newnham School
Corby Business Academy
Corby Technical School
Creating Tomorrow College
Daubeney Academy
Daventry Hill School
Denbigh School
DSLV E-ACT Academy
E-Act Ousedale School
Edward Peake CofE VC School
Elizabeth Woodville School
Friars Academy
Fulbrook
Gilbert Inglefield Academy
Grange Academy
Greenfields Specialist School for Communication
Greys Education Centre
Harlington Upper School
Holywell School
Hospital and Outreach Education
Houstone School
Huxlow Academy
Ivel Valley School & College
Kents Hill Park all-through school
Kettering Science Academy
Kimberley 16 – 19 Stem College
Kingsthorpe College
Kingswood Secondary Academy
Leighton Middle School
Linslade School
Magdalen College School
Manshead Church of England Academy
Maplefields Academy
Marston Vale Middle School
Montsaye Academy
Moulton College
Northampton Academy
Northampton College
Northampton School
Northampton School for Boys
Northampton School for Girls
Oakhill Secure Training Centre
Parkfields Middle School
Pix Brook Academy
Prince William School
Priory Academy
Purple Oaks Academy
Queensbury Academy
Red Kite Academy
Ridgeway School
Robert Bloomfield Academy
Sandy Secondary School
Silverstone UTC
Sir Christopher Hatton Academy
Slated Row School
St John’s School
St Thomas More Catholic School
The Ferrers School
The Gateway School
The Latimer Arts College
The Milton Keynes Academy
Thomas Becket Catholic School
Weatherfield Academy
Weavers Academy
Weston Favell Academy
Windmill Hill School
Wixams Academy
Woodland Middle School Academy
Wootton Upper School
Wren Spinney Community School
Industry Champions
Our Industry Champions inspire and help prepare young people for the world of work. Volunteer requests from our schools and colleges are advertised here. This is an opportunity to share your knowledge, insights and experience on an ad-hoc basis. Current activities include speed networking, year 7 networking, dragons den activity, business breakfast and real life math activity.
Business Breakfast Networking Event – Wrenn School, Wellingborough
As part of Wrenn Schools’ drive to develop relationships with community partners and local businesses, their Careers Leader and Careers Consultant worked together to invite business/community leaders to attend their first ‘Business Breakfast Networking Event’ to communicate and showcase Wrenn’s aspirational Careers Programme. The event took place on: Wednesday 23rd October 2024 from 7.30 – 8.30am, at: Wrenn School, Wellingborough
Head of Careers, Jo Bolton presented an overview of the Careers Programme Claire Coles AIEP Coles, Careers Consultant and Debbie Dymock RCDP, Industry Partner and Owner of Northamptonshire Careers delivered short presentations detailing support of Wrenn School.
The event concluded with an opportunity to network and speak to members of the Careers Team to explore opportunities to engage with Wrenn School over the coming year.
Successful collaboration between Tui and Luton Sixth Form
The collaboration between TUI and Luton Sixth Form College represents a significant partnership aimed at enhancing educational and career opportunities for students. This partnership leverages the strengths of both institutions to provide students with practical experiences and insights into the travel and tourism industry. TUI sees the partnership with Luton Sixth Form College as part of a broader strategy to invest in local communities and nurture future talent. By partnering with educational institutions, TUI aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application, ensuring that students are well-prepared for careers in the tourism sector.
TUI support Luton Sixth Form College students by offering career inspiration days. These days allow the students to visit the head office and become immersed in the TUI culture whilst learning about the different roles on offer and entry points into the business. The students also engage in practical activities, focusing on teambuilding, teamwork and collaboration and presentation skills. Some of TUI’s pilot and engineering team have also visited the college to deliver talks around our MPL (multi-pilot license) programme and our engineering apprenticeship opportunities that the students can apply for. The Emerging Talent Team also support the colleges careers fairs and offer pop-up stands at different points of the year to provide information on current and upcoming vacancies and apprenticeship programmes.
TUI have recruited many Luton Sixth Form Alumni into the business. For our emerging talent programmes, we recruited two students in our most recent campaign. Charlotte, one of our new commercial apprentices from Luton Sixth Form said ‘Throughout my time at school and college, I had several interactions with the TUI team. I remember coming away feeling excited about the opportunities that they offered! These memories helped me find a pathway to my current role on the apprenticeship which still gives me that same excited feeling!’
TUI hopes to continue to build the relationships we have with Luton Sixth Form College and continue to support the recruitment of students from the local area by providing key insights and local opportunities.
easyJet collaboration to apprenticeship success for Challney High School for Boys student
As a large local employer for the town, easyJet work closely with Luton schools and colleges,to inform students of the breadth of opportunities available across the organisation and wider aviation industry. easyJet got in touch with Louise, our Luton Careers Consultant to offer visits to the schools, to talk about an exciting new apprenticeship that was launching in Autumn 2024.
Shital Pancholi, Career Leader for Challney High School for Boys, was quick to sign up for this, given easyJet’s relationship with the school as an Industry Partner, and the familiarity to the students, through the many trips and encounters they’d had.
easyJet colleagues, Ruth Martin and Pete Foreman, attended a year 11 lunch time drop-in session and were joined by 10 serious students. They talked through the new Maintenance Operations Apprenticeship including the application process and what the training and role would involve. Student Arman Chowdhury submitted an application after attending the talk and was successful. He started his apprenticeship in September.
On the news of his success, Shital said “We feel so proud of him for taking on this amazing opportunity and are very grateful to easyJet for working with our school to promote these opportunities to their future workforce”.
Milton Keynes Industry partners have had a busy autumn term
MK Industry Partners and Champions have been busy over the past term supporting with school enterprise activities, experiences of the workplace, mentoring, assemblies, careers fairs and even arranging the MK STEM festival. Santander kindly hosted a tour of Unity Place (I didn’t know there is a microbrewery that uses the surplus bread and leftover loaves from the on-site bakery!) It was great to show students the range of careers available, not only at Santander, but also within Unity Place.
Share Your Volunteering Story
If you have a volunteering story we would love to hear from you so we can share as part of our next Hub Newsletter for Industry. Please email details to careershub@southmidlnds.org.uk
Find Out More
Our schools and colleges run many events throughout the year where they require the support of Industry Champions. As an Industry Champion you are able to view all current volunteering opportunities here and express your interest in attending these.
Take a look at our latest Industry Champion volunteering opportunities here
Want to find out more about what we do/ Join our Hub Leads Wednesday 22nd January for a Careers Hub Introduction. This will be virtual via Teams, Email us careershub@southmidlands.org.uk if you would like to attend.
Happy new year! We hope you have had a lovely festive break and are well rested in preparation for another busy term! Whilst its a shorter term its action packed with both National Apprenticeships Week beginning 10/02/2025 and National Careers Week starting 03/03/25.
We have added key dates below which include a range of masterclasses that link to the five main themes of the updated Gatsby Benchmarks. These will be 30 minute virtual sessions and we encourage you to prioritise attending wherever possible.
We then expect to have had the new careers statutory guidance published and will follow up with briefings (similar to the Gatsby briefings) within a few weeks of publication. In the summer term we will then focus on individual benchmark masterclasses running through May, June and July.
Key Dates for the Spring Term
Wednesday 8th January – Term 2 Kick Off (for Careers Leaders and Industry Partners). View the slides from this briefing here.
Wednesday 22nd January – New Career Leader & Industry Partner Careers Hub Introduction (for all new CL & IPs that have not yet attended, an opportunity to join our Hub Leads and learn more about South Midlands careers Hub. Invite will be sent via Teams, email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk if you would like to attend)
Masterclasses – Calendar invitations will be sent out to all Career Leaders, if you do not receive an invitation and would like to attend please email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk.
Thursday 30th January – Masterclass – Internal Leadership Review
Tuesday 25th February – Masterclass – Parental Engagement
Tuesday 18th March – Masterclass – Making in Meaningful
Thursday 24th April – Masterclass – Universal vs Targeted Careers Education Programs
Career Leader Network Meetings
13/01/25 Luton Career Leader Network Meeting
22/01/25 Bedford Borough Career Leader Network Meeting
05/02/25 West Northants Career Leader Network Meeting
06/02/25 North Northants Career Leader Network Meeting
06/05/25 Central Bedfordshire Career Leader Network Meeting
We wanted to ensure that we are recognising and celebrating your hard earned achievements, so are introducing a termly Celebrating Success feature. If you have some innovative practice to share, have recently achieved the Quality in Careers Standard, or have studied hard to complete a careers qualification please let your Careers Consultant know, (pictures most welcome!)
easyJet school collaboration leads to apprenticeship success for Challney High School for Boys Student
As a local large employer for the town, easyJet work closely with Luton schools and colleges, to inform students of the breadth of opportunities available across the organisation and wider aviation industry.
easyJet got in touch with Louise, our Luton Careers Consultant to offer visits to the schools, to talk about an exciting new apprenticeship that was launching in Autumn 2024.
Shital Pancholi, Career Leader for Challney High School for Boys, was quick to sign up for this, given easyJet’s relationship with the school as an Industry Partner, and the familiarity to the students, through the many trips and encounters they’d had.
easyJet colleagues, Ruth Martin and Pete Foreman, attended a year 11 lunch time drop-in session and were joined by 10 serious students. They talked through the new Maintenance Operations Apprenticeship including the application process and what the training and role would involve. Student Arman Chowdhury submitted an application after attending the talk and was successful. He started his apprenticeship in September.
On the news of his success, Shital said “We feel so proud of him for taking on this amazing opportunity and are very grateful to easyJet for working with our school to promote these opportunities to their future workforce”.
Industry Partner Supports Successful Business breakfast at Wren School
As part of Wrenn Schools’ drive to develop relationships with community partners and local businesses, their Careers Leader and Careers Consultant worked together to invite business/community leaders to attend their first ‘Business Breakfast Networking Event’ to communicate and showcase Wrenn’s aspirational Careers Programme. The event took place on: Wednesday 23rd October 2024 from 7.30 – 8.30am, at: Wrenn School, Wellingborough
Head of Careers, Jo Bolton presented an overview of the Careers Programme Claire Coles, Careers Consultant and Debbie Dymock, Industry Partner and owner of Northamptonshire Careers delivered short presentations detailing support of Wrenn School.
The event concluded with an opportunity to network and speak to members of the Careers Team to explore opportunities to engage with Wrenn School over the coming year.
Careers Leader and Careers Adviser Qualification Completions
Congratulations Zoe Correa on completing your Level 6 qualification in Careers Leadership – no mean feat alongside developing your programme and your many other commitments and responsibilities. The students of Huxlow Academy have benefitted from a range of careers activities including a Careers Fair, drop down days, and support from South Midlands Careers Hub Industry Partner, Adrian Green FITOL.
‘It has been a joy to work with you over the past year and I look forward to achieving more of our aims over the next one – watch this space!’ Claire, North Northants Careers Consultant.
Joanne Ripley, Career Leader at Lincroft Academy completed her Level 6 Careers Leader award in August 2023 while still fairly new to post. Joanne went on to start her Level 6 Guidance and Development qualification in October 2023 and completed it by August 2024. Joanne has completed this all while developing a proactive careers programme for the students of Lincroft Academy.
Careers Leader Simon Hill offers peer to peer support on developing careers area of school website
Simon Hill, Careers Leader: Manor School, Raunds recently answered the call to support two North Northants Careers Leaders by sharing his approach to the development of his Careers page on the school website, sharing insight and a list of top tips! We really appreciate Simon generously providing his time and expertise in this peer to peer project.
We are also delighted to celebrate a new partnership between Manor School, Raunds and Industry Partner, Adam Fox, Senior Vice President of Wellingborough & East Northants Chamber of Commerce & Director of Evolve Business Coaching Ltd. Careers Leader, Simon Hill, SLT Careers Link, Justine Mitchell-Bunce & Careers Coordinator, Lisa Smedley provided a warm welcome to Adam and have already established a positive partnership.
Milton Keynes schools have had a fantastic start to the new academic year
Sir Herbert Leon have been rated as a good school by Ofsted showing how a careers programme can have an impact on whole school improvement when it’s seen as a golden thread.
We have welcomed a number of new Careers Leaders with Nadia at Watling Academy, Laura at St Pauls, Aline at Sir Herbert Leon and Cheryl at Stantonbury all joining us for the local cohort of Career Leader training! It’s great to have so many new Career Leaders engaging early on in the support available to learn more about the leadership role. The positive impact the training is having can already be seen. Sam at Oakgrove is undertaking her guidance qualification and working hard to support students whilst achieving this qualification.
Shout outs to Cat at Denbigh and Dawn at Kents Hill for sending out the Future Skills Questionnaires to students – it’s fantastic to have student voice to help shape the future careers progamme in school and will be so important with the new Gatsby benchmarks.
MKA have run a great enterprise week and had a STEMX, Red Bull visit. St Pauls have started an apprenticeship academy for Year 13’s and it will be great to see the outcomes 😊 Thanks to Donna at Walton and Alyce at 5 Dimensions Trust for running an apprenticeship information session and sharing how they run apprenticeship ‘academies’ – it really helps sharing best practice. Renuka at Lord Grey has been arranging fantastic experiences of the workplace for her students and Slated Row and Woodlands School are brilliant at providing their students with the best opportunities to succeed.
Many schools have held fantastic careers fairs and employability events and the pictures below show how engaged everyone has been!
A few weeks ago we ran a webinar all about Degree Apprenticeships – we were joined by 3 young people who were either about to start their programmes, or who were going into their final year.
Our Degree Apprenticeship Mentoring Programme starts in 2 weeks – just 20 places available!
Our experience is that a lot of young people who are applying for Degree Apprenticeships are ‘flying solo’…..they’re trying to figure out on their own how to present their CV, how to navigate a video interview, and what research to do for an assessment day.
Our Degree Apprenticeship Mentoring Programme is here to help them, and give parents the piece of mind that their son/daughter is not missing out on opportunities because of a lack of knowledge.
The 4 month mentoring programme includes small group sessions, personalised feedback and 1-2-1 action planning meetings.
We’re running ‘Insight Sessions’ so young people and their parents can find out more, and figure out whether the support we offer will work for them. We also offer an entirely bespoke 1-2-1 programme so we’ll be covering that too.
This is a paid-for mentoring programme with a cost of £55 a month for 4 months for the ‘group’ programme.
If you have pupils who could benefit from the programme please could you forward this email to their parents.
They can then click one of the links below to book a spot on one of the free 30 minute Insight Sessions – they’ll just need to attend one of them.
We hope you have enjoyed a successful start to the 2024-25 academic year. We kicked of the year with a bang with our annual Careers Hub conference in partnership with the South Midlands Growth Hub, and the launch of our website. More information below!
Careers Hub Updates
Staffing We have appointed a new Strategic Hub Lead for the Careers Hub. We are delighted to say that Yvonne Ashby will be taking on the role. We will therefore be recruiting for an Operational Hub Lead in the near future – watch this space!
Term 1 Kick Off If you missed it, please do take a look at the slides from our online term 1 kick off meeting. This is something we will be running at the start of each term and is a 30 minute overview of all of the headlines for the coming term.
Career Leader Survey We would appreciate it if any Careers Leaders could take the time to complete our Career Leader survey
Website Launch We are really excited to launch our new South Midlands Careers Hub website. Please do visit and familiarise yourself with the content. Resources will continue to be added over the coming weeks and months (you may need to register on the site to access some of these), and we would like to encourage our schools and colleges and partners to use the site to share their own news and events. Some key links below:
Partner News/Events (please do not use this to request volunteers or exhibitors for events), partners please upload events/news such as open day dates and good news stories: Partner News / Events – South Midlands Careers Hub
Annual Conference – 24.09.2024 Thank you to the 203 delegates who joined our annual conference this month, to our keynote speaker Ryan Gibson from the Gatsby Foundation, and to our amazing panellists and exhibitors on the day. We had some great feedback from delegates and have including some comments below. Access the slides from the day here.
‘Great to network and meet from different sectors. Good to hear about developments coming up and things to look out for. It highlights the level of support that is available’
‘First time at one of these events. It was great to meet people and I found the workshops really informative’
‘Discussions about bridging the skills gap with employers, panellists and education was insightful and will help in my role as an Industry Partner’
Support for Careers Leaders
New Career Leader induction with Hub Leads – Thursday 24th October 3:30pm – 4:30pm. Email careershub@semlep.com to be sent the meeting link
This academic year our amazing Careers Hub Ambassadors Stacey Morris, Lee Nelson and Alyce Harriswill be offering small group online support sessions covering the areas below. These will last between 30 and 60 minutes. If you are interested, please add your details and area of interest here.
SEND – Embedding Careers in the Curriculum BM3 & BM4
SEND – Enterprise projects BM6
SEND – First steps in employer engagement BM5
SEND – Cementing employer relationships BM5 & 6
SEND – Valuing your work all BMs
Mainstream – Developing a whole school stable careers programme BM1
Mainstream – support to embed LMI within curriculum learning and parental engagement BM3
Mainstream – Meaningful ways to enable encounters with employers and employees and link to the curriculum. BM4 & 5
