Careers At Sea open day

The merchant navy is the name given to the international commercial shipping industry.  It is made up of a large number of shipping companies who recruit crew, known as merchant seafarers.  The size and type of ships and their cargoes vary greatly, and trade routes may take them to every continent and across every ocean on the globe.
Warsash Maritime Academy are running an open day on 23 January 2015 for secondary students. Contact them direct to attend.  Website
Event poster

The Latest Edition of Get Smaart is up and available to view online...

Open it now for all the latest info on careers and study options.  In this issue:

Katy B Exclusive Interview

Science: A World of Fun

UCAS

Your Personal Statement

Read the Online Version right now by clicking herehttp://www.smaartmags.com/docs/smaartnational.php

NCS Summer Programme 2014

Students in year 11 and 12 can sign up now!
Youth Connexions are again promoting the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme for this summer.  This is a fun and challenging personal and social development programme which helps young people aged 15-17 (school Years 11 and 12) to become more confident by taking part in socially responsible activities such as social action projects.  I have information packs and application forms in Careers Office at Cavendish.
Click here for dates and locations and all the information.

Careers Fair in Luton 25th June

Free end of term careers event for young people aged 15-25 who are looking for:
Apprenticeships;  Work Experience over the summer; School-Leaver Schemes / College Leaver Schemes; Summer courses/ Training schemes (Starting July-August 2014); Summer vacation schemes (starting August 2014); College opportunities; University (help applying/help with admissions/ sponsorship/grants); Gap Years/Volunteering ; Overseas Opportunities; Starting a Business/Becoming an Entrepreneur.   www.big-careers.co.uk
11am-3pm at UK Carnival Arts Centre, near Luton Station

Revision tips

I came across this excellent website for study skills and revision. 

http://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/studyskills/ 

 

This page on exam terms/glossary looks particularly useful.

http://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/studyskills/assessment_evaluation/assessment/glossary.html

Social media could help you get a job

Interesting article on this topic in the Guardian - how to use social media to your advantage when job hunting.

Careers Event 3rd March St Albans

Your Future Fair at The Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans.   2pm-8pm, free entry.  Meet a wide range of education and training providers, companies and organisations.  Suitable for 15+, parents and carers welcome.   Full information here.

University taster courses for prospective undergraduate students

Message from the course organisers:

Choose from over a hundred courses in multiple subject areas at numerous universities in and around London.

The Taster Course Programme provides year 12 sixth form students with a taste of what life at a university in London is like.  Through your chosen taster course you will experience the different teaching methods used by university academics and gain an insight into the additional facilities available, whilst meeting students from across the UK.

All our taster courses are free to attend and you can choose a course from a variety of subjects taking place at the numerous participating universities. Courses range from voice and drama, to medicine and nursing, to computing and business.

We are pleased to offer over 160 FREE university taster courses in a variety of subjects taking place at numerous universities across London. 
Please note that students do not need to rush to apply straight away as we are giving everyone until 11am on Wednesday 15 January 2014 to initially apply. Full details available on our website www.london.ac.uk/tasters.

Moving On

Some excellent articles, ideas and advice on this website, for young people and their parents.  Their free monthly paper magazine is available in school, ask in Careers Room.  Click here for the link.

Careers that move

I was recently reminded about this excellent website to find out about careers in passenger transport and travel.  Not all the answers of course, that's up to you, but this might start you thinking.  It's a huge area and set for strong job growth in the next few years.  Lots of scope if you want to travel, and also if you want to stay near home.  Many entry routes at all different levels.
Research has revealed that young people who want to develop a career should look to employers who operate planes, trains and buses as this industry seeks to recruit 182,500 people by 2020.
Careers that Move

Careers Advice for Parents

I recently found this interesting and helpful new website.
No it's not for parents who are looking for new careers themselves, but for parents who want to know how to help their youngster with career choices.
As with all websites and other published data, you need to judge for yourself how trustworthy and relevant the content is.

What will the future be like?

Hertfordshire is already strong in some of the sectors which are forecast to see the most growth in the UK, like...

Research & Development

Business services (and waste)

Communications

For more information on what the future is likely to hold, see this excellent page with a summary of sector trends.

The Watford UTC

I went to an interesting open day recently with the Watford UTC (opening next September), held at Elstree UTC (opened last September). 
What's a UTC?  It's a fantastic opportunity for full-time vocational learning with specialist focus, they take students from 14-19 with intake at year 10 and year 12.  Very close links with Uni of Hertfordshire and local, high-profile employers.
Positive ethos and amazing people and facilities, I'm hooked!

University Taster Courses this autumn: places available

King's College London and UCL are running a number of free university taster courses for year 12 students this autumn in the following subjects listed below.  Places are allocated on a first-come first-served basis so apply as soon as possible by following the relevant link below or via our website www.london.ac.uk/tasters.

List of university taster courses with places available (as of 23 September 2013):
Geography
King's College London, Wed 16 Oct 2013, details/applyrepeated on Wed 20 Nov 2013, details/apply and Wed 11 Dec 2013 details/apply
Global Health & Social Medicine
King's College London, Wed 23 Oct 2013, details/apply
Science Engagement & Communication
King's College London, Fri 18 Oct 2013, details/apply
The Only Way Is 'Arts and Sciences'
UCL, Wed 13 Nov 2013, details/apply
repeated on Wed 4 Dec 2013 details/apply
The university taster courses provide a great opportunity for year 12 students to try university and a specific subject area before they apply. Most of the university taster courses last a day and are all free to attend.

More taster courses coming in 2014....
Students will be able to apply to university taster courses taking place in 2014 through our website www.london.ac.uk/tasters from 11am on Thursday 9 January 2014. A full list of taster courses in over 70 different subject areas taking place at over 20 universities across London will be available on our website then.

Careers Fair in Hemel Hempstead - save the date!

Wednesday 23rd October 2013   

6:00pm – 8:30pm

For all young people aged 14-19 and their parents/carers

South Hill Centre, Cemetery Hill,

Hemel Hempstead  HP1 1JF

Wednesday 23^rd October 2013  6:00pm – 8:30pm

Visit this FREE, LOCAL high-profile event for essential information about qualifications, careers and employment opportunities.

There will be representatives from a variety of local and national businesses, industries and other organisations, all available to talk to you about career opportunities in their sector.  You will also be able to obtain information from local education and training providers about appropriate courses (e.g. work-based NVQ’s/apprenticeships, school and college-based GCSEs, A-levels, Diplomas, BTEC’s and up to degree-level qualifications).

As well as programmes of study or training, employers will be able to talk to you about necessary skills, personal qualities and work experience valued by their sectors.  All of this will help you to be better prepared for work when the time comes.  More importantly, it will help inform you on the subject/employment choices that you may have to make this academic year or soon after.

Sector based talks will also be on offer during the event.  These are short talks by experts about a range of different employment sectors.  You can sign up for these  on the day (limited spaces available).   And all available at NO CHARGE!

Ideas for non-uni options

There are lots of options!  Here are some I've come across recently...

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/career-planning/getting-job/nonuniversity-options-for-school-leavers-8642595.html

http://www.channelmogo.org/info-and-advice/jobs-careers/national-employers-with-school-leaver-schemes.aspx

http://www.tesco-careers.com/home/students

http://www.skanska.co.uk/careers

Oaklands College Open Evenings

St Albans Campus Open Evening
Oaklands College St Albans Campus, Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts, AL4 0JA 

Welwyn Garden City Campus Open Evening 
Oaklands College Welwyn Garden City Campus, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 6AH 

Both evenings run 5.30pm - 8pm.  More information here.  And here's the poster with full details.

Fashion afficionado?

Get the skills needed to work in the fashion industry. FREE course for 16-25s in Hemel Hempstead. Starts 9 Sept. Full details here.

Dragons’ Apprentice Challenge 2014

If you are about to join Year 12, read this!

This annual challenge encourages schools, businesses and charities to work together. Through volunteering it offers young people the opportunity to put their entrepreneurial ideas to the test and helps develop work related skills. It is organised for Dacorum Schools by Community Action Dacorum.

Teams of 16 year olds are challenged to turn £100 into £1,000+. Each team has a local business mentor (their dragon) and is paired with a local charity. Supported by their dragons, the teams develop business ideas with the aim of earning money for their charities. All profits made by the teams go directly to their allocated charities.

Last year the Cavendish team won the Challenge Award for working most closely with their charity, having raised over £1200 for Radio Dacorum, supported by Steria (the team’s business mentor). The team worked hard to organise several events, faced real business issues and developed their own skills and confidence. Facilitation and support in school is through Mrs Shaw.

If you want to be part of this exciting experience, save the date on Tues 24^th Sept (5.30-6.30) when this year’s challenge will be launched, and look out for more news soon.  More information here (from CVS St Albans, who initiated this project 4 years ago).

USA College Day 2013

At College Day you will have the opportunity to speak with over 150 exhibitors representing universities in the US and educational service providers. Now in its 36th year, College Day is the largest American university fair in the UK. This event is for students, parents and advisors.
Date: Friday and Saturday, 27-28 September 2013
Venue: Kensington Town Hall (Hornton Street, London, W8 7NX)
Time: Friday 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm and Saturday 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Register: Registration for College Day 2013 will open in summer 2013. Sign up here to be notified when registration opens.
About USA College Day: USA College Day 2013 is held in partnership with the University of South Florida, i Newspaper and the Independent.   Full information here.