Careers Advisor
Independent IAG (Information, Advice and Guidance) is available in school via our Careers Advisor who can provide advice on the following:  

• Options in Years 9, 10 & 11
• Career pathways
• Study programmes / college courses
• Apprenticeships / employment opportunities
• Higher Education and RPA (Raising of the Participation Age)

Who?
This is done in school, by Kim Weston, a qualified Level 6 registered Careers Advisor practitioner from the Independent Careers Development Institute (CDI).  

When?
Kim is in school on a Tuesday during term time and can be found in the office between rooms 36/37. Appointments can be made and there is an additional drop in facility at break, lunch time and after school. Kim is also available during our Options Evening and Parents Evenings should you wish to seek advice. Appointments can be made by contacting the school reception. 

Enterprise Advisor For Belvidere School
The Enterprise Adviser for our school is a local business man called Andy Coleyshaw, Andy is tasked with connecting Belvidere School with employers and careers programme providers to work together to create meaningful encounters with the world of work for our students.
Factual data shows that a young person who has four or more encounters with an employer is 86% less likely to be unemployed or not in education or training, and can go on to earn up to 18% more during their career.
Our focus is to bring together local employers, Belvidere School students, and careers programme providers to:
• give our students multiple opportunities to get to know the world of work, understand what work is, explore their options and build real confidence about their future
• bring the right people together to create strong connections between employers and careers programme providers and Belvidere School in ways that put our students’ futures first

Our Goals
• To improve and increase our business engagement, so that pupils from year 7 right through to year 11 come into contact with and have the chance to interact with multiple employers, employees, apprentices, both in school and in the workplace and learn about different careers, professions and career pathways.
• Follow the impact: incorporate the evidence of the ‘What Works’ research by the Careers & Enterprise Company to guide strategic careers planning for the good of the local community’s future workforce, whilst benefitting Belvidere School students (mentoring, enterprise competitions, careers insight talks and work experience).
• Make it last: embed careers education and guidance in the curriculum and celebrate an ethos that places careers and enterprise opportunities at the heart of Belvidere School.

How The Support Could Work
As a business man myself I realise that the pressure and time running a business can be demanding, I personally got involved as I believe we all need to pull together to give our emerging students, our future leaders, entrepreneurs and workforce the best possible experience and exposure to the working environment to allow them the opportunity to develop and make considered decisions about their future.
If you can assist in any way to help Belvidere School students:
• Gain real or virtual work placement experience
• By giving them talks/demonstrations/experience of employment sectors and types of roles within your business (real or virtually)
• By explaining about the skills, knowledge and qualities required, in order to build confidence and understanding of the world of work

We Would Love to Hear From You
Whether you’re in a large or small business, if you really want to help the local students at Belvidere School, getting involved is quick and easy. To find out more or express your interest, just email Andy or the Careers Leader Megan Revell at revell.m@belvidere.shropshire.sch.uk

Work Experience is an ideal opportunity for students to get a taste of the world of work and is offered to all of our Year 10 students at the end of the Summer Term. We actively encourage our students to find their own placements and help, advice and support is provided to assist with this process. Often friends, family, neighbours or employers of parents/carers can be a great source of information. We also maintain a database of employers who have been happy to take on our students in previous years. 

All placements are checked for Health and Safety purposes, as well as relevant insurance coverage, by the Shropshire Telford and Wrekin Education Business Links with whom we have worked closely for a number of years. Students will not be allowed to go on a placement until it has been approved. It is therefore essential that they start looking early, especially as some of the most popular ones fill up very quickly. Once a placement has been confirmed with the student, they should return the relevant form to school (which is enclosed in the WEX pack) and we will write to the employer to confirm this. Further advice is given to the students regarding their conduct and Health and Safety prior to the start of the placement and we also encourage them to make a personal visit beforehand to introduce themselves. 

Our students normally gain a great deal from their placement and for many, it helps them decide upon a career path. Even if this is not the case, it gives everyone a taste of what the world of work entails. In recent years some of our students have even been offered Saturday jobs, or holiday work by their work experience employer. 

Miss Megan Revell and Miss Georgina Young can be contacted at school with any queries you may have.