Careers
It is Ada’s mission to be a centre of excellence for the teaching and learning of digital skills and to educate and empower the next generation of diverse digital talent. This plan aims to support Ada staff to give students the very best career progression by providing an effective careers programme that offers advice, experience and contact with employers to encourage students to aspire, make good choices and understand what they need to do in order to reach and succeed in their chosen career. The progression plan lays out how all educators at Ada will contribute to this aim.
At Ada progression is not delivered as a stand alone entity. Progression planning is embedded into the curriculum right from when our students join us.
The aim is to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that students need in order to take advantage of the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences that prepare them for their next stage in education, training or employment. In this way, Ada aims to powerfully address social disadvantage.
This begins with an intensive Ada Skills Programme which runs in the first half term. The aim of the Ada Skills program is two fold. Firstly it is to introduce the various different pathways our students can follow to build a fulfilling career in the digital sector. Secondly it is to support our students with professional skills as well as building professional profiles and CVs.
Throughout Year 12 our students attend workshops delivered by universities or industry partners to support their career planning. Towards the end of Year 12, students are supported to start their UCAS applications. As part of the Year 12 Ada skills program in the second half of the first term, the focus shifts to oracy, this supports students with interview skills. In term two, students start to learn the skills they require to write a personal statement in the communications sessions. The focus is on effective writing, advanced writing and professional writing. In the second half of the third term the Ada skills sessions are devoted to writing the first draft of personal statements in a supported environment.
In Year 13 the first term focuses on completing UCAS applications. All students at Ada complete a UCAS application. We have high expectations of our students, and we believe the UCAS process is fantastic practice for an application process where you not only have to sell yourself but also for the administration part of an application process.
Towards the end of the first term of Year 13, the support for apprenticeship applications begins. Students are supported to be successful in Apprenticeship and job interviews with CV checking workshops, interview skills workshops and mock assessment centres.
The Gatsby Career Benchmarks
The Gatsby career benchmarks are a framework that schools and colleges can use to develop a good careers programme. They are the recommended elements of good practice in career guidance. These benchmarks were born out of research completed by Sir John Holman in 2013.
A Gatsby benchmarking assessment was carried out to assess this progression curriculum. The results below show a significant improvement will be achieved with the implementation of this curriculum plan.
|
Benchmark |
Number of Assessment Areas |
April 2018 |
January 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Learning from careers and labour market information |
18 |
29% |
61% |
|
2. A stable careers programme |
2 |
100% |
100% |
|
3. Addressing the needs of each student |
8 |
42% |
83% |
|
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers |
3 |
75% |
100% |
|
5. Encounters with employers and employees |
3 |
100% |
100% |
|
6. Experiences of workplaces |
1 |
0% |
100% |
|
7. Encounters with further and higher education |
3 |
100% |
100% |
|
8. Personal guidance |
2 |
0% |
0% |
To view the full Careers & Progression Strategy and review dates, click on the button below:
Contact
Sarah Salimullah
Principal at Ada
020 3105 0125