Enfield Careers Service

The key purpose of the Enfield Careers Service is to enable young people to make successful progressions to further education, training and employment after leaving school, thus supporting the individual success of pupils and the school’s success with DfE’s participation measure.

We offer a range of careers information advice and guidance activities to enable young people from years 8-13 to gain understanding and awareness of their skills, options and the world of work. This can be delivered through 1:1 careers guidance, group work or other types of group activity.

We work with children and young people directly as well as their parents and carers. We support schools to innovate and share good practice locally, working with teachers and support staff including partnerships with other agencies.

Benefits

The principal benefits of this service are:

• The service is delivered by an experienced and local team of careers advisers, with a long record of measurable success, covering a wide range of interests and specialisms.

• Our staff can work with all pupils, including those with profound learning difficulties, gifted and talented or disengaged.

• Your pupils will benefit by working with an organisation that has a long-term investment in them; they are the key to the economic future of Enfield.

• The purchase of this service will assist schools and colleges to fulfil the statutory duties laid out by the Department for Education, in “Careers Guidance and Inspiration in Schools” April 2014 to secure independent careers guidance for all year 8-13 pupils.

• The purchase of this Service is compliant with Ofsted Inspection requirements.

What should I expect when I see a Careers Adviser?

A personal careers guidance interview is a conversation with a purpose which is agreed with you from the start. It is a confidential one-to-one discussion with a qualified careers adviser who is here to help you. Whatever you wish to discuss, you can be sure that the adviser will be objective and impartial. During a careers interview the adviser will:

• Negotiate and agree with you the structure of the interview

• Listen carefully to you in an impartial way. The adviser will not judge you or your ideas but help you achieve what you want to do in a realistic and informed way

• Ask questions to help you clarify your aims and come up with an action plan

• Focus on your needs and particular requirements

• Help you to recognise what stage you are at in your decision making

• Discuss your options and make sure you are aware of all of the options available to you so that you can make an informed choice about your future

• Support with ways to help overcome any barriers you may have that might impact on your career planning such as disability, exam results, financial etc.

• Provide practical feedback and encouragement

• Refer you to specialist information or services if appropriate

What sort of topics are often discussed?

Some people have specific questions to ask but many wish to talk through ideas and concerns which may include:

• I don’t know what to do next. Can you help me?

• How can I find more information relating to my interests and make good use of it?

• How can I improve my chances of success at an interview?

• I am finding it difficult to complete an online application form that is asking for examples of my skills.

• I am not sure this course is the right one for me.

• How can I gain some relevant work experience?

• I have applied for a few jobs but didn’t get an interview. What is going wrong?

What careers advisers don't do?

• Tell you what job or career you should do. We will listen to your ideas, likes and dislikes to help you check if a job or career might suit you. It is your decision about whether to go for something or not, a careers adviser can help you look at the implications of a choice or decision so that you feel more informed and confident.

• Find you a job or a place on a course. We can help with where to look for jobs or courses and support you with the application process.

• Offer a “quick fix” solution