Page 4 - Griffen
Basic HTML Version
4
Careers Guidance at Abingdon School / The Loose Limbed Collective
CAREERS GU I DANCE
AT AB I NGDON SCHOOL
Abingdon School’s Careers
Department offers pupils from Year
3 (13+) a programme of activities
that inspires them to think broadly
about career options and the right
educational path to take.
Pupils are helped to identify specific
career areas that fit their interests
and abilities so they may make
informed GCSE and A level subject
choices. The programme offers job
search, interviewing and employability
skills training. Through both work
experience placements (Year 5) and
internships (Lower 6), the programme
also prepares boys to secure and
perform well in their first job. There is
also a range of opportunities for boys
to meet and get advice from working
professionals in their fields of interest.
The OA Club assists the Careers
Department in delivering several
elements of this programme and we
invite OAs to volunteer to help out in
any of the following ways.
Submit a Career Profile
Nearly 60 OAs have written
(anonymous) Career Profiles, which
form part of a new resource for boys
to browse and for tutors to use when
discussing careers with their Year
3 and Sixth Form tutees. Thanks to
all those OAs who have contributed
a Career Profile - additional Career
Profiles are always needed. Would
you consider writing one? If so, visit
profile and complete the short online
form.
Give Practice Interviews
Interview preparation is one of the
most valuable skills a school can
help pupils develop. When pupils
know what to expect in an interview
they are less nervous and therefore
better able to be themselves. OAs
who have responsibility for graduate
recruitment through their employer,
who have recently interviewed for
university admissions (especially
Oxbridge) or who have experience
of giving university-style admissions
interviews are invited to help with
practice interview evenings in June
and November each year.
Speak at Career Events
The School’s Careers Department
and the OA Club offer a range of
career (and UCAS) events each year.
We are always looking for OAs to
help out at these events by making
a presentation, serving on a panel,
leading a small group discussion
or meeting with students one-to-
one. The annual Abingdon Careers
Convention (co-hosted with St
Helen’s and Our Lady’s Abingdon)
is held each year in March. The OA
Club runs a Sixth Form Careers
Evening in October or November
(though this year, the event is on
Friday 23 January 2015). The OA
Club also supports the School’s
UCAS Advice Evening in June.
Host a Summer Internship
Many Abingdon pupils are keen to
use their time during the summer
holidays to gain valuable work
experience. An internship is a great
way to find out about a potential
career, see what the world of work
is like, develop new skills, add
credentials to their CV and make
connections. In addition to the pupil
gaining invaluable work experience,
host organisations will also benefit
from the work or project carried
out by the intern. In 2014, twelve
Abingdon pupils completed one
or two-week summer internships
hosted by OAs, and we anticipate
twenty pupils to be placed in
internships for summer 2015. OAs
are needed to host internships during
summer 2016, ideally within easy
commuting distance from Abingdon
(e.g. in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire,
Berkshire and London).
To register your interest in
volunteering, please log onto the
online OA Directory, add your job
details and select which volunteer
areas you are interested in.
Alternatively, please contact Liz
Robson (elizabeth.robson@abingdon.
org.uk, 01235 849074) in the OA
Club Office.
