Joseph Chamberlain College

At Joseph Chamberlain College, we are committing to preparing you for life after you leave us. Throughout your time here, you will be taught employability skills through your tutorial programme and individual guidance interviews. Our Careers Co-ordinator liaises with your Progress Tutor to monitor and record your progression throughout the year. Together, they will show you the potential progression routes available. You will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of Higher Education & Careers events such as the Careers Fair, university talks and visits, apprenticeship talks and a work experience placement. Throughout the academic year, you may access drop in sessions and one-to-one career guidance. During these career guidance interviews, we will look at your academic progress and your career goals and decide on a path. After results day in August, we have ten days of specific careers support and advice for all students. In December 2015, we were one of four educational institutions to receive a Gold Standard Careers Accreditation. The Quality Award in Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) from careers service Prospects is designed to accredit good practice and encourage development in schools, academies, colleges, special schools and smaller units. Quality awards lead to better careers and guidance programmes, increase senior managers' and governors' involvement and demonstrate to outside organisations, including Ofsted, that schools provide high quality CEIAG. We are the only sixth form college in the city to have achieved gold standard - the highest level of accreditation. We work in partnership with Aston Medical School to give students with an interest in a career in healthcare the opportunity to join the Sir Doug Ellis Pathway to Healthcare Programme. This programme gives selected students the opportunity to participate in a range of activities including: • A two-week work placement within the local NHS • Online mentoring from an Honorary Clinical Fellow scheme linked with The Medical School • The opportunity to shadow current students from the School of Life and Health Sciences • Advice on obtaining work experience in the healthcare professions • Participation in a summer essay project • Participation in a summer academic enrichment programme • Easter revision classes on campus in Year 13 With the University of Birmingham, we are involved in the Access to Birmingham (A2B) scheme, which is designed to help students from families and communities in the West Midlands who have little or no experience of Higher Education find out about what studying at university involves.