Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships have developed in the last few years to become a great route into employment, often giving young people the chance to gain higher education qualifications while earning. The Trust hosts a higher apprenticeship evening once a year where students and parents can get an overview of the sort of apprenticeships that are available, and how to find them and successfully apply.
At Longfield, year 12 and year 13 students are given a talk on higher and degree level apprenticeships and where they can find these. We offer our students in year 13, especially those who have not applied for university an opportunity to participate in mock apprenticeship interviews. We invite employers from the local area to come in and speak to students directly about apprenticeship opportunities they have.
UCAS
All students are invited to begin the UCAS process at the end of year 12. Our school UCAS coordinator holds an information evenings for parents and students to give an overview of the whole process. As soon as students return in year 13 they are supported with their application process during tutor time.
We have a great track record at Longfield Academy with helping students get the place on the course they want. Over the last four years, every student who applied to University got a place.
Work Experience
All year 12 students will go on work experience during the week before the summer break.
Work experience is an extremely valuable process; helping students gain insight into which career they might like to pursue, as well as preparing students for the world of work by providing them with an opportunity to focus on developing softer skills such as teamwork, organisation, problem solving and time-management.
Careers
Students take part in a range of careers activities throughout Post 16. We hold events that expose students to as many different careers as possible. The cross-Trust careers fair sees around a hundred different employers coming to Longfield Academy with students free to speak to all of them.
On a smaller and more focussed scale we hold the skills 30:30 event, which sees students speed network with 30 employers. In the past some students have gained work experience or employment directly from this event.
We hold a CV workshop to make sure every student is well equipped to apply for jobs tailored to their requirements. We also hold mock interviews once a year for all Post 16 students. A range of employers are invited to come and put the students through their paces, often replicating the interview process they actually use in their own companies. In previous years we have had representatives from Kent Police, John Lewis, the NHS as well as senior lecturers from Canterbury Christ Church University for those students who wanted a mock university entrance interview.