It was recently revealed that HSDC is currently attaining all eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance. This is an industry-respected benchmark that indicates the provision of world-class career guidance from an educational institution. The eight benchmarks are as follows:
- A stable careers programme.
- Learning from career and labour market information.
- Addressing the needs of each pupil.
- Linking curriculum learning to careers.
- Encounters with employers and employees.
- Experiences of workplaces.
- Encounters with further and higher education.
- Personal guidance.
The College is incredibly proud to achieve this landmark goal, which far outstrips the national average (2023) of 6.1 benchmarks per college. Speaking about the important role that HSDC’s exceptional careers team has played in achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks, Careers Manager Kate Creswick said:
“We are extremely proud to have achieved 100% in all our Gatsby Benchmarks across the College. This is down to our qualified team of in-house Careers and UCAS Advisers and Progression Mentors. It also wouldn’t have been possible without the fantastic support from our partner universities, employers, alumni and links with external careers agencies.”
From 1:1 guidance, extra-curricular trips, CV support and drop-in clinics, HSDC offers support for students across all three campuses, regardless of their post-college plans. As well as attaining all eight Gatsby Benchmarks, the College also holds the matrix Standard Accreditation, a DfE guideline that ensures careers guidance is provided with the utmost expertise and accessibility.
It is the variety of post-college planning on offer that makes HSDC such a special place to study. Whether that’s heading into an apprenticeship, entering the workforce directly, or going to university, there is an option for everyone!
HSDC students from Alton College visiting Southampton Solent University’s sports facilities.
This expert guidance is infused into the curriculum of the College, with teachers working tirelessly to prepare students for life outside of the classroom. Recently, a group of Alton College students on the Extended Diploma in Sports visited Southampton Solent University as an opportunity for them to enrich their knowledge of higher education.
For students with the goals of securing a place at a Russell Group university, the Be Aspirational programme is tailored to suit their needs. By providing students with extracurricular activities such as the Extended Project Qualification, this programme is ideal for candidates who wish to progress to these universities.
HSDC has a longstanding partnership with the Oxford University Society, with whom they run the HSDC Mentoring Programme, allowing Oxbridge applicants from the College to get expert 1:1 advice from both industry and academic professionals.
Jodie Meakin launching Be Aspirational for the 2024/25 academic year at Alton College.
In her role as Enrichment Coordinator, Jodie Meakin organises Be Aspirational and the HSDC Mentoring Programme, and spoke about the opportunities these provide for students at HSDC:
“HSDC is proud to offer aspiring students an opportunity to apply for and complete a number of academic programmes, including our mentoring programme and Extended Project Qualification. I really believe that these extremely impactful and valuable extra-curricular programmes make HSDC stand out.”
HSDC has also been widening progression support outside of higher education, with attendance at cross-campus Careers Fairs increasing to over 1000 students. The College is able to use its strong ties to local and national employers to provide industry-led advice and mentoring for students, whatever post-College pathway they choose.
The College has partnered with the Southern Universities Network to introduce a new programme of Degree Apprenticeship mythbusting tutorials, increasing the opportunities for students to earn and learn at the same time.
Alice Cottrell speaking to students at Havant Campus about her journey to an apprenticeship since leaving HSDC.
Alice Cottrell, an alumna of HSDC Havant who currently works as a Level 4 Audit Apprenticeship at accountancy firm KPMG, spoke of her experience with the Careers team in helping her progress towards an apprenticeship:
“I didn’t do any sort of accountancy at College, but was able to use the Careers Office for help with crafting a CV and preparing myself for the application process. Considering I went into the process blind, the Careers Team were incredibly helpful, I’m very thankful for them!”
The number of careers guidance sessions continue to increase every year, with 98% of students expressing satisfaction with the service on offer. Through the College’s commitment to raise aspiration and challenge stereotypes, HSDC has truly become a regional leader for progression support.
To find out more about Progression Support at HSDC, please visit these links:
Careers Advice: https://www.hsdc.ac.uk/life-at-hsdc/careers/
Be Aspirational: https://www.hsdc.ac.uk/life-at-hsdc/be-extraordinary/be-aspirational/