Getting a Career Academy up and running isn’t easy. It’s not for everyone. But get it right and the impact is considerable.
A Career Academy requires exceptional commitment from everyone involved and, most likely, the allocation of extra human and financial resources from a school or college intent on setting one up. Joining a national network brings responsibilities. Not least ensuring vibrant relationships with all partners, particularly employers.
To help schools and colleges get their Career Academy started, we provide a dedicated training programme for management teams. Our ‘Year of Planning’ consists of national training conferences, regional training days and regular 1:1 meetings, enabling a team to develop an appropriate curriculum offer, build employer links and put necessary administrative processes in place.
Successful completion of the Year of Planning means a school or college may become an Affiliate of Career Academies UK and take full advantage of the Career Academy materials and brand. Once students are enrolled on the Career Academy programme, our ‘Year of Implementation’ provides further detailed training in the delivery of mentoring, internship and other employer engagement activities.
On commencing the Year of Planning, schools and colleges sign a membership agreement and pay £2,500 (per institution) to undertake the training. Once affiliated, they make an annual donation based on the number of students enrolled on their Career Academy programme (currently £100 per student).
Critical to making a Career Academy work is the formation of a Local Advisory Board of supporting employers. The Board provides strategic direction for the local development of the Career Academy and lays the foundations for the practical support needed to enhance the curriculum. It is the school or college’s responsibility to recruit volunteers to serve on its Career Academy Board. We work to provide leads, and ‘gate-keep’ some relationships with large employers to provide single points of contact with the Career Academy movement for those that request them. But we do not develop or manage relationships with employers locally.
A school or college may also need to flex its teaching and learning techniques to accommodate the Career Academy ‘learning by doing’ approach. Timetables need to accommodate trips away from the classroom, visits to the school or college by people who may not be used to educational establishments and activities that promote project-based learning.
Interested in joining the Career Academy movement? Please contact us.