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Decisions at 18 2010 - Flexibility for careers of the future20 April 2010 - 22 April 2010
Main sponsors
Foundation Degree Forward
fdf (Foundation Degree Forward) is a national body that supports the development and validation of high quality Foundation degrees. It is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to support employer engagement across higher education programmes generally and in relation to Foundation degrees specifically. fdf works in partnership with all relevant agencies, institutions, organisations and interest groups to ensure that the development of Foundation degrees is driven by the needs of employers and students.
UCAS
UCAS is the organisation responsible for managing applications to higher education courses in the UK. Not only do UCAS process more than two million applications for full-time undergraduate courses every year, but it helps students to find the right course. UCAS try to make things run as smoothly as possible by providing innovative online tools which make it easier for students and higher education institutions (HEIs) to manage applications and offers
Other sponsors
AAT
With 120,000 members worldwide, the AAT contributes at all levels of the global economy. We award 90% of all vocational accounting qualifications and the AAT Accounting Qualification is the UK’s most popular FE qualification at Level 4 and above. Many of our learners already work in accountancy and wish to improve and consolidate their skills, while others wish to change career or work for themselves. A further 10% of our students are aged under 18, choosing the AAT straight from school as an alternative to A-levels and/or a degree, and progressing directly to chartered study via our recognised progression route.
ACCA
ACCA, the global body for professional accountants, offers a future that is diverse, challenging and full of opportunity. Qualifying with ACCA is your first step towards a successful career in accountancy, business and finance. Whatever your ambitions in the business world, a background in accountancy will ensure that you are equipped to achieve them. The ACCA Qualification will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to build a career full of opportunity, diversity and rewards. The breadth of the ACCA Qualification makes it the perfect platform to launch any business career. You can acquire the technical skills that employers are demanding to steer the business through these volatile times, without pigeon-holing yourself for the future. Our qualification gives you the transferable skills you need, so that in the long-term you can apply for finance roles in any sector, in any business, anywhere in the world. As a global professional accountancy body, ACCA is better positioned to benefit graduates both now and in the future. The global portability of the qualification means that you can seek opportunities both home and abroad. Economic growth in the UK may be slow, but the predicted growth of the BRIC economies means that there are increasing opportunities globally for accountants. ACCA has been in China for over 20 years and Russia for 10 years and our reputation in those countries is stronger than any other international accountancy body. ACCA’s flexible approach means that there are no artificial barriers to prevent you from qualifying whatever you face in the short-term. Internships at university can count towards the practical experience requirements of the qualification and enhance employability. Also exemptions from a relevant degree means fewer exams for students to sit. This could be particularly attractive to SMEs who may not have large training budgets. As the qualification isn’t tied into a training contract, graduates can move between jobs and be assured that the work and effort that they have put into their qualification won’t be lost. You can go into another role and continue your studies from where you left off.
Cogent
Cogent is the sector skills council for the chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. It is the voice of employers in these sectors and is working with them to create a skills environment that businesses need to be innovative, competent, productive and sustainable. Cogent's objectives are: • To improve productivity and business performance through skills development • To reduce skills gaps and shortages • To increase opportunities to boost skills and productivity • To influence skills supply across the training and education spectrum, including apprenticeships, higher education and national occupational standards Cogent currently represents the interests of more than 20,000 businesses employing around 900,000 people. Since our creation we have been building on existing partnerships at regional and national level to drive forward the skills agenda in our footprint.
CASCAiD
CASCAiD are one of the leading producers of online Information, Advice and Guidance programs for young people and adults. CASCAiD programs help with action planning, career choice and higher education course choice. CASCAiD programs contain detailed, impartial and up to date information on careers, education, employment and lifestyle issues and subjects. Visit the CASCAiD stand to try Kudos and Careerscape which are ideal to help with decisions at 18.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an international car rental company with a multi-billion pound turnover, that will teach graduates all they need to run their own section of the business in as little as two years. Learning about everything from sales and marketing to customer service and finance, employees could soon be in a management position, making crucial business decisions and reaping the rewards. At Enterprise, we're not ashamed of our success - we've worked very hard for it. We've grown into the largest car rental company in North America, arguably the world. With an annual turnover of $10.1 billion, over 904,000 vehicles in our rental and leasing fleet, and over 66,000 employees with over 3,400 in the U.K and over 190 in Ireland at over 7,000 locations worldwide. We've always believed in empowering our people to make the decisions that will affect their work and their career. This philosophy, along with our unyielding commitment to customers, has made Enterprise a genuine success story and a truly unique place to work
CogniSoft
CogniSoft supply powerful and highly flexible web based information systems for providers of learning employment guidance and support services. Our experience and technology helps hundreds of public and private sector organisations to manage their work and understand its impact on their client groups.
E.ON
E.ON is one of the UK’s leading power and gas companies – generating and distributing electricity, and retailing power and gas – and is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. We employ around 16,000 people in the UK and more than 90,000 worldwide. We are always looking for talented individuals to join E.ON to help us change energy for the better. We're using our size and resources to tackle some of the energy industry's greatest challenges head-on. Like how we'll go about meeting tomorrow's energy demands in a sustainable way. Or how changes in technology will affect the way we work - from providing an even better service to our customers to selling our products at an affordable price.
Montessori Teacher Training
Montessori is a global education movement. Today there are over 600 Montessori schools in the UK and many thousands more worldwide. It offers a uniquely child-centred approach to education by developing the whole child intellectually, socially, physically, emotionally, linguistically and spiritually. Children gain experience through special educational materials designed to foster independence and instill a love for learning and inner confidence from an early age. Montessori Centre International is Europe’s largest Montessori Training College. It offers a range of Montessori childcare courses. The Early Childhood course qualifies you as a Montessori Teacher and can be studied part-time or by distance learning. A new foundation degree in Montessori Early Childhood Practice is now available in partnership with London Metropolitan University. This is in line with the government’s pledge for all early years settings to be led or managed by a degree qualified practitioner by 2015. The first 2 years are spent at Montessori Centre International and the final year at London Metropolitan University. Graduates will achieve a full BA (Hons) Degree in Early Childhood Studies upon successful completion. There are opportunities to progress towards the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) and Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes.
National Grid
National Grid is an international electricity and gas company and one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world. National Grid is a key part of the British energy infrastructure and therefore vital to the well-being of the population and the economy. National Grid owns the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales and operates the system across Great Britain. It also owns and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain and its distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses.
Gapforce
Gapforce is a leading gap year provider specialising in a range of worthwhile and meaningful structured programmes overseas. We offer expeditions and adventures, with activities including rainforest and marine conservation, teaching, healthcare, childcare and infrastructure development. With over 20 years experience we are truly one of the original organisations in the industry. In order for Gapforce to provide such a wide variety of activities, it is built up of a conglomeration of 6 ‘Forces’, each with its own distinctive approach to gap years and signifies the diverse options available to enthusiastic travellers
icould
icould is a free, inspirational resource, offering an insight into real career stories told by real people, delivered through www.icould.com which contains hundreds of stories on film, online. These stories are wide ranging, covering a whole spectrum of experiences, occupations and career and education pathways across all sectors of work. Its purpose is to inspire young people to think differently about their futures, by giving them a vivid insight into the working lives of real people in real jobs.
RES Compass
RES Compass is a new website that offers guidance to school pupils who may be interested in a career in the Renewable Energy Sector. The site allows the use of a decision tool (the ‘compass’) to help direct students. The results of the brief questionnaire point students to the career catagories they may be most suited to and find most interesting. The site has over 40 job profiles related to specific careers in the renewable energy sector. The site also includes a searchable database of over 700 vocational and higher education courses related to renewable energy across Europe. There site provides a library of articles covering general information on the different renewable energy technologies and on the likely number of employees that will be required in the coming years. The project is funded by the European Commission and aims to increase the number of qualified people available to meet the emerging demand for renewable energy professional in order to help ensure the success of renewable energy across Europe. The project is currently in the trailing phase and the project manager in the UK, Alan Harries, is hoping to obtain feedback from school career guidance professionals participating in the Decision at 18 conference. Please help if you can!
SEMTA
Semta is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies and was among the first organisations both to gain its licence in 2003 and be successfully relicensed in 2009. The sectors it represents are: aerospace, automotive, bioscience, electrical, electronics, marine, mechanical and metals. Its aim is to raise the skills levels and competitiveness of its sectors. Semta’s objective is to ensure its sectors have the right people with the right skills at the right time. Semta researches skills needs, then in line with these, develops standards, qualifications and frameworks. It works with UK government to meet employer needs to shape policy and helps employers link business objectives to skills development and access funding for training. It works with providers to ensure there is sufficient capacity of quality training to meet employer demands. To make it easier for employers and stakeholders to get the advice and support they need, Semta offers a sector-led end-to-end skills service through one dedicated Customer Services team.
Proskills
Proskills UK help to raise the profile and sets the skills standards and qualifications for the 9 key industries it represents; Building Products, Coatings, Extractive and Mineral Processing, Furniture, Furnishings & Interiors, Glass & Related Industries, Glazed Ceramics, Paper, Printing and Wood industries. These make up a third of all UK manufacturing. Proskills work with employers to ensure that the right training and qualifications are in place and to support the investment in skills. Careers in manufacturing are promoted by a range of materials which contain information, advice and guidance on various careers, job roles and progression routes within the industries. Proskills have also designed a suite of ‘industry into school’ programmes to raise awareness and attract young talent into the process and manufacturing sector. Programmes are curriculum mapped and engage students with employers. PrintIT!, the first programme of its kind, has engaged with more than 1,000 schools across England in the 5 years of its existence and Proskills are rolling out more programmes which will aim to raise the profile of the other industries in the process and manufacturing sector.
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
14-19 Workforce Support is delivered on behalf of the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) and partners: Learning and Skills Network Pearson Education The Workshop 14-19 Workforce Support is a range of programmes for those delivering the 14-19 reforms, including Diplomas, General Qualifications, Apprenticeships and Foundation Learning. The offer includes information, advice and guidance (IAG) support through SSAT IAG Champions, a set of IAG frameworks and an online IAG community. Please go to www.diploma-support.org/facetoface/iag to find out more. All face-to-face support offered through the programme can be requested online and is designed to be personalised and to allow you to learn from colleagues as well as trainers. This is complemented by a number of new tools and resources on the website. To find out about 14-19 Workforce Support visit www.14-19support.org
NHS Careers
NHS Careers is the information service for careers in the National Health Service in England, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It provides information through: • a suite of printed literature (around 60 items), • three websites, aimed at specific audiences: - www.nhscareers.nhs.uk a comprehensive site for all - www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk - 14-19 year olds - www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk - graduates and undergraduates • the “Step into the NHS” programme for 14-19 year olds, • a contact centre, handling enquiries by phone, email, letter and fax. In addition to information for individuals seeking a career in the NHS, NHS Careers has a range of supporting materials for teachers and careers advisors, including lesson plans and a guide to work experience in the NHS, available from www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/teachers.
E-Skills
e-skills UK’s projects help students to prepare for work in a technology-enabled world and inspire more young people to pursue careers in technology. Bringing together employers, educators, and Government, e-skills UK supports IT-related learning in schools, colleges and universities. www.e-skills.com BigAmbition is a website for 14-19 year olds designed to give students insight into technology careers in a range of major sector employers. It includes inspirational videos of IT industry employees, bringing students an insight into IT careers and improving IAG. www.bigambition.co.uk ITMB (Information Technology Management for Business) is an undergraduate degree offered at a range of universities. Created by e-skills UK with leading employers, the course develops the blend of advanced technical and business skills that IT professionals increasingly require for successful careers. www.itmb.co.uk
Future Morph
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers is a consortium of not-for-profit organisations consisting of The Institute of Physics, The Royal Society of Chemistry, EngineeringUK and societies supporting the biological sciences.
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway is widely recognised on the world stage as one of the UK’s leading teaching and research university institutions. One of the larger colleges of the University of London, we are strong across the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. Our 8000 students work with internationally renowned scholars in 18 academic departments. The University of London degree gained by our talented graduates is valued the world over. As a cosmopolitan community, with students from 130 countries, we focus on the support and development of the individual. Our friendly campus in Egham, just 19 miles west of central London, provides a unique environment for university study. Campus life revolves around the Students’ Union, and numerous societies and sports clubs, and we are recognised as London’s best sporting college. Royal Holloway’s position as one of the UK’s leading research-intensive institutions was confirmed by the results of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008), in which the College is ranked 16th in the UK for research of a 4* standard