Careers Programme
The college’s careers programme delivers a specialist careers, progression, advice and consultation programme for all students.
Throughout Year 12 and Year 13, the Careers Team arrange a number of events providing students with a variety of opportunities to help them to make informed decisions about their pathway beyond Sir John Deane’s. These include:
- Weekly Career Spotlight employer talks
- Weekly support from specialist Progress Mentors who deliver a personal tutorial programme designed to promote successful progression
- Work experience sourcing and advice
- Opportunities to meet with the College’s Careers Advisors
- Progression and careers advice from specialist external careers experts
- Interview preparation and guidance
- Co-curriculum opportunities to broaden and enrich students’ experiences
- A range of volunteering opportunities
- Advice and access to providers of higher and degree level apprenticeships and technical training routes
Work Experience
Every student in Year 12 has the opportunity to complete a two-day work experience placement during the Spring term. Students have been successful in securing work experience in a number of organisations across the region, including Chester Zoo, Cheshire Police, Manchester United Football Club, Deloitte and Tui to name a few. Students find these two days, built into the College calendar, incredibly informative and insightful for researching and planning their next steps, they will also utilse the experience to boost their future applications.
Apprenticeships and Employment Programme
Year 13 students looking to pursue either the degree apprenticeship pathway, or those undecided between university or apprenticeship, are invited to join a bespoke programme of workshops designed to better prepare them for successful applications and upcoming interviews.
The programme enhances employability skills in application writing, online assessments and interview techniques and is delivered by the College’s dedicated Careers Manager and external specialists. The programme culminates in a Mock Assessment Centre which involves a range of activities to simulate a typical Assessment Centre.
Many students have been successful in gaining degree apprenticeships with companies including Airbus, JP Morgan, GMP, The Civil Service, KPMG, Bentley, JCB, Barclays and Rolls Royce.
Higher Education
In addition to general careers and progression advice, the College has a significant programme to support progression to higher education, including:
- A large-scale annual University Fair held at College
- Apprenticeship and Employers Fair in National Careers Week
- Access to the Careers Hub throughout the College day
- A dedicated support programme named ‘Apprenticeship and Employment Programme’ for year 13 students who are pursuing higher and degree level apprenticeships across a wide range of sectors
- University liaison officer support for Year 13 higher education applicants
- A dedicated Higher Education Information Evening for parents
- Specialist advice and support throughout Year 13 via specialist pastoral tutors
- Support from highly qualified teaching staff
- A dedicated support programme for the specialist fields of Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry and Oxbridge applications
- Opportunities to visit universities
One-to-One Support
Each student throughout the two-year programme is supported by their Progress Mentor in terms of career planning, preparing for either post 18 employment or training or for a higher education course. Students meet their Progress Mentor weekly, and as part of the pastoral programme, will be supported and advised to ensure a secure destination is achieved.
All students in Year 12 and 13 can make an appointment with the College’s Careers Manager: Barbara Haskew or Careers Advisor: Emma Lees.
The College’s policy statement of Provider Access can be viewed here: Application for Provider Access 2025.26
For further information about the College’s Careers Strategy please contact:
Stephanie Dean, Assistant Principal (dean_s@sjd.ac.uk )
Barbara Haskew, Careers Manager (haskew_b@sjd.ac.uk )
Working with us
We regularly engage with a wide host of businesses and universities through events such as the Higher Education Day, mock interviews, workshops, online seminars and as guest speakers. We welcome any opportunity to work with employers and institutions. If you would like to work with us and link with the College as part of the career programme please contact our Careers Manager, Barabara Haskew via email at careers@sjd.ac.uk
