Careers

Careers

Careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) is an essential part of the support we offer to students at Bury Secondary PRU. Effective careers support is a vital part of the curriculum and helps to prepare young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences they will encounter as they prepare for transitions to post-secondary education and adulthood. 

For a lot of our pupils we are the second chance and a restart of their educational experiences to change their futures. We aim that through positive re-engagement, pupils will rise in their positive experiences, aspirations and attainment, forging stronger routes to successfully transition into further education, training or employment. We incorporate careers into our personal development curriculum, under the 'aspirations' building programme.

Through our links with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, we triangulate their core ambition for young people that 'Young people leave education, ready to succeed in the labour market, with a balance of academic, technical and 'life ready' skills.

​Please see further information below for advice for pupils, parents/carers and providers

 

Progression/NEET Figures

Indicator 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Whole School EET* 69.5% 72.9% 72.6% 75.4% 71.6%
Whole School NEET* 30.5% 27.1% 27.4% 24.6% 28.4%
Pupil Premium EET* 68.3% 65.7% 63.6% 64.5% 73.3%
Pupil Premium NEET* 31.7% 34.3% 36.4% 35.5% 26.7%

*EET - Progression to Education, Employment or Training / *NEET - Not in Education, Employment or Training

The collation of information on 2023 cohort will take place from 1st November 2023 and be published here by 30th November 2023.

 

Information for Pupils

Deciding on your next steps after you complete secondary education can be really difficult, and deciding on your career in your teens can feel like a huge decision to make at your age. However, we are here to support you in giving you options.

​Here are the common pathways available to you after secondary education;

  • College
  • Apprenticeship
  • Traineeship
  • Military
  • Employment

Information for Parents

Helping your child decide on their next steps can be tricky. Please use the links in the links & downloads section of this page to help your child inform their choices, the opportunities that are open to them, expected salaries and qualifications needed.

We have links to a vast selection of Colleges, that offer A-Levels and T-Levels, such as Bury College, Holy Cross College, The Manchester College, Oldham College and Salford Colleges, such as Pendleton and Worsley.

Apprenticeship and Training information and opportunities can be found at North Lancs Training Group, Rochdale Training and White Rose Beauty College.

For career opportunities in the British Military we have links to the Army, Navy, Royal Air Force and Marines.

For further information on supporting your child to make their choices at Post-16, please contact the school.

Please note the list of Open Events across our local Colleges taking place across the Autumn Term, this is a prime opportunity for pupils and parents/carers to be really informed of the opportunities available at each College. Please use the provided links for information and registration

College Date/Time of Open Event(s) Link
Bury College Tuesday 3rd October 2023 (5pm - 7.30pm)

https://burycollege.ac.uk/events/open-event-3rd-october-5pm-730pm
Thursday 12th October 2023 (5pm - 7.30pm)
Saturday 25th November 2023 (10.30am - 1pm)
Bolton College Tuesday 17th October 2023 (5pm - 8pm) https://www.boltoncollege.ac.uk/register-open-events/booking/ 
Wednesday 15th November 2023 (5pm - 8pm)
Thursday 14th December 2023 (5pm - 8pm)
Hopwood Hall College Saturday 7th October 2023 (10am - 2pm) https://www.hopwood.ac.uk/event/access-all-areas-open-event-saturday-7th-october-2023-10am-2pm/ 
Thursday 19th October 2023 (4.30pm - 7pm)
The Manchester College Thursday 12th October 2023 (5pm - 7pm) https://www.tmc.ac.uk/events/school-leaver-open-event-12-october-2023/ 
(All Campuses on this date)
Holy Cross College Saturday 7th October 2023 (10am - 1pm) https://www.holycross.ac.uk/life-at-holy-cross/news-dates/announcements/item/37/holy-cross-sixth-form-college-open-events 
Monday 16th October 2023 (5pm - 8pm)
Pendleton Sixth Form College Thursday 9th November 2023 (5pm - 7pm) https://www.salfordcc.ac.uk/events/ 
Tuesday 5th December 2023 (5pm - 7pm)
Worsley College Monday 6th November 2023 (5pm - 7pm) https://www.salfordcc.ac.uk/events/ 
Oldham College Saturday 7th October 2023 (10am - 1pm) https://www.oldham.ac.uk/events/open-day-saturday-7th-october/ 

College

There are three typical pathways that are delivered at college:

T-Levels

  • T Levels take place in College -  the course is 80% classroom-based learning theory and practical skills and 20% ​(or a minimum of 45 days) with an employer within an industry placement
  • T-levels are great for you if you have decided on your chosen career and want to learn the relevant skills in a classroom
  • You will learn core skills and knowledge and then specialise this for a specific occupation

A Levels

  • Traditional qualifications where you will study some of your favourite subjects in depth
  • They are academically assessed with an exam at the end
  • They are the same accreditation as T-levels but all of the studying is spent in the classroom
  • Typically you will choose 3 subjects to study
  • A-levels are often the chosen route for those wishing to go to university

BTECs 

  • BTECs stands for the Business and Technology Education Council
  • They combine practical learning with subject and theory content
  • BTECs are divided into units, which cover specific areas of knowledge, skills and understanding of a particular sector or industry

Apprenticeship

Links & Downloads

  • Train whilst you work and potentially earn alongside learning
  • Practical learning usually takes place 'on-site' at an employer who is competent in the field
  • The minimum apprenticeship wage is £4.81 per hour
  • Most apprenticeships require a Grade 4 GCSE in English and Maths
  • More information can be found using the links to the left.

Traineeship

Links & Downloads

  • Flexible blend of education and training
  • They are usually a stepping stone between leaving school and finding a suitable apprenticeship, as a short term solution to help you make a more informed choice
  • Traineeships can last from 6 weeks to 1 year and consist of a work placement of 70 - 240 hours with a local employer
  • More information of traineeships can be in the links to the left.

Military

Links & Downloads

  • There are hundreds of roles available in the military, whether it be a career in the Royal Navy, The Royal Air Force (RAF) or the British Army
  • A chance to travel the world, upskill and be at the heart of a strong community of people working to a wider cause
  • To get an insight and experience whilst you are still in school, the Cadets gives you the opportunity to show a commitment to joining the military as a potential career
  • The length of service is a commitment you will have to make and this is usually 3 to 6 years
  • For more information visit the links to the left.

Key Contact - Connexions

Connexions Bury is the independent and impartial information, advice, guidance and support service for Year 11, 12 and 13 young people (15-18 years old), or up to the age of 25 if you have special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Connexions also work with Year 11 young people who are at risk of becoming NEET. Connexions services are delivered by qualified professionals called Personal Advisers who will support you to develop realistic and sustainable plans that are related to your aspirations. Connexions Bury holds the Matrix, a recognized national award, which means, that it has been externally assessed as an organisation that meets the criteria of providing high quality information, advice and guidance.

All our Year 11 pupils will benefit from appointments with the Bury Connexions service for independent careers and post-16 advice. If your child has an Education Health Care Plan, this will be with a specialised Connexions worker for SEND. 

For more information, you can visit the Connexions website or directly contact Bury Connexions on 0161 253 7733

 

Key Contacts- School

Careers information - Mr J Bradley:  j.bradley@bury.gov.uk 

Careers Link Governor- Mr Vernon Shaw: VShaw@tmc.ac.uk 

 

Gatsby Benchmarks

As a school we are engaged with The Careers and Enterprise Company and their Gatsby Benchmark Tool to quality assess the Careers Education, Advice and Guidance that we provide across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, in line with the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks.

​The tool allows us to reflect on our careers curriculum, keeps our approaches active, up to date and relevant, giving our young people the best opportunity to improve their prospects of routes into further education, employment or training. 

The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks are:

  1. A stable careers programme
  2. Learning from Career and Labour Market information
  3. Addressing the needs for each pupil
  4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
  5. Encounters with employers and employees
  6. Experiences of workplaces
  7. Encounters with further and higher education
  8. Personal guidance

 

Local Employers

We are very keen to connect with local employers to ensure our students meet inspiring business professionals from all sectors to reflect the local labour market. If you are a local business or professional that could facilitate careers talks, work experience, or workplace visits we invite you to contact us if you would like to get involved with our careers activities.