Employ My Ability recognises that to support our students, each programme needs to be bespoke and consider the many different aspirations of our young people.

EMA’s CEIAG intent is to:

1. Prepare and equip our students to take charge of their careers and lives.
2. Have clear and achievable aims of what students want to do when leaving college, and to know what needs to be done to achieve their plans for further education, training, work, independence, accessing their communities and keeping healthy.
3. Clearly evidence the progress that has been made by students and that outcomes have been aspirational, as well as realistic.

CEIAG Aims

Our aim is to ensure that we have a broad approach to CEIAG that considers a wide range of: adult roles, purposeful activities, housing, access to the community, health and wellbeing, and is differentiated to meet the needs of all students; all with a company-wide emphasis on individual growth, success and development.

We also aim to ensure our programmes work alongside the national Preparing for Adulthood outcomes and build our students understanding that they can make informed independent decisions on their futures and that this right is protected by the Mental Capacity Act, so that they are prepared and confident when making decisions on their futures.

To achieve this, EMA will work with individuals and small groups to provide programmes that support students to:

1. Access a combination of relevant vocational qualifications, and meaningful work experience placements, that empowers them to identify a clear pathway into employment within their local community and to build their skills, confidence and self-awareness and an understanding of life after formal education.
2. Understand how their courses, training and work experience are part of their career journey.
3. Understand how what they are learning transfers into work and adult life.
4. Develop skills that they can use to plan and manage their own personal development andcareer progression.
5. Have the opportunity to take part in activities and work experiences that gives them a goodknowledge of the skills needed for work and independent living.
6. Receive feedback and ideas from Employ My Ability as to how they can improve their careersprogramme and encourage them to have high aspirations.
7. Have easily available careers information, which is displayed in convenient locations, includingdigital formats.
8. Receive independent and unbiased advice and guidance, which is up to date and relevant totheir planned outcomes.
9. Receive guidance that is impartial, confidential, focused on their individual needs, whichsupports equal opportunities and is delivered by people with relevant training and expertise.

Employ My Ability is committed to enabling and encouraging all students to explore and experience different vocational and academic areas ensuring they have the tools to make meaningful decisions about their future career pathways. Employ My Ability recognises that Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance is crucial for our student’s success and are committed to embedding the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks across the curriculum.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance (©Gatsby.org.uk)

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of 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