Media Studies
The work of the department is underpinned by five key objectives:
-
Understand themselves better and develop their capabilities.
-
Acquire the skills necessary for decision making.
-
Make choices about their own career paths, continuing education and training.
-
Be aware of education, training and career opportunities.
-
Manage transitions to new roles and situations.
A Planned programme of careers education:
-
Years 8-14
-
Information about work, educational, vocational and training opportunities.
-
Experience of Work Year 12 and 13
-
Individual guidance
-
Recording achievement and planning for the future.
-
Mock Interviews
-
Guest speakers
Head of Department: Mrs Angela Kearney
E-mail: akearney707@c2kni.net
Aims
The overall aim is to prepare students to take responsibility for their own careers both at school and beyond.
Career Education comprises of a co-ordinated and progressive programme of teaching and learning activities for students in the curriculum, which will help them to develop the knowledge and skills needed to manage their own careers. Many of these skills can be developed in subject classes and Careers classes.
Careers Guidance
This comprises advice and guidance for individuals through interviews and small group work and involves:
-
Clarifying present student position
-
Exploring other options
-
Evaluating and Challenging Inconsistencies
-
Action planning and identification of what needs to be done
Careers Information
Comprehensive and reliable information is accessible to students of all ages and abilities to help them make well-informed and appropriate choices and decisions. This is facilitated through an excellent Careers library. Information can also be channelled through their form teachers, the notice boards, the study halls and google classroom.
Experiences of Work
Learning about work first hand helps students to develop their understanding of the meaning of work and of the skills that will be most useful to them. This can be developed through projects, business games, mini-enterprise, guest speakers, interviews skills, career conventions, videos, competitions and work experience. Time for work experience is set aside during term one for Year 12 and term two for Year 13 students. Students take responsibility to locate suitable work experience situations, they will be facilitated by the careers department on request.
Our Interview Skills programme involves Years 12 and 14. The support of the local community and Alumni in helping to provide these programmes has been tremendous giving a very real experience to the pupils.
Careers Programme
The careers programme is delivered as a stand-alone subject as follows:
-
Years 8-12-1 career class per week
-
Year 13 & 14 -1 career + research class per week
The programme includes the following elements:
-
Portfolio: Each student will keep a record of their career work through school from Year 8 to Year 14. This allows them to trace their career decision development, information gathering, recording achievement, target setting, action planning etc
-
Resources: There is a comprehensive school careers suite/ library for access to literary resources such as prospectuses, application forms, journals, articles etc. Students use Career software to perform psychometric tests and access up to date and relevant information on careers, courses and universities. Students applying to UCAS use the new apply online system from home or the sixth form study.
-
External Agencies: Careers provision is assisted by external agencies, Careers Advisers from the Department of Economy visit the college weekly to interview all students in Years 10-14. Speakers from Q.U.B., Ulster University, St Mary’s University College, John Moore Liverpool, BMC, SERC and Scottish Universities address the students in Sixth Form. In addition, a range of guest speakers address a number of careers in engineering, IT, nursing and social work.
-
Open Days: Open Day trips to University or Ulster, Queens University Belfast, St Marys University College, Stranmillis College, Belfast Metropolitan College and local Training Organisations are organised for those who have displayed a commitment to researching these institutions beforehand. Pupils can also attend other Open days by arranging it through the school.
Useful Careers Sites
