Situated in the Highlands Information Centre the Careers & Employability team provides information, advice and guidance to develop skills, experience and contacts to improve careers & employability opportunities.
Careers
“A chosen pursuit, profession or occupation”
We give young people the start they need for their careers and also assist employers looking to recruit the best talent for their businesses.
What we can help with:
- Careers, information, advice and guidance
- Higher education study options off and on-island
- Job searching
- CV and application support
- Interview advice & practice
- Encourage participation in various work shadowing schemes
Employability
How we do it:
- Employability and placement drop-in sessions
- One-to-one appointments
- Workshops and skills sessions
- Navigate (online learning platform) to assess employability skills and support development of these skills
- Employability development
- Partnership events bringing employers to campus and students to industry
- Access to employers
Partnerships
We work closely with all of the following outside agencies. We can arrange appointments and introductions for you if you would like to contact them.
Youth work is delivered by a diverse range of organisations in Jersey. This includes voluntary youth organisations and the States of Jersey Youth Service.
We provide a wide range of personal and social development opportunities for young people age 12 to 18 in Jersey.
Young Enterprise is a national education charity founded in 1963 to link between school and industry. The Jersey Area Board was formed in 1987 as a Jersey charitable organisation.
Its mission is to inspire and educate young people to understand and value the role of business, through practical business projects which develop attitudes and skills for personal success, lifelong learning and employability.
Advisors from Skills Jersey will be in College for 4 days in January to offer one to one support and guidance to our students.
The trackers programme supports people aged 16 and over in their chosen apprenticeships by providing mentoring and funding.
Success Stories
Stuart Gray
Secondary school attended
De la Salle College, Jersey
Course(s) studied at Highlands College
- City & Guilds Levels 1, 2 & 3 in Electro technical Technology Installation
- BTEC HNC in Building Studies
What are you are doing now and how has Highlands helped you to get where you are?
Currently I am a Senior Building Services Engineer for Jersey Energy where I design and manage electrical and mechanical services installations for a huge variety of construction developments throughout the Channel Islands. I started as an electrical engineering apprentice attending the day release scheme at Highlands College and pursued the higher education route of the HNC in Building Studies.
My successful completion of these courses and qualifications allowed me to move on to London South Bank University where I obtained a Master’s Degree (MSc) in Building Services Engineering with Distinction. The route through Highlands College both prepared me for the degree programme and allowed me to meet and interact with other students within Jersey’s construction industry, many which I have now worked with on live projects.
I am also now a lecturer at University College Jersey where I teach Building Services & Environmental Science for the HNC Construction Studies qualification. It is extremely gratifying to be returning to the college as a lecturer and helping to provide the best qualifications available locally to the construction industry.
What future plans do you have?
My immediate plans include undertaking a teacher training course at Highlands College to improve my lectures and help understand modern methods in teaching. My career in engineering is in excellent stead with the qualifications I have achieved both here and in the UK, allowing me to utilise my skills within the Channel Islands.
Dan Garton
Secondary school attended
Victoria College
Course(s) studied at Highlands College
- BTEC Extended Diploma in Sport
- FdA Sport & Management degree at UCJ in Partnership with Plymouth University
What are you are doing now and how has Highlands helped you to get where you are?
I started at Highlands when I was 16, I didn’t enjoy school as I felt a lot of the work was aimed at the high achievers. Highlands gave the opportunity for pupils to excel in areas which they enjoyed, rather than forced subjects. I absolutely loved the BTEC course, I felt I really excelled in it and this gave me ideas in what I wanted from a career. The tutors were brilliant too, very supportive and always wanting to push you. After the BTEC course I decided to do a university course in the UK but after months of not enjoying the course and the general living I decided to leave.
Around the time I was thinking of leaving University in the UK, the FdA Sport & Management degree came out and this turned my head. I would most likely of applied for this if it had been available when I was completing my BTEC.
I got onto the course and really enjoyed it. I found I was far more productive when studying on the island as I had my friends, family and hobbies to do. This motivated me more and I found the quality of work I was producing improved. Another huge factor for studying over here was the fact that I was working too, I got a job with Sports Development when I first started the degree.
On completion of my foundation degree I’ve continued working for Sport Development with more hours and absolutely love it. Everyday there is something different to do and the people within the department are fantastic!
To summarise, Highlands has been a massive stepping stone for me and somewhere I always hold close to my heart. I have good relationships with the tutors/staff and really enjoy going back. I don’t know where I would be without the courses at Highlands; I’ve fully enjoyed my experiences.
What future plans do you have?
I am currently half way through the level 3 CMI course and plan to progress onto the level 5. So a few more years at Highlands for me!
Lucy Morris
Secondary school attended
Grainville School
Course(s) studied at Highlands College
- City and Guilds Level 2 Culinary Arts
- Barista Training
What are you are doing now and how has Highlands helped you to get where you are?
The qualification has given me the confidence and skill set to make my long term dream of setting up a wholefoods café come true. From about the age of 18 I wanted to set up a café but never thought that I would be able to do this on my own or that I had the relevant skill set. I had already started working within the finance industry and assumed that this was my chosen career path as so many of my friends were also working office jobs and I felt pretty lucky to have such a great well paid job. I decided after my little boy was born in 2012 that I needed to at least try and make my dream come true, to set up my café and become my own boss. Highlands firstly helped with the relevant food hygiene qualifications and then my culinary arts and barista qualifications. It also gave me organisation and planning skills to assist with the business side of things, and if that wasn’t enough the team of tutors that ran my courses have all given me great advice from there industry experience which has been invaluable.
What future plans do you have?
Well writing this mid-February 2016 the short term plan is to have the café up and running by late March 2016, have baby number 2 end of April 2016 and then run a busy and successful wholefoods café with the hope of establishing ‘Nude Food’ as a go to name within a crowded market place.
If you are part of an organisation and would like to know more about working with the Careers and Employability team at Highlands College please contact us.
We strongly believe in the value of work experience which is vital for the workforce of tomorrow. We introduce young people to the world of work to help them understand the work environment, choose future careers and prepare for employment.
“The student in question was very courteous and able to conduct herself in a professional manner. She was given a number routine but important tasks throughout her placement and carried them out very efficiently.” – Autism Jersey
“I found our work experience student to be a very hard worker and am glad that we have already employed him as an instructor for the season.” – Creepy Valley
“Our work experience student was very likeable and conscientious and worked well in a placement that had lots of variations. He got on well with the staff and the work he had undertaken will help us greatly with our archiving processes.” – Collas Crill
What do I need to be able to offer a placement?
The Employer Liability insurance is essential as whilst on the placement the work experience student is classed as an employee.
Do I need to carry out an enhanced Discloser and Barring Service (DBS) check on members of staff supervising young people?
No. Employers do not need to carry the DBS check. If the education provider requests such check, employers would be entitled to refuse.
What hours can students do?
The number of hours worked is generally for agreement by employer, college, parents and students, although it is recommended that students should not be asked to work more than a standard eight hour day.
Do I need to pay the student?
No, however if students are with employers for a long period and are making valuable contributions to the work place we do ask you to consider helping with expenses if you are in a position to do so.
Work Experience 6th
Students can expect to have a minimum of 2 weeks of work experience and carry out a range of tasks, e.g.
- Specific projects (under supervision)
- Some shadowing of the Senior Management Team
- Attend team/board meetings
- Assist with a wide range of duties essential to the successful running of the department
- Data inputting
- Deal with customer enquiries
- Build external and internal network and relationships
Work-based Learning UCJ
Students can expect to receive 20 weeks of work-based learning (WBL) while studying on their chosen Foundation Degree with UCJ.
The WBL placement is focused on encouraging the student to apply academic knowledge in the workplace and build on their existing personal and professional skills.
Students and placement providers will be supported by the Careers and Employability Team to get the best match possible.
Are you an employer or young talent seeker?
Many of our students at Highlands College are looking for work experience or part time job opportunities. If you can offer any valuable experience to our students, we would like to hear from you. We work closely with a wide variety of employers, helping them to connect with our students and recent graduates.