Careers

Mr Thomlinson
dThomlinson2@holytrinitybarnsley.org
01226 704550

Mrs Milnes
hmilnes@holytrinitybarnsley.org
01226 704550

Students can make an individual appointment to see her by either informing their form tutors or Head of Year. An individual appointment will then be made for them in school. They can also access support at lunchtime in the Careers Hub.

Support offered includes:

Students can also action the following steps to support their career planning process:

Talk to teachers, form tutors, parents/carers, family members, friends about jobs/careers they are interested in.

We find that pupils come into Y7 at holy trinity full of enthusiasm for their futures. as a school, we want to harness that. In their first year at Holy Trinity students are encouraged to start to explore their future career choices and start to explore their own skills and interests.

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In their second year at Holy Trinity, students start to link subjects to careers and are given many opportunities to help them explore those links.

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Y9 is an important year as pupils need to make their final choices for GCSE. With this in mind pupils will start to get more detailed information about further education and the world of work so that they can make the most informed choices possible.

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In the penultimate year at Holy Trinity, our careers programme focuses on supporting pupils to start seriously considering their Post-16 options. Guidance will become more focused around the skills required to successfully make the next step.

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In the final year at Holy Trinity, our careers programme focuses on supporting pupils in making the right choices for their Post-16 options. We aim to ensure that every pupil applies and is accepted on either a course or apprenticeship at a recognised provider

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Leaving school and deciding upon your next steps can be daunting. With different pathways to choose from at various colleges, sixth forms and providers it can be difficult understanding what is available and which is the right route for you.

The main pathways available are:

A Levels are subject based academic qualifications that can lead to university, further study, training or work. You can normally study three or more A Levels over two years. They are usually assessed by exams.

Every A Level provider will have their own entry requirements but you should be aiming for at least 5 GCSEs at grade 5 or above including English and Maths. Individual subjects will also have specific requirements and may require grade 6 in a related GCSE subject. For example, A Level Biology often requires GCSE Biology or GCSE Double Science at grade 6, A Level Spanish may require GCSE Spanish at grade 6, A Level Psychology may require GCSE Science and Maths at grade 5.

You can study A Levels at either a school sixth form or a further education college. It’s recommended that you do attend open evenings at various providers as each one is different; from the size of classes, the buildings and facilities to courses they deliver. Some providers will only allow you to study A Levels whilst others you can mix with a vocational subject. You need to find the right environment that supports your way of learning and will help you achieve the best results to continue you on your career journey.

When choosing your A Level subjects consider what job or career you are aiming for, which subjects are relevant or transferable and also if planning to go to university, what are their entry requirements as some courses require specific subjects. If you are not sure what career or job you want to do, studying a selection of A Levels can be a good way of keeping your options open.

From Holy Trinity students have access to a wide range of providers who offer A levels.

Here are just a few of the main providers* our students have progressed to for A Level courses:

You can also search for the subjects you are interested in and find out where you can study using UCAS Progress

*Other sixth forms are available

If you know what job or job sector you want to go into you may want to study a vocational qualification.

There are many different types of vocational qualifications in a wide range of subjects at all levels, from Entry Level to Level 3. Your GCSE results will determine which level you start at.

Vocational courses are designed to help you learn in a practical way, providing hands on learning in real situations for a specific career pathway. They can help you get the skills you need to start a job, progress in a career or go on to higher education.

Assessment is mainly by course work but you may also need to sit some assessments.

There are a wide range of vocational courses available including business, catering, hair and beauty, engineering, construction, media, sport plus lots more. Check out all local colleges’ course guides and websites for more information.

These are new qualifications which have been developed by universities, industry and professional associations to help address the national skills shortages. They will give students the opportunity to develop specific knowledge and practical transferable skills, with the Level 3 courses aiming to be as challenging as academic ones. There are lots of new courses in areas such as Video Games Arts and Animation and Cyber Security.

Holy Trinity is ideally located for access to a wide range of post 16 providers.

Here are just a few of the main providers* our students have progressed to for vocational courses:

You can also search for the courses you are interested in and find out where you can study using UCAS Progress

*Other sixth forms are available

Apprenticeships are offered by employers, who will train you to do a specific job in their company. There are apprenticeships covering most industries. You’ll be employed to do a real job, spending most of your time in the workplace gaining job-specific skills, but you will also spend time, usually one day a week, working towards relevant qualifications at a College or training provider.

At the end of your apprenticeship, hopefully you will have gained the skills and knowledge needed to either secure permanent employment in your chosen career or progress onto the next apprenticeship level.

School leavers tend to start their training at Level 2 and progress to Level 3 with each level taking 1-2 years to complete.

There are increasing opportunities to take your study further into higher or degree apprenticeships, meaning you could gain a Level 6 qualification whilst you work with no university fees (these are paid for by your employer).

You’ll also be constantly developing your transferable skills, which are highly valued by employers. These include communication, teamwork and problem solving, as well as knowledge of IT and the application of numbers.

As you will be employed, apprentices are entitled to the National Minimum Wage. This applies to all apprentices aged 16-18, or those in the first year of their course. Once you’ve progressed past this level, you’ll be entitled to the minimum wage rate for your age. However, some employers may pay you a higher wage.

Your working hours will vary depending on your employer, but you won’t be able to work more than 40 hours per week or any fewer than 30. Typically, you’ll work between 35 and 37.5 hours per week.

An apprenticeship is employment, you will have to apply, be shortlisted and attend an interview – the employer may receive lots of applications, yours needs to stand out. If you need support with this please see Mrs Milnes.

The National Apprenticeship Service is a government website for you to research and apply for apprenticeship vacancies. If you are interested in an apprenticeship, you should register online to be notified when employers advertise their vacancies in the career area you are interested in. Applications can usually be made through this site.

If you would like support accessing this, Miss Hardcastle is on hand to help you write a CV and complete applications.

What is the labour market information?

Labour Market Information (LMI) is information about what is happening in a labour (jobs) market. LMI tends to focus on the industries that are growing and declining. It provides information about the types and levels of jobs and the skills required and whether they are increasing or decreasing. It can be a useful tool to help you make decisions about which careers to embark upon. For example, if there are areas of industry where the numbers of jobs are increasing, that may make it easier to find a job in that industry. Please click on the links below to find out more.

Apprenticeships are offered by employers, who will train you to do a specific job in their company. There are apprenticeships covering most industries. You’ll be employed to do a real job, spending most of your time in the workplace gaining job-specific skills, but you will also spend time, usually one day a week, working towards relevant qualifications at a College or training provider.

Below are the latest vacancies for apprenticeships in the area. Please speak to Mr Thomlinson or Mrs Milnes if you have any questions.

Our careers program at Holy Trinity would not be as successful as it is without the support of countless local employers, colleges and training providers who have given us their time and support over the previous years. They make a tremendous difference to the lives of the young people at Holy Trinity and give a context to Careers Education which simply cannot be given by teachers alone in the classroom.

We are always looking to work with new employers along with our existing partners. If you are an employer, college or training provider and would like to help us make a difference to the lives of young people in the local area please contact:

Careers Leader

Mr D Thomlinson
dThomlinson2@holytrinitybarnsley.org

Careers Advisor

Mrs H Milnes
hmilnes@holytrinitybarnsley.org

Mr Thomlinson has been working at Holy Trinity for about ten years. He is a History teacher by training and is also Head of Humanities at the school.  Mr Thomlinson became the Careers lead in the summer of 2022 and is passionate about using Careers Education Guidance as a vehicle for motivating pupils to be the best that they can be. He can be contacted at dThomlinson2@holytrinitybarnsley.org.

Miss Hardcastle has been working at Holy Trinity for six years. She is a qualified teacher and a level 6 qualified careers specialist. Miss Hardcastle has a wealth of experience of working with young people advising them about their options for the future and getting them to where they want to be. She gets great satisfaction from helping young people make a positive step when they leave Holy Trinity. She can be contacted on hmilnes@holytrinitybarnsley.org.

If you are a staff member at Holy Trinity and ever have any questions or queries with regards to careers, or you would like to get more involved with the delivery of Careers Education Guidance (CEG) please contact Mr Thomlinson or Mrs Milnes.

If you are an ex Holy Trinity pupil from the past three years we want to offer careers help if needed, particularly with regards to ensuring that you are enrolled on recognised courses and apprenticeships.

In addition, we are growing a significant network of Holy Trinity alumni students who are acting as great role models for our current students. From political activists to skilled tradespeople and from doctors to entrepreneurs. We would love it if you would consider joining this network so that you can help inspire the next generation of Holy Trinity students.

Should you require any more information please contact:

Careers Leader

Mr Thomlinson
dThomlinson2@holytrinitybarnsley.org

Careers Advisor

Mrs Milnes
hmilnes@holytrinitybarnsley.org

We believe that a well-structured and highly effective programme of Careers and Education Guidance (CEG) will play a key role in contributing to how Holy Trinity prepares its young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

By working in partnership with external agencies, we will provide accurate and focused careers information, advice and guidance tailored to individual needs to enable young people to make informed choices about their future career routes.

The Careers Leader at Holy Trinity School is Mr Daniel Thomlinson who can be contacted on dThomlinson2@holytrinitybarnsley.org. The Careers Assistant is Helen Milnes who can be contacted on hmilnes@holytrinitybarnsley.org

Our aim is to take an 11-16 approach to our provision of secondary CEG. Students begin to develop a real understanding, of careers and work-related information that develops their sense of enquiry not only about careers and higher/further education but also an awareness of how the skills developed in school are applicable and integral ingredients in the modern workplace.

Work at Key Stage 3 (years 7-9) prepares students for their options choices in the middle of year 9. From KS4, CEG is delivered through a range of experiences which will be individualised for each student. This will help focus students for their life after the Holy Trinity in terms of career decisions and life planning. Our overarching aims for CEG are to work with external agencies, such as the Careers service, DWP and South Yorkshire Careers Hub in order to:

Students in KS3 will benefit from targeted CEG through a range of assemblies, specific careers themed lessons offered during PHSE curriculum time, activities completed during tutor time and events and workshops delivered during alternative curriculum days. In addition, at KS4 pupils will also benefit from 1:1 meeting with the Holy Trinity Careers Advisor and additional meetings with a representative of Barnsley College. This provision will effectively target the learning outcomes of the National Framework for Careers Education and Guidance and will be audited termly using the compass evaluation tool.

Holy Trinity will work closely with the Barnsley IKIC in order make use of most up to date information and opportunities for our pupils. For academic year 2022 – 2023 our main point of contact at Barnsley IKIC is Angela Dakin.

Careers information will be readily available for individual students to use. The Careers office will be an area of the school which will be open to any pupil on appointment. All careers-based reading material will be in the office and available for use. The careers advisor will ensure that the resources are up-to-date and relevant to the needs of our students (KS3/4).