At SWRAC, we are committed to helping individuals thrive through practical and relevant educational programs. Our goal is to equip people with the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to be resilient, confident, and independent. We aim for them to grow into education, employment, or meaningful activities, live healthily, be active and responsible citizens, and stay safe.
We are seeking a Careers Advisor to join our dedicated team at our Dorchester Centre.
Job Type: Full-time.
Job Description
The primary objective of this role is to offer unbiased career information, advice, and guidance to help our learners make informed career and job decisions. This involves assisting them in understanding themselves better and exploring the opportunities and pathways available to them. We aim to ensure that they have clear plans for what they will do after leaving SWRAC, as well as potential long-term plans.
The main responsibilities of the role are:
In supporting learners
- To provide impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance to students during their time at SWRAC and to offer support for this after they have left SWRAC for a period of 3 years.
- Enable the learners to engage with careers guidance through use of tools, such as the Careers Workbook and career websites, helping learners to understand their skills, strengths, barriers, motivators.
- To arrange visits to colleges or universities, employers, and careers events, e.g, the Careers and Apprenticeship Show
- To meet with learners who are at risk of leaving early to discuss and explore options.
- To offer a listening ear and signposting across a range of issues affecting our learners as required.
- To deliver group sessions (introduction to careers, workshops: specific careers / using careers information, CVs, Cover Letters, Applications, Job Hunting, Mock Interviews).
- To be the main contact for all students for a period of 12 months following their end of learning with SWRAC to offer continued careers information, advice and guidance as required and in line with capacity.
- To contact learners after they have left for tracking purposes and to offer career guidance or signposting.
Recording / Sharing of information
- To complete the Personal Careers Guidance Notes on the IAG7 paperwork and to share it with the learner, tutor and SENCO team for those with an EHCP.
- To record on the Caseload Manager (spreadsheet) learner contacts, career aspirations and intended destinations, etc
- To record on the Monthly Report all interventions, outcomes of these and areas discussed
- To contribute to safeguarding processes as required
- To contribute to EHCP reviews as required
Quality assurance
- Prepare student case studies both in text & video formats – two per month
- To contribute to the company's Matrix standard assessment and to ensure the company maintains the Matrix standard.
- To contribute to the meeting of Gatsby Benchmarks
Continual Professional Development (CPD)
- To attend careers training opportunities and networking events with other careers practitioners to develop CPD.
Working with others
- To attend local stakeholder meetings as appropriate to the role
- To attend job fairs, careers events and other networking events as appropriate.
- To act as the liaison between SWRAC and stakeholders and supporting organisations in the areas of CEIAG and pastoral/social concerns.
- Maintain close working relationships with tutors and IQAs to ensure that services are provided effectively and efficiently to students
Other duties
- Support the Employer Engagement Officer by liaising with employers and local organisations to source appropriate work experience placements, arrange initial taster sessions and complete the required documentation. Arrange job coach support.
- Any other duties required by the Management team
Person Specification Criteria
Qualifications
- Level 6 Diploma in Careers Guidance (Desirable)
- Level 4 Diploma in Careers Guidance (Essential)
Knowledge
- Career options: Education, Employment, Volunteering and Training
- Local Third Sector opportunities
- Local labour market
- Local colleges and training providers
- Benefits
- Safeguarding
- Gatsby Benchmarks
- Matrix
Skills / Competencies
- Ability to work with young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- Ability to work with young people with mental health needs (emotional and behavioural)
- Administration skills for completing reports, using spreadsheets and data entry
Experience
- Experience of delivering impartial careers guidance in a school, college or adult education setting – one to one and group sessions
- Experience of working with people with special educational needs and disabilities
- Experience of working using a person centred approach
Personal Qualities
- Approachable
- Non-judgemental
- Excellent communication skills
- Patient
- Professional
- Empathetic
- Relationship building
SWRAC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks. We are committed to securing genuine equality of opportunity in all aspects of our activities as an employer and education provider.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £32,292.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Dorchester DT2 9SL: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- Experience of working with SEND Learners
Work Location: In person
