How SACU supports the Gatsby Benchmarks

1) A stable careers programme

Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers, governors and employers.

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    SACU’s Career Cloud solution is suitable for students from Year 7 to 13 and beyond. With students being able to use their login throughout their continued study and career journey

  • 02

    School staff can access the very latest information on the students’ progress with their career research or university application

  • 03

    Students can choose to share their research progress with their parent, teacher, advisor or a trusted friend

  • 04

    School wide statistical reporting allows each school to monitor and tailor their careers provision based on sound evidence

2) Learning from career and labour market information

Every pupil, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    The SACU Career Cloud solution makes the very latest Labour Market information easily accessible to students, parents, teachers and advisors

  • 02

    SACU links LMI data to each career within the students personalised career cloud and also provides a dedicated Labour Market explore tool

  • 03

    Providing Salary information, based on the very latest Longitudinal Educational Outcomes data (LEO) and Destinations of Leavers from HE survey, for many of the 35,000 Higher Education courses

  • 04

    Advisers are provided with a dedicated LMI tool and individual student reports that helps structure career advisers 1 to 1 interviews

3) Addressing the needs of each pupil

Pupils have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    Each student receives lifelong access to a personalised career cloud, Higher / Further education cloud and apprenticeship cloud and has been used by tens of thousands of students from years 7 to 13 with great success

  • 02

    The Career Cloud quiz provides all students with personalised career clouds based on the current interests. This quiz provides a fantastic starting point for students of all ages and especially for students that are not aware of the options available to them

  • 03

    Students can bookmark what interest them, from over 35,000 HE courses, 120,000 FE courses, 700+ career areas and thousands of apprenticeship vacancies

  • 04

    Students are encouraged to revisit the Career Cloud quiz throughout their student journey and explore the thousands of careers, courses and apprenticeships along the way

4) Linking curriculum learning to careers

All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    HE and FE personalised subject clouds include suggestions based on the student’s interests and are also linked to over 700 possible career areas

  • 02

    Information on over 700 careers, including STEM careers, with each career having links to the very best career website with the latest career profiles, LMI, degree routes, libe job vancancies

5) Encounters with employers and employees

Every pupil should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    The Career Cloud links each student to the very best career website including:

    • National Career Service;
    • Graduate Prospects;
    • Plan IT Plus;
    • Target Jobs, Health Careers
  • 02

    Where students can find information on the

    • Key responsibilities of the Role;
    • What to expect in the workplace;
    • Qualifications / Skills required;
    • Work experience / Typical employers;
    • Professional development & Career prospects;
    • Workforce employment status & Workforce education levels

6) Experiences of workplaces

Every pupil should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    The SACU Career cloud personalises potential future work opportunities to students and provides a wealth of information and advice on over 700 careers, including linking students to the best online resources available.

  • 02

    Within the students Research Zone there is a specific area where students are encouraged to keep notes on their research activities and to record lessons learnt from their Work Experience opportunities

7) Encounters with further and higher education

All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    The SACU Career cloud solution provide students with a personalised subject cloud linking to over 35,000 Higher Education and 120,000 Further Education courses. For each Higher Education course

  • 02

    Higher Education information includes:

    • Course title, duration, location and qualification
    • Study mode – FT / PT / Sandwich / Foundation
    • Website links – University / UCAS / Unistats
    • Typical UCAS offer rates
    • UCAS tariff points required on entry
    • % Student satisfaction
    • Salary information – LEO and DLHE
    • Popular A-Level subjects on entry
    • Employment information after 6 months / 3 years
  • 03

    For each Further Education course, the student can view:

    • Course title, duration, location and qualification
    • Study mode – FT / PT
    • Website links – Provider and Course summary
    • Cost and  How to apply
  • 04

    The SACU Career cloud solution also provides students with a personalised apprenticeship cloud providing information on each apprenticeship and link to live apprenticeship vacancies

8) Personal guidance

Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs

How SACU supports this Benchmark

  • 01

    All the SACU student research tools are designed to help advisers and careers professionals in their one to one work with individuals.

  • 02

    Career Cloud monitoring tools have tailored individual reports that show advisers the research activity of their students and are often used in career interviews to give focus and future research suggestions

  • 03

    Feedback facility within individual reporting area allows tutors, teachers, pastoral advisers and careers professionals to guide students in their research activity

  • 04

    SACU also offers training workshops to careers professionals across the whole spectrum of careers education

Download the SACU Gatsby Benchmark PDF

How SACU supports these Benchmarks

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