Careers Advice
Careers Guidance and Support
You need more than qualifications to secure the job you want. Develop your employability with City of Bristol College.
Overview
We can help you develop your employability in a number of ways:
- As part of your study programme.
- Through our online Moodle and career coach resources and support.
- During your group tutorials.
- Through our ‘Passport’ programme, which will give you a portfolio that demonstrates the skills you’ve developed while studying with us.
We work hard to help our students progress into employment, and have been awarded an Employability Chartermark by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership in recognition of our efforts.
Our services have been re-accredited with the MATRIX standard which highlights excellence in delivery of information, advice and guidance.
Resources
Pathways
If you are unsure which career path to take, or you would like to explore career options related to one of our courses, then try our Pathways tool, which can be found at the bottom of the course page. Use this tool to:
- Find apprenticeship information
- Discover careers related to the chosen course subject
- Uncover salary expectation
- Learn more about study routes
Get in Contact
Designated Careers Lead
Margz Ahmad
mahmad2@cityofbristol.ac.uk
Careers Team
Careers Team Inbox
careers@cityofbristol.ac.uk
Careers Guidance for Current Students
All of our Centres have a Study Centre, through which you will be able to access a range of information, advice and guidance on your studies. Our Learner Services Advisers can advise you on further study at City of Bristol College, student finance and funding as well as providing wider careers advice.
We also have our Enterprise Advisor, Claire Rowland, who can advise you of your options, help you develop essential employability skills and connect you with local employers.
Careers Advice for Adults
Are you looking for local training courses or needing help with a career change? Have you used Career Coach and feel you need to talk through your options with a qualified Careers Advisor? You can contact our friendly careers team for information and advice by emailing: careers@cityofbristol.ac.uk
Guidance for People Considering University Study
Thinking of taking a university course after completing your studies? Whether you are worried about fees and funding or are looking for UCAS advice, we’re here to help.
We can support you through the whole process of researching and applying for your university education.
Our study coaches have a wealth of resources and knowledge. You can also access information about completing your UCAS application via Moodle.
Information for School Leavers
If you’re ready to move to the next stage of your education and training, we can help you move forward.
Our advisers can help you choose a training route that will lead to your chosen career goal. We can talk you through different types of qualifications, such as A Levels, BTECs and Apprenticeships, whilst explaining how these fit into your overall career path. Whatever your goal we can help you plan the route.
- Not sure if College is the right choice for you?
Come along to one of our open events and speak with our advisers about your options. - Worried about your exam results?
Our GCSE advice sessions take place every summer on results day. Whatever your grades, we can help get you onto a suitable course for your ultimate career goal.
Information for Parents & Carers
Get the information you need to help your child make the right choices at 14, 16 and 18 through the Careerpilot website.
Careerpilot is a free website helping 13—19-year-olds plan their future. Careerpilot can help you as a parent/carer get answers to the career questions you want to ask, about:
- Funding and support
- Choices at 14, 16 and 18
- Further Education College
- Apprenticeships and Traineeships
- Higher Education (including HE provided at local colleges)
- Job sectors and growth
Kickstart Your Career
Kickstart is a £2 billion government fund to create hundreds of thousands of high quality six-month job placements for young people aged 16-24 who are on Universal Credit.
Partners in Bristol are proud to launch The Kickstart Academy, so you can get ahead of the game with your Kickstart application. Our academy will help you with every aspect of your application, including:
- How to apply for Kickstart in a digital world
- Free careers advice and guidance
- Confidence building and guidance
- CV writing masterclasses
- One-to-one support
- Links to employers
- Understanding your current skill set
- Advice on the best training opportunities which will suit your needs and goals
- Resilience Training
To find out more, contact 0117 312 5777 or enquiries@PIB.cityofbristol.ac.uk
Careers Programme Plan
View or download our Careers Programme Plan (PDF). For further information contact our designated Careers Lead, Margz Ahmad, at careers@cityofbristol.ac.uk
7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Employability
The careers landscape is changing. You may be wondering what you need to know in order to achieve your career goals. Much careers advice stands the test of time.
You’ll need to make connections and gain skills. In addition, changes in education and various industries has brought new opportunities that can give you a competitive edge. For instance, did you know that by studying a Higher Apprenticeship you could get paid to gain a degree?
Whether you’re a school leaver thinking about how to achieve your future goals or an adult thinking about changing your career path, this advice can set you apart from the crowd.
1. Recognise the skills and qualities you already have
You probably have a number of attributes already that you’re not using to your advantage.
Soft skills are important in a range of different roles, helping you do everything from negotiating and selling through to managing your schedule.
Here’s a full list of soft skills. Identify the ones you have and learn how to back them up. They include things like:
- Critical thinking
- Positive attitude
- Work ethic
- Communication
2. Get experience relating to what you want to do
Part-time jobs or work experience can give you transferable skills.
Try careersnearhere.com for links to local opportunities relating to your studies and interests. Another good source of information is Pure Potential with advice about how to go about finding opportunities.
If you’re studying, you could ask your teachers about potential work-experience opportunities relating to your course.
3. Volunteer in your free time
Volunteering can help you develop your confidence, self-awareness and responsibility. It encourages personal and social development building your soft skills.
There are many organisations which are looking for the right people to assist and support them on a voluntary basis. Below are a selection of links where you can find these opportunities:
- GoodGym Bristol (for people aged 18+).
- Do-it
- Volunteer Bristol
- National Citizen Service
(for people aged 16-17)
4. Consider what skills or qualifications you might need
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to qualifications. Research and gather information about your chosen career and different routes into it.
For example, some careers may require you to complete specific qualifications while others may ask for prior work experience.
- National Careers Service – Explore careers by job category.
- CareerPilot – A great place to start your research, if you are 16-19, is CareerPilot. It is specifically set up to support young people in the South West region.
- Step into the NHS – Find out what career in the NHS would suit you.
- Prospects – Range of careers guides including Student Career Guide, Career in Law Guide and Career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
5. Think beyond traditional routes into a career
Whatever your age or experience, there are a variety of options available to you. For instance, did you know that you can study apprenticeships at degree level? City of Bristol College offers a range of qualifications for adults and school leavers that can help take you where you want to go.
If you’re entrepreneurial you may also consider starting your own business.
Bristol is a great hub for independent businesses and organisations. If you’ve got a dream, why not make it into reality?
- Apprenticeships in Bristol – More information and current vacancies.
- Bristol City Council, starting a new business – Useful links and advice for people interested in starting a new business.
- Prince’s Trust – Help for 18-30-year olds interested in starting their own business.
- Business West – Help for people who want to increase sales and boost profits.
6. Take time getting your CV and covering letter right
A good CV and covering letter will help get an interview by allowing you to showcase your relevant skills, experiences and qualifications.
You will need to adapt your CV so that it reflects the requirements of each job you are applying for.
- How to write a job application – Information from Prospects about how to be successful when applying for a job.
- Free UCAS covering letter tool – If you’re applying for University, this free tool can help you write your personal statement.
- How to write a covering letter – Advice from the National Careers Service.
7. Become a star interviewee
If you land an interviewing, preparing for it is key. If you have limited time, we recommend getting familiar with the following resources:
We are an employability-focused College. Find out more about how we make our students job-ready.
City of Bristol College students can access more information about careers and part-time jobs on the jobs board on Moodle. You can also get in touch with the Study Centre teams at your College centre.
This article has been produced for National Careers Week 2020. The information provided is from Celeste Indge who is City of Bristol College’s Careers and Employability Coordinator.
