Employability Skills

Employability Skills Programmes - The school provides a range of short term programmes at both Key Stage 3 and 4 to assist students to develop the employability and personal skills sought by employers.

In KS4 a group of selected students take part in the Employability Skills programme.

The first activity takes place in the autumn term of year 10 and is a visit to the Army to take place to take part in their ‘Look at Life’ programme. This is developed to promote team building skills and work in a different environment to school.

In the Spring term of year 10 students take part in a 6 day course (1 day a week), which is run in conjunction with ‘Blue Venture’ and funded by ‘The Youth Opportunity Fund’ All activities are based around the employability skills required in the world of work such as attendance, punctuality, problem solving, communication, teamwork, positive attitude, numeracy, basic ICT, initiative and time management. The programme is designed to give students confidence in their own ability and raise their self esteem.

In year 11 they also have an extra week of work experience in order to put their acquired skills in to practice.

The Employability Skills/Asdan group in year 10 spent the week beginning 15th October 2007 with the Army at Albemarle Barracks in Northumberland.

They took part in a 'Look at Life' course with ART4 from the Royal Artillery. The course involved orienteering, map reading, drill, understanding sentry duty for fellow soldiers, tasted rations, sampled life under canvas, understanding the importance of observation and shooting a target with paint balls.

The main skills that this course aims to develop is team work and co-operation, which will be useful in any area of working life. The students also visited the Army Foundation College based at Harrogate which takes 16 year old soldiers through basic training and teaches them a trade, ready for later deployments. (For more information on the Initial Training Group, click here)

All students enjoyed the week and some are now keen to take up this kind of Career. We must give a huge thanks to Sgt Waitlin and his team, who worked tirelessly with the students.

On 21st June 2006, a group of 46v Students from the Careers and Employability Skills Group attended the Army Exhibition day at Catterick in North Yorkshire. This is a day hosted by the Army, designed for students to show them what Careers are available within the armed forces. It is a 'hands on' day in that most practical activities can be sampled under the instruction of army personnel.

The school entered a team in the assault course. They were: Haley Heslop, Shauni-Louise Gray,Daniel Kerry-Jones, Scott Heron and Ryan Anderson. Unfortunately they did not win, but are to be commended for taking part.

A group of 22 Employability Skills students in years 10 and 111 took part in a non-residential 'look at life' course at the beginning of November. This included orienteering, survival skills. Observational skills, teamwork skills, paintballing and learning respect and discipline. They also paid a visit to the Army Foundation College in Harrogate. This is a new purpose built base used by 16 and 17 year old recruits to do their basic training. The College has fantastic facilities - especially for sport, and students from Harton Technology College were privileged to have the chance to sample life there. Everyone enjoyed the week and gained something from the experience.