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Getting You Ready For Work

The Sheffield College's unique and innovative Ahead programmes aim to enhance all students' employability skills and support them to go further in their careers. Work-related activity and the development of employability skills are a valuable part of every student's career pathway at The College.

Getting You Ready For Work

We encourage and support all students to spend time with an employer in a real life or simulated working environment.

100% of study programme students are expected to take part in at least one Ahead programme with a view to continuing on to further programmes as they progress.

Our expert team currently provides three Work-related Activity programmes - MoveAhead, GetAhead and StayAhead;

 

MoveAhead

This programme will teach employment-related skills and will be delivered by a specialist Employability Skills Coach in both classroom and virtual classroom environments. MoveAhead incorporates both the 2014 SEND reform and ongoing reforms in post-16 education, by preparing students for adult life, with a focus on employment and employability.

The MoveAhead programme will prepare learners to enter employment by providing them with the skills they will need to successfully source opportunities, and engage with employers at preliminary interview stages and beyond. The aim of the MoveAhead programme is to help learners ‘move ahead’ of the rest, and develop the skills they need to progress into the world of work, towards their career pathway.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Enhance soft skills, including organisation, teamwork and interpersonal skills
  • Increase confidence, improve self-image and develop the ability to create an ‘employment identity’
  • Increased work ethic and motivation when searching for work-related activity opportunities
  • Improved employment outcomes and/or progression onto GetAhead or other training courses and programmes

 

GetAhead

This online and virtually delivered programme, is designed to develop and enhance student’s employability and transferable skills. We support you by working towards set achievements, including personal attributes, relating to your chosen occupation. By taking part in this unique and innovative programme, it allows you to 'get ahead' of the competition when seeking a full-time job or an apprenticeship on completion of your college course. This increases the likelihood of gaining key skills and knowledge, which are vital for the progression onto our second Work-related Activity programme ‘StayAhead’.

Learning Outcomes:

  • State the 5 steps of professionalism, identify how your digital footprint impacts employment and illustrate employer and employee conduct in the workplace
  • Recognise and apply the importance of healthy wellbeing, increasing self-confidence and self-esteem in order to be successful within Work-related Activity
  • Define and employ good practice regarding verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills
  • Apply and understand theories relating to internal motivation, teamwork and leadership within the workplace, and understand their benefits

 

StayAhead

After successfully completing GetAhead, you will be ready to progress onto our second programme. This will allow you to ‘stay ahead’ of the game by gaining access to a wide range of eager employers within the region, with the support and encouragement from an Industry Placement Coach. Your coach is specifically employed to ‘work for you’ and will be with you every step of the way.

This programme gives you the opportunity to complete an Industry Placement at a local business and have exclusive access to the Work-related Activity system, completing weekly interactive logbooks and reflective tasks. All of your online activity logs, continuously builds your own personal online portfolio and interactive CV to support future job applications.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Highlight the differences between an industry placement (IP), an industry taster and ‘experience of work’
  • Outline the process of applying, or how to self-source an IP with the Work-related Activity team
  • Developing IT skills, through using the Work-related Activity system
  • Investigating and understanding your development, through the completion of logbooks
  • Understand the action of reflection, completing your qualification and obtaining your employer reference

 

What’s Included in our programmes;

Move Ahead Get Ahead Stay Ahead
The opportunity to develop confidence, improve self-image and develop the ability to create an ‘employment identity’ Interactive online work packages with certificate recognition on completion Industry Placements and Tasters’ vacancies
An industry experienced Employability Skills Coach to develop and support the process of searching for work-related activity opportunities Employability skills programme delivered via remote and online learning (programme includes professionalism in the workplace, mental health and emotional intelligence) Remote placement vacancies
Enrichment activities Access to industry experts and guest speakers through our Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Business and Enterprise Academy Opportunities to volunteer on community projects
One-to-one support sessions and action plans to progression onto the GetAhead programme Enrichment activities and Experience of Work / Virtual Experience of Work – VR tours of the workplace Access to industry experts and guest speakers through our Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Business and Enterprise Academy
Certificate recognition on completion of the programme Employer lead masterclasses and workshops A dedicated Industry Placement Coach to support you on your placement journey
    Access to the Work-related Activity System
    The opportunity to build an interactive CV and online portfolio to support job applications and interviews