Careers information, advice and guidance are delivered at Macmillan Academy by Ms C Cook, Careers Practitioner, Post 16 Tutor and Mrs E Turner, Assistant Head of Post 16. Macmillan Academy is a registered member of the Careers Development Institute.

Ms Cook is a Level 6 qualified Careers Practitioner, with over 20 years’ experience, delivering advice and guidance within education. She is also level 6 qualified practitioner in Careers Guidance for students who have a health condition, impairment or Special Educational Need. Ms Cook is a graduate with BA (Hons) Human Resource Management (GIPD) and has previously worked in The National Probation Service and as a Recruitment Consultant.

Mrs Turner is the Assistant Head of Post 16 Education and Head of Careers. Mrs Turner has more than 15 years of experience working with Post 16 students and supporting them with their next steps. Mrs Turner is a graduate with a BA (Hons) in English and Media Studies and has previously worked within the careers department at Teesside University.

As a student enters Year 9 and Year 11, they prepare for choices, whether that is subject options, apprenticeship research, T levels, traineeships, gap year, volunteering. Macmillan Academy offer a Triage approach to prepare students for these choices. Students in both year groups have a one to one interview, including parent invitation, with a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Here they talk about subjects and the relevance to their career interest. Students who would benefit from additional support are flagged and passed to the Careers Team for further advice and career planning support. To consolidate this understanding, the year group tutors, work on building confidence and motivation.

Every Year 11 student is offered a careers advice and guidance interview to discuss their future pathway. Following this interview, they will be given a Careers Progression Plan, outlining what has been discussed and relevant web sites to further investigate.

Year 11 destinations are monitored and reviewed, linking with the Head of Year, the Pastoral Support Team and the SEND Department.

From Year 12, students are introduced to Unifrog, a careers platform offering information, advice and guidance to future pathways, CV and application writing, UCAS, MOOCs and much more.

At Post 16 the intended destinations of our students are carefully monitored and supported equally; whether they have progressed internally from Macmillan Academy, or have enrolled with Post 16 from another school. Students are helped with fulfilling their aspirations of university, apprenticeship, a gap year or employment. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are monitored particularly closely and receive a bursary which provides financial support for university Open Days, interview expenses, reading material etc.

The Careers Team are also responsible for managing careers events, business liaison and represent Macmillan Academy in the local business community. Ms Cook and Mrs Turner can be contacted by the Macmillan Academy phone number 01642 800800, or directly via phone or email as below;
Ms Cook: c.cook@macademy.org.uk - 01642 354494
Mrs Turner: e.turner@macademy.org.uk - 01642 736583

Careers guidance interviews are also available for all other students throughout the year upon request.