If you are unsure of your career options and do not know what courses to take, the Careers Team are on hand to support you – even before you become a student! You can book an appointment with a Careers Adviser or come along to an open event where they will be on hand to help you.
We also have an interactive Careers Tool to help you figure out what courses will suit your career goals and the course options you can choose.
Once you become a student and begin your studies, our Careers Team will support you to look ahead to the career you want. Your future aspirations are very much at the heart of what we do, and we are on hand to support you.
Whichever campus you are studying at, you will receive a consistent, first-class service from the Careers Team. As a result, over the years we have helped thousands of students in your position achieve their goals, whether it be a place at a prestigious university, further study at college, an apprenticeship or into employment. We offer face to face and virtual appointments to enable easy access to our Team.
We can offer support with:
- Choosing and planning your career path
- choosing a course
- signposting you to further information and resources
- progressing on to higher qualifications, support with university applications, including personal statements
- looking at ways for you to develop your skills when looking for work
- writing applications and compiling your CV.
Our experienced team work according to the advice and frameworks put forward by the Careers Development Institute (CDI), which means you can be sure you are receiving impartial advice and guidance throughout your time at college. In addition, the Careers Team adheres to The Gatsby Benchmarks and holds the Matrix quality standard, ensuring a high-quality service delivered with professionalism and expertise.
Our Advisers are here to support you at every stage of your career planning. But what happens in an appointment? An appointment is part of a process where you begin to figure things out for yourself. We do not have a magic wand, but we aim to help you clarify the issues that are most important to you and enable you to make progress, no matter what stage you come to us at.
We talk to students about all sorts of things. For example:
- I don’t know what I want to do. How do I decide?
- How can I work out which jobs are right for me?
- I’m interested in further study, but will it be worthwhile?
- What can I study at university?
- I’m not sure which path is right for me?
- How do apprenticeships work?
- What do I need to do to get into employment?
Careers Advisers are here to facilitate your career choice and development, rather than lead it. A Careers Adviser may challenge your statements to try to make the picture clearer for you and help you to plan your next steps. You may not leave with all the answers – but you should be closer to finding them.
A Careers Adviser may try to:
- Help draw out your priorities, values and expectations.
- Gently challenge your motivations.
- Encourage you to reflect on what you have done already.
- Help you to develop your understanding of your chosen path/s.
- Help you to weigh up your options.
- Make suggestions about potential resources, strategies, sectors or pathways.
A Careers Adviser cannot:
- Make a decision for you.
- Tell you which jobs you will be suited to or what you will enjoy doing.
- Tell you everything you will need to know about your chosen career.
- Tell you what decision an employer/university will make about your application.
- Tell you what to do!
Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
Dudley College is dedicated to providing high quality Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) on education, training and employment opportunities to prospective, current and past students.
At Dudley College, we believe high quality guidance raises aspirations and attainment, supports students to accomplish their potential, and meets the requirements of a fluctuating labour market.
Our goal is to deliver high quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) through a range of activities and interventions to help all students make informed choices.
This includes the development of employability skills within the curriculum and employer engagement activities: such as employer guest speakers or visits to employer premises. We offer impartial advice and guidance at key transitional times and provide access to up-to-date information on careers and Local Market Intelligence (LMI) which shows regional and local trends around employment opportunities, current and predicted future vacancies and expected salary rates.
Through our industry-experienced staff, excellent employer links and trained careers advisors, we are preparing learners to manage their own careers both now and for the remainder of their lives.
Our aims are to:
- Ensure all students understand and take advantage of their entitlement to careers guidance and support
- Ensure all students have the opportunity to develop employability or career management skills that links their learning to industry and the world of work
- Provide a more direct experience of the world of work, a clear view of the labour market and a good understanding of progression routes
- Inspire and inform students about the full range of education, training and employment opportunities available
- Link their learning with employers and outside agencies to offer other perspectives
- Raise ambitions and encourage students to overcome barriers, so they can achieve their full potential and fulfil their career ambitions
- To provide CEIAG that is impartial and independent and has the best interests of the student at the core of its delivery.
Careers Leader
Debbie Goode is the Executive lead for Careers at the College and if you have any questions parents/guardians, employers and other agencies can contact her at: debbie.goode@dudleycol.ac.uk.
Further Information
Dudley College of Technology is committed to ensuring all learners have the skills, knowledge and behaviours to make informed career choices, and are following appropriate learning programmes for their chosen career pathways.
We know that choosing the right course to kick start your career isn’t easy. It’s completely normal to be confused about your next steps, or to change your mind. Here at Dudley College of Technology, all of our courses include transferable employability skills to help you find the right career and prepare you for the workplace. We want you to make informed choices about your career plans, have back up plans and be fully prepared for the lifelong choices you will have to make about work, life, balance.
16-19 year old learners
For all 16–19-year-old learners careers education is delivered through our Personal Improvement Programme (PIP). In your PiP sessions we want to give you the life-skills to explore the career options available to you, help you to choose the most appropriate course and help you plan what to do once you have completed your studies.
Throughout your studies tutors will also advise on the career and progression opportunities, drawing on their own personal employment history and knowledge of the changes in their sector. They can tell you more about what the course is like, what kind of things you’ll learn, how the course is organised, how you’ll be assessed and what previous students have gone on to do.
Even before you join the college our Team of Carers Advisors are here to help. So, if you’re not sure what you want to do or even which career is best for you, get in touch and book a free personal help session. Sessions are available face-to-face or online so you can find a time that is best for you.
To find out more about job roles you might be thinking about, including what you would do day-to-day, what qualifications you would need and what you could expect as your salary why not check out our Explore Your Career Tool? There’s lot of useful information to help you plan your next step.
To find out more about how we can help you manage your career and plan your future; book a free, friendly careers guidance session.
Adult Learners
Whether you’re starting with us for the first time, or a current student, we want to make sure you’re ready for your next steps with guidance and activities to help you.
Experience tells us many adult learners are returning to study, to gain new skills to improve their carers prospects, so we can help with CV writing, job search and interview techniques. Remember, our Carers Advisors are available to help you with your career planning book a free, friendly careers guidance session.
If you are studying on a Level 4 or above programme you will be supported with developing graduate skills and graduate outcomes through the work you will do with employers.
If you are studying on a Sector Based Work Academy programme, a guaranteed interview with an employer looking to recruit staff will form part of your programme.
When you have secured your dream job we are keen for you to stay in touch with us and tell us how your career is progressing through our Alumni programme.
Dudley College is dedicated to providing high quality Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) on education, training and employment opportunities to prospective current and past students.
At Dudley College, we believe high quality guidance raises aspirations and attainment, supports students to accomplish their potential, and meets the requirements of a fluctuating labour market.
Our qualified Career Advisers will be able to support the young person you care for throughout their application, and when they have their interview at College , they, alongside our experienced teaching staff, will discuss the best route for them based on their qualifications, expected grades and career goals. They are trained to talk through the different ideas your young person may have and what they might want to study. The team regularly visit schools to talk about the many options open to them at Dudley College and beyond. They also attend GCSE Results Day, Parents’ Evenings, Careers Events at schools, Open Events at College and can be contacted via phone, social media or email with any queries you might have about your choice of course.
During their time at College, our expert staff can help your son/daughter on planning their next steps, applying to university, pursuing a particular career, or if they are unsure of what to do when they leave College. Each year we help our students progress to some of the top Russell Group universities as well as supporting students into employment and onto Apprenticeships.
Please read our School Leaver Parent & Carer Guide for more information, advice & guidance regarding applications for studying at Dudley College of Technology from September 2023/2024.
This guide will you introduce to your local college, the courses we offer and the support and enrichment opportunities we are proud to provide, as a highly rated College with an excellent reputation for student success.
Our culture is one of high expectations, helping to ensure all students are focused on achieving their goals, whether it is to go to the university of their choice to find the career they want, or to progress to other learning options, including Higher Education courses offered here at Dudley College and the Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology.
Here at Dudley College we can offer your son or daughter:
- Academic excellence: In 2021, we achieved a fantastic 84% A Level pass rate, with some great destinations including the University of Oxford. We also achieved a 88% pass rate for our Vocational Level 3 courses.
- A strong team: Our lecturers and support staff successfully challenge our students to achieve their best, while still offering caring pastoral support. We offer all our students excellent careers advice, coaching and support with UCAS.
- Our stunning campus: Modern, spacious and safe, with a great range of facilities, invested in the latest technology.
- Good student transport support: Travel support packages and ample parking on site for students with their own cars.
We know that making decisions post-16 can be a worrying time for parents/guardians but our Careers Advisors can help you support your child in understanding and exploring the career options available to them, helping them choose the most appropriate course and helping them plan what to do once they complete their studies. The College’s tutors will also advise on the career and progression opportunities available in that particular area. They can tell you more about what the course is like, what kind of things students will learn, how the course is organised, how work is assessed and what previous students have gone on to do.
From the moment students arrive at Dudley College they will have a network of support around them. This includes all students having access to impartial, accessible and independent careers information, advice and guidance, assisting them to plan and manage their personal progression and career planning. This is available through face-to-face appointments, email, online meetings.
Whilst at Dudley College of Technology , all our students are supported in preparing themselves for employment through the delivery of employability skills embedded into the curriculum, providing opportunities for college level students to complete an employability passport and to undertake work placements/experience; whilst also inviting employers to attend college events and deliver guest lectures.
Experienced staff provides all students (college level, university level and apprenticeship) with impartial information, advice and guidance on a wide range of subjects, including:
- The diverse range of courses and apprenticeships offered by both the College and external providers
- Career and progression planning
- UCAS applications for higher education
- Job searches and skills to secure employment.
Partnering with Dudley College to offer an apprenticeship is the perfect opportunity for your business to develop the staff it needs. Apprenticeships can create enormous benefits, not only in terms of a highly skilled workforce but also by boosting productivity and staff retention. You can find out more about working with us to offer an Apprenticeship by visiting our website or contacting our employer services team. Call 01384 363 808 or email employerservices@dudleycol.ac.uk.
Every year we are looking to inspire our students by having the opportunity to meet and network with potential employers. We see this as an essential part of our students’ career planning. If you feel able to support any future careers/employability events or offer site visits and guest lectures/talks or workshops to particular groups of students, and have not already got established contacts within our academic departments, please email learnerservices@dudleycollege.ac.uk.
Dudley College is proud of the effective and close relationships it has established with multiple agencies and local authorities to ensure the needs of our students are met. We comply with statutory requirements and duties to share information about learners’ experiences, transitions and destinations.
The Colleges works with multiple local authority special educational needs and disability (SEND) teams to ensure that any learners who are looking to study with us receive individual and tailored careers information, advice and guidance, frequently identified by school staff, parents/guardians or agency staff carrying out the student’s annual review process. CEIAG continues to be delivered during the student’s time at college.
Dudley College of Technology works with the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to access high quality information about the local Labour Market.
Current LMI can help our students to understand:
- Where the jobs are locally
- Which sectors/jobs are increasing and which are declining
- Which skills will be needed in the future.
Lots of information is available via the LMI website, including regional, local and sector specific data as well as information (including leaflets and videos) about skills for employment, employment and getting to work.
Explore your carers can be used to explore and compare key information about occupations, learn about different occupations and identify potential careers. It provides access to a selection of UK headline data relating to pay, weekly hours of work and future employment prospects for different occupations, as well as description of the occupation.
Use the boxes below to simply type in the title of the job you are interested in and the widget provides a series of options from which you can select the most relevant to you. You can then look up another two occupations and compare. You can also select ‘display the UK average’ and compare the information with the occupation you have selected.
Useful Links
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Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Policy
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Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Strategy 2022-2026
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The Gatsby Benchmarks
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