Careers

Careers should be transformational to the lives of young people. At West Bromwich Collegiate Academy careers will provide a platform for motivation, for students to aim higher, achieve more and reach their aspirations.

We are committed to providing high-quality careers education, information, Advice and Guidance to enable our students to make informed and incisive decisions about their future.

By the time students leave us in Year 11 they will be confident and prepared for the next stage in their education journey. Students will be encouraged to consider a broad range of careers and pathways that are right for them.

Careers information is integrated within the Form Time Personal Development Sessions, where several units focusing on careers are covered. Information on the Personal Development curriculum can be found here.

Careers is also covered within the Literacy for Life Curriculum, subject specific links and delivered through Focus Days, stand-alone events and opportunities.

If you would like to provide any feedback on our Careers offering or have any suggestions, please contact careers@wbca.shirelandcat.net

At West bromwich collegiate academy we strive to meet the 8 gatsby benchmarks

A stable careers programme
Learning from career and labour market information
Addressing the needs of each pupil
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Encounters with employers and employees
Experiences of workplaces
Encounters with further and higher education
Personal guidance

Key stage 4 and 5 options

Year 9 will complete a Literacy for Life theme on careers and options as well as experiencing a taster day to help them make informed decisions on options they would like to study in Year 10. Parents will also be invited to attend Year 9 options evening to talk to subject teachers.

Year 11 students will all receive a 1:1 personal guidance session form our Careers Advisor Ravi Gahir. Following these students will be sent a copy of their action plan discussed in the session which can be shared with parents/carers.

In Year 11 students have the opportunity to choose from one of the following pathways:

Full time study at a college, sixth form or training provider
Full time work or volunteering combined with part time education or training
An apprenticeship
A traineeship

Readiness for Work

To get students work-ready we will ensure that:

Students will complete Careers units of work within Year 9 L4L and Year 10-11 Form Time Programme.
Students will have developed a CV and Cover letter by the end of Year 10.
We have developed students’ research skills so that they can make good use of the information they gain.
We have involved local businesses and community groups in the career development of the students.
We have run visits to Universities, workshops, careers-related shows and conferences for students to raise aspirations and their careers knowledge and awareness.

Careers Programme and Policies

The Academy has a statutory duty to publish additional content regarding the careers programme including the careers lead.

Contact details for the WBCA Careers Co-ordinator

Mrs Jennifer Evans, Careers Leader & Work Experience Coordinator
jevans@wbca.shirelandcat.net

0121 393 4850

Mr James Bunce Assistant Principal
jbunce@wbca.shirelandcat.net
0121 393 4850

Ravi Gahir, Careers Advisor

Sandwell Connexions

This information will be reviewed in July 2026.

Monitoring and measuring the impact of our careers programme

Students will complete an annual questionnaire to determine their preferences for careers and areas of industry and their knowledge of the topics.

We will use Student Voice and Careers and Guidance interviews to assess the impact of our Careers Programme.

We will monitor and track student destination data for 3 years and form a WBCA Alumni Community.

We use Compass+ to track encounters with providers and employers and in-school activities. This allows us to evaluate the quality of our provision against the Gatsby Benchmarks.