Our aims
Welcome to Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG).
The overall aim of the CEIAG Department at St Joseph’s High School, Crossmaglen, is to ensure that all pupils develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to make informed life choices and pursue a career path that best suits their individual strengths and aspirations.
Our department is committed to delivering impartial, accurate, and up-to-date advice through trained and qualified staff. We strive to support students in recognising and valuing their achievements, skills, personal qualities, and capabilities.
We also aim to enhance students’ employability by equipping them with the tools needed for effective personal career planning. Through this, students are encouraged to take ownership of their future, making realistic and well-informed decisions about their career pathways in the ever-changing world of work.
Departmental staff
- Mrs A Begley (Head of Careers & Employability)
- Mrs K Smith (Head of King's Trust)
- Year 11 & 12 Form Teachers
- Ms Kathryn Conlon (DEL NI Careers Advisor)
Curriculum
Key Stage 3
Education for Employability: What It Is About
The aim of Education for Employability is to ensure that all young people develop the personal qualities, skills, knowledge, understanding, and attitudes needed to provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning and work within a rapidly changing economic environment.
Work patterns and employment trends, both locally and globally, are continually evolving. A major factor driving this change is the rapid pace of technological development, which requires increasingly higher levels of skills and knowledge from employees and has accelerated the shift from manufacturing industries to service-based economies. While workers in the industrial era often relied on a stable set of skills, today’s knowledge-based workforce must adapt to a continuous blending of learning and work.
Those who are unable to update and develop their skills regularly, both within the workplace and independently, are at greater risk of being left behind. Alongside this, there is a growing need to foster an entrepreneurial culture in Northern Ireland. Traditionally, many young people have had narrow career aspirations, often overlooking self-employment as a viable option. However, attitudes are changing, and pupils are becoming increasingly aware of the opportunities associated with entrepreneurship, particularly through examples within their local communities.
At a time of expanding and changing opportunities, it is essential that young people are given the opportunity to explore the world of work and begin to map out their own pathways through education, training, and employment. Successful engagement with the world of work can lead to greater personal fulfilment and long-term career success.
Year 8
All Year 8 pupils have one 35 minute period of Education for Employability every week. Visiting speakers and scheduled Young Enterprise events coincide with the Year 8 Programme.
Year 9
All Year 9 pupils have one 35 minute period of Education for Employability every week. Visiting speakers and scheduled STEM Ambassador events coincide with the Year 9 Programme.
Year 10
All Year 10 pupils have one 35 minute period of Careers each week. Guidance is given to Year 10 pupils from the Careers Department, Year Heads, form teachers, subject teachers and the Careers advisor who visits each Year 10 class prior to their GCSE Subject Choices. Year 10 pupils may receive a one-to-one interview with the Curriculum VP prior to their subject choices in March. The DEL Careers advisor also attends the Year 10 PTM and is available for a pre-booked appointment.
GCSE
Year 11
All Year 11 pupils receive one 35 minute period of timetabled CEIAG every week through their PSHE programme. The Programme coincides with the Young Enterprise "Project Business" seminar. The Programme is structured around the guidelines in the DELNI Document "Preparing for Success" and involves raising student awareness of their skills and qualities, values and achievements.
Work Placement at Key Stage 4 does much to promote the employability of the individual pupil. Work placements for Occupational Studies students can bring to life some of the Employability learning and the overall Employability experience can be deepened.
Within the context of Employability, a robust programme of Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) – is a necessary requirement in schools. In addition to the taught element of Employability at Key Stage 4, access to pupil centred individual guidance for young people is crucial. This impartial individual guidance in St Josephs is provided through the NI Careers Service.
Year 12
All Year 12 pupils receive one 35 minute period of timetabled CEIAG every week through their PSHE programme. The aim of this programme is to ensure that pupils carry out a self-assessment, to help pupils recognise values for now and the future and to introduce pupils to potential careers.
It also aims to help pupils recognise legalities in the workplace and help pupils realise the importance of safety at work. It aims to help pupils write a CV, write and fill in application forms, and help pupils recognise qualities sought by employers and qualities needed for a particular job.
The scheme also aims to help pupils develop interview skills and assist pupils with correct dress, manners, punctuality etc. before an interview. Finally the careers scheme in Year 12 aims to inform pupils about job programmes, benefits etc., conclude the process of PCP and help pupils' awareness of Post 16 provision.
Each Year 12 pupil has a one to one interview with our DEL Careers Advisor. A number of outside agencies are invited to speak and complete workshops with our Year 12 pupils throughout the year including SRC, CAFRE and The Hair Academy.
AS/A2
Post 16 Careers Programme
We aim to deliver impartial, accurate and up to date information and advice to help students become more self-aware, self-confident and achieve their personal aims.
A number of presentations are given from outside agencies during Year 13 and 14 including UCAS Higher Education Convention, University Department Open Days, and Careers Talk within our local hospitals, SRC, CAO, DKIT.
The Careers Department works closely with the DEL Careers Advisor: who can be pre-booked for an individual appointment. They offer a more detailed guidance interview about individual careers plans.
