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Careers Advice at Pathways Learning

Pathways Learning is committed to providing high quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) to all students. Its aims are to prepare students for life beyond school, support their personal, social and career development, raise aspirations, challenge stereotypes, and equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about their futures. This applies to all students from the earliest possible age through to the end of their schooling.

Our Careers Policy is advised by:

The Gatsby Benchmarks

We adopt the Gatsby Benchmarks as best practice standards. We aim to meet and maintain all eight benchmarks, which are:

  • A stable careers programme.
  • Learning from careers 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.

These ensure our students have structured, timely, relevant and varied input.

SWEET WorkSkills/Work & Life (from Sweet Education) Years 10 and 11

We use Sweet’s WorkSkills resources (and related Work & Life/self‐development curricula) to embed skills essential for employability, personal growth, and life beyond school. SWEET/WorkSkills emphasises:

  • Developing employability skills such as teamwork, self‐management, communicationand resilience;
  • Giving pupils real, engaging tasks and opportunities to apply skills in contexts close to the workplace;
  • Ensuring pupils understand not just academic paths but vocational, entrepreneurial and non‐traditional career routes;
  • Enabling students to plan for life, not just for work: considering wellbeing, work/life balance, adaptability.

We work hard to ensure all our students are aware of the full range of career options (academic, vocational, apprenticeship, entrepreneurial)  and that they understand their own strengths, interests, values and how these connect to future possibilities. We want them to:

  • develop the skills employers value: communication, collaboration, problem‐solving, resilience, adaptability
  • use up‐to‐date labour market information to make informed choices
  • have opportunities to experience work environments, meet employers/mentors, and engage in meaningful work experience
  • receive guidance to support smooth transition at key stages (e.g. moving between key stages; after GCSEs; post 18)
  • have ambition, challenge stereotypes, and have equality of opportunity regardless of background

We have invested in the WOW World of Work Programme.

We have worked closely with:

Next Coleg Cambria and Deeside Sixth Accessible Open events are:

  • Deeside & Deeside Sixth – 12/03/2026 – 17:00
  • Yale & Yale Sixth – 18/03/2026 – 17:00
  • Bersham Road – 19/03/2026 – 17:00
  • Northop – 25/03/2026 – 17:00
  • Llysfasi – 26/03/2026 – 17:00
Pathfinders - 14-16 year olds
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