News

National Careers Leaders' Conference 2024

19 June 2024

The National Careers Leaders' Conference and Exhibition 2024, kindly sponsored by Unifrog, was jointly organised by the CDI and iCeGS at the University of Derby.

Theme: Creating meaningful careers programmes that develop lifelong career management skills

This LIVE, in-person event was held on Wednesday 19 June 2024 at the University of Derby, Kedleston Road Campus.

Conference programme

Theme: Creating meaningful careers programmes that develop lifelong career management skills

08:30-09:30

Registration, Refreshments and Networking

09:30-09:40

Introduction - Welcome to the NCLC 2024, House keeping and Introduction to the day.

09:40-10:20

Keynote 1-  Gatsby Benchmarks: 10 year review. An update on progress and summary of changes.

Ryan Gibson, Senior Adviser: Careers, The Gatsby Foundation

10:30-11:10    Workshop session 1- 6 parallel sessions to choose from

11:10-11:40    Exhibition and Refreshment break

11:40-12:30   

Panel session: Quality standards and continuous improvement: A discussion of the Quality in Careers Standard, Careers Impact System and matrix by school, special school and college careers leaders.

Laura Wareing, The Limes College (CIS/QiCS), Graeme Murdoch (matrix standard), Jo Sykes (CIS), Iffat Ahmad (QiCS)

12:40-13:20    Group 1- Workshop session 2- 6 parallel sessions to choose from

12:40-13:20    Group 2- Lunch, served in the Atrium

13:20-14:00    Group 2- Workshop session 2- 6 parallel sessions to choose from

13:20-14:00    Group 1- Lunch, served in the Atrium

14:10-14:50    Keynote 2- The experience of 2023's Careers Leader of the Year

Tom Corry, Director of Careers, Chertsey High School

15:00-15:40

Workshop session 3- 6 parallel sessions to choose from

15:40-16:00

Exhibition and Refreshment break

16:00-16:50

Keynote 3- Making careers programmes meaningful for life - how to build young people's career management skills to manage transitions through education, into work and beyond.

Tristram Hooley, Professor of Career Education, University of Derby

16:50-17:00

Closing Session

17:00-17:30

Networking, Exhibition and Event Closing

Workshops

Choose from six workshops for the morning and afternoon sessions

Can virtual experiences really be meaningful?
Jo Bishop, Schools and Colleges Outreach Lead, Springpod and Lisa Tomkins, Education Outreach Partner, Met Office. N401. Benchmark: 6

 

Connecting careers delivery with careers guidance through pre-guidance lessons, triage, tracking and follow-up, using the Careerpilot Pathway Planner.
Sue Lewis, Careerpilot Manager, University of Bath. N403. Benchmark: 8

 

Using the matrix Standard to improving lives through the provision of high quality careers Information, Advice and Guidance.
Roger Chapman, Head of Service - matrix Standard. N406. Benchmark: 1

 

AI, personal guidance and careers exploration.
Deirdre Hughes and Chris Percy, Co-Founders, CareerChat UK Ltd. N405. Benchmark: 8

 

The value chain of career development.
Jenny Connick, Founder, Talentino. N410. Benchmark: 3

 

Meaningful encounters: Embedding experiences of the workplace throughout the year.
Charley Fowler, Area Manager, Unifrog. N414. Benchmark:6
Beyond Boundaries: Making work experience more inclusive and accessible with XR simulators.
Rachel Garwood, Founder and Director, Xplorient. N401. Benchmark: 6

 

Everywhere is a workplace. An overview of work experience.
Janet Hutchinson, Partner and Director of Career Mark and Tracey Taylor, Senior Career Practitioner, Complete-Careers LLP. N403. Benchmark: 6

 

When is a skill an ‘essential skill’ and who gets to decide?
John Ambrose, Company Designated Partner and Strategic Director at Complete-Careers LLP. N406. Benchmark: 3

 

Engaging SLT and improving outcomes through the Careers Impact System.
Marie Jobson, Senior Education Manager – Quality and Content and Sian Gresswell, Careers Consultant, Careers and Enterprise Company. N405. Benchmark: 3

 

Growing the capacity of careers teams using the Career Development Professional Level 6 Apprenticeship.
Jenny North, Head of Careers Guidance & Careers Leader. N410. Benchmark: 1

 

Capturing learner voice through Future Skills questionnaire.
Philippa Hartley, Careers and Education Development Consultant. N414
Developing meaningful employer engagement activities.
Steve Jones, Account Manager,  Morrisby. N401. Benchmark: 6

 

Exploring the world of work.
Jacqui Phipps, Careers Lead and End Point Assessment Manager, Suffolk County Council. N403. Benchmark: 2

 

Designing a programme that empowers young people to make informed choices: Higher and degree apprenticeships.
Tina Wakelin, Area Manager, DANCOP. N406. Benchmark: 2

 

Getting the thumbs up! How the Quality in Careers Standard creates high quality careers programmes.
Erica Rowell, freelance Career Development Consultant and Iffat Ahmad, Careers Leader, Batley Girls' High School. N405. Benchmark: 1

 

Using values to build life-long career skills.
Dave Cordle, Independent Career Coach, The Career Mountaineer. N410. Benchmark: 3

 

From margin to mainstream: Rethinking traditional work-experience, for an inclusive workforce.
Mark De Backer, Deputy Director - Young People and Matthew Carter, Employer Enterprise Coordinator, Education Development Trust. N414. Benchmark: 6

Further information

The conference will help you set quality aspirations for your programme, learn how to overcome barriers to delivering high quality careers services using impact evidence, and engage you wider stakeholders so they become a supportive and meaningful part of your careers eco-system.

•    Gain insights from The Gatsby Foundation who will give a review of the Gatsby Benchmarks to help you anticipate any changes required to your careers programme

•    Gaining an understanding of different quality approaches from practitioners (matrix, Quality in careers Standard, Careers Impact System) to help you start building a roadmap to gain quality accreditation suitable to your organisation

•    Develop a greater understanding and best practice in creating careers programmes that go beyond next steps and develop career management skills so young people are prepared for working life and are able to overcome barriers in their career

•    Learn best practice on integrating work experience and personal career guidance sessions into a careers programme to offer greater value to young people

This year’s conference offers valuable learning for a wide range of careers providers for young people. From Careers Leaders and Career Advisers to Enterprise Co-ordinators and Careers Hub leads, the conference covers careers provision in primary and secondary schools, SEND schools, alternative provision, sixth forms, colleges and training providers.

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