Charterhouse are delighted to have won the award for ‘Best Student Careers Programme’ at the Independent Schools of the Year award ceremony in Knightsbridge.
Mrs Belinda Sartori from the Charterhouse Futures Team (pictured above with Mr James Hazeldine, Head of Careers) told us, ‘We are absolutely delighted to have won this award as it reflects all the hard work and new careers initiatives that the Futures Team have put in place here at Charterhouse. Although we have had numerous individual achievements, we are most proud of the fact that every single pupil leaving Charterhouse develops emotional and cultural intelligence, understands the key employability skills they need to develop and has the resilience and perseverance to overcome problems or failures throughout their life after school.’
This award is for the school which most impresses the judges with the way in which it helps its students with on-going advice and support on choosing a career and assists them with finding suitable work experience, including internships, and in preparing for future employment.
The Careers Programme is a key strand of a Charterhouse education. An education that is highly motivating, relevant and distinctive, equipping pupils with the best possible foundation for their future – whatever that may look like. The School teaches skills as much as knowledge and weaves their philosophy of learning and School values into everything they do so that our pupils can have fulfilled lives, successful careers and make a positive contribution to society.
Charterhouse has a dedicated team of advisors with successful business backgrounds to deliver the Programme, focusing not just on different careers but also on key employability skills and how to acquire them, including:
- Weekly PSHE Future steps workshops including developing a growth mindset, core employability skills, how to write a CV/cover letter and create a LinkedIn profile.
- Three days each year allocated to each year group to focus solely on Careers related activities and skills sessions. For example, this term the Sixth Form have sessions covering modern level of communications both in and out of the workplace, such as social media, small talk and emails. Charterhouse teaches pupils about developing cultural and emotional intelligence and the importance of first impressions. They also have talks on the Graduate Employment market, interview skills and understanding psychometric tests.
- Monthly newsletter to parents and pupils highlighting opportunities to gain work experience and company insight events.
- Numerous speaker events organised by academic departments cover a range of careers and industries, for example ‘Introduction to Cryptocurrencies’ and ‘How to Build a Fashion Brand’.
- Weekly drop in sessions: individual careers advice including producing a CV and cover letter for job applications.
- Visits to companies such as the accountants EY and 7Stars advertising agency.
- Alumni network: collaboration to find work experience, participate in various speaker series, offer careers advice and organise industry specific networking events for pupils and alumni.
- The Investment Society: a mix of taught content and portfolio management and trading.
New Initiatives include:
- Business Elective: in collaboration with Surrey University MBA School to help pupils learn key business practices and develop valuable skills.
- Entrepreneurship Society: where pupils learn to develop an idea from ‘initial thought’ to ‘full investor pitch’ in two terms.
- 1:1 Mentoring programme via a dedicated alumni platform Charterhouse Connect, which provides access for alumni to connect with over 3,000 fellow professionals from around the globe, who are willing to offer mentoring advice and support.
- Speed networking events: pupils choose up to five professionals to get an introduction to a range of careers.
- Low Code No Code’ programme in partnership with Microsoft.
- Recent successes include a degree apprenticeship at a top engineering company and internships with Rolls Royce, PwC and Goldman Sachs.
