Year 12 Students Get "Degree Apprenticeship Ready"

At Southfields Academy, we are always looking for innovative ways to prepare our students for the rapidly evolving world of work. This academic year, selected Year 12 students have taken a massive step toward their future careers by partnering with The Degree Apprenticeship Project.

Degree apprenticeships have quickly become one of the most competitive and rewarding pathways for school leavers. They offer a unique alternative to traditional university routes, allowing students to achieve a full undergraduate degree while gaining invaluable industry experience - all with a paid salary (and zero tuition fee and maintenance loan debt). However, landing one of these coveted positions requires a unique blend of academic focus and workplace professionalism.

To give our students a competitive edge, the Degree Apprenticeship Project has been running a comprehensive 10-workshop training programme. Each interactive session was carefully designed to break down the complex recruitment processes used by top-tier global employers. Our students are the first in the country to go through this programme.

The workshops have been designed to help guide students them through:

• The fundamentals: Understanding the different levels of apprenticeships and how to find the best vacancies.
• Professional branding: Crafting standout, tailored CVs, writing compelling cover letters, and building a professional online network using LinkedIn.
• The selection maze: Navigating the early hurdles of modern recruitment, including psychometric tests and Situational Judgment Tests.
• Mastering different interview formats: From pre-recorded video assessments to intense panel interviews - using structural methods such as the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
• Assessment Centre days: Students also learned exactly what to expect during rigorous assessment centre days, which often involve fast-paced team challenges and presentations.

The students have moved from feeling uncertain about degree apprenticeships to confidently understanding the selection process from start to finish. We can't wait to see where these new skills take them next academic year, as they begin applying for apprenticeship roles.