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Careers and Employability Newsletter – Summer 2026

Stay up to date with the latest careers, employability, apprenticeships, university applications, work experience opportunities, and student support information from Grantham College.

All students at Grantham College have access to quality career guidance and support. Career guidance will be provided either as a group or face to face to all our students. Our aim is to make sure all students have a career journey plan from the beginning of the academic year.

We would like to ask all parents/carers/guardians to work with us to support and encourage their son/daughter to follow their career route to achieve their long-term career goals.

Parents/carers/guardians are welcome to join the face-to-face careers meeting with their son/daughter to help them to make important career choices for their future.

You can contact Zara Handley, our Careers Advisor via email: zhandley@grantham.ac.uk or call her on 01476404304.

Our Mission

To deliver inspirational vocational, technical, professional and higher education and training that empowers people, businesses and the community to achieve their goals.

Our Vision

We will be an accessible, essential, relevant and trusted partner that delivers improved skills & a love of lifelong learning leading to:

Better progression opportunities and careers for our students
Increased productivity and profitability for employers
A thriving local economy and community.

Survey Results

A huge thank you to everyone who filled in our survey about the college careers service. We would like to take this opportunity to remind students, carers and parents of what we offer at the college.

All students at Grantham College take part in weekly Employability and Personal Development sessions throughout the academic year. These sessions are designed to prepare students for the world of work by developing essential employability skills and supporting them in achieving their future career goals.

During these sessions, students learn how to create effective CVs and covering letters, understand job application processes, search for jobs and apprenticeships, explore Labour Market Information (LMI), and develop strong interview skills, alongside many other valuable career-focused activities.

Personal Development sessions typically cover areas like self-awareness, confidence, communication, and decision-making. Students might explore topics such as goal setting, time management, teamwork, resilience, and managing stress. These sessions often also include guidance on wellbeing, safeguarding, relationships, and understanding personal values.

Personal Development sessions are often linked with employability. For example, students may work on improving their communication skills for interviews, building confidence for presentations, or learning how to behave professionally in a workplace.

The main aim is to help students become more independent, self-aware, and prepared for future challenges—whether that’s further education, apprenticeships, or entering the workforce.

Careers Teams Channel

College staff and students communicate effectively through Teams channels. Students have access to a dedicated channel for student information, which they can join using their college login details

This channel is used by the Careers Team to share important updates, including job vacancies, work experience placements, and apprenticeship opportunities, as well as invitations to workshops and career talks.

In addition, students can find information about free career webinars, online industry talks, and virtual visits. We actively encourage students to regularly check and engage with the channel, as it provides valuable resources to support their future career development.

Student Support

Student Progress Mentors

Sharne Gimbert, Sarah Wilkins, Louise Burnett, David Ferguson and Rebecca Warren are our dedicated Student Progress Mentors, who help students to navigate college life. Parents/carers/guardians are welcome to take part in the meetings with Student Progress Mentors.

Mental Health and Well Being Services

Grantham College has a dedicated Mental Health and Well Being team consisting of a Mental Health and Well Being Advisor and a team of counsellors who offer support and a listening ear to students in times of need. The team will also signpost to other sources of support as required. Referrals can be made through Student Progress Mentors or via Reception.

Student Union & Student Voice

All Grantham College students automatically become a member of the Student Union (GCSU). The Student Union is run by students, for students, and aims to enhance the student experience as well as being a representative body for students. Please see here: www.grantham.ac.uk/student-life/student-union-student-voice/ for more details of Students Union Services.

Labour Market Information

Greater Lincolnshire Labour Market provides information on labour supply and demand, employment rates, the local economy, future labour trends, business growth and trends, on jobs and sectors, skills and qualifications. Labour Market Information (LMI) effectively describes the world of work, covering descriptions of different careers, their entry routes, promotional prospects, salaries paid, skills and qualifications needed, etc. Crucially for young people, LMI also covers future demand – what kinds of jobs will be in demand after leaving school and what kinds of skills will be needed. It helps young people to make informed decisions about their future careers.

We would like to ask all parents/guardians and carers to study the local LMI carefully to help your sons/daughters while making career decisions. You can read more here:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/lad/1774190736/report.aspx

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk View Greater Lincolnshire Labour Market Information.

Skills Builder

Grantham College continues working with Skills Builder to help our students develop essential life skills, unlock learning in the classroom, boost academic outcomes, perseverance and self belief. Having these skills halves the likelihood of being out of work and increases earnings across a lifetime, also increasing wellbeing and life satisfaction.

Work Experience

All students aged 16-19, and students aged 19-24 who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), are expected to undertake 30 hours work experience (WEX) that complements their study plan. This is in recognition that young people should be gaining real experience and knowledge of the workplace in order to enhance their employability, to practice their skills and to develop their career choices.

Students should attempt to source their own placement as this helps them to practice the skills of finding employment in the future. Parents/carers/guardians are encouraged to support their son/daughter in doing this. Additionally, if any parents know of opportunities for WEX through their own employment, family and friends we would love to hear from you.We are always looking to source new work experiences.

How to Help

How you can help students find work experience:

Speak to your own contacts to see if they can help – friends, family, colleagues and neighbours.
Encourage your son/daughter to speak with the careers team at college. They often have excellent connections with local and national employers.
Contact employers directly and ask – either in person or by email.
Get them to apply for a job (Saturdays, evenings, holidays) – it may not be their aspirational job, but it’s work experience and they’ll learn a lot from it (as well as learning some money)

If you need help with finding work experience, you can contact Caroline Kearsey by teams or by email: workexperienceteam@grantham.ac.uk.

GCSE Maths and English

GCSE Exam Support

GCSE English and Maths are very important and gaining at least a grade 4 (equivalent to a C) in both English and Maths are a prerequisite for various opportunities.

All students taking GCSE or Functional Maths and English are strongly encouraged to use CenturyTech regularly for weekly homework and revision.

Staff are also running the following revision sessions:

English GCSE:

Wednesdays: 12:30-13:00 each week from 29th April to 3rd June with Helen Maughan in room M2.11
Thursdays: 16.30-17.00 6th, 13th, 20th May and 3rd June with Nicola Creasey in room T004
Thursday 28th May: 9.30-12.00 with Annette Kidd in room M2.03

Maths GCSE:

Tuesday 26th May: 09:30 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 15:30 with Aiden Topless
Wednesday 27th May: 09:30 – 12:00 13:00 – 15:30 with Simmy Gill
Thursday 28th May: 13:00 – 15:30 with Joe Halford

All sessions are in Maths rooms on top floor of main building.

GCSE Maths and English Exam Dates

Below are the upcoming GCSE exam dates:

Thursday 14th May 2026 – GCSE Maths Paper 1 – AM
Thursday 21st May 2026 – GCSE English Paper 1 – AM
Wednesday 3rd June 2026 – GCSE Maths Paper 2 – AM
Friday 5th June 2026 – GCSE English Paper 2 – AM
Wednesday 10th June 2026 – GCSE Maths Paper 3 – AM

We have noted the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) to produce answers in some of the recent mock exams. If this were to happen in the real GCSE exam, the student would be automatically disqualified and would not be allowed to take any other GCSE exams within the year.

University – UCAS Applications

College provides support with UCAS applications throughout the year including workshops and presentations on:

How to choose the right degree course
How to complete your UCAS application successfully
How to write your personal statement

UCAS Discovery Day Wednesday 1 July

At UCAS events students can research options, meet unis, colleges and employers face-to-face, and get your questions answered.

Grantham College is taking students to the UCAS Discovery Day at Lincoln University on 1 July, where they will be able to:

chat to universities and colleges about their courses and university life
speak to employers and apprenticeship providers about what an apprenticeship is like and the options available
listen to talks from experts in their fields
get dedicated support from our UCAS experts about your options

For a full list of UCAS events please visit www.opendays.com/calendar/

For virtual, digital, and online events visit www.ucas.com/explore/search/events

Parental Support

UCAS can help you to explore the latest career trends, university courses, and apprenticeships to find the best path for them. UCAS Parents’ Podcast covers everything parents need to know about education and careers, from university applications to the skills shaping the jobs of tomorrow.

Join host Jon Smith as he chats with careers experts, students, and industry professionals to bring you the latest insights. Click the link here: UCAS Parents’ Podcast | UCAS

Employability Skills Workshops

The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) are offering free 45 minutes online employability workshops to give students a real insight into the food and consumer goods industry, and a look at the huge variety of careers that are available.

Find out more and book here: https://schools.harklondon.com/cr/AQjK9xUQhP6VAhjLrIY5MM7onAhGdNtDn3U2KnRZbSE1RoyU6Q3bjUyx_MAldiqBDWWT_Q

British Army Insights

If your young person is exploring their next steps after school or college or has mentioned the British Army as a possible option, we know how important it is to feel informed, reassured, and confident in how you support them. That’s why we’d like to invite you to watch British Army Insights: A Guide for Parents & Guardians, now available on demand.

Watch on demand here: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/5157529/CC6F7BAC0437222A1FEB5F5CA2F684A6

One to One Interviews for EHCP

All students with an EHCP will be invited to a career guidance session, as a group or on a one to one basis if required. Parents are invited to attend the one to one career meetings.

Higher Education at Grantham College

Moving on to Higher Education?

There’s no need to go far when Grantham College University Centre has a wide range of courses to choose from including Access, HNC, HNDs, NVQs, Foundation Degrees, Higher Level Apprenticeships and Professional programmes of study.

At Grantham College & University Centre, we believe that university-level education should be accessible at any stage of life. Whether you’re continuing your journey after further education, looking to enhance your current skills, or considering a complete career change, our Higher Education courses are designed to help you achieve your ambitions.

We offer flexible study options including HNCs, HNDs, Foundation Degree and a range of BA (Hons) top‑up courses available.

College students can discuss the opportunities with their tutors or Student Progress Mentors.

Results Days

Students will be able to collect their exam results on the following dates:

Thursday 13 August – A Levels, T Levels and BTEC results will be released.
Thursday 20 August – GCSE results will be available.

To support you during this important time, the Careers Advisor, Information Advice and Guidance Team and Student Progress Mentors will be available to: