Behind the scenes at our Careers Centre

Here at C+K, we have been providing impartial careers information, advice, and guidance since 1995. We have a team of over 60 specialist career advisers who work to help people achieve their next steps, be it in education, training, or employment.

We listen carefully to people and use our experience to provide practical options that deliver the right outcome for each person. Not only do we support our clients to set goals, but we help identify and tackle barriers that may be preventing them from progressing.

As a not-for-profit social enterprise, we’re driven by providing the best possible service to our partners and their clients, rather than by making the most money. 

What does C+K do?

We work with a wide range of organisations, including schools, colleges, local authorities, and employers, offering careers advice and employment services to young people and adults. We help to:

• create and deliver an impartial careers guidance programme in schools and colleges
• reduce those not in education, employment or training (NEET) and support vulnerable young people
• support adults into employment or education
• deliver careers information to students
• promote and recruit young people to vacancies
• support people into positive career and learning destinations
• train new candidates to become information, advice and guidance (IAG) professionals
• assess careers provisions in schools with the Quality in Careers Standard

What is the collective mission at C+K?

Inspiring people to succeed.

What departments are there at C+K and what do they cover?

Our organisation is made up of the following teams…

Adult Team

Access to careers information, advice and guidance should be for everyone, at any point in life. We work with adults to find their next opportunity, be that getting back into work, progressing in their current path, and changing career.

See services for adults

Participation Teams (Kirklees and Calderdale)

We have two regional teams working to reduce the number of young people and adults who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. Our careers advisers provide tailored support and guidance to understand issues and barriers, and help individuals overcome them. They work directly with clients and team up with specialist support agencies on issues including substance misuse, mental health, sexual health, family relationships and housing.

Working with Local Authorities to prevent NEET

Education Team

Working within schools, our careers advisers ensure every young person progresses and thrives in the best positive destination for themselves. This not only benefits the young person, but helps schools and colleges improve their outputs and demonstrable actions towards Ofsted and Gatsby requirements.

Careers guidance services for schools and colleges

SEND Team

Our careers advisers in the special education needs and disabilities (SEND) team provide more dedicated careers support and specialist assistance. They support vulnerable young people, students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, looked after children and care leavers, and those at risk of dropping out of education and employment.

We support young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan up to the young person's 25th birthday to ensure they maintain their place in education, employment or training.

IAG for SEND, disadvantaged and vulnerable young people

Professional Services

Our Professional Services team engage employers to help them recruit and train new employees, improve progression opportunities and employee retention, and run work placements. This team creates and manages our websites and resources, and is responsible for our Quality in Careers Standard assessments.

Nexus In-School

Our Nexus In-School programme provides a hybrid learning/employment solution for young people. Our Nexus team help employers set up a no-cost ‘trial-run’ pre-apprenticeship programme within their business. Employers find out if an apprenticeship is right for them and support young people to work and learn in a new environment.

Work placements for businesses

Corporate Services

This department includes our Finance, IT, HR and Administration teams who provide support to delivery teams to ensure our services run smoothly.

What does it take to be a careers adviser?

Being a considerate listener and having a non-judgemental outlook and approach to people is the main requirement of a good careers adviser. Your role will require you to display sensitivity and understanding towards people’s circumstances.

Other skills:

• Customer service skills
• Understanding of psychology
• Teaching skills and the ability to design courses
• Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• The ability to work well with others
• The ability to understand people’s reactions
• Competent using the main computer software packages

To qualify as a careers adviser, you can convert any degree by completing a postgraduate careers guidance qualification; the Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Career Development, with the Career Development Institute (CDI)-awarded Qualification in Career Development.

It’s also possible to train in the workplace. To train on the job the qualifications would be a QCF Level 4 Diploma in Career Information and Advice (for those providing careers information and advice, but not guidance) or a QCF Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development - for those providing careers guidance and development.

You can also take a Career Development Professional Higher Apprenticeship, which is a Level 6, two-year apprenticeship.

How many qualified Careers Advisers work at C+K?

Across the organisation, there are 82 qualified and trainee careers advisers. We are always looking for new careers advisers and those who want to pursue a career in information, advice and guidance. If you are considering training as a careers adviser, talk to us.

Do staff work mainly from home or in the office?

Our careers advisers based in the Education Team are generally based in school, and our other teams work in a hybrid capacity.

Do clients come to visit your centre?

Yes, clients visit our centre in Huddersfield. Most come to access employability support, for Nexus In-school placements, or for careers advice as part of the adult programmes. The Participation and SEND teams hold one-to-one guidance appointments at the centre.

We work with clients depending on their needs, as no two client interventions are the same. Some people are seeking one-to-one careers guidance, and they have sessions to look at the local training provision. Some access support with employability skills and career management tools and get help with CVs and job applications. Others prefer to communicate with us remotely.

Currently at the centre, we have the Kirklees Youth Hub which draws in groups of people to attend information sessions. These young people attend workshops, meet providers and attend job club sessions.

Until all our Nexus In-School students are out on placement, we deliver group sessions on relevant topics this can range from employability skills and aspirations to life skills, depending on the needs of the group.

Can clients access advice from home?

Yes, once known to us clients, can access information, advice and guidance in a range of ways. They will have an assigned adviser who will inform them of how they can contact C+K. Other sources of support are our MyDirections website, we also have our Chat line chat@ckcareers.org.uk.

Are you interested in becoming a careers adviser? See what makes a good careers adviser in this article, or get in touch with us on 01484 242000 or email chat@ckcareers.co.uk.