MRS ANNA FINLASON

I work as the Trust Careers Adviser with students studying at schools within Maiden Erlegh Trust. The best thing about my job is helping students to consider which careers and pathways into careers which might not only suit them but enable them to flourish in their educational and working lives.  Having had jobs in a number of job sectors, before completing my Level 6 qualification in Careers in 2021 – I am able to draw upon my training and experience to help our students. The opportunity to have seen thousands of students for one-to-one careers appointments has enabled me to help students with their individual and unique needs.

I thoroughly enjoy working at all our secondary school sites within the Trust – including Maiden Erlegh School, Maiden Erlegh School in Reading, Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, Cranbury College and Hamilton School.  I mainly meet one to one with students in Year 10, 11, 12 and 13 offering careers information, education, advice, and guidance.

Although our careers programme includes lessons and activities for students in every year group, one to one meeting's start with Year 10 and 11 students.  With students in Years 10 and 11, we look at different ways of researching any career ideas they have, so they can identify careers which truly suit their skills, abilities, and personality.  We also consider the whole range of options available, including Sixth Form, College, or Apprenticeships, so they can decide which route is best for them. Careers advisers never tell students what to do! Armed with enough relevant, comprehensive, appropriate information and self-awareness, the students can more easily decide for themselves.

With sixth formers, we often talk about career plans, going to university, writing personal statements, non-university options, sponsored degrees etc.

Writing resources for our students has also been a large feature of my role – including booklets such as ‘Getting interview ready’ and a ‘Student Careers Pack’ for students in Years 10 and 11. More recently, this has included writing career-specific resources for our Personal Development programme which was rolled out during September 2022. This programme encompasses 12 lessons for every year group – from Year 7 through to Year 13. This is because we believe that starting career's education as soon as possible helps to prepare students for key points within their education, as well as increasing their ability to make important decisions around careers and their next steps after school and beyond.

We are also thrilled to have recently introduced the career's platform – Unifrog to every student within the Trust – through a rolling programme of launches.

Although I am the only Careers Adviser working for the Maiden Erlegh Trust – I am most certainly not alone in educating our students about careers and how to prepare for their futures. Our whole staff team, work towards supporting and developing an exciting careers education programme, and I play a part within this.  Our CIAEG programme truly shows our dedication towards meeting each Gatsby Benchmark and providing the best service we can for our students in relation to preparation for their future – both during school, and long after they have left us.