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    Careers Guidance

    Welcome to Careers at Orchard Therapeutic Farm 
     
    At Orchard Therapeutic Farm, we believe every young person deserves the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed choices about their future. Our careers programme is designed to inspire ambition, broaden horizons, and connect learning to real-world opportunities. Whether you’re exploring higher education, apprenticeships, or employment, we provide guidance and experiences that prepare you for life beyond Orchard. 

    Careers Education and Guidance 

    Our provision follows the Department for Education’s statutory guidance, 'Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers' (May 2025). This ensures that every student receives high-quality career education through our structured programme, grounded in the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks and the Baker Clause statutory requirements. 

    What this includes

    • A stable careers programme
      We deliver a planned and evolving careers curriculum with clear learning outcomes for Key Stage equivalent 3–5, overseen by our trained Careers Leader. 

    • Learning from labour market information
      Young people engage with up-to-date local and national labour market data—helping them make informed decisions about education and employment pathways. 

    • Individualised support
      We tailor guidance to our young people's needs, ensuring access to mentoring, one-on-one advice, and targeted support based on interest, ability, and barriers. 

    • Curriculum–career connections
      Theoretical learning links to real-world careers through subject-based enrichment activities, ensuring each subject area highlights related careers. 

    • Employer encounters
      Regular engagement with employers and employees offers insight into what different industries do through talks, workshops, and panels. 

    • Workplace experiences
      All young people are guaranteed work experience, exposure and opportunities.

    • Higher & technical education tours
      Virtual visits and Q&A sessions with universities, colleges, and apprenticeship providers support informed decision-making beyond Provision. 

    • Personal, independent guidance
      Young people in Years 7–13 receive access to career advisers for tailored, individual sessions. 

    Our approach is designed to empower every young person to: 

    • Understand themselves and potential career paths 

    • Connect learning with real-world opportunities 

    • Make informed choices about further education, apprenticeships, or employment 

    • Build independence, confidence, resilience, and aspiration 

    This forward-thinking careers strategy ensures that young people leave our provision prepared and motivated for the next steps in their lives. 

    Next Steps 

    Search & apply 

    GOV.UK Find an Apprenticeship 

    Local providers 

    OXME, Enterprise Oxfordshire Skills, Oxfordshire County Council 

    Engineering focus 

    Oxfordshire Advanced Skills (OAS), XDS Oxford, ATG 

     

    Apprenticeships in the Area 

    Orchard Therapeutic Farm actively supports young people exploring local apprenticeship opportunities, offering valuable alternatives to university. 

    Apprenticeship Opportunities in and around Oxfordshire: 

    County-wide Support & Providers 

    • OXME / Enterprise Oxfordshire Skills – Central hub for advice and links to local FE colleges and Find an Apprenticeship Service. 

    • Oxfordshire County Council Apprenticeships – Roles in IT, civil engineering, surveying, planning, customer service, childcare, social and health care, business administration, catering, and more. 

    • Oxfordshire Advanced Skills (OAS) – Level 3 Engineering Apprenticeships: Mechatronics Technician, Engineering & Manufacturing Support Technician, Machining Technician. Typically 3-year programs paying £10–£18k per year. 

    University of Oxford 

    • Offers apprenticeships across diverse areas
      = accounting
      = finance
      = botanical conservation
      Awarded Apprenticeship Employer of the Year 2025. 

    • UCAS listings include:
      - Level 2 Accounts/Finance Assistant
      - Level 3 Business Administrator
      - HR Assistant
      - CNC Machinist. 

    Employer-Specific Apprenticeships 

    • XDS Oxford
      Engineering apprenticeships in scientific instrumentation manufacturing and servicing. 

    • ATG Training
      Engineering and cycle training apprenticeships, including placements with Oxford University. 

    How to Get Started: 

    Explore training providers. Use online apprenticeship tools:

    Search live vacancies: Use UCAS, Totaljobs, Indeed, Jooble and SimplyHired to find current roles in the area.

    Current Apprenticeship Roles 

    • Childcare Apprentice – Julia Durbin Day Nursery, Headington, Oxford. 

    • Customer Service Apprentice – Specsavers, Banbury/Bloxham area (£16,120/year). 

    • IT Apprentice – near Henley-on-Thames/Didcot (approx. £15k/year). 

    • Level 2 Childcare Apprentice – nursery assistant (c. £15,704/year). 

    • Optical Assistant Apprentice – Specsavers, Bicester/Kidlington (£16,130/year). 

    • Marketing Degree Apprentice – Henley-on-Thames. 

    • Accounting Apprentice – Bicester/Kidlington (£11,778/year). 

    • Tax Apprentice (ATT) – Didcot/Henley (£14,722–£23,809/year). 

    • Dental Nursing Apprentice (Level 3) – Wallingford practice (c. £14,722–£23,809/year). 

    • Engineering roles – Service Engineer Apprentice in Witney, Thames Water Level 4 Project Engineer in Kidlington (£21,500/year). 

    1. Oxfordshire Labour Market Information Charts

      pdf

    2. Oxfordshire Labour Market Summary and Projections

      pdf

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