CAREERS & progression
“Careers is a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes it can take a while to identify what you want to do as a career. Sometimes our pathways are not smooth and it is okay to change direction and change your mind. Either way, we are here to support you with your career choices.”
James Izzard, Careers Leader, Plumpton College
Careers support available at Plumpton College
As a Plumpton College student you can access a variety of support, which includes:
- 1:1 impartial personal guidance from a qualified Careers Adviser to help you identify your skills, consider your options and take the next step in your career journey
- Workshops within your Personal Development tutorial package to support your career progression and employability
- Help with job search, CVs, cover letters and interview preparation
- Apprenticeship search, application advice and support
- Guidance on researching and applying to university as well as individual UCAS application support
- A variety of employability and careers events designed to support and add value to your academic and vocational experience.
We’re here to help you
Come and see us! Our office is located by the main reception. Look for the ‘Progression and Careers Hub’. Why not book a meeting with James and Tom to discuss your options. Why book a careers meeting?
- Explore your options
Look at the different career, education, and training paths available to help you decide what suits you best. - Get support with university applications
Receive guidance with choosing courses, writing personal statements, and completing applications.
- Create or update a CV
Put together a clear, up-to-date CV that shows your skills, experience, and achievements. - Get help with job applications
Get advice on searching for jobs, filling in application forms, and preparing strong applications.
- Plan your progression
Think about your next steps and make a plan to help you reach your goals. - Prepare for interviews
Build your confidence and practise answering questions so you are ready to make a strong impression.
Careers Information for Parents & Guardians
There many ways you can support your child in preparing for their next steps, whether that’s going to university, straight into the workplace or an apprenticeship. You can keep up-to-date with all our careers news and information via our regular careers newsletters.
Annual Green Careers and Work Experience Fair
In October , we host our annual Careers and Work Experience Fair with a focus on employers and volunteering within the land-based industries. Over 30 employers and providers exhibited at the fair sharing their expertise, knowledge and opportunities with over 300 students.
Exhibitors included National Trust, RSPCA, CPRE, Chaffins and others.
Feedback from students attending the event included:
“Great choice of exhibitors”“I enjoyed talking to employers”
“Boosted my confidence of employers”
“I have ideas now for work experience”
Careers in the Curriculum
As part of student’s personal development sessions during their six-week induction, they take part in a careers activity to help understand the role of the careers service within the college. In these sessions, we support students in identifying their career aims and what they need to achieve these aims.
In March, as part of National Careers Week, students will take part in careers session, delivered by the Careers Team, helping them to raise their own awareness of their skills and qualities and identify their options for next steps and progression
Careers Information for Employers
The College works with hundreds of employers across the land-based sector to coordinate work placements, apprenticeships, guest speakers and more. This is to help our students have strong and meaningful links with industry, while also providing industry with the skilled and knowledgeable workforce it needs.
We have a jobs board for all to see on our website and if you would like to advertise an opportunity for our students, please submit a vacancy on our Employer Vacancies Page.
We also welcome enquiries from employers looking to get involved with supporting our careers programme. This could be by offering student talks, mock interviews, master classes, or work placements. Email us at careers@plumpton.ac.uk and lets get working together!
Enterprise Adviser Spotlight – Linda Bonner, HR Business Partner
We work with an external Enterprise Adviser to help guide the College in providing its careers services. Linda Bonner, from the National Trust, provides support with planning and implementing our careers strategy as well as a wealth of contacts and links to employers in the land-based industries.
We asked Linda what inspires her to support careers education across East Sussex?
Careers Information for Colleges and Universities
For resources and guidance on how to help your students navigate the world of work, you can visit our Careers Resources Page, where you will find links to CV templates and examples, career assessments and more.
We pride ourselves with working closely with other schools, colleges, universities and training providers as part of our Gatsby Benchmark 7, ensuring students have encounters with further and higher education.
If you are interested in working with Plumpton College, would like to exhibit at one of our Careers Fairs, and be part of our careers programme, please get in touch via email on careers@plumpton.ac.uk.
Careers Hub Useful Links
Careers resources are a great way of exploring the different options and pathways to a career in the land-based sector and other industries. Some of the resources below will help you explore your skills and interests and match to jobs and careers.
Other resources give you direct information about careers:
- National Careers Service – This website includes a Skills Assessment, Explore Careers and Find a Course.
- Prospects.ac.uk – Find information on what you can do with your degree, studying abroad and working abroad.
- East Sussex Careers Hub – Explore your options, courses and careers.
Higher Education
- UCAS.com – This website helps explore higher education, with a careers quiz and ultimate guides.
Apprenticeships
- Amazing Apprenticeships – Here you will find information on apprenticeships, what are they are and how do they work.
Volunteering
Gap years
- CareerPilot – Advice on Gap Years – why go, what to do and where.
SEND information
- Careers Hub East Sussex – Information on resources in East Sussex.
- Local Offer East Sussex – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities information hub.
CV templates and examples
- Writing a CV – View the handout with a CV example and template to use
We hope you find these resources useful, for help or guidance, please get in touch with the Careers Team on careers@plumpton.ac.uk
Labour Market Information
What Is Labour Market Information (LMI)?
In short, it refers to any relevant information about the current and future state of the jobs market.
LMI can include information like:
- The industries and businesses that operate in a certain location.
- The types of jobs that exist and what they involve.
- How many of those jobs there are.
- The skills that are currently or will be in high demand.
- Typical rates of pay.
- Career progression opportunities.
Why is LMI important?
LMI helps with career planning, job hunting, career progression, and changing career. When people have accurate and up-to-date information, they are better equipped to make an informed choice about their future career and to plan appropriately.
Here are some useful sources of labour market information
iCould – Short films and information about a range of different careers
Careerometer – Compare labour market information about different jobs
Adzuna – Localised LMI statistics
NOMIS – Official census and labour market statistics
Careers Hub East Sussex – Short films on a range of different careers
Latest LMI newsletter from East Sussex County Council
Our vision & Values
Our Purpose– We strive to inspire and equip our students with the skills, knowledge and attributes which meet the future needs of industry.
Our People – Our Culture– To be a diverse and vibrant community in which staff and students embody our values, have a strong sense of belonging and flourish. This is underpinned by our college values which we will ensure are embedded in our daily practices. These are:
- Professional
- Supportive
- Ambitious
- Progressive
- Passionate
- Enterprising
The Gatsby Benchmarks
Plumpton College measures the effectiveness of its careers provision through self-assessment of the Gatsby Benchmarks. The 8 benchmarks serve as a framework for colleges to plan and deliver world-class careers provision and have been adopted as part of the Government’s Careers Strategy and statutory guidance for colleges.
We evaluate our careers programme 3 times a year and our latest results can be seen below:
| Gatsby Benchmark | March 2026 |
| 1. A stable career programme | 92% |
2. Learning from career and labour market information | 89% |
| 3. Addressing the needs of each pupil | 74% |
| 4. Linking curriculum learning to careers | 100% |
| 5. Encounters with employers and employees | 100% |
| 6. Experiences of workplaces | 100% |
| 7. Encounters with further and higher education | 37% |
| 8. Personal guidance | 78% |
Further information about the Gatsby benchmarks can be found at gatsby.org.uk
How do we measure impact?
Careers Statement of Intent
This statement of Intent supports and is underpinned by Plumpton College Strategic Aims and Values, the Operational Development Plan and key college plans, aims and policies for example within work experience, teaching and learning, assessment, and inclusive learning and development. It follows statutory requirements and expectations set out by local, regional and national frameworks for good practice.
