Local businesses - we want to work with you

At Future Academies Watford we are educating your future employees. You can play a vital role in raising the career aspirations and developing the employability skills of our young people.

​Being part of our business support network will provide you moments of great satisfaction and exciting challenge! Having local employers like you helping to inspire young minds and transform attitudes through a range of activities and opportunities is the foundation of an excellent careers programme as set out by the Gatsby Foundation's eight benchmarks of good practice. 

​Future Academies Watford has the benefit of a key business volunteer who works with us on a strategic level, encouraging the development of our careers programme and connecting us to the business community across the county. This role is recognised nationally as an Enterprise Advisor (EA) and an Enterprise Coordinator (EC). They are part of the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership community of support driving the connection between careers education and the business sector. Our EA is Gareth Dace, and our EC is Shea Costello. We welcome either a direct connection to Lucie King (l.king@watford.futureacademies.org) or a connection made via our EA and EC. 

​​Ways to support our Careers Programme:

• Be part of our Mock interviews with students and help them structure their CVs
• Get involved in extracurricular clubs and activities
• Give an inspiring talk based on your industry or job role
• Provide a coaching/mentoring service through a structured programme
• Run a hands-on workshop with activities relating to your area of expertise
• Be part of our discussions about pathways after school, e.g., apprenticeships
• Help champion specific issues and challenge barriers in the workplace around gender stereotyping, disability etc.
• Help bring a subject lesson to life by linking it to your industry
• Offer a work experience placement for students at your business premises
• Become an ambassador supporting employment routes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and offer a work experience placement that is co-supported by the school

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What to expect:

By getting involved you will not only be supporting future workforce development and helping to broaden the minds of the young people, but you will also be developing new skills for your staff, forging community links and building a positive profile for your company. 

​We will support you throughout your visit to us to ensure we maximise the use of your valuable time.  Our Careers Leader is Lucie King (l.king@watford.futureacademies.org) and they will:

• Be your main point of contact for all enquiries
• Organise pre-meets/discussions/information for activities you sign up to
• Provide you with details of the local arrangements including parking, facilities, and our safeguarding policy. 
• Conduct a short evaluation with you to ensure we are getting things right.
• With your permission, add you to our network and keep you up to date with future activities.

 

Alumni

Former Future Academies Watford students will have had a wide range of new experiences since leaving us - now you could share your knowledge and skills with our current students to help them on their career paths. Our Careers Team are always on the lookout for alumni volunteers to help support our current students via the Academy's Careers Programme.

​Ways to support our Careers Programme:

• Be part of our Mock interviews with students and help them structure their CVs
• Get involved in extracurricular clubs and activities
• Give an inspiring talk based on your industry or job role
• Provide a coaching/mentoring service through a structured programme
• Run a hands-on workshop with activities relating to your area of expertise
• Be part of our discussions about pathways after school, e.g., apprenticeships
• Help champion specific issues and challenge barriers in the workplace around gender stereotyping, disability etc.
• Help bring a subject lesson to life by linking it to your industry
• Offer a work experience placement for students at your business premises
• Become an ambassador supporting employment routes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and offer a work experience placement that is co-supported by the school

​We are actively looking to grow our alumni network. Please do get in touch if you want to reconnect with the school by supporting our Careers Programme.