Follow the journey of our new Trainee Careers Adviser, Jules O’Neill-Crane, as they undertake the impressive commitment of achieving their OCR Level 6 Diploma in Careers Guidance and Development.
What is the Level 6 Diploma?
The OCR Level 6 Diploma in Careers Guidance and Development is the nationally recognised, ‘go to’ qualification for careers practitioners in education settings. The accreditation allows institutions to meet Gatsby Benchmark requirements, relates to national occupational standards (NOS) and adhere to statutory guidance.
Candidates complete seven mandatory units and a series of optional units totalling to 12 credits to allow them to specialise in ways suitable to their setting or personal aims.
You can learn more about the Level 6 Diploma here.
What made you want to become a careers adviser?
I've had a bit of a 'squiggly career' and have worked in lots of different jobs, most recently I worked in an equity and inclusion / training role at a university. I wanted to move into career advice because I really enjoyed giving advice and guidance in my previous role and wanted to spend more time supporting people directly. I'm really passionate about giving people equal opportunities and wanted to be more involved in supporting young people in achieving their goals.
So far, you’ve completed the Qualification Induction. What were your initial thoughts?
It was really good to meet my assessor who explained what I need to do to achieve my Level 6 qualification and walked through some good optional modules that might suit my role. We worked out an initial timeline for my units which won't overwhelm me in my first few months in schools. A lot of people say, 'no question is too stupid', but I really felt like I could ask my assessor anything!
What are you looking forward to most about the Level 6 Diploma?
I'm looking forward to learning more about the theory behind career guidance and applying everything that I learn in my practice. My main goal at the moment is to build on my knowledge, so that I can give students the best advice and guidance possible within the time available.
Meet Jules 👋
With a positive start to the qualification and the academic year – we’re excited to see Jules’ progress, thoughts, and experiences throughout the teaching!
Want to learn more about the qualification? Contact [email protected]
Want to learn about our Careers Adviser work in schools and colleges? Contact [email protected]
