Workingcareer.odt
- 1. PREPARATION FOR THE WORKING CAREER Concept of the IES Clara Campoamor The Spanish education system is relatively decentralised. Through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, MECD), the central government designs the legal framework regulating the principles, objectives, and organisation of the different school levels, as well as a proportion of the contents and subjects studied. Departments of education from the 17 regions develop and manage their education systems based on these guidelines. Education is compulsory and free in Spain from the ages of six to sixteen or until students have completed ten years of compulsory education. In spite of not being compulsory until the age of six, today nearly 100 % of 3-year-olds attend primary school, where early education is provided in infant classes. This stage is also free. When pupils finish 6 years of compulsory primary school, they move to four years of secondary education (ESO). They can study ESO in a secondary school such as our school IES Clara Campoamor. Students have to study four years of secondary and achieve the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE). Students who don’t get good results have different options at this stage. If they are 15, they can study 2 years of Basic Vocational Training which leads to get a Certificate of Basic Vocational Training but not the CSE. If these pupils want to get the CSE, they have to take the same exams as the pupils who opted for the 4th year of secondary. If the students are 16, they can be proposed by the school to do a special Curricular Diversification Programme (PDC) in the 4th Year of Secondary. These students get the CSE. Successful students who are awarded the CSE can enter the post-compulsory stage of Schooling, either Baccalaureate or Intermediate Vocational Training. Every school gives each student a professional orientation guidance, recommending continuing in Post Compulsory Secondary Education (Baccalaureate) or Vocational Apprenticeship (Intermediate Vocational Training). However, students are the ones who make their own decision and
- 2. choose one option or the other, since the school recommendation is non- binding. Nearly all public(state) secondary schools offer baccalaureate and some of them also offer Intermediate Vocational Training. The IES Clara Campoamor offers both options, although, as for the Vocational Training, it just offers an intermediate cycle of a specific occupational family, business and marketing. The advanced cycle of this occupational family is assigned to our school too but it has never been activated up to now. Therefore, our school is following the goal of preparing our students for all the different options. The Orientation Department, supported by tutors and teachers, organizes some yearly activities in order to accomplish this goal in addition to the learning content. ➢ 4th Year of Secondary, 4th Year of secondary PDC & 2nd Year of Basic Vocational Training: - Informative meetings/talks Students and parents attend informative meetings/talks about the Spanish education system and the career possibilities after getting the CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education). These meetings are held separately; first students, and then parents. The Head of the Orientation Department, the psychologist, explains the skills required and developed in every option and answers questions. All these talks are held on the second and third term of the year. - Personal interviews In addition, students and /or parents can also inform themselves in detail in personal conversations and interviews with the school psychologist. Advice is given by the Head of the Orientation Department, taking into account the student's' personal and affective skills. - Skills assessment Students' skills, interests, abilities and strengths are assessed with special tests. The school psychologist has an interview with each student and
- 3. comment on the results of the tests. Advice is given in these personal sessions. - Health and safety at work Part of the Technology curriculum is a unit about health and safety at work. - Integrated Vocational Training School visits With their school tutors and the school psychologist, the students visit some Integrated Vocational Training Schools (schools that offer a wide range of occupational families cycles). The purposes of these visits are to experience vocational training and answer questions on career opportunities. - Company visits Every year the students visit some companies with a great variety of professional profiles, for example, the Valencian Railway Company. The plant visit is followed by a discussion with the personnel/managing division. During these visits students get to know different professions and operational procedures. - Curriculum Vitae All the students write a standardized curriculum vitae, a europass CV, and a cover letter.
- 4. - Work orientation subject PDC and Basic Vocational students have a subject related to work orientation: employment contracts, social security, application training, job interviews, teamwork, management, etc. - Start up a cooperative PDC's students start up a cooperative. They are in charge of all the procedures: purchasing, sales, etc. The students sell their handmade products in the Alaquàs central market and at school. Their profits are donated to charity. ➢ 1st and 2nd Year of Baccalaureate: - Workshops and talks Workshops and talks with experts on various topics of interest: working market, career opportunities, personal skills in job searching, employment web portals, future trends, etc.
- 5. - Informative meetings Students and parents take part in an informative meeting about Spanish higher education and the career possibilities. - Personal interviews Students and parents can also inform themselves in detail in personal conversations and interviews with the school psychologist. Advice is given by the Head of the Orientation Department, taking into account the student's' personal and affective skills. - Marketing Seminar The students of the 2nd Year of Baccalaureate attend a Marketing seminar at the University of Valencia. - Social Security in professional life Part of the Economy curriculum is a unit about Social Security. ➢ Intermediate Vocational Training of Business and Marketing - Work orientation subject
- 6. The students have a subject related to work orientation: employment contracts, social security, application training, job interviews, teamwork, management, etc. - Franchise Fair Every year the students visit the International Franchise Fair hold in Valencia.