Careers Advice & Guidance

The Brilliant Futures Pledge is our commitment to helping every learner and apprentice develop the essential skills, knowledge and behaviours valued by employers, universities and the wider community. 

Our FutureFounders programme helps learners explore entrepreneurship, self-employment and how to turn ideas into action. It builds the confidence, creativity and practical skills needed to develop and present a business idea. 

The intensive eight-week entrepreneurship programme supports learners to explore entrepreneurial thinking, identify problems, develop solutions and build the confidence to back themselves.

The world of work is changing. Portfolio careers, freelancing, self-employment and side projects are becoming increasingly common, and many young people already have ideas, interests or ambitions they want to explore. FutureFounders gives learners the tools, support and space to develop these ideas and understand how they can create opportunities for themselves.

Success is not defined by whether a learner launches a business. The true value of FutureFounders is the skills, confidence and mindset learners develop throughout the journey.

Through the programme, learners develop key Brilliant Futures Pledge skills, including:

• Innovative & Curious - exploring new ideas, challenging assumptions and finding creative solutions.
• Problem Solving - identifying challenges and developing practical approaches to overcome them.
• Communication - sharing ideas, presenting solutions and engaging confidently with different audiences.
• Collaboration & Teamwork - working with others, building networks and valuing different perspectives.
• Self-Awareness - recognising strengths, understanding personal values and identifying areas for development.
• Resilience - learning from setbacks, adapting approaches and continuing to progress.
• Adaptable - responding positively to change and embracing new opportunities.
• Dependability - taking ownership, demonstrating commitment and following through on responsibilities.

FutureFounders provides learners with valuable experience in creativity, enterprise and personal development, helping them build the confidence and transferable skills needed for future success - whether that is in employment, further study, self-employment or entrepreneurship.

Get involved

We are keen to work with employers, entrepreneurs and industry partners who can support our learners by sharing their experience, providing mentoring opportunities or helping learners understand the realities of enterprise.

To get involved with the FutureFounders programme, email careers@yorkcollege.ac.uk. We would love to hear from you.

Access practical guides and information to help you plan your next step:

• Student Guide to UCAS 2027
• UCAS Essentials
• Understanding Apprenticeships
• Finding an Apprenticeship

Our careers support is inclusive and can be adapted to individual needs. Learners with SEND and learners who may need additional or targeted support - including young carers, care-experienced learners and other priority groups - can access tailored guidance and reasonable adjustments. Where appropriate, the Careers & Enterprise Team will work with curriculum and support teams to help each learner participate fully and plan their next step. 

Find out about upcoming careers events, employer visits, fairs, workshops and opportunities. You can also read our latest newsletters and updates. 

Our Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) Policy explains how careers education, information, advice and guidance is delivered across York College & University Centre. 

Our Careers Programme helps learners explore their options, understand the world of work, develop employability skills and make informed decisions about their future. Careers learning is delivered through curriculum activity, tutorials, employer encounters, events, guidance appointments and online resources.

The programme supports learners to:

• Understand the full range of education, training and employment routes
• Use current labour market information to explore opportunities
• Meet employers, education providers and training providers
• Develop the skills and behaviours needed for future study and work
• Make informed and realistic decisions at key transition points
• Access impartial personal careers guidance when they need it

How to access the programme

Learners

Use the Careers Roadmap, attend curriculum and tutorial activities, book a guidance appointment, attend a drop-in, join events and access the Resource Hub.

Parents and carers

View the published programme and roadmap, attend parent and carer events, use dedicated resources and contact the team with questions about progression support.

Teachers and college staff

Use the programme and roadmap to plan careers activity, access staff resources and refer learners for careers support.

Employers, universities and training providers

Contact the team to support events, talks, encounters and progression activities. Providers can also access the Provider Access Statement.

Gatsby Benchmarks and statutory expectations

The Careers Programme is planned and reviewed against all eight Gatsby Benchmarks and the expectations set out in current statutory careers guidance.

How we measure impact

We assess the impact of the Careers Programme through learner participation and engagement data, feedback from learners and partners, confidence and progression measures, destination information, event evaluation and progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks.

We also use Student Voice to understand learners’ experiences, identify areas for improvement and make changes to the programme. The findings from all of these measures are used to identify gaps, improve provision and shape future plans.