- Discreet, specialist IAG services, including one‑to‑one careers guidance
Information, Advice and Guidance Service Statement
At Middlesbrough College, our vision of “inspiring people to realise their potential” is embodied through a coherent, high-quality Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) framework that supports learners at all stages of their journey. Our IAG provision is delivered through:
- Embedded IAG within the curriculum, tutorials and enrichment, linking learning to future opportunities
- A coordinated, whole‑college approach encompassing Careers, Student Services, Student Finance, Safeguarding, Apprenticeship Recruitment and Schools Engagement
Effective IAG is central to enabling individuals to make informed, impartial and aspirational decisions about learning, employment and progression. High-quality careers education and guidance helps raise aspirations, remove barriers and support positive destinations. Middlesbrough College is committed to ensuring that all learners, regardless of background or starting point, can access the support they need to progress successfully into employment, apprenticeships, further or higher education.
Our IAG Mission
Our IAG offer is designed to be accessible, inclusive, impartial and responsive, supporting learners to understand their options, develop confidence, and take ownership of their next steps. We ensure that IAG is:
- Aligned to local, regional and national labour market information
- Embedded across college services and curriculum areas
- Delivered by appropriately trained staff, with clear roles and referral pathways
- Regularly reviewed to ensure quality, impact and continuous improvement
Our Information, Advice and Guidance Delivery
Careers Team
Our Careers Team ensures all students have access to accurate, up-to-date and impartial careers information, advice and guidance, delivered in line with ‘Careers guidance and access for education and training providers’ statutory guidance and the Gatsby Benchmarks. The team supports learners to explore career pathways, understand labour market opportunities and plan realistic next steps through:
- A core careers programme delivered through Thrive
- One-to-one guidance appointments with professionally trained advisers
- Group work
- Careers events
- Employer encounters
- Progression activities
Careers guidance is personalised to meet individual aspirations and needs, supporting positive progression and sustained destinations
Student Services Finance Team
The Student Services Finance team provides holistic, needs‑led IAG, recognising that academic success and progression are closely linked to wellbeing, inclusion and financial stability. Support includes:
- Guidance on funding, bursaries, scholarships and financial entitlements
- Advice on budgeting and financial planning
- Pastoral and wellbeing support to remove barriers to learning and progression
Where appropriate, learners are supported through coordinated referrals and joint working, ensuring timely and appropriate intervention.
Safeguarding Team
The Safeguarding Team ensures a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment, with IAG playing a key role in helping learners understand their rights, responsibilities and available support. The team:
- Provides clear information on safeguarding processes and support routes
- Works proactively to embed safeguarding across the learner journey
- Supports staff and learners to identify concerns and access specialist services
Safeguarding is integral to effective IAG and learner progression.
Apprenticeship Recruitment Team
The Apprenticeship Recruitment Team provides specialist, impartial information and advice to learners considering apprenticeship pathways. Support includes:
- Information on available apprenticeship opportunities and entry requirement
- Guidance on employability skills, applications and interview preparation
- Support to match learners with appropriate employers and opportunities
This ensures learners can make informed choices and transition successfully into employment with training.
Student Recruitment Team
The Student Recruitment Team delivers early, impartial IAG to young people considering progression into further education. Through engagement with schools and events, the team supports potential students, their parents/carers and school staff to:
- Raise awareness of career pathways, technical education and progression routes
- Support informed decision-making at key transition points in school
This early intervention helps raise aspirations and reduce the risk of inappropriate or uninformed choices.
Tutors and Teaching Staff
Tutors and teaching staff play a critical role in embedding IAG within the curriculum and the wider learner experience. Through teaching, tutorials and pastoral support, staff help learners understand how their programme of study connects to future opportunities.
Teaching staff support IAG by:
- Providing timely, impartial information and advice within the scope of their role
- Helping learners identify strengths, interests and aspirations
- Embedding careers learning, employability skills and progression awareness within curriculum delivery
- Encouraging use of labour market information and careers resources, within planned lessons and utilising the core careers curriculum via Thrive
- Signposting and referring learners to specialist IAG college services where more in‑depth guidance is required
- Supporting informed decision-making at key transition points, including progression, work experience, apprenticeships and post‑college destinations
Tutors work closely with the Careers Team and Student Services to ensure IAG is consistent, joined‑up and effective, supporting retention, achievement and positive destinations.
Success Indicators
The quality and impact of our IAG provision is monitored through:
- Teaching, learning and tutorial observations and quality review processes
- Staff qualifications, training and continuous professional development
- Learner, employer and stakeholder feedback
- Audits of IAG delivery and service records
- Retention, achievement and sustained destination data, including learner confidence and progression outcomes
These measures support continuous improvement and ensure services remain responsive to learner needs.