Your life, Your future
The Aspirations Employability Diploma (AED) is a unique transformational programme designed to bridge the gap between education and work, whilst inspiring our students to achieve their dreams.
As an Aspirations Academy, we believe in an education that is fit for the 21st century to ensure that students are properly equipped to have a real competitive advantage in the fast paced global world so they will stand out from others. All students in Year 12 will undertake the AED for 4 hours per week as a compulsory part of their curriculum, alongside whatever subjects they choose. Students have the option of continuing in Year 13 if they wish to strive for their Platinum Diploma.
The introductory sessions in the first 6 weeks are a training ground for their emerging professional behaviours and attitudes. The sessions provide the toolkit to set the right mindset and allow the students to understand themselves, their professional assets and liabilities, how to express and build on them and understand what they can do to build a solid track record of their professional developmental journey.They will get to understand the difference between work and school and start to move away from a life of prescription to that of achieving goals under your own steam and taking responsibility. Delivering the AED in a bespoke office like space known as The CEIL at Budmouth reinforces the workplace mindset.
There are 4 challenging and engaging projects throughout the year designed to help with training of the 11 Future Skills such as Communication, Cognitive Load Management and Creative and Adaptive Thinking. The first 3 projects require Collaboration and encompass the largest recruitment sectors in the UK, whilst the 4th is the students own choice project and is their “piece de la resistance”
- Education and Training
- Health and Medicine
- Engineering
- Choice Project
We are proud at Budmouth to say that the AED has its origins in our original CEIL programme. Like CEIL, the AED is not a “tick box” programme. Whilst the AED involves collaborating with other students and employers, it is ultimately centred around the individual student through a series of 1:1 mentoring sessions, helping them face the progress inhibitors that may hold them back from achieving success in whatever it is that they dream of.
To ensure it is relevant for the modern working world, the AED is ultimately awarded by the Aspirations Employers Advisory Board, who influence the criteria that our students are required to evidence in their final VIVA assessment to achieve their award.
If you are an employer (local, national or global) and are interested in working with our students directly either in person or virtually, we are grateful for any time you can spare us, or perhaps can offer a donation of equipment or resources that are surplus to requirements, please do get in touch. For further information please contact Claire Hughes on 01305 830505 or chughes@budmouth-aspirations.org