What’s a vocational profile?
When you were in primary school hopefully you were asked ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’. Your ideas may have changed since then but it’s good to start really thinking and planning what you want to do when you are in year 8 or 9 (age 12 – 14 years old) or even earlier!
At Devon County Council we’ve created a digital vocational profile. A vocational profile is a document to help you plan what work you would like to do in the future.
It can help you to:
- say what you like and don’t like
- choose what you want to do
- share your views
“We’re very pleased to be able to launch our vocational profile in Devon. It’s important that young people are given the opportunity to explore what it is they are good at, and how their skills can help them to find a rewarding and enjoyable career.”
Phill Adams, SEND Improvement Assistant Director
How it works
Your vocational profile should be done with help from a trusted adult who can help you to discuss your choices and fill in a form. It might be someone from school or college or a young person’s worker.
There are three stages to the profile:
- Section 1 is completed when you are still in school or being home-educated.
- Section 2 is completed when you are 16 years old or over, and looking towards moving into employment. For example, moving on to further education, or a supported internship.
- Section 3 is completed when you are 16 years old or over and are actively looking for work, an apprenticeship or volunteering.
The form will include the things like what:
- you enjoy and what you are good at
- you would like to do when you are older
- is important to you
- kind of support helps you best
Your vocational profile should be kept up to date with new information, for example, if you do some work experience or your views and ideas change.
You should take your vocational profile with you when you leave school or college.
If you have an education, health and care (EHC) plan you can ask for a summary of your vocational profile to be attached to it.
Once you have created your digital vocational profile, you can access it for as long as you need it or want to use it.
How to create your profile
Simply register for an account and then you can start to create your own vocational profile!
