HSDC - the three-campus college which includes Alton College - is attaining all eight Gatsby benchmarks of good career guidance.

This indicates provision of world-class career guidance from an educational institution.

The benchmarks are a stable careers programme, learning from career and labour market information, addressing the needs of each student, linking curriculum learning to careers, encounters with employers and employees, experiences of workplaces, encounters with further and higher education, and personal guidance.

In 2023 the national average was 6.1 benchmarks per college.

HSDC careers manager Kate Creswick said: “We are extremely proud to have achieved 100 per cent in all our Gatsby benchmarks across the college.

“This is down to our qualified team of in-house careers and UCAS advisers and progression mentors. It also wouldn’t have been possible without the fantastic support from our partner universities, employers, alumni and links with external careers agencies.”

With one-to-one guidance, extra-curricular trips, curriculum vitae support and drop-in clinics, HSDC supports students across all three campuses regardless of their post-college plans.

The college also holds the matrix standard accreditation, a Department for Employment and Learning guideline that ensures careers guidance is provided with the utmost expertise and accessibility.

Recently a group of Alton College students on the extended diploma in sports visited Southampton Solent University to enrich their knowledge of higher education.

The college’s Be Aspirational programme provides the extended project qualification which helps students progress to Russell Group universities.

HSDC has a long-standing partnership with the Oxford University Society to run the OUS mentoring programme which gives Oxbridge applicants one-to-one advice from industry and academic professionals.

Enrichment co-ordinator Jodie Meakin organises Be Aspirational and the OUS mentoring programme. She said: “HSDC is proud to offer aspiring students an opportunity to apply for and complete a number of academic programmes, including our mentoring programme and extended project qualification.

“I really believe that these extremely impactful and valuable extra-curricular programmes make HSDC stand out.”

HSDC has widened progression support outside higher education, with attendance at cross-campus careers fairs increasing to more than 1,000 students.

The college uses strong ties to local and national employers to provide industry-led advice and mentoring for students whatever post-college pathway they choose.

The college has partnered with the Southern Universities Network to introduce myth-busting tutorials about degree apprenticeships, on which students earn and learn at the same time.

Havant College alumna Alice Cottrell, who is doing a Level 4 audit apprenticeship with accountancy firm KPMG, said: “I didn’t do any sort of accountancy at college but was able to use the careers office for help with crafting a CV and preparing myself for the application process.

“Considering I went into the process blind the careers team were incredibly helpful. I’m very thankful for them.”

The number of careers guidance sessions increases every year, with 98 per cent of students satisfied with the service on offer.

An HSDC spokesperson said: “Through the college’s commitment to raise aspiration and challenge stereotypes, HSDC has truly become a regional leader for progression support.”