If you work in careers, then a regular careers newsletter can be a powerful information sharing tool. As long as the information is relevant and the document is easy to read, students and parents will engage with the resources and learn about opportunities which they would otherwise miss. In fact, a careers newsletter can help them think outside the box and expand their post-school options.
But we know that there is a lot of information to sift through, and putting together a comprehensive and engaging newsletter can be time-consuming (and time is scarce for careers advisors). So we’ve put together this simple guide to creating a high school careers newsletter – just follow these steps and you’ll have a shareable newsletter in no time.
Step 1 – Plan a structure
There’s a lot to cover, so break it down into sections. You could group information by industry, year level, or type of information depending on what you think would appeal most to your students.
Start by opening a new document and listing the sections you want to include in order. You don’t need to fill them in just yet (that’s the next step), but start by working out where everything is going to go.
At Study Work Grow, we’ve refined our newsletters over the past 14 years, and now our format now looks like this:
- We start with Events, including open days, info sessions, workshops, and webinars.
- Second, we list upcoming Scholarships and Competitions.
- Then we have a section with Further Learning opportunities such as university options, new courses, or traineeships and apprenticeships.
- Next, we include any information about Careers & Jobs, such as industry information, employment opportunities, and workplace rights and responsibilities.
- Finally, a Resources section, which often contains information to help students navigate their senior years, including:
- Wellbeing and lifestyle resources
- Advice on financial management
- Gap year or student exchange opportunities
- Volunteering
- Study tips
If you don’t need every section each week, then simply leave it out – you may also want to insert other sections to suit your school. For example, if you have a strong VET in schools focus, then you can include a section which covers those opportunities.
Step 2 – Collate your information
Now you have your structure, it’s time to fill it out. Start by reading through your emails (if you’re signed up to newsletters, etc.) and look for information that could be relevant for your students.
You can also collect information from expos, open days, teacher info sessions, or ask your local tertiary education providers to send you their most up-to-date information.
You’re looking for:
- The type of resources (event, scholarship, apprenticeship etc.)
- Any start and finish dates, or closing dates for jobs and scholarships
- Locations for events
- A contact person or link for following up
- Any associated fees or costs
You’ll need to include any relevant information students may need to:
- Decide if the item is something they are interested in, and
- Take the next step
At Study Work Grow, we proactively check thousands of sources to make sure we catch every opportunity – over the years we’ve built a database of resources we check each week, and you could do the same for your own newsletter.
Step 3 – Include local and school news
If you have any new information about your school’s careers program or events, or perhaps you want to remind students of a looming deadline or service you offer, include it in your newsletter! It can be a great way to gently remind both students and parents of ways they can access support.
You could also include student achievements, alumni stories, or local job opportunities in this section.
Step 4 – Include your details
Don’t forget to add your name and contact details to each newsletter so students and parents know who has produced the newsletter and where to reach out for more help or information. Provide them with the best way to reach you, your availability for appointments, or where you’re based on campus.
The newsletters we produce have room for you to include your own details – plus it’s really simple to create a newsletter-specific signature to ensure that adding these all important details is quick and easy.
Step 5 – Convert it into a PDF
Newsletters look much more professional when distributed as a PDF (and it makes them more difficult to edit too). There are lots of ways to turn a document into a PDF, but if you are using Microsoft Word, then you can simply follow these steps:
- Open your finished newsletter
- Go to ‘File > Save As’ (or press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + S)
- Select ‘PDF’ from the list of options
- Click ‘Save’
- Done!
If you have links in your newsletter and the option is available, make sure you select best for electronic distribution and accessibility.
From here, your newsletter is ready to send. Share it with students and parents through your school Intranet and/or send it home via email, then next week or month repeat the process.
Or use the ultimate time saver and get the Study Work Grow Careers Newsletters
We know how long it takes our team to curate and publish the newsletters each week, so if you’re only doing it for your state or local area, you might save some time by having to search fewer sources. But it can still be a time-consuming and sometimes lengthy process.
Alternatively, signing up for a membership with us is an easy option. Each week you’ll be able to download a newsletter for your state in word format – simply add or remove any additional items you’d like to share, insert your signature or contact details, and send it out.
Our members tell us it only takes them around 5 to 10 minutes to create a newsletter each week, and that includes time spent formatting and editing the Word Document newsletter before sending it on.
You can make things even easier by allowing your students (and their parents) to create their own membership (included for FREE as part of your school membership) and then we send them engaging weekly Careers Newsletters on your behalf.
Each week we send our newsletter to thousands of students across the world – they manage their own subscription and can set their own preferences. We see students clicking on links, pursuing opportunities, finding out about their options, and actively engaging with the resources we provide.
If you’d like to find out more about a Study Work Grow membership, take a look at your options here, or feel free to get in touch with us at schools@studyworkgrow.com.