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MCFMy Career FocusIndependent guidance since 2012

About My Career Focus

Local, Independent Guidance Since 2012.

My Career Focus was founded in 2012 by Helen Darby after years spent supporting young people through college transitions, training interviews and early employment decisions across North Staffordshire.

The practice has stayed deliberately small, with a focus on clear written plans, local labour-market knowledge and honest advice about which options are worth the application time.

02 Working Method

Five Specifications Before Advice Becomes Useful.

  1. 01 Evidence FirstGrades, subjects, attendance, drafts and vacancy links come before opinions.
  2. 02 Options MappedSixth form, college, training and apprenticeship routes are compared side by side.
  3. 03 Constraints NamedTravel, start times, support needs, money and deadlines are treated as real.
  4. 04 Language SharpenedApplication examples are made specific, honest and interview-safe.
  5. 05 Actions WrittenThe next steps are written down so families leave with a working plan.

03 Independence

No Commission From Providers, Recruiters Or Agencies.

My Career Focus does not take paid referral fees from colleges, training providers or recruitment agencies. If a route is recommended, it is because it fits the learner’s evidence and constraints, not because a provider wants numbers.

Helen Darby

Helen’s background is in post-16 transition support, local careers events and early employment decisions. Her work sits in the practical middle ground between school options advice and employer-facing application preparation.

Plain EnglishAdvice is written in language families can use with schools, providers and employers.
Realistic RoutesOptions are checked against grades, assessment style, deadlines and daily routine.
Parent ClarityParents leave knowing what needs doing without taking the decision away from the learner.
Learner OwnershipThe young person keeps hold of their application language, choices and next actions.
Local KnowledgeAdvice includes buses, providers, training routes and North Staffordshire deadlines.

04 FAQ

Common Booking Questions.

Does a parent or carer need to attend?

For under-18s, a parent, carer or named school contact must be involved. Home visits for under-18s require a parent or carer to be present.

Are online appointments available?

Yes. The Initial Careers Direction Session is £58 online, compared with £68 in person in Stoke-on-Trent.

Can urgent apprenticeship deadlines be fitted in?

Sometimes. Standard lead time is 5 to 8 working days, but urgent slots may be available within 48 hours at no surcharge if the diary allows.

How do deposits work?

Bookings under £100 are paid in full at confirmation. Packages and workshops require a 30% deposit with the balance due 48 hours before the first session.

What happens if we need to cancel?

Cancellations with more than 48 hours notice can be moved once without charge. Under 48 hours is charged at 50% unless illness or a school emergency is involved.