SUNEMPLOYMENT
Five post-school options if university is not for you from A-levels to apprenticeships
Plus, why leaving school at 16 does not mean you can't go to university
THE future looks bright for pupils – whatever next week’s GCSE results have in store.
There’s more choice than ever for 16-year-olds, whether or not they get the grades they wanted.
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And with university students facing rising levels of debt, many youngsters are opting to go straight into work.
The trend has been dubbed the “half a decade ahead career” as it means GCSE leavers will have been working and earning for five years before former classmates leave university.
The idea is backed up by new research from the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), which shows 47 per cent of parents no longer believe a degree is the “golden ticket” to success.
And only 22 per cent of school leavers feel “pressured” by mums and dads to stay on for further education.
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AAT boss Sarah Beale, who began her career as an apprentice, said: “For GCSE students, their parents and people advising them, there remains a misconception that A levels followed by a university degree is the only pathway into a professional career.
“This is not the case. There are lots of alternative routes into professional careers such as accountancy.”
To help you decide which route is right for you, here are the main options after GCSEs . . .
A LEVELS: This is the traditional route for pupils staying on at school.
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There are more than 80 different subjects nationally but check your local schools and colleges to see what they offer.
Most students take three or four to prepare them for work or university.
I'm a self-made millionaire at just 22 after dropping out of apprenticeship - people working 9-5 are wasting their lives
T LEVELS: A classroom-based alternative to apprenticeships for 16 to 18-year-olds, they offer industry placements lasting around 45 days.
Careers range from science and finance to design.
Students are awarded UCAS tariff points in line with three A levels.
A distinction at T level receives the same number of points as three As at A level.
VOCATIONAL COURSES: Qualifications such as BTECs give young people a broad overview of working in a specific sector, such as business, media, engineering, leisure or science and technology.
AUTUMN RESITS: Want to improve your GCSE grades?
Exam boards offer autumn resits in maths and English.
For other subjects, you will have to wait until the following year.
Talk to your school or college.
APPRENTICESHIPS: Scores of top firms are expanding apprenticeships for 16 and 17-year-olds who don’t want to take A levels.
You will get paid a wage while studying for professional qualifications, in some cases even progressing to gain a degree without the debt.
Top employers include:
BAE Systems offers 60 apprenticeship programmes.
For details see baesystems.com.
Deloitte’s entry-level apprenticeships offer professional business qualifications.
See deloitte.com.
The National Grid’s Advanced Apprenticeships are aimed at GCSE leavers.
See jobs.nationalgrid.com.
The NHS has apprenticeships at healthcareers.nhs.uk.
- Find out more at nationalcareers.service.gov.uk or call the free helpline on 0800 100 900.
It's never too late
LEAVING school at 16 does not mean you can not go to university.
Single mum Lisa Varley left school in 2002 following her GCSEs to work in finance and management positions.
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After being made redundant during the pandemic, and with her daughter Molly in her first year at school, Lisa returned to studying aged 34 and has recently graduated with a BSc (Hons) accounting and finance degree from the University of Bradford.
She was able to qualify for a course as she had accumulated enough UCAS tariff points from her accounting qualifications, but first had to complete a foundation year prior to her main degree.
Lisa, from Liversedge, West Yorks, pictured with Molly, said: “I applied through Clearing and the process was very quick and simple.
“The foundation year was so valuable because I had been out of education for so long.
“I’d advise anyone looking to return to study to go for it and embrace any opportunity that comes your way.
“I’m now self-employed, offering accounting services, mostly in the charity sector.
“The extra skills and knowledge allow me to offer additional support and services which previously I would not have been able to do.”
Job spot
PROLOGIS UK has opportunities from Level 2 up to Level 7 apprenticeships.
Find put more at pwltp.co.uk.
How to mind the skill gap
EMPLOYERS have warned of a “skills gap”, but what do you need to get hired at 16 or 17?
Bukki Adedapo, international expansion leader at freelance platform Fiverr, says: “With the competitive job market and economic unrest, the pressure on today’s youth is immense.
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“As the Government’s ‘Skills England’ bill is still pending, Gen Z needs practical, straightforward guidance on how to impress employers and secure employment.”
Here are his five top tips . . .
1. Being a social media wizz is a strength – but it is not enough.
Use that skill to show how you’ll grow a business’s following or enhance brand campaigns.
To upskill, take advantage of online courses offered by platforms like Coursera.
Look to the brands and leaders you aspire to work with and participate in their events, webinars and workshops.
2. While technical skills are essential, soft skills play a crucial role in success, with some employers ranking them more highly.
Put yourself in situations that test your leadership, teamwork and creative problem-solving skills.
Whether that is in a sports team or a weekend job, companies look for effective communicators, agility and people who will fit into their team and company culture.
3. Building a robust online presence and professional network is key to opening doors to various opportunities but be mindful of what you share online.
Take time to create and maintain a polished LinkedIn profile, leverage your social media platforms to build a personal brand, and showcase your interests and expertise.
4. To secure a job, young people need a blend of qualities but, most of all, they need to be adaptable, strive for continuous improvement and be prepared to embrace new challenges.
If you can’t find the role you want straight away, consider freelancing to gain experience.
You could even build a career this way.
5. Remember, job hunting is a two-way process.
When looking for any job, it’s important to realise that you are also “interviewing” the employer to see if they are the right fit for what you want in a job.
Which job? quiz
NOT sure of your next steps after GCSEs?
Career site Rate My Apprenticeship has devised a two-minute quiz to help explain your options.
After asking easy but valuable questions about goals, ambitions and interests, the online quiz then makes recommendations on career paths that are best suited to the answers you have given.
Rate My Apprenticeship co-founder Oliver Sidwell advises: “Always make education and career choices that you believe you will continue to love further down the line.
“This means it often comes down to what you love to do in your day-to-day and what you thrive at.”
Take the quiz at .
Job spot
ADVERTISING and PR agency McCann Worldgroup has places on a Level 3 creative advertising apprenticeship.
Hurry, though – you need to apply today.
Go to careers.mccann worldgroup.com.
Motoring ahead
DRIVE your career forward with a job in the automotive industry.
As the sector battles its biggest skills gap in history, the Institute of the Motor Industry has launched the More To Motor campaign to highlight exciting career paths for school leavers and the 21,000 vacancies currently available.
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Among the jobs featured in the campaign’s YouTube channel are degree apprenticeships, data scientists and technicians for Toyota and Lexus.
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Jo Hollingdale, head of careers at the institute, said: “The skills required are so broad – everything from social media executives and customer service personnel to data scientists and diagnostics technicians using virtual reality.”
See moretomotor.org.uk.
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