Outwood Academy Adwick Career of the Week Outwood Academy Adwick Week 1 – Post 16 Options Don’t forget: The Careers Lead in school is Mr Copsey. Careers Inc. are available to see students in school on Tuesdays.

Post 16 Options What do you think your choices are when you leave school? …any ideas?

FE, Sixth Form or Apprenticeships Further Education or Sixth Form You can stay in full-time learning at a college or a sixth form, or sometimes both! There are lots of courses to choose from, such as A levels or vocationally-related qualifications (VRQs). The level you will study will depend on your GCSE grades. Going to college or sixth form is not just for those who have GCSEs – there are courses for everyone. After you have completed your course, you may be able to move on to further courses at the next level, higher education, an Apprenticeship or employment.

FE, Sixth Form or Apprenticeships Apprenticeships are a combination of full-time work and accredited training. You will also earn while you earn. The current minimum wage is £3.50 for under 19s and first year apprentices, and £5.60 for 19 and 20 year olds who have been on an Apprenticeship for over a year. They are available in lots of different areas such as accountancy, catering, hairdressing, engineering and business administration. Apprenticeships provide you with training in the workplace as well as the general and technical qualifications you need to succeed They are available at different levels depending on the work you are doing and what qualifications you have. It is possible to go on to higher education courses after completing an Apprenticeship.

Work with Training and Higher Education You can go into full-time employment after you leave Year 11 providing you are 16 before the end of August although you can’t start your job until after the last Friday in June. There are some jobs you can go straight into, however most employers like you to have experience or qualifications, or both.

Work with Training and Higher Education Many jobs need a degree and you are likely to earn more with a higher education qualification, over a working lifetime. There is lots of choice in what, where and how you study in higher education. You could live away from home and do a full time course, or you could work and study part time at home. You can study a subject you love without knowing what career you want it to lead to. For many employers, it’s the fact that you’ve got a higher education qualification that counts, not what subject you’ve studied. But you do need a degree in a specific subject for some professions, such as architecture, dentistry, physiotherapy and lots more.

Take the Quiz…test your knowledge True or False? 1. You should do A Level maths if you want to be an accountant. False – you don’t need A level maths to be an accountant. It’s important to choose A level subjects carefully! 2. Apprenticeships are only offered at colleges. False – they are also offered by training providers and some larger employers also offer their own. Students should therefore look at all of these providers when checking for vacancies. Most apprenticeships are advertised on the National Apprenticeship website 3. An able student could complete an Apprenticeship in 6 months. False – the length of an Apprenticeship varies depending on prior skills levels of the apprentice, the qualification being obtained and industry sector. Generally, Apprenticeships take between one and four years to complete.

…How are you getting on? 4. You can only do an Apprenticeship if you are 16 to 18. False – you can do an Apprenticeship at any age but most employers prefer young people up to age 24 so that they can train them on the job. 5. Vocational Diplomas range from Entry Level to Level 3. False – a vocational Diploma is a qualification, ranging from Entry Level to Level 3, with some at levels 4, 5 & 6 (higher education). The Higher National Diploma is rated at level 5 on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. Some professional National Diplomas are rated at level 6, but these are usually awarded by an independent body, recognising specialist study in a particular field. 6. In a recent survey, 11,000 English teenagers indicated that their career interests are in 10 highly competitive occupations. True – most young people still consider key jobs such as doctors, lawyers, nurses, motor vehicle mechanics and accountants. Key message here is that we clearly cannot all do these jobs and that young people need to “think outside the box” and do research into a wider range of careers. Did you ?