So you don't want to go to University...What are your alternatives?
Having spent time in the Sixth Form and having been motivated to develop your learning beyond GCSE, you would clearly interest many employers. However, you need to do a lot of research to ensure what they are offering you is appropriate to your needs both now and in the future.
You might feel you should opt for the first job that comes along. It will offer you money to meet your present needs and may well fit into your present lifestyle without it causing too much disruption. However, will it offer you the chance to :-
Gain new experience ?
To develop your skills ?
To gain new qualifications?
To be able to develop into the type of person a future post or employer might require?
The aims of this page are:
To get you to think about your employment needs now and in the future.
To inform you about the organisations you could use to help support you in finding the job you really want.
To inform you about the web sites you can use to supplement the advice you get elsewhere.
To encourage you to make specific preparations to support your move into employment.
Thinking about your employment needs:
Few, if any people can now expect a job for life. Most will expect to have several different jobs over a lifetime. There will be an expectation that employees will re-train and develop new skills in order to keep pace with.
Ideally you would find an employer who is willing to support your training and development needs. If they are willing to invest money in you, they are also likely to look after you better to protect their investment. You will gain by adding skills and, hopefully, qualifications to your C. V. However, you may have to ask the right questions in your letter of application and your interview to ensure they offer these opportunities to you.
At the end of A2s you might find that an employer will fund you on a day release basis to take one of the following qualifications:
BA, BSc, BEng: Bachelors degree.:- These courses take 3 years on a full time university basis, but would probably take 5 years on a day release basis.
HND, HNC: Higher National Diplomas or Certificates.:- These courses which are usually more vocationally (job) orientated take 1 to 2 years full time at university, but would probably take 2 to 4 years on a day release basis.
At any time of leaving from the Sixth Form you could find any employer willing to combine work and training in one of the following qualifications:
Apprenticeship: which lead to combinations of NVQs, Key Skills and (usually) a technical certificate such as a BTEC or City and Guilds. Go to www.realworkrealpay.info, click on "Are you 16-24?"
NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) which train people to 'best practice' in a particular job area. Go to www.dfesgov.uk/nvq
Apprenticeships and NVQs are offered at the following level
To GCSE Standard
To A Level Standard
changes in technology and business. Employees could even be expected to pay for some of that re-training themselves. Are you ready for this world? What extra preparations do you need to make?
Even though you have A Levels you might be expected to start at level 2 because it is a new area to you, so you will have new terms and facts to learn. However, you should be able to get through it relatively quickly; because these courses are individualised, so is the speed you get through them. It is not possible to state how long it will take to get the full qualification; it depends on how quickly you get through it (and, to an extent, on your assessor).
Alternatively you might choose to opt for alternative study in preparation for job applications in the future. Colleges like Moulton, Northampton and Tresham offer courses/qualifications like BTECs which are vocationally orientated.
Your last major option is to spend time doing specific research into your qualification needs and appropriate employers? Hopefully you will speak to your tutor, teachers and I about your search for an alternative to school. It may be that there is a problem that can be rectified without having to leave school. If, however, you are sure that leaving school is your best option, they will be able to help you narrow down your options.
You may feel that you want more impartial advice and support. This could be gained from the following sources:
Connexions: We have two Connexions workers based on Doddington Site. They could be contacted via your tutor or Mr Kelly. Alternatively you might opt to see them off the school site. Wellingborough Connexions can be found at 9-10 Sheep Street, Wellingborough, NN8 1BL. Telephone (01933) 222626.
Work-based Training Providers: These are organisations that help you find work and/or training options but they also offer specific short courses to prepare you for your job application. These short courses, usually include 'writing a letter of application', 'designing your own C. V.' and 'how to prepare for an interview'. These courses might boost your confidence and help ensure you get the job you really want. The training provider we work most closely with is Key Training (contact Bobby) but there are many others in Northamptonshire. Their address, telephone numbers are:
Starting Off 16-18 High Street, Kettering, NN16 8ST (01536) 417373 www.youngjobs.co.uk
Intec Business Colleges 53 Sheep Street, Northampton, NN1 2NE (01604) 604441 E-mail:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Aston commercial Training 47-49 Gold Street, Northampton, NN1 1RA (01604) 230371 www.aston-recruitment.co.uk
A complete list of work-based training providers in Northants could be obtained from Connexions.
Professional Association web sites can be another excellent source of vocational advice. You might not, however, have the specific name for the association that covers your preferred vocational area, but by putting something general in a search engine (such as Google) like 'Association for architects' you might find what you are looking for. If you contact them, they may also send you extra information by post. If the search engine offers little of use, try asking Connexions if they can give you the name/web site address.
Searching for the right career option: A summary of the key steps to take:
Talk to your tutor, subject teachers and head of Sixth Form,.
Talk to your parents.
Talk to Connexions.
Do some web research.
Contact work-based training providers, colleges and/or employers.
Aim to get some work experience/shadowing in your preferred vocational area over a school holiday to help you decide if it is really for you. The people you work with will also offer you advice about your options.
Think! The following questions might help you:
Where do you want to be in 5 years time? What skills and qualifications will help you to get there? How will you get them?
What are your personal strengths?
What jobs might make best use of these?
What are your personal weaknesses?
Could some vocational training help you build on these?
Are these some work areas that you would prefer to avoid rather than work on these weaknesses?
Do you want money now or are you prepared to take less now while you get training in order to maximise your earning potential later?
Have you followed steps 1 to 7?
Write a C. V.. Use to help you.
Gap Year Option
You might decide to take a year out of education before you go to university. Can you just laze in bed all year? Not if you want do something successfully later! You would be advised to do something productive and, possibly, something that relates to the course/job you want to do in the future; they will ask you about it at any interview.
Locally and nationally there are volunteer organisations you could work for. Alternatively, you could use the time to travel, perhaps to the U.S.A. or Australia, combining this with working on a children's holiday camp. The Gap Year Book or the G.A.P. video (in the library) would be worth consulting.
Obviously there is a great deal of thinking and research to do in order to make your next move. If you think we can help you in this process, please do ask.
