Below are some useful websites to get you started on your Careers and SELF Journey.
If you would like advice, support, guidance or information on anything careers-related, please complete this form.
UK Government National Careers
Labour market information for all
https://amazingapprenticeships.com/apprenticeships/
Gap Year information:
How to find work experience
How to find work experience - YouTube
How to arrange your work placement
How to make sure you are prepared
Choosing GCSE’s
What GCSE subjects should I choose? - YouTube
It can feel a bit daunting choosing your GCSE options because the subjects you choose now can affect what options you will have afterwards in terms of sixth form/college/apprenticeship courses and there will be some subject that you have never studies before. But don’t worry!
Support in school
You will get lots of advice along the way for the KS4 team, and there is impartial guidance available on Unifrog.
You will get a chance to hear from the subject teachers about the GCSE option subjects and you can talk to subject teachers.
Useful links:
The Best 100 Apprenticeship Employers & Best 50 Training Providers 2024.
Finding Apprenticeships:
There are various levels of apprenticeship you can undertake depending on your skills and qualifications:
If you’re looking for higher and degree level apprenticeships, this is the listing for 2023 applicants. It gets updated all the time and tells you when apprenticeships schemes will open for applications. It is really recommended that you register on some of these websites and sign up for notifications for specific apprenticeships.
CV or Application form:
Some positions will not accept a CV because they want you to complete their application form. Others will take the information that you have completed on the sites above. A lot, however, still rely on the traditional CV. Make sure you are tailoring it to each application you make – look closely at the person specification and/or details of the job and check that you have included what they are looking for on your CV. Remember to use the Unifrog CV builder:
InterviewsThere a lots of different types of interviews (listed here) so read any and all information that they send you so that you know what to expect.These sites have some fantastic insights and practice exercises that you can use to get a clearer idea of how to succeed.
Apprenticeship Interview Tests:
If your application is accepted and you are invited to interview, you’ll usually be asked to complete some kind of online test. The tests themselves vary hugely, so make sure you read any preparation material you are sent. Sometimes the application software will give you a chance to practice before the real test. Otherwise, you may wish to try some of these practice sites:
Technical levels (T-Levels) are new Level 3 qualifications that follow on from GCSEs. T-Levels were launched in September 2020 and offer an alternative to A Levels/IB/BTEC or apprenticeships.
A T-Level is equivalent to three A levels and, like A levels or BTECS, these qualifications also take 2 years to complete. They are offered in vocational areas and have been developed in conjunction with employers. On a T-Level course, students will spend 80% of their time in the classroom and 20% completing the equivalent of 45-days (315 hours) of meaningful work-experience with an employer. The work placement provides the opportunity to put skills and knowledge from the classroom into practice. The time spent with an employer can be made up of a block period of time or individual days and this may vary from course to course and from one course provider to another.
Going to University:
Most applications to UK universities are made through UCAS (the University and College Admissions Service). This is a process that will take some time and thought, and all students usually need some level of guidance through the application process this will be given within your PHSE lessons by the Sixth Form Team. You will also have some guidance and advice through Unifrog careers platform where you can find lots of useful resources to help your search and research.
Choosing a university:
Please speak to the Sixth Form Team and/or Sarah Read for any information or with any questions you may, we are all here to help you make the best decision for you. Working out your UCAS pointsPoints are awarded for each grade that you get, but different subjects have different levels of difficulty or workload, so the points awarded are different for each type of qualification you study. All level 3 qualifications can be found on the UCAS Tariff Calculator.
Writing your personal statement:
Our students have access to Unifrog – a personal statement writing platform that has been designed to aid and guide students in writing their personal statements. The platform is structured to make sure that you include information that will help your application to stand out, particularly for competitive universities and courses. You will also receive guidance from the Sixth Form Team who have a wealth of experience.
Click here to see the Unifrog guide on writing personal statements.
Youth Employment have an excellent guide to what Labour Market Information (LMI) is and why it can be useful. LMI refers to ‘any relevant information about the current state of the jobs market and it can be local, national or global’. It can include information like:
How do I find that information?
Careerometer – use this tool to compare jobs:
Click the dotted square. Type in the first career that you might be interested in and select from the dropdown list. Then add your second choice to see the comparison. Click ‘clear card’ at the bottom of each box to start again.
Other useful links:
