Set your career goals with our guide to the next steps after GCSEs
WITH a record set of GCSE results awarded yesterday, it’s time for school leavers to chose their career path.
While you must stay in some type of education or training until you are 18, there is a route to suit everyone’s strengths.
Gillian Keegan, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, said: “There have never been more choices in how you can reach your career goals.”
To help you decide, we have teamed up with the National Careers Service to outline which options suit your particular strengths and interests
Continuing your studies
A Levels: Students can take three broad subjects they are interested in to keep their career choices open or choose ones for a specific career.
T Levels: New two-year courses which follow GCSEs and are equivalent to three A levels.
They combine classroom learning with industry placements.
Need extra support? Take a one-year T Level transition programme.
Technical and vocational qualifications: These will teach you how to perform tasks for a specific industry or role.
Applied qualifications: A course such as BTEC gives young people a broad overview of working in a specific sector, like business, media, engineering, leisure or science and technology.
Autumn series: Want to improve your GCSE grade? Exam boards offer autumn resists in all subjects.
Talk to your school or college.
Combining work and study
Traineeships: Combine a work placement with help to boost English and maths skills to ensure you are job-ready.
Apprenticeships: Earn as you learn by combining classroom learning with work for a recognised qualification.
Combining volunteering or a job with part-time study: Another way to find the best of both worlds with employment and study is to go to work or set up your own business, undertake a voluntary role or go into an internship full-time.
- For more help and information, see nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/exam-results.
Practical way to learn
KEEN footballer Matt Storm, from Worthing, West Sussex, is studying for a BTEC Level 3 in sport at Chichester College.
Matt, 17, says: “I’d definitely recommend BTECs.
"If you’re a practical person but you still want to achieve, or go on to university, a BTEC works brilliantly and will help set you up for life.
“The BTEC I’m doing is the equivalent of three A-levels – it’s just a different, more practical way to learn.
"Parents should talk to their kids and see what suits them best.”
Parents’ support for kids
EXAM results week can be almost as stressful for parents as it is for students.
Sharon Walpole, Director of careermap.co.uk, shares her top tips for parents who want to support their children.
- Ask them how they’re feeling. This will help you to understand where they may need your assistance the most, such as finding out if they’re still likely to get into college or on a desired apprenticeship.
- Explain all the options available. Now they have their grades, your child may think differently about their next steps or they might be unsure. Look at what their options are.
- Speak to those who can help. If their grades aren’t what they hoped for, don’t instantly assume that the door into their chosen college or apprenticeship has closed. It may be that they’re still willing to accept your child.
- Remind your child that they have still got their whole lives ahead of them. GCSEs are important but they don’t need to decide the course of their future between ages 15 to 17. These exams are merely a stepping stone towards their future.
- Celebrate. No matter what the grades, your child has spent the past few years of their school life under Covid and they tried their hardest. You can’t ask for much more than that, so be sure to celebrate.
Direct route
WANT to jump straight into the workplace?
You can still earn big without a degree.
A new study has revealed the top ten paying jobs for non-graduates.
Coders working on Python, Java and C++ developer roles typically earn £62,600, which is double the national average salary.
Satellite installers pocket £51,700 while senior copywriters take home £41,000 and private chefs earn £39,000.
The figures were compiled by job site Indeed.
Jobspot
CARSHOP has more than 40 roles including entry-level customer service, sales and MOT tester and painter jobs. See carshop.co.uk/careers-overview.
A call for engineers
IS this your new calling?
Telecoms giant Virgin Media O2 is recruiting 400 staff, including apprentices and entry-level roles.
The jobs include 300 field engineers, plus 100 retail roles.
No prior experience is required, with successful applicants given full on-the-job training and a company vehicle.
Careers director Nicola Moore said: “Young people have a huge amount to offer the workplace.
"We’ll provide the training and support all successful applicants need to succeed.”
Apply now at careers.virginmedia.com and o2careers.co.uk.
Jobspot
ALDI has 2,000 jobs on offer including store assistants, warehouse and distribution and 175 head office jobs. See aldirecruitment.co.uk.
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