The School Leavers Guide Spring 2020

UNIVERSITIES, APPRENTICESHIPS, TRAVELLING and VOLUNTEERING

THE

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SCHOOL LEA VERS’ GUIDE ENT EDU ND

INDEP E

Careers Galore!

What’s it like to work at Google, Sainsbury’s, Disney and KPMG?

Happy Gappie

Planning a productive gap year

Choosing a Course Maths, Business, Politics and Medicine

Practical Matters

Degree Apprenticeships at the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology

Fashion Forward

The British Fashion Council’s studio apprenticeship

Your First Flatshare Handy tips and advice

Campus Life

My first term at Oxford

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INDEP E EDITORIAL Editor Claudia Dudman Sub Editor Laura Sutherland Editorial Assistant Henrietta Easton

ADVERTISING Sales Director Cameron Hay Head of Market Julie Price Group Advertisment Sales Manager Harriet Cottrell Senior Sales Executives Eleanor English, Georgia Dunster-Prestidge Account Managers Balvin McKenzie, George Roberts DIGITAL Digital Product Manager Ben Iskander Email & Digital Creative Manager Jenny Choo PUBLISHING Executive Chairman Paul Dobson Chief Operating Officer Kevin Petley Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Director of Media James Dobson Managing Director of Sales & Chelsea Create Steve Ross Publisher Caroline Scott Circulation Manager Daniel Webb EA to Chairman Sarah Porter

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There are infinite vocational possibilities for the sixth formers of today to explore

Welcome to a bright future

PUBLISHED BY The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel 020 7349 3700 Fax 020 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent.com THE SCHOOL LEAVERS’ GUIDE ISSN 2633-0911 Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, Ec1a 9Pt | Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001 | Production All Points Media. Printed in England by William Gibbons DISTRIBUTION The School Leavers’ Guide is brought to you by the publishers of Independent School Parent, the magazine for parents of children in Prep and Senior independent schools.

The Independent School Parent magazine in Prep and Senior issues is published termly.

For website and subscriptions, please visit: independentschoolparent.com/register ©The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2020. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in The School Leavers’ Guide has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Moncrieff, Chairman Colin Bell, COBIS Andrew Fleck, Sedbergh School, Cumbria Alison Fleming, Newton Prep, Battersea Tory Gillingham, AMCIS Aileen Kane, Boarding Schools’ Association Rachel Kerr, Girls’ Schools Association Ian Mason, Independent Schools Council Sir Anthony Seldon, University of Buckingham Mark Stretton, HMC Helen Wright, Educational consultant Ben Vessey, Canford School, Dorset Sue Woodroofe, The Grammar School at Leeds Peter Young, Marketing/Brand Consultant Tweet us @ISParent

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Although further studies at university is still the preferred choice for most sixth formers, there are different ways of going about it: If you’re worried, for example, about being able to pursue your studies without incurring too much debt, why not explore degree apprenticeships, where you can effectively earn while you learn?

Read about Jake Adams’s degree-apprenticeship experience at The Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology (page 59) and Josh Port (page 80) a KPMG apprentice who describes himself as a student, albeit one “with considerably more money”.

If the traditional route to uni is one you’re considering, The School Leavers’ Guide has all the handy information you’ll need when applying, including setting out a timeline for yourself in Years 12 and 13, (page 35) and structural tips for the personal statement, so you can avoid the predictable writer’s block pitfalls (page 37).

There are some dynamic careers out there to be had, and a great way to get a feel for them is with some hands-on work experience or an internship.

Charlotte Phillips looks at what’s on offer and speaks to Jade Holden who is spending her third year as an intern at Disney’s London offices (page 66).

Of course, sometimes things just don’t go to plan but you can turn that to your advantage, which is exactly what Abigail Spooner did when she left St Andrews after an unhappy first year. A certified foodie, she’s found her dream job as a Food Assistant for Sainsbury’s Magazine! (page 73).

This guide aims to show the wide variety of opportunities there are for today’s sixth formers. All it takes to find what’s right for you – whether it be a trainee scheme, the right university course or even the armed forces – is research, and I hope these pages will start the ball rolling for you…

CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR independentschoolparent.com

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PROMOTION

Find a food career that fits you perfectly

Open the top-rated backpacker restaurant in the Indian Himalayas.

Lead a trendsetting waste-free kitchen. Become Head Chef by age 30. Cook gorgeous vegan food on a private island.

Trace your culinary heritage and publish your own cookbook.

Launch a boutique hotel and get listed in the Michelin Guide.

Reinvent the wedding catering company. Make editor on a food magazine.

There’s a national shortage of trained chefs, and you can use cookery skills to work all over the world.

We have great industry links which have helped launch many a successful career, and can help you arrange work experience everywhere from Claridge’s to BBC Saturday Kitchen.

If you love the idea of a career in food, we’re here to help you make it a reality.

Food writer and Leiths alumnus Pete Dreyer.

Leiths graduates are some of the most passionate and original food professionals around, and we can provide all the guidance and challenge you need to join their ranks.

Leiths alumna Rose Ashby, Head Chef at Spring, with Skye Gyngell.

The Leiths Diploma in Food and Wine is a level 4 qualification, just one level below a degree, and is one of the most highly respected culinary qualifications in the world.

This makes it a fantastic alternative to university for young people with a passion for food.

“If ever anybody comes to me for a job and I hear they’ve trained at Leiths, I want them.”

– Rick Stein

Join us for talks, tours and a friendly chat. Our next Open Evening is on Thursday 27th February, with further dates throughout the year. Register online at Leiths.com.

For inspiring graduate stories search #MadeAtLeiths

leiths.com

CONTENTS

WHAT’S INSIDE? THE SCHOOL LEAVERS’ GUIDE • SPRING 2020

Student finance

Studying for a degree can be expensive – tuition fees have to be paid and living costs need to be covered (including rent and utility bills). We speak to Student Finance England to find out how to apply for loans to finance your studies, student accommodation and personal needs. From page 44

Choosing a course

Every journey starts with a first step, and yours is to decide what you want to study and where!

If you haven’t made your mind up, you’ll find course outlines on degrees such as maths, business, engineering and medicine to help you select the path that fits your skills and interests. This will hopefully lead to your dream career. From page 27

SCHOOL LEAVERS’ TIMELINE… THE ROUTE TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREER SUCCESS

Applying to uni

You’ve made your shortlist, so now it’s time to start knocking on doors. If the prospect of writing your personal statement is daunting, read our tips and advice on how to wow the admissions tutors. We’ve also got some handy information on what to look out for on a university open day. From page 34

Access all areas All the options open to school leavers

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So you’ve graduated – congratulations! But how do your turn your academic credentials into a viable career path? We explore everything from work experience and internships to apprenticeships and the armed forces, as well as learn how recent graduates are using their qualifications. From page 66

IF THE PROSPECT OF WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT SEEMS A BIT DAUNTING, read our tips and advice on how to wow THE ADMISSIONS TUTORS

CONTENTS 6

Working life

In brief Apprenticeship, course and uni news

16

University stats All the higher education numbers you need

19

A brave new world Why the future calls for a broader skillset

21

Getting to know you Why you should attend open days

24

Life on campus A look at Lancaster University life

28

It all adds up Maths can open up diverse career paths

29

42 44

Exploring the new medicine curriculum

33

Constructed reality

46

Fast track to success

49

It’s all about you Tips for writing your personal statement

The best of friends?

I’ll be there for you A look at Sheffield University’s student welfare programme

50

The secret to budgeting at university Navigating student finance

52

Social network Understanding digital alumni platforms

55

Ready for the world of work A focus on degree apprenticeships

59

A practical approach Inside the Dyson degree apprenticeship

The university application timeline

37

Money matters

The realities of first-year flatshares

What a civil engineering degree entails

34

A capital education

How to apply for your university funding

Blue-sky thinking The doctors of tomorrow

62

61

Legal arrangement The life of an apprentice solicitor

How to have the time of your life Making the most of a gap year

65

Behind the scenes at Cardiff University

Where a business degree can take you

31

Independence days A student’s first term at Oxford University

Current affairs Look to the future with a politics degree

30

40

Gappie happy A junior teacher gap-year experience

66

Preparing for the workplace Sourcing the best work experience

73

When I... dropped out of uni Why student life isn’t for everyone

74

My uni, my career Where star alumni are now

76

Kick start your career The new-age apprenticeships

80

Strictly business The life of a KPMG apprentice

82

Trend setters The British Fashion Council apprenticeship

84

May the forces be with you Careers in the armed forces

89

A day in the life...

Personal accounts of different career paths

98

University memories Looking back at a fashion business degree

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AFTER SCHOOL

ACCESS ALL AREAS

School leavers are on the cusp of a golden era of opportunity, as the revolution in the higher education market and the choice on offer gives them more options than ever, says ELIZABETH IVENS

R

apid change in the university market over the last decade – including the introduction of tuition fees and the lifting of the cap on student numbers – has focused efforts on providing quality and choice to attract the best students.

Not only is there more on offer than ever before in terms of combined, specialist and vocational courses, there’s also an increasing number of high quality trainee and apprenticeship schemes.

Work is an option

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The bigger picture

And where once the obvious option for the most academic might have been a degree at Oxbridge or a leading Russell Group university, the brightest students are now considering the many options in the marketplace.

At Malvern St James School in Worcestershire, Headmistress Olivera Raraty said she believed students who might typically once have gone to Russell Group universities on to straight academic courses were becoming “braver in their choices” and blending their particular life interests with their course.

And she said this was coupled with the introduction of increasing numbers of new academic courses with practical elements at many traditional universities such as conservation biology and ecology with placement at Exeter: “Students are really

thinking about what’s going to help them get where they want to get to and whether that’s a course with a sandwich element or something else – they’re looking at a much greater range of options.”

Dr Potter at Stowe also agreed that more and more universities were offering vocational elements to their courses: “It seems to be that universities which have a strong record for traditional academic routes are now diversifying to offer more vocational degrees with practical work and work placements.”

A different qualification

The changes in the higher education market and the growth in choice have also seen a rise in the currency of BTECs as a qualification.

The BTEC – standing for Business and Technology Education Council – named after the body which first governed the qualifications (now EdExcel) – was launched in 1984. Traditionally a vocational qualification, BTECs now also cover a range of academic levels.

In 2018, a quarter of all students starting higher education in the UK had at least one BTEC among their qualifications. Milton Abbey School in Dorset, which scooped the BTEC School of the Year accolade at Pearson’s BTEC Awards 2019, has proved Stowe School, Bucks a trailblazer.

With ISC Chairman Barnaby Lenon confirming that more and more independent schools are now offering BTECS, Milton Abbey has been doing so for over 12 years.

And the school is unusual among independent schools as those studying pure A-levels are in the minority – only one in 10.

Head of Sixth Form, Dr

s

Statistics show an increasing number of school leavers are even opting for going straight into work, as well as looking at apprenticeships which combine work with study and guarantee employment at the end of the course. Leading companies including Ernst & Young, Deloitte and Marks & Spencer have all launched training programmes.

UCAS Chief Executive Clare Marchant noted the renewed interest in apprenticeships as she shared stats showing that 39.5 per cent of 18 year olds in England submitted a UCAS application ahead of June 2019’s deadline: “University isn’t the only option on offer.

Around a quarter of students are interested in apprenticeships.”

Chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Barnaby Lenon believes this trend is reflected in independent schools: “Going to university still remains a popular choice for school leavers in schools.”

However, he stressed it was “not necessarily the best option for all young people, hence why

apprenticeships remain a popular choice for those interested in a more vocational route”.

At Stowe School in Bucks, Deputy Head (Academic) Dr Julie Potter said that students were definitely aware that there was more choice and opportunity: “Many of our students are aware that it’s more of a ‘buyer’s market’ than in the past and are willing to aim high.”

AFTER SCHOOL

“UNIVERSITY ISN’T THE ONLY

option on offer. Around a quarter of students ARE INTERESTED IN APPRENTICESHIPS.”

Stowe students are now more aware of the vocational routes on offer

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AFTER SCHOOL

“LAST YEAR, ONE OF OUR LEAVERS JOINED Ernst & Young’s

degree apprenticeship scheme. He was one of 40,000 students interested in the scheme, FOR WHICH THERE WERE ONLY 120 PLACES.”

BTEC School of the Year, Milton Abbey School, Dorset

Bradbury said that of its last set of leavers – 48 per cent studied a pure BTEC programme while 42 per cent studied a mix of BTECs and A-levels and only 10 per cent A-levels alone.

The school offers a variety of BTECs such as countryside management and introduced fashion design & production and music performance & technology in September.

Dr Bradbury said the school firmly believes the mix of qualifications suits “both the individual needs of our students, but also suits the needs of the world they will enter”.

Will Chuter is Deputy Head (Pastoral), at Gresham’s School in Norfolk, which will boost its current BTEC offering next year with the addition of diplomas in agriculture, sound engineering, sport and outdoor activities.

He believes that the growth of “the various pathways” provide “a more bespoke education”.

Recent leavers have taken paths including winning a coveted place on the Ernst & Young degree apprenticeship scheme.

He said: “Degree apprenticeships are by no means a soft option, however. Last year, one of our leavers joined Ernst & Young’s degree

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in the schemes, including those in finance, marketing and property.”

Taking a year off

apprenticeship scheme. He was one of 40,000 students interested in the scheme, for which there were only 120 places. He will receive a degree in accountancy and invaluable life and work experience on the course.”

Not surprisingly, Gresham’s, the alma mater of Sir James Dyson, is keen to introduce its students to the many schemes on offer.

Mr Chuter added: “Sir James’ work on his own degree apprenticeship at the Dyson Institute is a great example of how these can work. This year we have more pupils interested

Gap years are also still popular with students with many opting for one as a chance to learn some new skills between school and university.

And for some independent school students, going straight into work is now far more likely than it was a decade ago. At Milton Abbey, one in five students (23 per cent) took a gap year or went straight into work or other training.

“Our leavers have started careers in the restaurant and creative industries, set up businesses and trained as officers at the Royal Military Academy,” said Dr Bradbury.

And at the ISC Barnaby Lenon said more and more students were going on to university with a diverse range of qualifications which are “well-respected by universities and employers alike”, stressing: “Regardless of whether a pupil wants to pursue a more academic or vocational pathway, independent schools are well-placed to enable them access to the route that will best meet their needs.”

ROYAL DRAWING SCHOOL THE FOUNDATION YEAR 2020–21 Private Tours for Parents and Students – Contact the office to arrange a one-to-one tour with The Foundation Year Manager

Application deadline 17 February 2020 The Foundation Year is a one year skills-based course with five days teaching per week. Limited to 60 places, the School ensures one-to-one tuition, with a supportive learning environment in an inspiring part of London’s Docklands.

This intensive course helps students to develop the making and thinking skills needed for the next level of study at top-ranking universities in the UK and abroad, providing a route to careers in the creative industries. www.royaldrawingschool.org

GAP YEAH! The World’s #1 Choice for ski & Snowboard Gap years

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NEWS

IN BRIEF

STUDENT LIFE • APPRENTICESHIPS • COURSES • THE WORLD OF WORK

The hall is alive with the sound of music

If you’re interested in a career in the music industry but have no idea where to start, the Royal Albert Hall’s Young Producers scheme for 18 to 25 year olds may be the right path for you. You’ll be given a budget, support and guidance to organise and curate a series of events at the world-famous hall, alongside regular workshops with professionals on everything from programming and marketing to event management and artist liaison. The programme will be accepting applications for 2021 from autumn 2020. For more information about the programme and testimonials from alumni, visit royalalberthall.com

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NEWS HITTING THE HEADLINES

• YOU’RE HIRED! Set to return bigger than ever in 2020, from 3 to 7 of February, the governmentfunded UK-wide event, National Apprenticeship Week will take place, recognising success stories and encouraging potential applicants. www.gov.uk

•MAKE ME A MATCH

Play to the gallery

Tate Modern is celebrating three years of its Uniqlo Tate Lates, offering free evenings of art, music, film and creativity. Taking place on the last Friday of every month, the last three years of events have attracted over 350,000 visitors and created memorable moments from celebrating women in the arts to exploring global influences on art. With a drinks bar, well-known and emerging DJ talent, as well as amazing art installations to take in, these free evenings are well worth a visit. tate.org.uk

A flying start

Witches, wizards and muggles unite! Quidditch has taken off in the UK and has taken UK universities by storm To help young hopefuls on their snitch-catching journeys Enrich Education are hosting regional schools tournaments and training courses for teachers Accio Firebolt! enricheducationuk.com

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The write stuff

Bath Spa University has announced the winners of its Beyond the Book digital stories commission, awarding £5,000 to three winners, including Lucy Christopher and Rajiib Edward (pictured).

The competition was launched

by Paper Nation’s Writing for All diversity initiative. bathspa.ac.uk

Ready, steady, cook!

With 240,000 Instagram followers and two published cookbooks, Mob Kitchen is the student food site that needs to be on your radar. The team create ingenous meals that’ll feed four for under £10, dish out tips on cooking on a budget and even match each recipe with a spotify playlist to cook it to. mobkitchen.co.uk

The UK’s leading tech apprentice provider, QA has launched an apprenticeship-clearing hotline to open on results day and match callers with vocational opportunities across the UK. qa.com

• LET’S KEEP IT CIVIL In 2019, the number of new and recent graduates applying for jobs with the Civil Service was found to be at its highest in 10 years, knocking PwC off its pole position. the times.co.uk

• GOING GREEN University College London,

Britain’s largest university has announced its plans for climate change action.

The university will eliminate single-use plastics by 2024, and have one and a half football pitches’ worth of green space on campus within five years. ucl.ac.uk

STUDY IN SCOTLAND ARE YOU STIRLING? If you’re looking for five-star teaching*, an amazing student experience and a 330-acre campus with exciting new facilities, the University of Stirling is where you belong. Choose from 220+ flexible course combos, get involved in 120+ clubs and discover why Stirling graduates stand out from the crowd.

And, if you’re a student from England, Northern Ireland or Wales, our Honours Year plus Choice Scholarships are worth more than £10,000.

OPEN DAYS 2020 Come to one of our 2020 Open Days, explore our amazing campus and get a taste of what life at Stirling is really like.

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NEWS BEST OF THE REST

• UCAS HUB OPEN The online admissions service has launched its online Hub, a digital space bringing advice on all options for life after school together in one place. 25 per cent of users said they were now considering an apprenticeship as well as a degree. ucas.com

• TAKE A BREAK A report from the Department of Education has revealed that 88 per cent of students who took a gap year before or after university believe it made them more employable. edexec.co.uk

•WIDER HORIZONS

Culture club

The capital’s renowned Bridge Theatre is offering special free membership for those aged 16-25, giving young people exclusive allocation of £15 tickets for any performance, on any day and in any seat. The scheme also allows members to buy two tickets for £7.50 each when they buy them together. Its free to sign up: all you’ll need is your ID when you get to the theatre. Upcoming shows for 2020 include Caryl Churchill’s A Number and Ray Herman’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?. Sign up and book tickets now to avoid missing out. bridgetheatre.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY: MANUELHARLAN.CO.UK, TATE LATES © TATE BENFISHERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM. WORDS: HENRIETTA EASTON

The Office For Students has announced a £13m bid to boost numbers of skilled graduates in AI and data science, in particular for female, disabled and black graduates. officeforstudents.org.uk

Sheffield will be one of the 10 universities welcoming The Mentally Healthy programme

Canine care • #MYMICROGAP VisitEngland’s campaign is encouraging young people to take a shorter alternative to a gap year. There are opportunities to learn new skills, relax, explore and volunteer across the country. visitbritain.com

University of Warwick

The Study Happy programme features a series of events designed to improve student mental wellbeing, including regular visits from the Pets As Therapy dogs. As well as giving them a break from studying, the cuddle sessions with furry friends are proven to help students focus on mental health, relieve exam stress, anxiety and homesickness, and help them connect with their fellow students. warwick.ac.uk

A special partnership

New initiative, The Mentally Healthy Universities programme, is a £1.5m partnership between the investment bank Goldman Sachs and mental health charity Mind. It’s set to reach more than 6,000 students and staff across 10 UK universities in its first two years. The organisation will provide training designed to equip the community with skills to support their own mental health and that of others.

To find out more see page 49.

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UNIVERSITIES

UNIVERSITY STATS

Almost three-quarters of all UK undergraduate applicants are now attending their first-choice university

A record 34.1% entry rate for UK 18 year olds this year

73.6% of UK 18 year olds accepted applicants were placed at their first choice 15% growth in UK students aged 35+ accepted Over 45,000 applicants from outside the EU were accepted for the first time ever

19,640 people were placed after applying directly into Clearing UK 18 year olds predicted AAB – ABB at A-level had the highest offer rate (87.5%) Nursing applicants rose by 6.7% to 54,225, with a record 30,390 acceptances

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*FACTS AND FIGURES ARE FROM UCAS – THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES APPLICATION SERVICE

If you’re thinking of going on to Higher Education, you’ll no doubt apply through The Universities and Colleges Applications Service, otherwise known as ere are the facts and figures to have at our fingertips

hello@whitehat.org.uk 020 3884 1067

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Arrange a call with the WhiteHat team to discuss your experiences and goals

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COMMENT HEADS UP

A BRAVE NEW WORLD A multi-disciplined broad range of skills and the right mindset is key to a promising future in an everchanging world, says SUZIE LONGSTAFF Creative and analytical skills will be crucial for the 21st century’s dynamic job market

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

Suzie Longstaff is Head of Putney High School GDST, which won the Student Careers Programme Award in the Independent Schools of the Year 2019.

W

e’re living in exciting times. As science fiction rapidly becomes science fact, emerging technologies are out there solving real-world problems and completely reframing the job market. Instead of having just one career, your working life will probably involve a portfolio of several, and thanks to increased automation, many of those roles will have been freed from the more mundane and repetitive tasks. The doors are open to a raft of possibilities, but with the landscape changing at such pace, being adaptable and ready to seize an opportunity, is key.

According to the World Economic Forum, 35 per cent of the skills demanded for jobs across industries will change by 2020. Of course, the employers of tomorrow will be looking for scientists, and machinelearning specialists with digital and technical skills, but they’ll also be looking for creatives to design the next sustainable buildings and the empathetic, with the EQ to care for our longer-living population.

The new ‘hybridisation’ of jobs is transforming traditional roles; the most in-demand and highest paid roles increasingly requiring a variety of skills, across multiple disciplines. The rise of today’s ‘hybrid’ job presents opportunity for all, but chiefly for those who can keep up, ready to equip themselves with the broad range of skills to succeed. Evidence

of change is everywhere you look. Marketing and PR roles today require not just creativity, but a greater understanding of analytics and digital. Similarly, highly analytical jobs, in science or finance for example, already require skills in consulting, visual communications and the ever-important, creative thinking.

Of course, a great set of results and solid subject knowledge are prerequisites for most careers, but don’t underestimate the value of some very human traits. Being interested and interesting, and crucially, knowing which questions to ask, will stand you in good stead.

Be curious and open-minded. The ability to innovate, think critically and problem-solve are hugely valuable school-taught skills that we know employers are crying out for.

Look at any successful entrepreneur and you’ll see that possession of the right ‘frame of mind’ is often a great place to start. Successful business people often demonstrate, originality, resilience and share similar behavioural traits.

Being strong on communication and intuition helps them to literally win friends and influence people. Putney’s entrepreneurship programme has been showing students that this ‘entrepreneurial frame of mind’ is a precious commodity, whether you’re joining a FTSE 100 company or taking the initiative with your very first start-up. Soft skills can be just as important as an impressive CV. So which industry should you aim for? A key message from our digital technology careers evening last year was that only 15 per cent of technology positions are held by women, but that looks set to change. Even if tech isn’t your strength, don’t set limits on your future by ignoring it. Jobs are encompassing technology in creative new ways, combining art and science in new roles that’ll appeal to every character. Envisioning expert, empathologist and NUI (natural user interface) designer will soon be commonplace job titles.

Take time to find what you’re good at, seek out a work culture that’s right for you and above all, discover what you really enjoy.

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This degree is different.

Study engineering.

Work on real projects.

Get paid a salary.

The degree You’ll study a four-year, immersive BEng (Hons) Engineering programme, on our degree apprenticeship. And you won’t pay any tuition fees.

The job You’re a Dyson engineer from the start.

You’ll play a crucial role in the Dyson world and earn a competitive salary.

The culture Life at The Dyson Institute is far from ordinary.

It’s for those with a passion for solving problems and a fascination for how things work.

If you’d rather get hands on with real engineering challenges, register an interest now: www.dysoninstitute.com

UNIVERSITY

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Open days, offer-holder days and interviews: there’s no better substitute for visiting your prospective university and seeing it for yourself, writes THALIA THOMPSON

A HAPPY STUDENT IS A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT. So visit, stand on the campus and ask yourself, ‘can I call this my home FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS?’

At the University of Exeter, a tour of the campus is part of the open-day experience

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UNIVERSITY

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hoosing the right university is a big decision. There’s no shortage of helpful information out there University of Exeter agrees. “There’s a massive from prospectuses, websites, difference between what you get from printed specialist publications such as and online material and the real-life experience this one, and advice from teachers, parents you get from coming on to campus.” and friends. But nothing beats visiting the universities themselves. There are open days to attend before applying and then there’ll Open opportunities be offer holder visits or interview days. These Most open days run twice a year: at the end all take time out of a busy schedule, but the of the summer term, targeted at students in experience is definitely worth it.

Year 12; and in the autumn term for students “You choose a university An interview could with your heart as much as help you decide with your head,” says James Bell, student recruitment manager at the University of Warwick. “Visiting enables you to see whether you feel a good connection with the university as a place to live and learn.”

Dr Karl Devincenzi, recruitment manager at the

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beginning Year 13. But it can pay to start early. “I took my son to open days at the two universities closest to where we live while he was still in Year 11,” says parent Peter Robertson. “We went to lots of the subject presentations and it really helped him focus on what course he wanted to apply for.”

Open days are very busy, so do your homework beforehand. “It’s crucial to plan your day in advance,” says Dr Karl Devincenzi. “There will be so much on offer that it’s unrealistic to try to cram everything in.

You need to read the pre-event information and decide what are the most important things that you want to do.”

There will be a programme of course presentations or sample lectures and you may need to book

UNIVERSITY A presentation offers insight into what courses you can study

Pupils are on hand to answer your questions

If you haven’t been able to visit on an official open day, universities often offer tours on an individual basis. You’ll usually be shown round by a current student, so you get a flavour of life at the university but there won’t be the breadth of information you get on an open day.

Interview visits

Some university courses require students to attend an interview before being offered a place; this is standard for medicine, education and the creative arts, but it does vary by university. If students are invited to interview, there’ll probably also be an opportunity to

IT’S A GREAT CHANCE FOR STUDENTS TO SEE ho they t in ith their

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

prospective c ass ates ffer ho ders so eti es even SET UP GROUP CHATS ahead to be sure of a place on these. You’ll usually be sent a QR code or a ticket to print.

Don’t despair if you’ve left it too late, though.

“I booked everything in advance, but I was only ever asked for my QR code once – and that was for a subject presentation at Cambridge,” says student Felicity Thomas.

“Even then, that only meant I got priority access. Once we were all seated, people who hadn’t booked were allowed in and I think everyone got a place.”

Most open days start early and are least busy first thing in the morning. If this means an overnight trip, you may be able to stay in university accommodation to really get a feel for the place. Check availability and book rooms at universityrooms.co.uk.

tour the department and find out more about the course. Interview nerves can make it hard to focus on these parts of the day, but it’s not always easy to judge your own performance.

Holly Pearson has just begun her first year studying graphic design. All the universities she applied to asked her to interview.

“One made me an offer based on my application but said they might give me a better offer after an interview – which they did,” she says. “Two others made me offers on the day of the interview. My favourite was Falmouth, though. They said they would get back to me and I was worried the interview hadn’t gone as well as the others. But they contacted me the following week with an unconditional offer.”

Making your mind up

Where courses don’t require an interview, successful students will usually be invited to an offer-holder visit day. These can be really useful, even for students who already think they know which is their preferred choice.

“It’s important to know that a course is right for you,” says James Bell from Warwick.

“Having the chance to familiarise yourself and feel comfortable with the people and facilities in a department can make that decision clearer.”

And because everyone attending will have been made an offer, it’s a great chance for students to see how they fit in with their prospective classmates. Offer holders sometimes even set up group chats on social media to start getting to know each other before term starts.

Taster seminars should give you an idea of the style of teaching to expect. Sometimes it can feel as if universities are trying hard to impress, so if, for example, the taster session involves using exciting specialist equipment, it’s worth checking how often undergraduates actually get to use it. There will be current students on hand, so take the opportunity to ask them about contact time, what an average week looks like and what they enjoy the most or have found hardest about the course.

In the end, though, Dr Karl Devincenzi from Exeter sums it up perfectly: “A happy student is a successful student. So visit, stand on the campus and ask yourself, ‘can I call this my home for the next three or four years?’ No matter how good a course is, no matter how wonderful the reputation of the university, you need to know that you can be happy here.” independentschoolparent.com

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UNIVERSITY STUDENT

VOICE

LIFE ON CAMPUS MAC TURNER, 21, has just finished his third year at Lancaster studying biomedicine. Here, he explains why he chose this university and course What universities did you apply for?

The universities I received offers for were Lancaster, Durham, King’s College, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Mac is interested in further study in tropical medicine

What A-levels did you do?

I studied physics at AS-level, and then did full A-levels in biology, chemistry and maths.

What course were you looking to study?

So I always knew that I really enjoyed sciences, but it was when I got to GCSEs I realised that I had a real passion for biology. Once I started A-levels, I then later found that I really didn’t enjoy studying plants, so that led me to my degree, biomedicine (at other universities it’s known as biomedical science). The course is the study of human disease, and looks at the research side of medicine.

What was it about Lancaster that appealed to you?

If you look at the list of universities I applied to, you’ll notice that most are city universities, so it might seem odd I’ve ended up at a campus one. In fact, when I first looked round, I was adamant that I was going to a big city. The first ones that I looked around were King’s and Manchester.

It was Durham and Lancaster that changed my mind to a campus university. I just loved the feel of a campus, and

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being surrounded by students.

It felt more like a community.

What did the open or offer holder day consist of?

It was actually the offer holder day at Lancaster that convinced me to come here.

Lancaster was the only one of my applications that I didn’t manage to see, so when they invited me to come, I was really excited. The day consisted of an example lecture, which I found really useful; lectures are quite different from lessons I’d had in college and school, so I enjoyed getting a feel of what being a university student would feel like.

We also got a chance to chat to some current student ambassadors. The person I

spoke to was really welcoming and sat with us while we had lunch and basically just told me what it was like to study bioscience at Lancaster.

They were really helpful in telling me about the course and also about part-time jobs. I’ve been a student ambassador since my first year, which is a role I sought out after speaking to an ambassador on the day.

We had a campus tour and got to see some of the accommodation and the colleges we’d be living in.

We looked round and met people from the college that I’ve ended up in!

The last part of the day was a one-on-one chat with a lecturer which acted as an informal interview to get to

know what we were interested in studying. I was a little nervous for this beforehand, but I ended up really enjoying it. All of the lecturers I met took a real interest in me.

Weirdly enough, the academic that I had my one-to-one interview with is now my dissertation supervisor for next year, so it’s all come full circle!

How helpful was Lancaster with any queries you had?

Very helpful. They were good at answering the questions I had, and then all day kept asking if there was anything that I wanted to know. I found the most useful part was speaking to current students: they could tell me exactly what student life is like. That’s a big tip I’d give to prospective students: ask anything to the students that are there, as they’re the ones who’ve been through it and actually study at the university. I think their opinion and experience was the most useful when looking round.

What are you up to now?

I want to go back to study!

I love my degree and my subject, and I’m definitely not ready to stop studying. Next year, I’m looking at applying for PhDs in the area of tropical medicine. My end goal is to hopefully work in a university doing research. Basically, I’m never going to leave uni...

OPEN DAYS 2020 FRIDAY 19 JUNE SATURDAY 20 JUNE SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER BOOK YOUR PLACE

#LivOriginal

www.liverpool.ac.uk/openday

WE ARE #PlymouthPioneers

COURSES

CHOOSING A COURSE

Advice on a range of degrees covering business studies, maths, politics and medicine

s

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

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eciding which degree you want to study is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make, so do as much research as possible. ucas.com is a great place to start, and later this year, as well as degree courses, you’ll be able to find out about degree apprenticeships and apprenticeships too. If you know what career you want, find out what subjects you’ll need to study it. If not, look into what kind of job your course will lead to.

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COURSES MATHEMATICS – THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH

IT ALL ADDS UP

Bath’s undergraduate maths courses tackle some of the most important current issues in a subject that underpins all of the physical sciences

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he University of Bath offers a range of maths degrees that take on the most up-to-date thinking, as well as addressing real-world problems in areas such as social sciences, management and computing.

The department gives students the option to study at BSc level, building a solid foundation in mathematical sciences, or at MMaths level, which is ideal for those interested in a more research-based course. Students will learn in an inspiring and supportive environment, with academics that are involved in worldleading research.

Bath’s welcoming campus has all the facilities that students could possibly need

Learn in outstanding facilities

The university’s maths students have access to dedicated facilities to support their learning.

Our Mathematics Maths and Statistics Help (MASH) centre helps with revision, tests and coursework. Undergraduates are also supported during their studies by regular small group tutorials and one-to-one meetings with a personal tutor, to ensure they have all the help they need to make a success of their course.

Final-year students also have the opportunity to use our high-performance computing facility Balena, which can perform over 110 trillion calculations a second.

A course that grows with you

THE DEPARTMENT GIVES STUDENTS THE OPTION TO STUDY AT BSC LEVEL,

building a solid foundation in mathematical sciences, OR AT MMATHS LEVEL, WHICH

IS IDEAL FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN A MORE RESEARCH-BASED COURSE undertake a fully-supported, year-long paid industry placement after their second year, helping to prepare them for the world of work and to explore options for their future careers.

The university’s dedicated placement teams will help students apply for their placements, as well as keeping in touch with them throughout their placement year.

Bath’s mathematical sciences degrees give students the flexibility to follow their own path as their interests change. Students will be able to choose from a wide range of optional units, from pure and applied mathematics to probability and statistics, as well as having the opportunity to explore modules offered by other departments to really build on their Studying in safe hands knowledge and experience.

University of Bath’s campus is welcoming and The courses offer lots of opportunities to friendly, with everything its students need in discover the different ways that one place. As well as A degree in maths could maths can have an impact on dedicated spaces for lead to a career in teaching the world in which we live. maths students to study, there are lots of societies and activities Gaining professional to get involved with, experience from art classes, Students have the chance to

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university radio and sports at the campus’ £30m sports village.

The city of Bath provides a great place to live and study. As a city that is often rated one of the safest to study in the UK, it offers students a home that’s vibrant and easy to get around, with excellent rail and road links to other parts of the country.

Future careers

Graduating from Bath, students will have many career options open to them, from working in the financial sector to teaching.

A maths degree can also open up opportunities in areas including software development and technology. It’s also a great starting point for students who are interested in moving into further research, such as a master’s or PhD. bath.ac.uk

COURSES POLITICS – KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

CURRENT AFFAIRS

A politics degree will equip a student with the skills and knowledge necessary to forge a career path at any of the political, social and economic institutions of the 21st century

P

olitics has become increasingly popular as the focus for many undergraduate degrees, and it comes as little surprise. A degree in politics tackles some of the most important contemporary social issues.

Recent changes to the domestic and global political map mean there has never been a more exciting time to study in this field.

At King’s a range of degrees from various departments is offered, responding to the different ways in which politics manifests itself.

A degree in politics has many facets to it

Degrees to make a difference

From the many faces of inequality to climate change, the differing quality of healthcare across the world to gentrification and resurgent nationalism to fake news: King’s courses tackle the big questions and deal with current issues that our students care about.

The university’s new Social Sciences BA is for those who want to make a difference. Topics of study relate to current real-world social, political and ethical questions including recent campaigns such as Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, green politics, social media and more.

Geography BA and BSc use London as a laboratory to examine key issues facing the world today, including environmental degradation and urban regeneration, and even offer exciting international field trips to destinations including China, India and Spain.

At King’s, health is more than a medical The campus at King’s College, London

TOPICS OF STUDY RELATE TO real-

world social, political and ethical questions,

INCLUDING RECENT CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS BLACK LIVES MATTER, #METOO, GREEN POLITICS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND MORE

matter, with its unique Global Health & Social Medicine BA and BSc courses operating at the juncture of where social science meets bioscience, training a new generation of leaders.

Tackling war zones

We have the long-established Department of War Studies, home to International Relations BA students, as well as those studying War Studies BA. Dealing with conflict, politics as a global activity, migration and more, its degrees cover the issues that are truly dominating the headlines of 21st century news.

Politics and economics

A BA in European Studies or European Politics will appeal to students interested in studying Europe from a political-science perspective.

The former offers pathways in French, German or Spanish, which include a year abroad in the applicable country at one of the university’s

prestigious European partner universities. Oncampus talks from internationally renowned commentators are a regular feature.

Over in the Department of Political Economy, there are many opportunities to explore the interplay between politics and economics. Courses include BAs and BScs in Politics, Economics, Political Economy and Philosophy Politics & Economics (PPE).

International Development at King’s focuses on the middle-income countries driving changes in the global economy and how they promote growth and economic, social and political development in new and often innovative or non-orthodox ways.

Life after university

King’s College politics alumni have gone on to a diverse selection of careers, working for the government, civil service, PR consultancies, MEPs, and even the BBC. kcl.ac.uk

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COURSES BUSINESS MANAGEMENT – THE SIR JOHN CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL

BLUE-SKY THINKING

With a focus on academic excellence and professional skills, this course prepares high-achievers for careers in finance, tech and entrepreneurship

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he challenges businesses face today require trained innovators, entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs with the skills and expertise to address them.

And as London’s Tech City and start-up scene continues to grow, so too does the sector’s need for inspiring individuals capable of meeting its demands and prepared for a business environment which may look different in the future.

While organisations rely upon universities to train and deliver the talent they require to reach their full potential, education facilities must retain their relevance by ensuring they understand and reflect the needs of the business community in the courses they offer.

In just the last few years we’ve seen small London-based businesses grow into national and international organisations. At the core of this growth are entrepreneurs, investors and leaders who share a passion for business – the same passion that the Sir John Cass Business School shares with its students.

Cass enables the extraordinary by cultivating excellence in the business leaders of tomorrow. The dynamic and interconnected world we all live in allows for new and exciting discoveries to be made on a daily basis and Cass is at the forefront — fuelling discovery through research, innovation and a wealth of transformational learning.

Being a global leader requires drive, energy and confidence, as well as exceptional business capability. That’s why Cass’s purpose is to help individuals, firms and industries thrive by creating and sharing knowledge, inspiring continual learning and shaping practice, policy and debate.

With a global community of more than 16,000 peers and alumni, Cass is one of an elite group of business schools to hold triplecrown accreditation from the AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS, and is consistently ranked among the best education institutions in the world.

Cass students must always be open to new learning – a skill that certainly helps them seize opportunities and achieve their

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If you want to be at the forefront of the global business community, this could be the course for you

CASS STUDENTS MUST ALWAYS BE OPEN TO NEW LEARNING – a skill that certainly

helps them seize opportunities and achieve THEIR PERSONAL ASPIRATIONS

personal aspirations. In today’s fast-changing world, being resilient and agile will be key differentiators. The emphasis on academic excellence and professional skills ensures that graduates are exceptionally well-regarded by employers, with 90 per cent securing employment or undertaking further study within six months of graduating (Destination of Leavers from Higher Education 2016/17).

For more than 50 years, Cass has empowered learning, thanks to its dedicated staff, alumni, professional mentors and corporate partners spanning more than 160 countries. Its students belong to a vibrant and collegial community that nurtures research, diversity, common values and goals that enable them to create a powerful impact.

The school’s London home reflects its ethos and distinctiveness. Cass occupies a unique

position between the global financial capital – The Square Mile – and one of the fastestmoving entrepreneurial and digital centres in the world – Tech City. This location buzzes with events that fuse industry and academia, exposing students to exceptional experiences and a wealth of learning, research and partnership opportunities.

The Cass BSc in Business Management is the ideal course for budding innovators and entrepreneurs, providing detailed knowledge of how businesses work and what a manager needs to know. Five specialist pathways allow students to concentrate on the areas which most interest them, whether this be finance, marketing, international business or digital innovation and entrepreneurship.

The next open day is in London on 27 June 2020, cass.city.ac.uk/undergraduate

COURSES MEDICINE – UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

THE DOCTORS OF TOMORROW

A modern, integrated curriculum surrounded by centres of specialist expertise, makes this course forward thinking and patient focused

C

hoosing to undertake a medical degree is choosing a lifechanging vocation, with global opportunities. A degree in medicine opens the door to a huge range of careers – you might think that by studying medicine, you simply become a doctor, but there are actually over 60 areas of specialism, from anaesthesia to urology, all with opportunities to pursue teaching, clinical work and research.

There is something for everyone in medicine, and there has never been a more exciting time to study in this field.

Liverpool is one of the largest schools in the country, reflecting the superb range of locally available, internationally-recognised centres for clinical placement. Its graduates are ready for exciting careers that will pioneer discovery in clinical science, revolutionise delivery of clinical care and demonstrate passion for patient care.

The university’s teaching is delivered by experts in the field – experienced academics, specialist clinicians and GP tutors. Early clinical contact, specialist clinical teaching, dedicated clinical skills and simulation centres and a curriculum that reflects new types of medical practice all provide the perfect foundation for your career.

Throughout training, you’ll be supported every step of the way with careers advice, mentoring, the chance to study your choice of specialism, and access to more than 30 profession-focused student societies.

By graduating in medicine from an internationally-recognised institution, you can find a job almost anywhere in the world – this doesn’t apply to many other disciplines!

Liverpool has been at the forefront of medical practice and research for more than 180 years and its medical alumni include three Nobel Laureates. The university is proud of its city and very much part of it. With over 50,000

There’s never been a more exciting time to pursue a career in medicine

THERE ARE ACTUALLY OVER 60 AREAS OF specialism, from anaesthesia to urology, all with opportunities to pursue TEACHING, CLINICAL WORK AND RESEARCH students, it’s a vibrant and dynamic city and a great place to study.

The clinical science centres ensure students can be part of new discoveries as undergraduates, and equipped for researchrich careers. The university’s medical network means you’ll attend world-renowned centres of excellence such as Alder Hey, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, and The Walton Centre – the UK’s only specialist hospital trust dedicated to neurological services.

With a recent £7m investment programme to support the delivery of a first-class student experience, boost its expert teaching community and enhance facilities, the

department is building on a history of success.

The course challenges students to achieve their best, developing their clinical, research and personal potential. Over five years, you’ll be prepared for a future exploring new diagnostic approaches through virtual reality and technology, ensuring that you’re ready to enter your profession at the top of your game.

Choosing to study medicine at Liverpool means going on a journey of personal discovery, ready for an exciting future in the changing world of patient care, shaping medical innovations, and global opportunity.

The next open days are on 19 and 20 June. liverpool.ac.uk

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BE THE DIFFERENCE OPEN DAYS 2020 Wednesday 17 June Saturday 4 July BOOK NOW: winchester.ac.uk/opendays

COURSES ENGINEERING - EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY

CONSTRUCTED REALITY

H

Interested in building remarkable skyscrapers and bridges?

Then a degree in civil engineering could be for you

ave you ever wondered who conceives and constructs skyscrapers, dams, roads and bridges? Well, it’s the expertise of qualified civil engineers lies behind the planning and production of the everyday structures that shape our lives.

The new Queensferry Crossing is just one example of what civil engineers can do

Remarkable designs

Take the world’s longest three-tower cablestayed bridge, the Queensferry Crossing in Edinburgh, which opened to the public 18 months ago. As with any large project, building the bridge came with its own challenges, not least the infamous Scottish weather. The likelihood of high winds meant that it needed to be resilient, sustainable and durable. Project Manager Mark Glover had to ensure that the outside of the bridge had a continuous structure that required minimal maintenance.

The result is a remarkable design. The bridge’s cables are singular, so they can be replaced easily without impacting the bridge’s stability. This will allow the Queensferry Crossing to remain open while any future repairs are carried out, keeping the 24m vehicles that cross the bridge each year moving.

Like problem solving?

If you’re interested in solving problems like this, a degree in civil engineering is the first step. If you’re creative, have a technical mind and love finding solutions to tricky challenges, a degree will prepare you to take Edinburgh Napier’s labs have a wide range of relevant equipment

IF YOU’RE CREATIVE, HAVE A TECHNICAL MIND AND ove ndin so tions to tric y cha en es, A DEGREE WILL PREPARE YOU TO TAKE ON A CHALLENGING CAREER IN ENGINEERING on an interesting and challenging career in engineering. For civil engineering, you’ll also need maths and design skills, along with the ability to communicate well.

At Edinburgh Napier you can choose from a wide range of engineering courses, including mechanical, civil & transport, energy & environmental and electronic & electrical engineering. Whichever course you choose, you’ll be based in a city-centre campus, and supported with all the necessary specialist guidance and facilities.

Excellent facilities

Edinburgh Napier’s laboratories have a wide range of equipment, allowing you to gain experience specific to your chosen field.

For example, a Robotics and Automated Manufacturing lab, which contains a Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS), a small fullyautomated factory that can be used to develop

your own automated production line. It also has several specialist labs for fibre optics, electrical machines, electronics, polymer engineering and energy systems.

The university’s students and academics help to develop new technology that creates jobs, improves the way we live and provides support for the economy. It has strong industry links and works closely with professionals who give regular guest lectures on live engineering projects, so you’ll keep up to date with what industry requires while you study, and be ready to hit the ground running when you graduate.

Your future career

As an engineering graduate, you’ll be in high demand for positions all over the world. The average starting salary for graduates is £23,500, climbing to £30,000 within the following five years. So what are you waiting for? napier.ac.uk/engineering2019

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APPLYING

It’s important to have one-to-one guidance meetings with an adviser in the spring term of Year 12

FROM JANUARY, TASTER COURSE OPPORTUNITIES that run well into the summer go live and are mostly free of charge – BUT DO GET IN EARLY AS THEY FILL UP FAST

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APPLYING

FAST TRACK TO SUCCESS In Year 12, the university application process begins in earnest. Here, ANTHONY FITZGERALD, Director of Careers and Universities, Kingston Grammar School, gives a comprehensive timeline of the essential dates

S

ettling into A-level study, switching options if need be and transitioning to an independent way of learning are the focus of the start of term.

Spring term

Oxford and Cambridge preparation begins in earnest, with prospective applicants assigned mentors to develop their thinking skills. Oneto-one guidance meetings with an adviser are now key, to discuss study interests and help The autumn term signpost applicants through a jungle of course However, for those considering healthcare or other vocational courses (such as medicine, law information and requirements.

From January, taster course opportunities and engineering), setting up work experience that run until well into the summer go live and volunteering are a priority as well. and are mostly free of charge - but do get in By half term, it’s time to start using the early as they fill up fast. A dedicated website UNIFROG resources. Parents can get a look in for university open days is also handy to plan too with a special UNIFROG parental log-in. those important campus visits. Prospectuses The extensive resources and useful know-how can now be ordered, although university sections cover all aspects of the application websites are more comprehensive, and much process. If the school doesn’t have UNIFROG, more environmentally friendly. A higher excellent free resources are available at the education launch at school by a university newly revamped UCAS hub. admissions team in February or New sixth formers will find March is a highlight. This is also that applying for university an opportunity for the school courses is a two-year process to talk to students and parents about the internal application timeline, provide a comprehensive list of resources and outline the predicted grades policy.

Summer term

Year 13 – autumn term

Time to finalise your five choices and to complete and send off your UCAS application.

Urgent applications with a 15 October hard deadline (including Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary science) take priority. However, time is of the essence for all applicants because the faster you send off your application, the quicker you’ll start to receive offers (often within a day or so of sending your application). You can then focus on your studies to achieve the offer grades. Many universities will continue to make offers on applications after the 15 January soft deadline but do be warned: this will not include courses at some of the most competitive universities.

Invitations to interviews and offer days are often just a charm offensive; they’re rarely assessing you formally other than a friendly chat through your personal statement. If in doubt, check with the university about the

s

Most schools will arrange mock examinations for this term, and the results are one key indicator for A-level working predicted grades, enabling students to focus more realistically on particular courses and universities. By the same measure it affords some

extra time to review work over the summer for further assessments and before predicted grades are finalised in the autumn term.

Time now to prepare a first draft of the personal statement. KGS invites the University of Durham to run a workshop with the whole cohort and, after individual guidance, students continue to work on this over the summer. It’s a myth that selectors don’t read the personal statement; whilst some don’t, you never know at what stage it may be scrutinised, so give it your best shot and get plenty of feedback on drafts from your teachers.

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APPLYING

APPLYING FOR STUDENT FINANCE IS NOW A PRIORITY. THE APPLICATION GOES live in February and needs to be completed by the end of May IF IT NEEDS TO BE MEANS-TESTED

Most schools will hold mock exams in the summer term

KEY RESOURCES

nature of any invitation to campus before you go so there are no surprises. Ultimately, universities don’t want students to drop out in their first term and want to be sure you want to come to their location and study the course.

Oxford and Cambridge will require some applicants to sit entrance tests (at the end of October or on the day of their interview), submit samples of their written work (November) and attend interviews in November or December (the Oxford interview schedule is similar every year, whereas Cambridge doesn’t adhere to any particular interview schedule).

Spring term

Oxford and Cambridge offer their places in the first two weeks of term. Applying for student finance is now a priority. The application goes live in February and needs to be completed by the end of May if it needs to be means-tested.

It’s also worth researching the other bursaries, grants and scholarships available, so check out the scholarships hub which is a useful source of funding and financial information.

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At the end of February, UCAS Extra goes live for courses still recruiting and available to those students who don’t currently hold offers or have withdrawn their applications.

There are usually still plenty to choose from, even at top-tier universities.

Summer term

By the early May deadline, most students will have decided which of their five courses will be their first (firm) choice and, if they so choose, their secondary, insurance choice (which isn’t obligatory).

If you make a firm choice that you regret, it may still be possible to change your mind, as long as you contact the university as soon as possible. Make sure you familiarise yourself with the comprehensive Results Day information that most schools provide prior to 15 August.

• UCAS Hub – the recently relaunched one-stop resource to search courses and manage favourites. It covers every aspect of your university application.

• UNIFROG – students can access this one-stop resource if their school has a subscription. It enables them to research study options in the UK as well as abroad and includes an apprenticeship search tool.

• Study in Scotland – the US system is modelled on the Scottish system and offers greater flexibility.

Typically, courses are one year longer and entry requirements are sometimes lower than elsewhere.

• Schedule of open days – a list of open days at all UK universities and includes helpful booking links.

• How to write a personal statement – guidance on how to craft your personal statement.

• Schedule of university taster courses – many universities provide events to enable you to experience academic and social life on campus before applying for a place.

• Headstart courses – taster courses for students in Y12 interested in applying for science and engineering routes; funded places available for eligible students.

• Engineering taster courses – mostly residential engineering taster courses at UK universities that target young people of all ages, organised by the Smallpiece Trust.

• The Scholarship Hub – all aspects of student finance explained, including managing your money and sourcing funding.

APPLYING

It’s all about you Writing your personal statement can seem like a daunting task.

James Barton, Director of Admissions at MPW London, shares his thoughts on how to wow the admissions tutors

I

n the next six months or so students will be making important decisions about applying to university and sending off their UCAS forms. This includes the all-important personal statement, which many find to be the most daunting part of the application process.

For the majority of applicants, the personal statement is their only opportunity to distinguish themselves from other candidates and to demonstrate, beyond grades, their suitability for the course.

A personal statement should convey a number of things. Firstly and most importantly, that a student is academically capable of studying their chosen course; that they’re a well-rounded person who’s likely to be happy at university; and for vocational courses such as medicine or law, that they understand the demands of a career in this field and have the appropriate skills to succeed. Students need

WRITER’S BLOCK IS OFTEN AN ISSUE FOR many students when starting their personal statements. IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING BEGIN BY MAKING A LIST to extrapolate the skills they’ve learnt through education and work experience, accurately representing themselves as an undergraduate with potential.

Writer’s block is often an issue for many students when starting their personal statements. If you’re struggling, begin by making a list of all the things you’ve done and that you want someone to know about you.

Don’t horse trade with your friends; theirs will – and should – be different (and it’s worthwhile remembering that we live in an age of antiplagiarism software). Using this list, plan your

personal statement as you would an essay and then write it.

Another thing to remember is that students who are modest by nature sometimes undersell themselves. If this applies to you, it might help to change perspective and approach the personal statement as though you are writing it for a good friend.

A good way to ensure that every area is covered and that students have given themselves the best chance to impress admissions tutors is to follow the Five Paragraph Principle.  independentschoolparent.com

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“

THE OPEN DAY WAS THE FIRST MOMENT I COULD IMAGINE

“

SURREY BECOMING MY NEW HOME — ANNIE MAY

120 +

JOIN US FOR AN OPEN DAY Friday 26 June 2020 Saturday 27 June 2020 Saturday 12 September 2020 Sunday 11 October 2020 Sunday 25 October 2020

Book your place today: surrey.ac.uk/opendays

NATIONALITIES ON CAMPUS

APPLYING Making connections between the subjects you’re studying at A-level and your desired course is a good place to start

Introduction

Start by explaining why you’ve chosen this course. Do not use the word ‘passion’! This is a very clichéd way of beginning a personal statement and it’s much more effective to show rather than tell admissions tutors that you’re passionate about something. Try explaining what sparked your interest in that subject or what it is that draws you to it.

A-levels (or equivalent)

How do your current studies complement your chosen degree? If you’re currently studying the subject you wish to continue with at university, you can discuss what you enjoy about it and why you wish to further your knowledge.

It can help to get the opinion of someone you trust, like a teacher

paragraph, which should be quite short in comparison to the others. If you can relate your extracurricular activities directly to your application then so much the better; your grade eight in piano, for example, demonstrates that you have the manual dexterity needed for your dentistry application.

IT’S YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT Otherwise, think about how you come across to an Try to remember these admissions tutor; playing handy tips before you for the school football team start writing... shows an ability to work • Be honest and use your with others and also how own words, do not copy. you might contribute to uni • Do not swallow a life in a wider sense. thesaurus!

Think also about transferrable skills from your other subjects: an A-level in mathematics will help with the statistics module of a psychology course at university; essay-writing learned in English literature will certainly support you in studying ancient history as an undergraduate.

Work experience and/or wider reading

This paragraph will really set you apart from other applicants and allow admissions tutors to develop their understanding of you as a student. Think about what you have done to investigate the course or what you have read that relates to it, making a pertinent comment about a relevant book or article.

Be creative with how you interpret work experience too, and relate it to the degree course in question.

Extracurricular

Why rather than what is important in this

• Write a lot about academics – about 80%.

• Keep sentences brief and to the point.

• Seek opinion from people you trust.

• Write the introduction last if you find starting it difficult.

• If you are resitting, don’t dwell on past setbacks.

• Write your statement well in advance to allow for editing.

Closing statement

Your conclusion need only be a sentence or two long, and do not start it with ‘in conclusion’! You need to concisely summarise the salient points of your personal statement and remind admissions tutors, without arrogance, of your suitability for the course.

Keep it academic, be true to yourself and remember what your end goal is. independentschoolparent.com

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COMMENT STUDENT

VOICE

INDEPENDENCE DAYS Having just completed her first term at the University of Oxford EMILY MANOCK, 18, reveals how she has adapted to the pace of student life

A

s I come towards the halfway point of my first term at Oxford, now seems like a good moment to reflect on my time so far here.

I remember being nervous at the prospect of meeting new people in the weeks leading up to Freshers, but, really, I shouldn’t have worried.

I had been worried about how I’d be accommodated at Oxford. It’s a place whose reputation precedes it and how I’d fit into this highly competitive environment did concern me. Having cerebral palsy was going to affect every aspect of my student life, from managing my workload and living independently to social life, and I wondered if Oxford could meet my expectations.

However, I couldn’t have been made to feel more welcome. Save a few hitches, everything had been arranged in time for me starting my work in first week, and I settled into a routine quickly and managed Freshers’ week and the weeks following.

That being said, the first few days of my time here were strange. Having arrived here some days before the other freshers to make access arrangements, my first few days here were a little isolated but once they were over I was able to enjoy the week in spite of some serious Freshers’ Flu.

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Emily’s friendship circle has grown and grown since Freshers’ Week

I took part in my first bop (college party) dressed as Fantine from Les Misérables, and, since the theme was Dress as Your Subject, I was able to identify and befriend plenty of other languages students.

The system of college families also gave me a great support network. At Oxford, you’re adopted by two college parents, who are in the years above, along with another fresher who is your College sibling. I had a great time with them at the Parenting Dinner and the House Party afterwards, and it was honestly the highlight of Freshers’ Week for me.

After that weekend finished, the work really began. I had my first lectures and seminars on the Monday, and I figured out how to deal with the lack of structure that came with my fluid timetable, and got used to having to plan out each week individually, rather than a weekly routine as I was used to at school. I did have to find a routine with learning to live independently though, and my first few weeks were hard in that respect, but eventually, I found ways to cope and I’ve learnt how to balance it with my academic work.

Matriculation followed the next week, and as I looked at myself in my academic dress,

I finally felt the weight of where I was finally hit me. The ceremony itself was over as quickly as it had begun, and I couldn’t help being slightly underwhelmed by it. However, being pushed by my new friends around Christ Church Meadow, prosecco in hand, I felt a real sense of acceptance, even when one of my slightly more inebriated friends nearly got me hit by a bus on the way to Five Guys for a muchneeded lunch.

Thanks to matriculation and eating the majority of my meals in the dining hall, my group of friends massively expanded. Taking part in the Cuppers drama competition was really fun and the fastpaced environment of working backstage was something I won’t forget. We were lucky enough to make the shortlist and win! I’m also a member of the Oxford Blues as their only disabled swimmer and I recently took part in a BUCS short course competition at Ponds Forge, where I managed to achieve a personal best in the 100m breaststroke. I must admit, I’ll need a lot of rest this week.

All in all, it’s safe to say that my first term at Oxford has met my expectations, but some aspects of the term I could never have anticipated; I’m really happy and I count myself incredibly lucky to be one of the few that made it here.

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APPLYING

Students can learn a language for free through the Languages For All inititaive

BEHIND THE SCENES

A CAPITAL EDUCATION Peer support, life-skills workshops and drop-in study sessions will get your first year off to a great start, says RUTH THOMAS of Cardiff University

C

ardiff University is ambitious, innovative and located in the heart of a beautiful capital city. A member of the Russell Group, it was ranked in the top five for research quality among UK universities in the most recent Research Excellence Framework. It has more than 30,000 students from the UK and abroad and offers more than 300 degree programmes. Alongside its academic credentials, the university takes a proactive approach in supporting students through the transition from school to university, while also offering additional opportunities to enhance the experience for the duration of the course.

Cardiff recognises that the transition to university can be challenging and to achieve their goal of a supportive environment where every student feels part of its vibrant community, a peer-mentoring programme is in place, along with a new Residences Life programme in halls.

Student mentoring

With more than 500 student mentors trained to support first-year students, mentees reach out and make contact before freshers even make the move to their new place of study. Mentors meet new students within their academic school and are on-hand to answer queries on a range of

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topics such as learning and teaching methods, settling into halls or getting the most out of their time at Cardiff.

Back in the halls of residences, the Residences Life team works in partnership with Student Support and Wellbeing, Residences Management and the Students’ Union to bring a fun, supportive and friendly community to university accommodation, with an exciting calendar of social events, drop-in sessions and helpful workshops throughout the year, including: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Chinese New Year, life-skills workshops (including how to cook, budget and live communally) and drop-ins for peer support, advice and a friendly cup of tea. The team are on hand with a listening ear, encouraging students to share their experiences and make the most of student life.

APPLYING

There are more than 300 degrees to choose from

The Cardiff Award scheme celebrates student employability

Cardiff University is part of the Russell Group

Speaking your language

UNI STATS

NAME

Cardiff University FOUNDED

1883

NUMBER OF STUDENTS

23,085 undergraduates

VICE CHANCELLOR

Prof Colin Riordan MOTTO

Gwirionedd, Undod A Chytgord Truth, Unity and Concord

During all years of study, students have the opportunity to learn a language, for free, through the university’s Languages for All programme. The scheme’s set up to run alongside a degree, and there’s a range of study options The university is set in enabling them to learn in a way the heart of the city that suits them.

In weekly and crash courses, students can choose from Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Levels vary by language, but range from beginners to more advanced. Autonomous learning allows students to learn a language independently, or get further practise for their taught course. It includes a variety of library and online courses and resources you can use, cultural and linguistic events you can attend, and opportunities to practise with fluent speakers and other learners. These are led by students and include language-exchange opportunities such as Language Cafés, partner schemes and conversation clubs.

The programme also works in collaboration with the university’s Global Opportunities department, which provides work, study and volunteer abroad programmes.

This gives students the chance to use their skills in other countries, utilising the language they’ve studied and the cultures they’ve learned about first-hand.

And the award goes to...

Cardiff’s dedication to preparing students for the commercial world is also reflected in The Cardiff Award, the university’s prestigious employability award.

Students undertake a career development programme that complements their academic course to provide them with the experience and skills that employers are looking for. Students accepted on to the current programme will complete the following activities: • A personality indicator and skills assessment.

• At least 70 hours of activities and work experience.

• A number of skills and career development modules.

• A recruitment experience chosen from a range of activities, including attending a mock assessment centre, a video interview or psychometric tests.

• Submission of a targeted CV and covering letter, application form and reflective log.

Cardiff Award participants network with local and internationally recognised graduate recruiters. They provide participants with a valuable insight into the competitive graduate recruitment market. independentschoolparent.com

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FINANCE

MONEY MATTERS

Follow this simple step-by-step guide when you apply for funding to finance your studies, writes MARK-LEE KELLY of The Student Loans Company

There are two main types of student finance that you can apply for to help with your costs.

Tuition fee loans are available to cover your yearly fee cost and are paid directly to your institution in three instalments throughout the year.

Maintenance loans are available to help with living costs such as rent and bills. These loans are also paid in three instalments throughout the year, but they’re paid directly to your own bank account.

The maximum amount you can Your student loan get depends on where you live, where payments come in three separate you’re studying and your household instalments per year income. Everyone who’s eligible for student finance, regardless of household income will be entitled to at least to log into your account to check the progress some maintenance loan, but you can apply of your application, check your payments and for more that’s based on your household re-apply for student finance. income too.

Log into your student finance account and submit your application HOW DO I APPLY? Before you start your online application, you Firstly, it’s important to know that you’ll need should have the following to hand: to reapply separately for each year of your • your valid UK passport, if you have one; course. When it’s time to apply, go to the • your university and course details; website www.gov.uk/studentfinance, create • your bank account details; an online account and then apply. You should • your National Insurance Number. apply as early as you can once the application If you want to apply for finance that depends service has opened in early 2020, to make sure on your household income, we’ll ask your you get your money in time for the start of sponsor (parents or partner) to give us your course. information about that.

Don’t worry if you haven’t accepted a place at uni yet. You can apply using your preferred choice and update the course or uni details Send any evidence we ask for later if they change.

We don’t normally need evidence of your household income when you first apply.

However, we may contact you or your sponsor THERE ARE FOUR SIMPLE STEPS (parents or partner) at a later date and ask for TO APPLYING ONLINE: evidence to support your application.

Register When you register, you’ll be given a unique Customer Reference Number (CRN) and asked Print, sign and return the Student Finance online declaration Form to create a password and secret answer. Make Once your application has been processed, sure you keep these safe as you’ll need them

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we’ll send you a letter to confirm how much you’ll be receiving. You’ll also be asked to agree to the loans’ terms and conditions, which you can sign from your account with an e-signature.

If you’re from another part of the UK, then you can find student finance information at: • Scotland: saas.gov.uk • N. Ireland: studentfinanceni.co.uk • Wales: studentfinancewales.co.uk

HOW MUCH DO I REPAY?

The amount that you’ll repay each month only depends on how much you’re earning, not on how much you’ve borrowed.

You won’t have to repay until you’re earning over the repayment threshold which is currently £25,725 a year. If you earn less than this then you won’t repay anything; if you earn more then you’ll repay nine per cent of the amount you earn that’s above the repayment threshold. The threshold usually changes each year, so it’s likely to be different when you come to repay.

HOW AND WHEN DO I REPAY?

You’ll be due to start repaying from the April after you finish or leave your course, but don’t forget you only repay what you earn above the repayment threshold.

If you’re employed, your employer will take repayments automatically from your salary along with your tax and National Insurance, so you don’t have to do anything.

WHAT ABOUT INTEREST?

You’ll be charged interest on your loan from the day your first payment is made to you or your uni, until it’s been repaid in full or cancelled. It’s important to remember that the amount of interest you’re charged doesn’t change the amount you’ll repay each month and loans are written off after 30 years even if you haven’t repaid them.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

WHAT’S AVAILABLE?

FINANCE

YOU WON’T HAVE TO REPAY

until you’re earning over the

REPAYMENT THRESHOLD WHICH IS CURRENTLY £25,725 A YEAR

independentschoolparent.com

45

UNI LIFE

“I DON’T KNOW WHY YOU

expected everyone in the flat to be best friends, IT’S COMPLETELY

NORMAL THAT WE AREN’T.”

You can be guaranteed to experience some kitchen disasters in your first share flat

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UNI LIFE

The best of friends?

Student Fiorenza Dell’Anna e poses the realities of living in a atshare in her first ear at uni along with some hand tips and guidance

O

ne of the most common tropes in university rhetoric is the saying: “you’ll make friends for life.” This is a sentence which is in equal measure truthful and deceitful in the context of first-year flatmates.

That is to say that while the trope begins as solely that, it slowly builds to the point that it becomes something of an expectation that’s projected upon the first people you meet: your flatmates.

Now, while you undeniably will meet people with whom you will be great friends at university, it may not always be your first-year flatmates.

There are a myriad of reasons for which you may deem your flatmates off-putting, from the mess in shared areas, to the lack of any shared interests, to exclusive behaviours, or my personal favourite, the revolting first-timer cooking experimentations that you’re forced to witness for a year.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

Buying into the optimism of a utopian promise

Guilty of gullibility, I must confess that I bought into the optimism of this utopian promise in first year and was at first disappointed.

I know exactly how frustrating it can be when talking to other people who “got so lucky” and are “best friends” with their whole flat during freshers’ week. Allow me to guarantee that even in such cases, it’s more often than not, merely the honeymoon phase of a flat which is going to have (as is normal) the odd squabble.

I spent the vast majority of my first term at university desperately trying to be the glue that held my shared flat together – and with very little success. Just like many others, I was driven by the rhetoric that became something of a daunting obligation, in order to have a fulfilling university experience.

I remember halfway through the year complaining to one of my flatmates that I didn’t have anything in common with any of the other people living with us. There was a long pause, then she said, “I don’t know why you expected

everyone in the flat to be best friends, it’s completely normal that we aren’t”.

Having reasonable expectations of others is essential

This (albeit simplistic) moment made me realise that a completely unrealistic expectation had been forced upon all of us by this rhetoric. That’s not to say that one must suffer in silence but having reasonable expectations of others is essential for creating a situation in which you’ll feel comfortable living.

As someone who waited idly for some serendipitous change of circumstances in my first year, I must stress that you’ll be sorely disappointed if you follow in my footsteps.

While this too is a corny trope, you absolutely must try to join a society to keep yourself sane both in terms of your course and those flatmates you don’t rub along so well with.

While it takes an immense dose of courage and disregard for the awkwardness of small talk with hundreds of people, it’s definitely worthwhile. The same goes for trying to make friends on your degree course, something which I’d also highly recommend.

I look back at my first year flat and remember it fondly

Irrespective of what’s wrong, I can almost guarantee that the situation will improve over time. If you take anything from this article, just remember that you don’t need to be best friends to coexist and have fun in your flat.

Moreover, however odd your experience may be, as Virgil states ‘someday, perhaps, remembering even this will be a pleasure.’ Personally, I look back at the oddity of my first year flat and remember it fondly.

That being said, I’m still yet to come to terms with the fact that I cannot seem to escape the clutches of other people’s bad cooking...

This piece first appeared in Epigram, the University of Bristol’s student magazine. Fiorenza Dell’Anna is studying Spanish and English. independentschoolparent.com

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UNI LIFE

I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU he niversit of heffield places student welfare at the heart of campus life with its programme of welcome talks mentoring and counselling services

At University of Sheffield, every student is allocated a personal tutor

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

A

s transitions go, heading off to uni for the first time is a pretty major one. The good news is that because everyone going to university experiences some degree of challenge, they’re well set up to help.

Whether it’s leaving home, finding new friends, adjusting to new ways of learning or managing money, learning to navigate and manage these changes is a key part of your new university life.

Highly trained and professional staff are available in every university to support students in making the transition and adjusting to student life. The key thing is to know and expect that help is there.

At the University of Sheffield, all students are assigned a personal tutor – an academic member of staff – who’ll meet with them in the first few weeks of term and throughout their academic career. They’re there to provide help with any issues that arise. You can also choose to have a student mentor – an older student from the same course – to answer questions and provide support in

student health service on campus – students can sign up when they register at uni giving on the doorstep access to GP and nurse services. Uni life can be challenging and students may at times just need a little extra support in managing demands or keeping themselves well. The new Wellbeing Service gives all students support with managing their wellbeing, coping with stressful periods and taking care of themselves and friends through whatever life throws at them.

The university also covers a wide range of practical support for students too. Whether it’s money, friendships, accommodation, spirituality or support for study abroad or industrial placements, there are experienced, professional staff on campus who are there to help. The trick is to just ask.

The mentally healthy campus at Sheffield ensures that students are supported. Regular awareness campaigns serve to destigmatise

THE SERVICE HAS HIGHLY TRAINED, EXPERIENCED counselling staff on campus who provide one-on-one sessions FOR STUDENTS REQUIRING THAT SUPPORT the first few months. For students living in university accommodation, additional student mentors work with groups of student flats, providing information on social events, community living and helping to resolve any accommodation issues. During Intro Week, the week before classes start, welcome talks and events will provide information on the range of wider support services available. Whatever the problem, there will be a support service on campus to help. The important thing is to have the confidence to ask for help if you need it.

The Student Mental Health Service provides a simple route into counselling or other mental health support for students with specific mental health needs. The service has highly trained, experienced counselling staff on campus who provide one-on-one sessions for students requiring that support. Its Mental Health Services are fully accredited by APPTS: Accreditation Programme for Psychological Therapies Service. It also has its own NHS

mental health and training in mental health first aid is offered to all staff. Weekly sessions are offered in topics like mindfulness and confidence building and regular events like pop-up therapy and pet therapy are organised to relieve tension before exams. All students also have continuous access to 24/7 digital mental health support.

A new partnership with MIND and Goldman Sachs will enhance this work. The partnership will deliver additional group training for first years in managing their mental health and thriving at university.

Students will receive training in mental health literacy and techniques for managing it.

First and final year students will also have the opportunity for targeted training to build long-term life skills to equip them for the workplace, enabling them to support their own and others’ mental health, thereby contributing to a generation of resilient communities at work, university and throughout society. independentschoolparent.com

49

UNI LIFE RSITY S VE I T N

U

AT

The average student receives £138.50 a month from their parents*

The secret to budgeting at university Save the Student’s RUTH BUSHI shares advice on how to navigate loans, finance and spending while in full-time study

Budgeting can sound daunting, complicated or downright boring – so why bother?

Well, most uni students stress about money, sometimes so much that it hurts their grades or health. Learning some basic money skills takes off some of this pressure, so you can focus on your course, making friends and anything else that’s important to you.

At its simplest, a money plan shows how much you can afford to spend. With a few tweaks it can help you avoid financial bother, and even leave uni wealthier than when you went in.

Predicting the future

A budget is a crystal ball that can show how much university will set you back. Start by listing your monthly costs – for an idea, here are some common expenses, plus how much real students say they spend: • Rent: £431 • Groceries: £92 • Going out: £49 • Transport: £44 • Household bills: £32 Other costs to include are mobile phone bills, course materials, takeaways and even gifts. You can use this list to predict how much money you’ll need during your course.

Alternatively, use it to set spending limits (i.e., decide the most you’ll spend on each category every month). This is the simplest way

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to avoid going broke between loan instalments or before your next payday.

Prepare to run out of cash

Around six out of 10 students who get a Maintenance Loan aren’t given enough to live on, so running short is a very real concern.

However, there are ways to limit the damage.

Firstly, compare the earlier list of costs to your monthly income. Your income might include Maintenance Loan, wages from a job, savings, and cash from your parents (ideally, try to have a mix of all of these!).

If your costs are larger than your income, don’t panic: take action. Tweak your spending list to see if you can pay less in one category or make savings in another. Next, look at ways to increase your funding or earn more.

Get free money

There’s more to Student Finance (the official funding for university) than fees and maintenance loans. Extra support includes funding for seen and unseen disabilities, and for care leavers.

These sound specialised, but there’s more on offer! And, unlike the loans, many supplemental funds don’t normally have to be paid back. You’ll be told what you’re eligible for when you apply for Student Finance, but pair that with these tactics: • Get in early when applying for scholarships, bursaries and grants from your university –

these can be worth thousands.

• Use the Grants Search at turn2us.org to find hidden funding, including for religion, location, age and health.

• Many companies, charities and career organisations offer students scholarships and support funds – search online or go to savethestudent.org.

Heads-up: your university will also have hardship funds you can apply for if you struggle to get by after starting your course.

Simple ways to spend less

Your uni ID card is your best bet. Use it to claim a student discount in local shops, cafes and cinemas. For online or extra savings, try Totum (totum.com), a discount card that comes in free and paid options. Then grab these savings: • If you only ever watch catch-up and streaming shows – not live TV or BBC iPlayer – you won’t need a TV licence.

• Amazon Prime is half price for students and gets you free delivery and films, plus discounts on textbooks and other vital study essentials.

• Remember that full-time students don’t have to pay council tax!

Budgets, like goldfish, thrive with a bit of love.

Use a budgeting app or spreadsheet to track your spending every day, then re-jig your cost and income lists once a term. The rest will take care of itself.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK/ * ALL STATISTICS AND COSTS TAKEN FROM THE NATIONAL STUDENT MONEY SURVEY 2019. SEE WWW.SAVETHESTUDENT.ORG FOR THIS AND OTHER FREE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS.

Get more out of uni

UNI LIFE

YOUR UNIVERSITY WILL ALSO

have hardship funds you can apply for if you struggle to get by after STARTING YOUR COURSE

independentschoolparent.com

51

COMMENT

SOCIAL NETWORK

Career opportunities, access to global social events and the chance to reminisce, just what are alumni networking platforms all about? Katie Hughes finds out No surprise then, that when an Old Rugbeian found himself in New York during the Rugby World Cup, he managed to get a group of old school friends together to watch a match, thanks to the Rugbeians Connect app.

And online networks are encouraging schools to collaborate more. “We’re in regular touch with other schools to see what works best,” says Tracey. “We’re all learning together.”

The human touch

Progressive platforms

At Marlborough College in Wiltshire, an online networking platform offers former pupils the opportunity to reconnect, mentor, network and socialise. At Manchester Grammar School it extends invitations to advance careers and find global connections.

And at Wellington College it provides English, Mandarin and Thai interfaces that let alumni stay in touch and pave the way for new introductions, employment and advice.

Whether encouraging individuals to seek out prospective internships, chat to old classmates, or ask questions about possible career routes – alumni platforms are becoming the go-to resource for old boys and girls from Britain’s independent schools.

Among these are ex-pupils of Rugby School, who are benefiting from the new Rugbeians Connect app, launched earlier this year.

“We wanted to let our alumni engage among

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themselves,” says Tracey Ahmet, executive assistant to the Rugbeian Society. The app offers access to a platform that’s a cross between Facebook and LinkedIn and allows users to express personal preferences; be it a desire to seek work, offer mentoring, or just look for familiar faces. Aside from the social advantages, “it offers people at all stages a chance to kick-start their career,” says Tracey.

Meanwhile, at St Mary’s School Ascot, “AAA Connect was launched to give our alumnae a secure online space in which to connect with old friends and stay in touch with the school,” says Cathy Leneghan, alumnae director. “It’s also a platform through which they can build professional links, and for the younger leavers, it’s an invaluable source of advice about careers and mentoring opportunities.“

It’s a wide, wide world

Networking platforms are playing an important part in uniting the geographically dispersed too. And this is especially relevant now that many schools boast alumni communities spanning 50 countries or more.

What’s more, according to the Independent Schools Council, non-British pupils with parents overseas now make up more than 40 per cent of the UK boarding population.

And global mobility – for job or social opportunities – shows no sign of abating.

THE POWER OF NETWORKING • A recent study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that nearly a third of companies rely largely on the personal networks of current and recent board members to find new candidates, without advertising any further.

• Meanwhile, recent research by the London School of Economics shows that the alumni of the UK’s top nine independent schools are 94 times more likely to reach the most powerful elite positions in British society than those from any other schools.

• Although these nine schools have traditionally educated around 0.15% of all pupils aged 13 to 18, they produce nearly 10% of all entries in Who’s Who.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

N

ot so long ago, using old-school contacts for career or social advancement might involve hunting down an intermediary to make introductions, waiting for the next alumni dinner or mixing business and pleasure over mulled wine in the school hall. Now, thanks to online alumni networking platforms, the process has become a lot easier.

Some may worry that networking platforms could de-personalise the alumni experience.

But evidence suggests otherwise. From suppers to internship talks, it looks likely that face-toface alumni events will be an enduring part of the school calendar. Even the CEO of alumninetworking platform Graduway, Daniel Cohen, admits that platforms “don’t replace the need for face-to-face networking.” And there’s no shortage of the latter in senior schools today.

As Cohen adds, “Used in the right way, networking platforms can be a gamechanger” for alumni. And what better proof of this than those used by independent schools?

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53

Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London Ranked second in the world for Art and Design, 2019 QS World University RankingsÂŽ

M AK E YOUR FU T URE CRE ATIVE S H O RT C O U RS ES Courses for all levels starting throughout the year: daytimes, evenings, weekends, Saturdays and online FU L L-T IM E P O RT FO L I O PR EPA R AT I O N C O U RS ES Courses by application only Designed to prepare your portfolio for acceptance to further studies or to go directly into professional practice Art, Fashion, Graphics, Photography and Textiles www.arts.ac.uk _CSM Short Courses / Full-Time Portfolio Preparation shortcourses@csm.arts.ac.uk

APPRENTICESHIPS

University of Edinburgh also offers degree apprenticeships

READY FOR THE WORLD OF WORK

On a degree apprenticeship, you can study, have your tuition fees paid and make some decent cash. So how do you apply? PETER MACDONALD, director of Higher Education at Magdalen College School, Oxford, explains independentschoolparent.com

55

M

agdalen College School in Oxford with its backdrop of the dreaming spires, has a very traditional university destinations list for the most part, but now boys and girls in its Sixth Form are encouraged to spread their wings and aspirations further for higher education.

Degree apprenticeships are very much part of the range of courses which the Sixth Form tutorial team highlight to their charges.

Most recently, two of its leavers joined the degree apprenticeship scheme with Dyson at Malmesbury in Wiltshire – one is in his first semester and another is in her third year.

Why apprenticeships?

There are those pupils who want to move on from education in the traditional sense of a three-year university degree, and often money is very much a factor in their thinking.

Not only that, but they’re seeking greater personal independence alongside that financial independence. One of the principle factors,

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therefore, is to earn while you learn. Those pursuing apprenticeships will often be earning a substantial sum each year, and will not be suffering from the burden of tuition fees and the associated subsequent student debt.

Those pursuing this route will be seeking a greater sense of maturity, but they’ll probably also have that maturity already. They’re ready to go into the world of work and take on responsibility. This situation presents them with a unique situation of not only developing socially as young people with a job away from home, but of gaining a relevant qualification at the same time. Apprenticeships allow those taking them some freedom and flexibility with how to test out various types of employment will suit them – at Dyson, apprentices can try out various “flavours” of engineering.

Often in a field such as engineering, accountancy or digital technology, the apprenticeship may provide a route straight to professional qualifications and or certification.

There may well be a practical aspect to an apprenticeship – another MCS leaver pursued a short apprenticeship in Race Horse Care at the British Race School. The academic route may well not be the quickest for those seeking professional qualifications.

For those who worry about the social aspect of university, employers and apprenticeship providers provide many networking and social opportunities to develop that social existence that would have occurred at university. Dyson, for example, also considers its students’ pastoral welfare. Friendships are formed just as they are at university, but even more importantly, business contacts and networks are developed.

Some apprenticeships may be very interconnected with a university. It might be

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK, EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY © PAUL DODDS

APPRENTICESHIPS

APPRENTICESHIPS Sixth formers at Magdalen College School

Starting the apprenticeship application process in the spring of Lower Sixth is essential

or engineering (to name but a few) and to research what’s available. A range of good websites are out there to help you, and a quick search on the government website (www. gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship) reveals lots of exciting opportunities in blue-chip companies such as KPMG, Ernst & Young, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. There are plenty of excellent engineering companies besides Dyson, and at least two police forces. The UCAS website itself is a mine of information (https://www.ucas.com/apprenticeshipsin-the-uk), as is the Notgoingtouni website (https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/). There are

FRIENDSHIPS ARE FORMED, JUST AS THEY ARE at university, but even more importantly, BUSINESS CONTACTS AND NETWORKS ARE DEVELOPED. that there are lectures on some days of the week while the rest of the time is spent in an employment setting. It’ll be worth an applicant and their parents thinking about where they’ll be living – at home, at university, in company-provided accommodation or wholly independently in the private sector.

How to apply and when

Starting the process early in spring of the Lower Sixth year is essential, alongside any other higher education research, such as university open days.

The first thing is to think of the area you want to go into, be it tax, the police, logistics

different levels of apprenticeship on offer, and not all carry a degree with them.

Rather than having a central clearing house like UCAS, many of these apprenticeships require you to apply to them directly. Therefore it’s essential to look what each different company requires in terms of forms and CV. They will also have different start dates and different application windows, so registering with websites for alerts will prove useful. A checklist of what an applicant wants from an apprenticeship will help them find out what is on offer as part of the “package” – they may well differ in length of time taken to complete, for example.

Applicants should also try to find work experience opportunities or visit days with companies in their desired sector which can take place during the summer holiday between Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth. These show willing and an interest and are something to write about in an application letter. By the time the final Sixth Form year begins, the CV should be ready, along with the bare bones of a letter which may need to be fleshed out differently for each application. Liaison with your school’s higher education and careers guidance team is crucial.

As there may need to be a few applications being sent at any one time, would-be apprentices need to be organised and have arranged references with whoever would have written their UCAS reference. An interview will almost certainly form part of the process and practice with family members or teachers will help to build confidence and give a professional image. Apprenticeships, like jobs, are competitive and applicants need to think how they present themselves to others. Whilst exploring what’s on offer, it would be good to speak to those who are undertaking the apprenticeships currently and find out how they went applying.

Once an apprenticeship has been acquired, there are still all those beginning-of-highereducation real life bits of existence to consider like accommodation and budgeting.

For the mature school leaver who doesn’t want to be saddled with student debt, degree apprenticeships offer a vastly exciting option which could set them on a path towards a flourishing career even earlier. independentschoolparent.com

57

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COMMENT STUDENT

VOICE

A PRACTICAL APPROACH JAKE ADAMS, 18, is on a degree apprenticeship at the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. Here, he explains the study-work balance What made you want to apply for a degree apprenticeship?

My impression of many degrees is that they’re almost entirely theoretical. This is something that conflicts with engineering, a vocational subject. I realised this after having not succeeded in getting onto the incredibly theoretical course at Cambridge, I looked around to see where I could learn about the practical applications of the theory I’d learn in lectures.

This led me to Dyson’s door.

Tell us a bit about the application process The process is much more involved than other university applications. Since it’s currently separate from UCAS, you have to apply online, then go through various online assessment stages and a phone interview until a final assessment day with other final-round candidates.

Overall, it’s not meant to be easy, but if you enjoy the more practical approach to engineering then the challenges at each stage are very much worth the undertaking.

What A-levels did you take?

I took maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.

The Dyson Institute set the requirements: an A in maths, an A in another STEM subject and a B in any other A-level.

Compared to other degrees

Jake wanted to enrol on a course which would give him both a practical and theoretical education

included meeting our line managers (and making pizza with them), and dealing with a lot of the inevitable admin.

We had some introductory lectures from Warwick (who currently awards the degree apprenticeship), at their campus and at Dyson, to get us up to speed with how the studying happens.

Where do you live?

As first years we live in the pods. Quite frankly, we’re spoilt with our accommodation.

They’re rather large modular structures stacked on top of each other with ensuites, a shared kitchen between nine of us and two communal spaces.

I was applying for this was a significantly lower offer, however, the Dyson Institute rigorously assesses your capability and potential during the recruitment process.

How did you find out about it?

When I was looking around for alternatives to a typical university course, a friend told me that they were applying for this degree apprenticeship.

After some research, I felt it was worth a try.

Do you have any tips?

First of all, do what you can to make and create. The workplace favours creative people who are willing to try and find a solution, even if they don’t have as much knowledge. Similarly, keep

track of what you’re doing and learning along the way – this is the essence of personal development, which is a key skill to have here.

What have your first few weeks been like?

Since we wear three hats: employees, students and apprentices, getting up to speed with our responsibilities and expectations took most of the first month. There’s no denying that it was a very tiring time! The first week was New Talent Week, with all of the new “Early Careers” Dyson employees learning more about the company and its values. Following this, we had a Dyson Institute Week more focused on our specific place in the company, which

What are they like?

Everyone does tend to have overlapping interests. For example, at home I’m the only one of my friends who has some form of a workshop, but on the first day here I saw people arriving with drills and soldering irons. Also, since we’ve committed to a course that’s new, it’s clear how much passion there is for the subject.

Anything else?

One question I’ve been asked is whether there’s any implication to stay with Dyson. The answer is always: no. If we graduate with a 2:1 or higher with a suitable level of performance then there’s a job offer, but there’s no requirement for graduates to stay.

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COMMENT

MY

APPRENTICESHIP

LEGAL ARRANGEMENT HARRY ARNISON, 18 is an apprentice solicitor at Oakwood Solicitors, Leeds.

Working while studying means he will qualify with hands-on experience What made you want to apply for an apprenticeship?

The apprenticeship offered a practical route that I found really enticing. Studying a law degree at university means you graduate with hardly any experience of a solicitor’s work. Skills like time recording, even simpler aspects such as email etiquette, are best refined on the job and by the end of my apprenticeship – when I receive my degree – I will have six years’ experience.

I’m being paid to study. A full 20 per cent of your paid hours as an apprentice are dedicated to your degree. I have one day a week out of the office for study, plus the two-year training contract is included. To me the apprenticeship option was a no brainer. No debt. A wage.

A degree. Don’t mind if I do.

How easy a process was it?

I applied through BPP, whose online application process was very straightforward and simple to use. BPP asked for references, passport photos, A-level predictions and GCSE grades alongside all my relevant personal information.

I could check on the status of my application at any time and queries were quickly resolved online or over the phone.

What A-levels did you take?

I took psychology, English language and history at The Grammar School at Leeds

How long does it take to qualify as a solicitor through the apprenticeship pathway?

Depending on the provider, five to six years. I’m studying to Master’s level, whereas some apprenticeships only teach up to degree level.

Harry will be studying law to Master’s level

(GSAL). BPP required BBC or 128 UCAS points, which I feel is surprisingly attainable when compared with most university law courses, which require a minimum of ABB. How did you find out about the apprenticeship?

After doing my own research, I consulted careers guidance staff at GSAL, who saw the apprenticeship as an excellent pathway to a legal career.

They helped me find the work placement at Oakwood Solicitors, during which I enquired about the law apprenticeship. The firm had never been involved in the apprenticeship programme before, and I was so honoured when they offered me this opportunity with them.

What was your work experience placement like?

I spent my work experience week with the clinical negligence team and they helped me with live cases in an over-the-shoulder manner which I find I learn best in.

What kind of tasks were you given on work experience?

Though, like all solicitors, I did my fair share of pagination, I was also given live cases to deal with. I would review medical records and piece together a medical history relevant to a client’s injuries.

I then cross-referenced this medical history with the client’s account of events to look for inconsistencies and assess whether the claim was worth pursuing.

Do you have any tips?

Do work experience at more than one firm to find one you like. Making a good impression in your placement could be all it takes to be offered one of these soughtafter apprenticeships. Having shown the firm that you’re willing to work hard and efficiently should put you ahead of other applicants from the start.

What have your first few weeks been like?

It’s been brilliant; I’ve learned lots working in the road traffic accident department with hugely experienced colleagues. I’ve drafted court documents, done medical précis documents and spoken on the phone with clients, third party solicitors and insurers. I’ve done face-to-face interviews and have helped issue court proceedings.

Plans for the future?

I’m at the law firm for the next six years working away at my degree, but when I finish I hope to become a solicitor at Oakwood – after a belated gap year to go travelling!

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YEAR OUT

How to have the time of your life If you’re taking a gap year, planned or otherwise, make the most of your time off so it adds weight to your CV, writes MILLY WHITEHEAD of The Leap Overseas

T

aking a gap year is one of the most debated topics for those in Year 13 who are embarking on university choices and the all-consuming UCAS form.

Do I, should I, are my friends, what should I do? Unsurprisingly our phone lines are pretty busy at this time of year.

Deferring a place, is of course, a risk – but, in our opinion, one worth taking, as there’s no other time in your life when a gap year is possible – after uni, you’ll feel the race for employment and be bored of living on a shoestring – after that, dream on, life gets busy.

However, once a university has said ‘yes’ and given you the golden travel ticket, do it, get planning and consider the following…

Plan but don’t commit. Year 13 is all about research and delving deep into the most random opportunities you can possibly find BUT don’t over-commit. The new A-levels are still bottoming out and the marking system is taking everyone by surprise. This year alone we found that 10 per cent of our volunteers didn’t get what they needed and had to change their plans accordingly. If you want to book something, make sure you put a tiny deposit down until results day.

Make the most of this gift of time. Don’t squander it playing FIFA and hanging out on the sofa. Be ambitious with your plans and challenge yourself into the slightly uncomfortable zone. Don’t let your friends

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influence your choices; be true to yourself and follow your own dreams. With good planning you can even travel alone: technology is on your side, so you can meet up with friends or make new ones, so have confidence in yourself.

Travel responsibly. You’re a generation of eco-warriors who want to make a difference to our planet, so factor these values into your gap-year planning. Fly to one continent to limit your carbon footprint and include a phase of contribution in your itinerary. Our turtle, lemur and reef projects are currently the most popular, as you can make an immediate difference in a short time period.

Budget. Don’t let money prevent you from taking a gap year. Work backwards, writing down everything you want to do, plus your flights to work out a plausible budget. At this point, the most important thing is to not freak out. Work out how much you could realistically raise by working every hour of the week, (the average student gets paid about £8 per hour) …then work out how many weeks you need to work to earn the funds required.

As a basic rule of thumb, the average gapper spends about £200 in Asia, £300 in South America and £450 in Australia for basic living per week. Often looking at preorganised programmes works out cheaper in the long run as all food, board and activities are included.

If you’re wanting to look at organised programmes, do your research. Make sure they are who they say they are. Ask about

safety procedures, risk assessments and group size: it’s all in the detail. A great place to start is the Year Out Group, which does its due diligence by recommending the best UK gap year providers around.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK YOUR…

• Insurance. Don’t skimp, make sure it includes repatriation and will pay hospital bills upfront.

• Visas. Know the requirements for every country you might visit before you leave home.

• Injections. Research what you really need and what you want before visiting the doctor.

• Packing list. Research the weather extremes before you leave home. Africa and South America can get very cold.

• And…. you get what you pay for. Never has this been truer than when travelling. Research everything before you book.

There are lots of scams offering volunteering projects and accommodation, so stay savvy to not fall victim to these schemes.

• Budget: Average travel spend is £300 per week.

YEAR OUT

Volunteering on a conservation project is really worthwhile

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

Never has this been truer than when travelling, RESEARCH EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU BOOK

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63

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GAP YEAR

MY GAP YEAR

GAPPIE HAPPY KATIE TUSON, 18 is taking a year out to work at Windlesham House Prep School, West Sussex before studying a degree in English literature What is a ‘gappie’ and why did you want to spend time being one?

At Windlesham House School ‘gappies’ are often referred to as ‘junior teachers, as we support the teaching staff throughout the day.

I’ve always wanted to go into teaching, therefore spending my gap year getting experience in a school made perfect sense.

You’ve just left school, did you really want to go back quite so soon?

Embarrassingly, yes! I was always known for loving school, and in our leavers’ year book I was voted ‘most likely to return as a teacher’!

I was ready to leave when I finished A-levels as I wanted to escape where I’d been for so long, but I knew I’d miss the school environment and closeknit community.

So you didn’t find it hard going back?

No, I love it! I find it really interesting being on the other side of it all, as a staff member, not a pupil.

How will this help you in your degree course and career you want to pursue?

By the end of my time at school I was a bit fed up of studying, however I know that after a year out I’ll be excited and ready to learn again when starting my degree in English

Katie has always known that she wanted to be a teacher, so this gap year is a perfect fit

is taking the initiative - seeing what needs to be done and getting on with it without being asked. For example, helping a child who looks upset or tidying up a messy noticeboard!

literature at Manchester this September. This experience at a top prep school will also look great on my CV when I apply for teaching jobs (or any other career). More importantly, my communication skills have really improved and I feel I have matured a lot.

for the teacher; this is the perfect job for someone who loves laminating and guillotining (bits of paper)!

Afternoons are spent on the sports fields and we often work in the dormitories in the evenings, where I’m on hand to help with pastoral care.

Do you get paid?

Yes, we get paid a monthly wage and we don’t have to pay for accommodation or food. A lot of my money is going towards travelling; I’ve already explored Cardiff, Brussels, Cologne, Berlin and Porto with the money I’ve earnt so far!

What are the pupils like?

The pupils are amazing. We have children from a variety of different nationalities, cultures and backgrounds and it is wonderful to see them all interact with each other. The children always cheer me up when I’m feeling a bit down.

A lot of them view us like older brothers and sisters and look up to us.

What’s a normal day like?

Typically, my days start with Years 3 and 4, reading with them and helping out those struggling in the class. I also act as an extra pair of hands

Do you ever have to go beyond the call of duty?

If you want to do the job well, then yes! A lot of what we do

Do you enjoy it?

I love it. I enjoy the routine and mix of different things that I’m involved in, along with the constant interaction with both staff and pupils. I also work and live alongside four Australians who have really influenced my outlook on life and encouraged me to travel. The entire experience has been so rewarding so far and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Was there anything that was unexpected in your role?

I was quite overwhelmed by having a full-time job and everything that comes with it at first, but the Windlesham staff were very understanding and helped me out. After two weeks I felt like I’d been here forever!

Anything else?

I’d recommend applying to be a ‘gappie’ to any outgoing and motivated person who is considering taking a gap year. It’s an amazing experience for the future and I know I will start university as an independent person, capable of taking on challenging situations.

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WORK

First-hand experience of the workplace is invaluable

PREPARING FOR THE WORKPLACE

Internships and work experience placements are part of any savvy student’s CV, as it means they can get stuck in to the thrills and spills of the working world for the first time, writes CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS 66

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67

WORK

N

o potential employer is ever going to have a problem with a candidate whose CV glistens with A*s at A-level or a top-class degree. Increasingly, however, recruiters are looking for something extra – applicants who have first-hand experience of the workplace, gained during placements while they’re still at school or college. In addition to highlighting academic achievements, today’s stand-out CVs will more than likely feature a host of employer-friendly skills that give school leavers the edge when they’re applying for competitive jobs or courses.

Soft and hard skills

Candidates will demonstrate mastery of socalled hard skills (an understanding of the nut and bolts aspects of business-like technology or logistics). But it’s the soft skills – the ability to communicate with others, fit into a team, adapt and be flexible – that really count.

While AI is predicted to take over many

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jobs, soft skills are – for the foreseeable future – something machine learning has yet to master. As a result, they’re highly valued.

A recent survey by the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award found that candidates with good soft skills have a better chance of being hired in the first place and are more likely to be promoted once they’re on the payroll.

Work experience and internships are the most common types of student placement.

Which one students opt for will depend largely on where they are in their educational journey, as Nicola Wilberforce, Director of Progression Guidance at Esher College, an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ state sixth form college, explains: “In the UK education system, the term ‘work experience’ has typically referred to one or two weeks that a student spends in a workplace, often in Year 10 or 11 if they’re at school, and usually in Year 12 if they’re at college or in the sixth form. An internship is usually a longer

period of time, anything from a month, six weeks even up to a whole year. Because of the time interval, it usually refers to older students who are either having gap years, doing sandwich placements or working in their long university summer holidays.”

Tap into your uni network

Some universities make a big feature of their links with employers. At Bournemouth, for example, every student working towards a degree with honours can opt for a placement as part of their course and the university helps them with applications to blue-chip firms such as IBM, PWC, Apple, Siemens, Nintendo and The Walt Disney Corporation.

At sixth form level, getting work experience sorted out is often a joint effort involving

WORK St Marys will make initial contact with work-experience providers for its pupils

Gordonstoun offers students the opportunity to train as fire fighters – and respond to real emergencies

reflecting the popularity of STEM-related careers at the school.

SO WHAT’S AN INTERNSHIP LIKE?

Putting it into practice

While St Mary’s makes the initial contact with local companies to gauge their willingness to offer work experience, it’s up to the girls to secure the placement – honing those soft skills as part of the process. “The student has to send a CV and cover letter to the company and may have to attend an interview to secure the work placement,” says Kate Mead, Head of Careers.

Some schools have taken a rather more leftfield approach to work experience by creating

Jade Holden, 21, who’s studying for a degree in public relations at Bournemouth University is spending her third year as one of 200 interns at Disney’s London offices.

Jade completed Disney’s own application page in November 2018; she heard back in January that she’d made it through to the next stage and was offered the role just 20 minutes after her interview. As the digital and social marketing intern, she’s spent four months at Disney and will be at National Geographic, also part of the company, for the rest of her placement year.

She says she’s loving her time there, and the experience is helping in “so many ways, growing everything from my confidence to presentation skills”.

Highlights include attending the 20th anniversary performance of The Lion King musical and talks from speakers like presenter Reggie Yates.

There are also lots of opportunities to get to know her fellow interns.

How did Jade clinch the internship?

“Although grades are important, I believe Disney looks for personality and enthusiasm,” she says. “They’d be working with you every day, so they need to get on with you.”

WOULD-BE DOCTORS OR VETS may need

placements working in GP or veterinary practices – SOMETHING THAT CAN TAKE

CONSIDERABLE EFFORT TO ORGANISE

imaginative home-grown initiatives that bring work experience in house – and benefit not just the students but the community as a whole.

Claires Court School in Berkshire has developed a unique childcare programme that provides pupils from Year 11 upwards with work experience, offers paid work and formal training (including the chance to gain a childcare level 3 qualification) from Year 12 and acts as a much-needed resource for local working parents. It can even help would-be teachers gain vital experience that gets them into their desired career. “My executive head teacher started as a gap year student here,” says James Wilding, Academic Principal and Head

s

the college, student and sometimes family and friends as well. Would-be doctors or vets may need placements working in GP or veterinary practices – something that can take considerable effort to organise.

Schools go the extra mile – and then some – by way of support. Girls in Year 12 at St Mary’s School Cambridge are offered work experience placements – normally lasting a week during school holidays – as well as regular after school or weekend volunteering opportunities. Work experience is carefully planned to match pupil’s aspirations and placements with Addenbrooke’s Hospital, engineering software and pharmaceutical companies all feature,

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WORK

IN AN ERA OF HIGHLY-STRUCTURED WORK-PLACEMENT PROGRAMMES, students may wonder if earning extra cash THROUGH PART-TIME JOBS IS STILL VALUED. ABSOLUTELY, SAY THEIR SCHOOLS of Senior Boys.

The scheme is now the biggest provider of holiday childcare in the area, catering – on busy days – for up to 240 three to 13-yearolds. “It’s popular with sixth formers because it immediately gives them the earning power, either with us or with other organisations that are looking for people who are appropriately trained in childcare,” says James Wilding.

Something unique

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

And if you were singling out the most unusual scheme around, Gordonstoun would certainly make the shortlist. In addition to offering more conventional work experience – including placements for potential medics through the local NHS Doctor at Work programme – the school’s long-standing service programme includes the chance to train as a firefighter and respond to real emergencies – the school has its own Fire and Rescue Service Station in the grounds, complete with real fire engines.

While the fire engine service is part of the school curriculum – so not technically ‘work experience’ – employers don’t seem to mind,

says the school. “Many of our former pupils tell us that their volunteer work made a big difference when they came to apply for jobs.”

The skills that students acquire through work experience and internships don’t just enhance their CV: they can also be a real eye-opener. Seeing how teams plan and work together, talk to customers, overcome problems and take on responsibility can all help to bridge the gap from childhood to life as an adult.

A week versus a year

The major difference is that because internships last up to a year, compared with the week or so provided by work experience, students get a more immersive, in-depth involvement.

Internees are also often paid. Students on work experience aren’t – though if they stand out, they may end up with an invitation to return – on the payroll this time.

Just how much students gain from the experience will be down to their enthusiasm and willingness to get involved. Employers’ attitudes, too, are key. An effective placement should be about more than getting on first

name terms with the pot plants, the kettle and the photocopier. At Esher College, some students are placed with a design agency that briefs them to create new logo for a client and present it during the week they’re there. “These are the best sort of placements, where the student has got something meaningful to do as a project,” Nicola Wilberforce explains.

In an era of highly-structured work placement programmes, students may wonder if earning extra cash through part-time jobs is still valued. Absolutely, say their schools. A high proportion of Esher College students earn extra cash by working in retail and hospitality (Twickenham Rugby Stadium and Sandown are both close by). “You’re dealing with the public and having to work on all those soft skills that are so highly valued by employers,” says Nicola Wilberforce.

So the message to students is clear. Rise up and embrace the work ethic. You’ve everything to gain and nothing to lose – bar the occasional lie-in, that is.

HOW TO FIND THAT PLACEMENT

Start your search with these useful links • Health Education England (North West) provides a really useful guide on how sixth formers can apply for work experience at a GP practice.

It includes a list of local surgeries that take students, and helpful advice on how students can make the most of the experience on their UCAS applications – highlighting not just where they went, but what they learned. www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/sixthform-placements • The Brokerage is a London-based charity and gives Year 13 pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to apply for internships in firms including some top City organisations. www.thebrokerage. org.uk/forms/contact-us • Twitter is a great source of loads of work experience opportunities, updates, news and views with frequent updates. twitter.com/ hashtag/workexperience?lang=en • Bournemouth University www.bournemouth.ac.uk/study/ undergraduate/placements www.bournemouth.ac.uk/study/ courses/ba-hons-businessmanagement-marketing

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WORK

When I… DROPPED OUT OF UNI When ABIGAIL SPOONER, 24, embarked on a degree, she soon realised that student life wasn’t for her. Here, she explains what she did next…

A

five-year modern languages degree at the University of St Andrews was exactly what I’d strived for throughout my sixth form studies. I took French, Spanish and maths for my A-levels and simply picking my best subjects seemed like the logical next step. Unfortunately, the joy of receiving an offer from my first-choice university didn’t live up to my expectations.

From day one, my intensive course became all-consuming and the Scottish system of studying a third subject in your first year (I chose economics) only added to the constant pressure to work hard and succeed. Rather than enjoying life as a fun-loving fresher, I felt overwhelmed with stress, unfulfilled by my course and homesick for the entirety of year one. I was lucky to have the support of good friends and loving parents. However, upon returning for my second year, I realised I just couldn’t do it.

The thought of leaving filled me with dread. What would people think? Why would I throw away a hard-earned degree? What would I do next? As a determined (and slightly stubborn) individual, I never saw myself as someone who would “dropout” of university. However, sometimes you have to focus on your own happiness and take that leap of faith.

Returning to the comfort

Abi decided to pursue her passion for cooking – and hasn’t looked back

I NEVER SAW MYSELF AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD “drop out” of university. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON YOUR OWN HAPPINESS of home was initially a huge weight off my shoulders. Then, the anxiety began to creep back in as I felt lost exploring alternative career paths. I was conscious that I ought to be looking into another academic qualification, but what I longed to do was pursue my passion for cookery. It wasn’t necessarily what my high-achieving school, or my family, would have imagined me doing, but food was constantly on my mind. I applied to study a Cordon Bleu diploma at

cookery school and worked in a National Trust café to save up until my course started the following September.

Donning my chef whites and cooking every day resulted in a fantastic year.

I learnt a huge amount of practical skills and was able to unleash my creativity, as opposed to following a rigidly academic degree in which essays were the bane of my life. It was my dream to work for a food magazine and I spent six months after my course doing work experience

for various publications.

The creative industries can be fiercely competitive, so when an internship came up at Sainsbury’s Magazine, I jumped at the opportunity. My five months there turned out to be the perfect foot in the door, as I then applied for, and successfully gained, the role of Food Assistant. Everything was slotting into place.

I now cook, eat and develop recipes for a living. As an obsessive foodie, I can’t think of a better working environment, whether I’m trialling recipes in our test kitchen, brainstorming new ideas for future issues or writing editorial for the magazine. Not to mention the perks of road-testing new restaurants and attending food events (it’s a tough life!).

Looking back on my sixthform self, I perhaps would have explored other options rather than believing that to succeed, you must go to university. With more and more people now going onto Higher Education, a degree doesn’t necessarily fast-track you into a job. In fact, many alternative qualifications will get you on to the career ladder more quickly, and without the extortionate debt.

At the time, I didn’t need convincing that university was the right path for me, but things don’t always work out the way you intended. It can take time to find your feet, but I followed my instincts and it turns out a little determination does go a long way after all.

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WORK

MY UNI, MY CAREER We caught up with five graduates to find out how their degree helped them into the world of work

Ben Millar, 24 Physiotherapist, Cardiff University

Kirti Mehta, 30 Senior Manager, Technology Risk & Assurance at Lloyds Banking, University of Bristol My interest in the ancient world evolved into a love of Latin and Ancient Greek while at Putney High School.

It was an obvious choice to study classics at Bristol, where I spent three wonderful years immersed in literature, language and history. I graduated with a first-class degree and joined the Deloitte graduate scheme in enterprise risk services. Here, I qualified as a chartered accountant, gained exposure to the world of technology risk and built a foundation in business skills. My next move was to luxury label, Burberry, where I applied my experience in a highly digital environment.

From there, it was digital banking at Lloyds Banking Group. I’m now working in the office of the Chief Operating Officer and gaining wider experience of banking.

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I’ve played competitive sport from the age of seven, so periods of my childhood were spent with physiotherapists rehabilitating from injuries.

The combination of the two stemmed my interest in the human body. To become a physiotherapist, you have to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy (BSc).

I left Millfield in 2014 and gained my degree from Cardiff University. Knowing the theory is one thing but applying it to clinical scenarios is quite another. Throughout my time at university, I had multiple clinical placements.

These ranged from working with elite sports teams to Care of the Elderly rehabilitation in community hospitals.

Adapting assessments and I left Cardiff and commenced my junior rotations within the National Health Service at a large hospital soon after. After spending 20 months rotating in different specialties, I’ve just started a new role as a senior physiotherapist specialising in musculoskeletal conditions.

Yasmin Jones-Henry, 27 Journalist, The Financial Times, University of Birmingham At 16 I was extremely ambitious, but unsure of the career path I wanted to take. I chose to take my A-levels in English, history and economics and the time I spent in Sixth Form at St Margaret’s School in Bushey, Hertfordshire really opened doors for me. I participated in extracurricular activities such as Young Enterprise and completed my LAMDA Gold Acting Solo Award. St Margaret’s was essentially a safe space in which to build strong friendships, explore, make mistakes and take risks, equipping me with the skills I needed to succeed at Birmingham, my next stop.

I graduated with a joint honours degree in classics and English literature. Classics has really helped me progress in my career because what it taught translates into other areas including economics, which is a fundamental part of my day job: writing for the Financial Times as a national newspaper journalist.

Adam Rimmer, 31 Entrepreneur, Natural Sciences, University of Cambridge Science had always fascinated me and I chose the Cambridge course because of its breadth.

After graduating I found RMS, a California-based company that builds computer models of hurricanes, earthquakes and other catastrophes for insurance companies. The perfect blend of science and finance, that’s where my career began.

After five years at RMS, a colleague and I left to set up FloodFlash. FloodFlash takes an idea we had seen in reinsurance (something called parametric insurance, where pay-out is based on some measured event rather than cost of damage) and turns it into a mass-market product.

We’re providing affordable coverage in the highest-risk areas around the world for the first time – and none of it would be happening without the training and inspiration I received at both Stamford School and university.

WORK

Ellie Judd, 24 Medical Writer, Biology, UCL

Ellie worked in the fashion Edmund and his co-founder industry before returning Flore descience Taisne to her first love,

I came into my job as a Medical Writer at Real Science, a medical communications agency, from a somewhat unconventional background.

From day one I was sure it had been the right move, and a year on I’m still sure it was the right decision.

After leaving Benenden School in Kent I studied biology at University College London and, like many others at the time, struggled to decide what I should do afterwards as a career. I hoped that I’d ‘find myself’ while doing a bit of backpacking around Asia and Russia.

I’ve always had a passion for creating things, mostly making clothes, and so set out to try to combine the analytical and logical skills I had learned at UCL. And so I used my creativity by working in the fashion industry. That was fun for a while, but I found myself missing the world of science and being up to date with new research. I wanted to work on something that I felt was meaningful, where I could be a part of something that has an impact on patients.

I stumbled across medical writing and was immediately excited by the prospect of it: here I could use my creativity and keep up to date with new research, and use all the scientific knowledge that I’d learned at UCL. There aren’t many other people I know who use their degree on a daily basis, and it feels great to know that the years I’ve spent studying have enabled me to take on this job.

I get to learn new things every day, stay at the forefront of scientific news, create really important and useful content, and whatismore I get paid a salary for it, so I’m pretty sure I’m doing the job of my dreams! What more could anyone ask for? independentschoolparent.com

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APPRENTICESHIPS

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The apprenticeship has undergone a 21st century makeover, shaking off the age-old perception that it’s only a path for entering a trade, says ANDREA SCOTT Head of Careers and EPQ at The Grammar School at Leeds 76

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APPRENTICESHIPS

A

lthough apprenticeship training models have been around for centuries, they have only become established as a route to a professional career since the turn of the millennium.

Some major financial companies led the way, introducing school leaver schemes to combat an apparent lack of employability skills among graduates. Then, in 2015 the government launched the new apprenticeship scheme to broaden access to professions and meet the needs of the workplace, funded by a levy on large employers.

New apprenticeships offer a structured programme of work and study with at least 20 per cent of time allocated to study.

Intermediate and advanced apprenticeships require applicants to be educated to at least GCSE level. Higher apprenticeships are Level 4 qualifications, equivalent to the first or second year of a degree, and expect at least two A-levels or the equivalent BTEC diploma.

Degree apprenticeships lead to a full honours

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degree and have entry requirements similar to those of many universities: three A-levels or BTECs at high grades.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is responsible for quality assurance, and their website shows over 300 apprenticeship standards approved or in the pipeline, at Level 4 or above. These cover a huge range of occupations within law, business and finance, as well as engineering, construction, digital technology, health and many more.

Have you got what it takes?

Sally Everist, editor of The Good Schools Guide’s directory of degree apprenticeships, advises us to think of apprenticeships as “earning with learning”. She cautions that it’s not a way of life for the faint-hearted, due to the rigours of studying for a degree alongside a day job.

In my own experience as head of careers, I concur that apprenticeships are not for

everyone. The young person must be ready for the world of work, possess the maturity and resilience to turn up on time and well presented every day, ready to give their best efforts and interact positively with both clients and colleagues.

Anyone who thinks apprenticeships are second class to university need only look at what it takes to apply. The popular programmes may have more than a hundred applications per place – which are whittled down through a multi-stage selection process, usually involving an exhaustive application form, psychometric testing, assessment centres and interviews.

Employers want their apprentices to show determination, curiosity and initiative, and navigating the application process certainly

APPRENTICESHIPS As well as earning a wage, apprentices aren’t liable for their own tuition fees

The average starting salary for higher apprentices is £18,000

for the role. Finally, even if it’s a telephone interview, stand tall and wear a suit!

Work experience is a great way to find out whether you’re ready for the workplace and could even land you an offer. A local law firm was so impressed by our placement student Harry Arnison (read about his apprenticeship on page 61) that they set up their first ever apprenticeship programme specifically for him, enabling him to begin training as a solicitor after his A-levels last year.

The appeal of apprenticeships

In this era of tuition fees and student loans,

EMPLOYERS WANT THEIR APPRENTICES

to show determination, curiosity and initiative, and navigating the application process certainly

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

PROVES POSSESSION OF THESE ATTRIBUTES

proves possession of these attributes. You can find advice and opportunities on the gov.uk website, the UCAS website and many others such as Amazing Apprenticeships, Not Going To Uni and High Fliers. Follow companies in your chosen sector on Twitter – they may advertise openings this way and it’ll give you a head start with the in-depth employer research that’s essential for each application.

When you’re invited for selection tests and interviews, research and prepare thoroughly.

Employers may produce their own guidance, such as PWC’s Employability Guide. Practise your answers and think about scenarios that will illustrate your experience and suitability

the appeal of an apprenticeship is clear – it’s a superb opportunity to gain a degree and, in some cases, professional qualifications without running up huge debts. The apprentice will enjoy a wage and employee benefits, plus support and mentoring at work and, crucially, will not be liable for their own tuition fees. The median starting salary for higher apprentices is £18,000, and may be considerably higher in London, up to £28,000 (figures from Third Way Conference, June 2019).

Apprentices develop the employability lacked by many graduates fresh out of university. Josh Port left GSAL in 2018 and is on the KPMG Business Services 3600

apprenticeship programme. (Read more about Josh on page 80). Josh feels that the opportunities are second to none – he has six-month rotations round the business, giving him the chance to find out where his strengths lie and gain experience that will inform his future career choices. He hopes to stay on at KPMG, but if he has to look elsewhere his CV will rival those of many new graduates.

Like many potential apprentices, Josh was worried about missing out on university social life. His firm’s induction programme soon put his mind at rest; he met apprentices from across the UK and regularly socialises with his peers in the London office. He even says: “I’m essentially a student with money!”

Apprenticeships are here to stay

Future labour market challenges including skills shortages and an ageing workforce have focused minds on recruitment and retention of the best staff. Large employers pay the apprenticeship levy, which is refunded if they offer apprenticeship programmes. These issues make a compelling business case for apprenticeships, which also have cross-party political support, given their potential for increasing workplace diversity and improving social mobility.

We have our part to play as teachers and careers leaders too. Our duty is to prepare young people for life after school by ensuring they understand all the options open to them, including alternatives to university. With our support, students can make informed choices and achieve their ambitions in whichever way is right for them. independentschoolparent.com

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COMMENT

MY

APPRENTICESHIP

STRICTLY BUSINESS JOSH PORT, 19, is an apprentice at KPMG. He chose an apprenticeship over university after a week of work experience with the firm Why did you apply for an apprenticeship?

I had always assumed I would apply to uni. However the fastpaced working environment I encountered on my week’s work experience with KPMG changed my mind. I’m on the two-year KPMG Business Services 360° apprenticeship programme, which offers four six-month rotations in different areas of the business as well as the opportunity to study for a Level 3 Business Administration NVQ (20 per cent of the working week is dedicated to study).

How did you apply for it?

The first stage was online, where you submit your CV and answer questions about your previous experience, values and why KPMG would be right for you. If you were successful you would be invited to the London office, for a written assessment testing your ability in different scenarios and an interview designed to test your competencies and ability to hold a conversation about things other than work.

What qualifications did you take? Did KPMG stipulate entry requirements?

I took A-levels in government and politics, business studies and economics at The Grammar School at Leeds.

KPMG specifies a minimum of five GCSE passes including maths and English language.

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Josh moved from Leeds to London to undertake the KPMG apprenticeship

How did you find out about the apprenticeship?

After deciding I wanted an alternative to university, I looked online for advice and talked to the school’s careers team. Having done work experience at KPMG already made it the obvious first choice, and happily my application was successful.

What has your first year with KPMG been like?

It has superseded all of my expectations, with so many opportunities in such a short space of time at this stage of my career. The programme is called 360° because it allows you to rotate round the business, with four rotations of six months in different teams. I’ve joined teams I

never knew existed, dismissed departments I thought sounded cool but in fact weren’t for me and overall, it’s really helped me to find out where my strengths lie. When it comes to specialising in one team, if I am offered a job, I’ll be in a well-informed position to make that decision.

Do you have any tips for current sixth formers thinking about alternatives to uni?

Be open minded and take every opportunity that’s thrown at you. It may not sound right for you but if you explore a little further you may find the perfect thing to challenge you, take you out of your comfort zone and build you as an individual. This attitude will propel you much

more quickly than sitting back and just doing what’s asked of you.

It’s only natural to worry that you might miss out on the student social life. I’m not shy to say that moving away from my friends and family in Leeds at the age of 18, and living on my own in London was daunting as well as exciting. KPMG put on an incredible induction week in the Cotswolds, where around 180 new apprentices came together. Activities that took place during the week were designed to help you form bonds with the rest of the new intake, which made coming into the office for the first time far less intimidating knowing that I’d bump into familiar faces and had people to talk to if I felt lost. We go out after work, go to events and festivals, booked holidays; I’m essentially a student with considerably more money!

Plans for the future?

I would love to stay on at KPMG – the opportunities are second to none, with a broad scope of roles. There’s a real family atmosphere here, with an eclectic mix of diverse and driven individuals. Also, KPMG have more than 20 offices across the UK and operate in more than 150 countries worldwide, so secondments and transfers are possible, which might not be on offer in a smaller organisation.

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COMMENT

TREND SETTERS The British Fashion Council’s new apprenticeship aims to equip young talent with a practical skillset that combines creativity and commercial nous BFC ambassadors David Beckham and Adwoa Aboah attended the apprenticeship launch

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THIS NEW APPRENTICESHIP STARTS IN THE HEART OF a designer business: the studio, TO LEARN HOW A COLLECTION IS CREATED new Fashion Studio Apprenticeship.”

For employers, apprenticeships enable them to train individuals in the workplace, developing their own talent that directly fills business needs, often leading to increased employee retention rates. For the apprentices, it offers opportunities for those who would rather not, or could not, study further education as they’re able to learn while in employment. The cumulative benefits to the industry are even greater: it enables the industry to attract new talent, ultimately improving productivity.

The Fashion Studio Apprenticeship is part of the BFC’s Education Pillar, which gives young people a clear understanding of how to train for a plethora of industry roles within the creative industries. Apprentices are aged 16 or older and are combining work with studying to gain skills and knowledge in a specific job.

Apprentices are paid at least the minimum

assessment that has been derived by industry experts in this field.

Ambassadorial president David Beckham and positive fashion ambassador Adwoa Aboah play an integral part in inspiring a young audience from different backgrounds to consider arts education and the creative industries when making decisions about their vocational future.

“Fashion is an industry that should be open to everyone - no matter what their background is or where they are from,” commented David Beckham, BFC ambassadorial president. “I hope that this new apprenticeship programme from the BFC will give even more kids the chance to thrive and be creative. We have such an amazing fashion industry in this country, it’s something we should really be proud of and protect.” www.britishfashioncouncil.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY: TIMWHITBYPHOTOGRAPHER.PHOTOSHELTER.COM

T

he British Fashion Council (BFC), as part of its Education Strategy, has launched a new Fashion Studio Apprenticeship.

This is the government’s 400th new approved for use apprenticeship and is designed by a group of fashion employers, together with the BFC. Talent is key in fashion, not just design talent, which is traditionally developed through fashion and arts degrees, but also through skilled workers and business leaders that are vital to fashion’s ecosystem. The creation of new apprenticeships is instrumental in supporting the future of the industry.

“It is incredible to be able to support career opportunities for young people who might not want to pursue higher education,” said Caroline Rush, BFC chief executive. “There are a lot of roles out there that need to be filled by skilled workers; the fashion industry is highly dependent on those roles and we hope that this will strengthen our industry and make it more accessible by being able to offer this exciting

wage and must work with experienced staff, learn specific skills and study during their working week.

This new apprenticeship starts in the heart of a designer business: the studio, to learn how a collection is created. The fashion studio assistant is a key position in the designer industry, working with the team that creates a collection. For the first six months, the apprentice will complete a foundation which will include core elements of the job role such as critical path management and health & safety measures. This will lead to 12 months in a more focused area of the business, with the apprentice choosing to specialise in one of three pathways: product development and production, sales and operations, fashion marketing and communications. Following on from the 18 months of training the apprentice will undertake an independent end-point

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ARMED FORCES A career in the armed services can be diverse and hugely rewarding

MAY THE FORCES BE WITH YOU A career in the services can equal job satisfaction in spades, writes LIEUTENANT COLONEL DAN CULLEY

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ARMED FORCES

W

hy should pupils leaving school today consider a career, even a short one, in the armed forces? Afghanistan has recently highlighted some of the issues; mortality for one and PTSD another, but despite this the profession continues to prove irresistible for many young men and women. I believe this is due to the many benefits of such an exciting and dynamic career. To lead an interesting challenging life, one that does good, that helps others and enables one to interact with a lot of people at every level while making a real difference in the world today can only offer job satisfaction in spades.

A changing world

It has been said that 85 per cent of jobs in 2030 do not exist today. The concept of this could be fanciful, but even if it were only partly true, the school leavers of today face a very different future, and certainly a more exciting one than that of their parents. The armed forces is experiencing this change and while the cliché “there’s no substitute for boots on the ground” remains true, one only needs to look at what

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the Taliban has done since the Americans and British withdrew from Afghanistan to see that the nature of the Armed Forces’ role is changing rapidly. Only recently General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of The Defence Staff, talked about the traditional concept of battle only being on land, sea and in the air being outdated. “There is still clearly going to be human interaction – warfare is essentially a political function – but it will be much more sophisticated and will include the new domains of space and cyber.”

And this is what makes a career in the armed forces so exciting. A rifleman has an extraordinarily technical armoury to master if he is to be effective; weapon systems are now more complicated, communications busier, the information spectrum broader, other agencies that are involved are more complex, and any action thereafter bears greater consequences: an infanteer (a soldier who is employed in an infantry role) is now in short a highly skilled operator, not to mention an officer for example in the Royal Engineers whose logistical role on the battlefield adds further to his skillset

and resourcefulness. The theatres in which they’re likely to operate are arguably as broad as they were when the British Empire was at its peak too; peacekeeping, disaster relief, anti-poaching, anti-piracy, training foreign armies as well as offensive, defensive and deterrent roles must make these men and women more versatile and more skilled than any of their peers and ahead of their years.

Those leaving independent schools generally seek commissions in the services as officers.

This places further demands on individuals of leadership, decision-making, strategy, winning hearts and minds, the need for compassion and judgement. Any ambitious school leaver looking for a dynamic, stimulating and rewarding career can do a lot worse than look at the services.

Preparing for the unexpected

Heads will quickly point to the broad-minded, mature, competitive and adventurous young men and women they’re developing through

ARMED FORCES The skills learned in the armed forces will be useful in any walk of life

Surviving three days in a snowhole is just one of the CCF’s many self-leadership challenges at Canford

challenges that face our youth. Resilience, leadership, communication, teamwork, pro-activity, initiative are all practised and complemented by other activities here such as the new and innovative self-leadership course run by Ivy House. We present tough challenges and demanding programmes which leave any pupil feeling a real sense of achievement but also learning quickly and effectively.

Asking a 14 year old to ski after three days instruction to venture out on to the wastes of the Hardangervidda to ski 50km and survive in a snowhole over three days is not small beer.

Nor is a challenging self-assessment to enable individuals to identify their super-strengths and their passions, which when combined will then place them in their element and allow them to enjoy their work and thrive. Parents

ANY AMBITIOUS SCHOOL LEAVER LOOKING FOR A dynamic, stimulating and rewarding career CAN DO A LOT WORSE THAN LOOK AT THE SERVICES their co-curricular programmes. And they are right to be proud of this and indeed to prioritise such an education ensuring that academic pressures do not squeeze the lifeblood out of such an important element of our education. Inevitably one will turn to one’s own back yard for the proof in this pudding but many schools boast powerful co-curricular programmes. The CCF at Canford School, Dorset offers a myriad of challenges which will prepare pupils for any walk of life engendering a powerful set of soft skills required for the

are quick to see the benefit and the value in many co-curricular programmes which prepare our young so well.

A career in the services need only be short too. A Sandhurst graduate, or for that matter an officer from Dartmouth or Cranwell (the services’ officer-training academies), with two or three years’ service is still young enough to join any graduate training programme on civvy street, and while he or she may be a year or two behind their other peers who have joined directly from university, the skills

they bring will quickly manifest themselves in any walk of society; banking, consultancy, project management to name a few; and indeed teaching. A life after the services doesn’t have to be operating a security agency for Shell in Nigeria and officers should quickly realise that they’re hugely valuable members of society, both as servicemen and thereafter in any walk of life.

So, as a sixth former considering which career path to take, ask yourself two questions: what satisfaction can I derive from my career and what does my career do for society? The armed forces must come close to the top of any list under any criteria.

Dan Culley is physics teacher and Director of Activities and Outdoor Challenges, Canford School, Dorset. He is a former Royal Engineer.

GETTING STARTED

So how do you find out more about the services?

Each of the services and indeed branches therein; the Army, the Navy and the Royal Marines and of course the Air Force, offer a full spectrum of routes to join with or without a degree and with or without some form of assistance through university.

Diving into the different categories and options is a complex and varied science in itself and I propose to leave that to the Army, Navy and Air Force Liaison Officers linked to each school and the various MoD websites.

Interested pupils should contact their representatives to find out more.

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29/10/2019 12:39

WORK A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…

JOE DALE JOE, 20, is a digital marketing apprentice on Google’s marketing platform team, working with clients to help them succeed with advertising tools I’m responsible for…

As I sit within a specialist team my responsibilities tend to vary. Primarily, I support on Value Solutions projects. This involves building calculators which help to quantify the benefits of a client adopting a new enterprise grade marketing tool, and then communicating results back to businesses.

For example; calculating the cost-savings a client will likely see if they move all their ad spend to Display & Video 360, rather than spreading it across multiple platforms.

Increasingly, CEOs and CMOs want to hear the details of what adopting a new piece of ad-tech or investing in a new digital strategy will achieve.

As a result, this is something we’re working on scaling throughout Google, ensuring all sellers know how to include value calculations when selling ad-tech products or media. Additionally, I’ve taken a project management role on the creation of an internal site to unify our sales process.

Once complete, this will be

Google’s cool offices live up to the hype

Joe ran his own business during his gap year

trip to the Dublin office!

When you’ve only been away for holidays, travelling for business was a new and exciting experience. It gave me the opportunity to meet with new Googlers from across Europe and understand the scale of the company and the range of jobs available.

An average working day for me at Google begins...

When I get to the office for around 9am to have breakfast with the other apprentices. I usually grab a coffee and take it back to my desk to power through some emails. Up until lunch at 12, it’s the standard combination of meetings and working away on my projects.

The afternoon is more of the same, and by 6PM I’ll either head to the gym or the Kings Cross office for dinner!

used by hundreds of Googlers as a go-to resource for how we sell; ultimately helping our teams sell better.

I got my job by…

I came across WhiteHat (a tech startup which provides access to apprenticeships) when searching for great alternatives to university which would let me get my foot in the door with an exciting company and learn from the best. WhiteHat matches you with potential roles based on character profiling, along with taking into account what the candidate wants to do. At the time I was super-impressed by the range of companies WhiteHat worked with, and

the opportunities available.

After being put forward to Google for the Digital Marketing Apprentice role I spent a day interviewing with them and being shown around the offices. Fast forward to a month later and I received a call saying I’d been selected!

The best part of my job is…

Working with so many awesome people on superinteresting projects. Also worth mentioning is that Google completely lives up to the hype: cool offices, great food and loads of events.

My most memorable moment so far has been…

Going on my first business

I chose the apprenticeship route because...

I’ve always been driven by working to hit targets and learning things which actually matter. After running my own business in my gap year, I knew I wanted to learn more about digital marketing, and what better opportunity than to learn from the best? For me, an apprenticeship has been a great opportunity to work for an exciting company, while still getting the support required when you’re new to the world of work. So far I’ve loved it and I’m sure that will only continue. I would absolutely recommend this to a friend!

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WORK A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…

TRISTAN BLAND TRISTAN, 26 works as a club manager at private members’ club Soho House. He attended Les Roches Global Hospitality College in Switzerland and tells us why he loves his job, the Soho House ethos and that it’s really not so bad working the night shift

Tristan studied his degree at Les Roches Bluche in Switzerland

In terms of education…

I went to Shrewsbury School in Dorset and Les Roches Global Hospitality Education where I gained a Bachelor of Business Administration with a specialism in Entrepreneurship in Hospitality Management.

I’m responsible for…

A team of two managers and eight waiters and waitresses at the stunning High Road House in Chiswick, and ensuring that the day-to-day running of the club is up to standard.

I completed a variety of roles across the Soho House group, before taking up a role as Floor Manager and then being promoted to Club Manager here in Chiswick.

I got my job…

Through my degree at Les Roches Bluche. One of the best parts of studying there

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was having access to the careers department and their strong relationship with key employers in the industry.

Soho House, like many other companies from around the world, visited the campus for a presentation, after which they conducted first-round interviews. It was this initial presentation which made me realise that Soho House as a brand would be an ideal fit for me and provide me with excellent development opportunities. The following week I got a call to say I’d been selected for the next round, an assessment day held at the Shoreditch. The following day I had a final interview with the then Head of HR, after which I was offered a place on Soho House’s Management Training scheme.

The best part of my job is…

Two things actually. Firstly, I feel very lucky to have been able to work with and meet some incredibly interesting, diverse and unique individuals.

Soho House also has a fantastic members list; the Les Roches Global Hospitality Education gave Tristan a great foundation in hospitality

people I look after are from all over the world and travel regularly, which means I get a chance to learn something new on every shift. Secondly, I’m able to work within the food and beverage industry, which I find genuinely fascinating. We have such a range of products, suppliers and techniques and there’s always something new to learn and experience each day.

Many people think…

It’s widely acknowledged that hospitality can be a challenging industry – to do well, you do have to commit to some long shifts and a lot of hard work – but the variety is huge. My preferred start time is 6am. I’m able to walk to work and really enjoy the peaceful journey at that hour, and I enjoy being productive before most of the rest of London is awake. However, the evening shift, which means a 3pm start, allows me to have fun running some really bustling and energetic events, as well as enabling me to enjoy a good old dinner service. As a general rule,

when I first arrive for the start of my shift I like do a quick building tour and say hello to the team and check in with everyone to make sure nothing’s amiss. I’ll then plan my day and review the budgets, staffing and briefing points for the rest of the team.

My most memorable moment so far is…

So many things, but underpinning these I have always appreciated that with Soho House I’ve been very well supported by my line managers, who have set me up for promotion by teaching me new skills and showing me a clear progression pathway I could follow. Soho House is, at a fundamental level, all about people. If you’re willing to work hard and put in the hours, but know how to have fun at the same time, they may be the company for you.

Relevant experience is really beneficial – Soho House wants to see that you can put theory into practice and aren’t afraid to get stuck in and support your team when they need it.

Being yourself is important.

It sounds cliché, but we’re looking for individuals with character and personalities.

The hiring managers want to know who you are as a person.

Soho House as a brand is all about individuality and creativity, and that goes for staff not just members.

WORK

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE IS REALLY BENEFICIAL – Soho House wants to see that you can put theory into practice AND AREN’T AFRAID TO GET STUCK IN AND SUPPORT YOUR TEAM WHEN THEY NEED IT Tristan’s university was helpful in giving students access to industry leaders

Tristan knew that he wanted to work in a people-focused industry

I wanted to go into the hospitality sector because…

Going to a school like Shrewsbury meant I was immersed in extracurricular activities from day one which is what really prepared me for my further studies. Although hospitality wasn’t a subject I studied at school, the industry stood out to me as I knew it to be an intrinsically peoplefocused career path. This appealed as I particularly enjoyed the diverse social life and activities that Shrewsbury afforded me – whether you’re in the boarding house or out on the rugby field, you’re surrounded by other people and I wanted to have a longterm career that mirrored that.

I would recommend studying the degree I did as…

I’ve always loved learning about different cuisines and beverages from around the world. Thanks to Les Roches, I was able to start my career in the hospitality industry with a solid background, both academic and practical, which other courses would not have afforded me. Les Roches taught me the full breadth of everything that hospitality encompasses and I’ve been able to apply a lot of my learning to my job. My two semesters of practical experience, working in two very large London hotels in food and beverage-related internships, certainly set me in good stead for my future as a manager.

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Ranked No 2 in the UK for Teaching Quality* Choose discussion.

Choose debate.

Choose community.

Choose Marjon * The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 Rankings published 23 September 2018. Oxford and Cambridge excluded due to low response rates. Based on National Student Survey 2018.

marjon.ac.uk Plymouth Marjon University is a trading name of the University of St Mark & St John

WORK A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…

ELIZABETH MACLENNAN ELIZABETH, 26 is a Programme Manager and Intellectual Property Manager at McMurtry Automotive in Gloucestershire As Programme Manager... I’m responsible for the smooth running of the day-to-day business. I make sure all the projects that we’re working on stay on time and on budget.

To do this, I keep track of how things should be going and check regularly how they’re actually going.

If something’s falling behind or going over budget, I try to solve the problem. For these solutions, I use my engineering background and knowledge in the field to investigate the technical issues. Perhaps we need to change the way we manufacture a part, perhaps we need to consult an external company for expertise, or maybe we can get around the problem by changing the design or the brief.

companies to me. I got an interview at McMurtry after approaching its Managing Director while he was visiting the team on campus.

Elizabeth explains that a degree in engineering can offer a variety of future career options

As Intellectual Property Manager... I’m responsible for the drafting and filing of in ensuring a successful patent applications on behalf application. I’ll often redraft of the company. These are the various application legal documents claiming sections several times. ownership of inventions and, if granted, give the company To be able to do these exclusive rights to them. The jobs... I need to be ruthlessly process starts with capturing organised, excellent at the ideas from engineers and multi-tasking, have good using my technical and legal interpersonal skills and work knowledge to assess their well under pressure. value. Next the application is written and To qualify for figures are these roles... drawn. I proofI went to the read everything University of before its Bath to study submission, Integrated as attention Mechanical She got her job through joining a university to detail is and Electrical Formula team essential Engineering

The best part of my job is… the satisfaction of solving a problem for someone that they thought was insurmountable. Also, working alongside people who love cars as much as me. And spending time with the office dogs, of course!

and graduated with an MEng. Prior to that, I took A-levels and GCSEs at Portsmouth High School GDST. I got my job…through joining a Formula Student team at uni.

While studying engineering I got involved in, and eventually became Team Principal of, the electric Formula Student team, a group of highly motivated, passionate and persevering students who design, build and race an electric car while studying for their degrees.

The team opened up many opportunities and a whole network of automotive and motorsport people and

Many people think... engineering is installing wifi in other people’s homes, or lying on the ground underneath an oily broken car. Engineering is such a broad word; it encompasses thousands of different jobs.

I have friends who design satellites and have sent things they’ve made to space; there are others who teach giant robots to build wings for aeroplanes from superlight materials, and others still who develop the algorithms behind goal-line technology and monitor them at work at some of the most amazing sporting events in the world.

And those are just the people I know! Engineering can be very very exciting.

My most memorable moment so far is… watching some destructive battery testing we conducted to see what temperature the batteries could withstand before they exploded. We overshot it a bit.

It was quite spectacular!

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WORK A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…

KATHLEEN BEECHAM KATHLEEN, 21, is a communications apprentice at Publicis Media London, looking after the agency’s social engagement platforms I work in the communications team at Publicis Media, which is made up of several agency brands including Starcom, Zenith, Digitas, Spark Foundry, Blue 449 and Performics. My official title is Communications Apprentice, but within my team, I’m also known as the ‘social media expert’. I help look after the media agencies’ social media platforms by creating content that showcases our talent and the interesting events that happen daily across the agencies.

My day can be very varied, from attending events that Publicis Media spokespeople are panellists or speakers at, to helping my team with press coverage by monitoring news stories about the company.

I got my job through an apprenticeship scheme. My apprenticeship provider is WhiteHat – an amazing start-up. It delivers training in partnership with worldclass content providers, through a combination of one-on-one coaching and cutting-edge tech, and offer apprenticeships that genuinely rival the learning experience at elite universities.

its peak had about 60,000 followers. I loved speaking and connecting with people: from then on I knew I wanted to do something within social media. I developed my passion for public relations while at university, so when I found this apprenticeship opportunity, where I could still learn while working in my dream job, I knew it was meant to be.

I wanted to get into this industry because my teenage years were taken over by social media.

I use to run a Twitter account for my favourite Her apprenticeship is with Publicis Media band, which at

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years I was at university the possibilities grew.

Kathleen discovered her communications vocation via her love of social media

The best part of my job is the people who work here. I’m proud to work for such a diverse company in

My most memorable moment is when I helped with supporting the Help Refugees charity by organising volunteers for their Choose Love pop-up store. I’ve also had meetings with media owners such as Google and have been to talks about the future and current trends in media, as well as interviewing our CEO. But the fan-girl part of me has to say… meeting Dr Alex and Josh from Love Island at our offices was a particular favourite moment!

which every individual is passionate and determined.

I recognised this recently when helping with our charity partner, Help Refugees and its Choose Love pop-up shop.

So many people from across the company took time out of their working week and weekends to deliver a media plan, volunteer in their shop and donate clothes.

Many people think apprenticeships are mainly for the trade industries. I still didn’t know much about them when I began my application to study at Canterbury Christchurch University in 2016. However, within the two

I studied BTEC Level Three in Business Enterprise, then I did two years of a PR, Media and Marketing degree and now I’m a Digital Marketing Apprentice. Most apprenticeships require five GCSE grades C–A* (or four-9), including maths and English. I took an unconventional route, when it came to education: I studied business at college and I absolutely loved it, it was the right choice for me as it suited to my way of learning.

It gave me a chance to go to university too, but if I’d had more information about apprenticeships at college I would’ve definitely gone down that route. My apprenticeship has given me the head start that I don’t believe I would have gained through a degree.

I’m only eight months in and this role is already helping me grow into an individual that I can be proud of.

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any schools are preparing their students for direct entry to university and achieving results aimed to guarantee their first choice, most likely to a Russell Group university.

This traditional route to a career (school – university – job) is no longer the only option.

Visiting schools and talking with students, it has been interesting to see that there’s a significant number of parents who left school at 16 (not possible now, of course), had a variety of jobs and followed different career paths, ending with running their own successful businesses. Clearly, a degree wasn’t essential for them. Richard Branson left school at 16.

What do Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have in common? They all started university and then chose to take the risk as entrepreneurs rather than finish their degrees.

Sir David Attenborough had a passion for the natural world from a young age and chose to read geology and zoology at Clare College, The University of Cambridge.

What do these three examples reflect? That every student is different. Parents and school careers advisors have ideas, suggestions, expertise and their own experiences, but ultimately the student has to have the courage or be prepared to consider all the different options available to start their career.

So how does a student stand out from the crowd?

With a saturation of the graduate market employers are able to take their pick. They’re looking for the advanced workplace skills that they need. They want a new member of staff who can hit the ground running from day one.

New team members will be impressed and relieved that they’ll not need to train their new colleague in the basics.

The competition will be fierce for jobs. Every student who attends university will become a graduate, they’ll have an excellent academic qualification, but do they know how the world of business works and will they be able to offer an employer something more practical?

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UNIVERSITY IS NOT RIGHT FOR EVERYONE,

particularly the independent style of learning WITH POSSIBLY ONLY EIGHT HOURS OF CONTACT TIME A WEEK What are the options?

The Professional Business Diploma at Oxford Media & Business School is a oneyear intensive business course teaching the essential employability skills needed to succeed in industry. Students graduate with advanced IT and office skills, marketing and communication skills, and a strong business awareness and understanding of how the business world works.

University is not right for everyone, particularly the independent style of learning with possibly only eight hours contact time per week. At OMBS the course structure is 21 hours per week Monday to Friday. in small class sizes with a personal tutor.

Students undertake a work placement and are introduced to independent boutique recruitment agencies who get to know our students and find the jobs that’ll suit them and

their skills, aspirations and personality.

With this diploma, students are able to take a fast track to a career within just three terms rather than three years. They’ll be starting their first job two years before their friends graduate; they might even have had their first promotion. While students they live in college accommodation and enjoy a year living in the wonderful student city of Oxford.

OMBS graduates start their careers in business sectors such as investment banking, recruitment, property, advertising, PR, media and sport, accountancy and finance, the royal household, fashion, events management and even travel.

Why not visit for a much better understanding of what the course has to offer your son or daughter?

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MEMORY LANE UNIVERSITY MEMORIES

INDYAH CONTE The Christie’s Education events apprentice studied Fashion Business at The Fashion Retail Academy in London Where and what course did you study?

I studied Fashion Business at The Fashion Retail Academy in London. This interesting two-year programme gave me a deep understanding of PR, events production and marketing, as well as set design. My lecturers instilled in me how important experience and hands-on learning is to get into the industry, so I used every opportunity for an internship over the summer months to improve my skill set. For instance, I worked for Claire Burman, Founder of CEBE Studio and CoFounder of Babyface, helping major clients in the beauty and fashion industry organising influencer dinners, panel discussions and pop-up stores. My time there was super-beneficial as it helped me understand and implement everything that goes into a successful event.

Can you describe your college in three words?

Creative, welcoming and engaging.

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valuable experience. Christie’s Education offers a wide range of courses, events and talks, be it about the current trends in the art world, art business or art history.

What does your role entail?

My role as an events assistant includes managing the agenda behind each course and event, such as collaborations with art galleries and working with catering on the perfect menu.

What I love about this role is that I get to create something from the early concept stage of the event, based on the client’s brief, to setting up on the day. Bringing together the details after months of planning and seeing happy guests is extremely gratifying.

I CHOSE CHRISTIE’S BECAUSE it’s such an iconic business AND I KNEW I’D BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATE AND DEVELOP MY SKILLS HERE

Where did you hang out with your classmates?

Me and my friends spent our time in Shoreditch and Soho.

We would go out in search of new clothes, food and art.

start of the academic year, my coursework would be completed very early, so I wouldn’t be frantically finishing assignments like some of my friends. It would gradually worsen throughout the year, but sometimes those late nights before a deadline give you the best results, despite all the urgency!

Course work: all done by Friday night or left until the day of submission?

Honestly, it varied. At the

Why did you choose Christie’s Education for your apprentice programme?

I chose Christie’s because

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it’s such an iconic business and I knew I’d be able to successfully demonstrate and develop my skills here, while being surrounded by experts in their field. I’m really glad for my Events Apprenticeship here, because I’m getting such

Finally, what advice would you give your sixth-form self?

Get as much experience in various fields of interest as you can, you may discover a new passion. An important reminder is to trust the process, everything you’re seeking is also seeking you.

Putting yourself out there is absolutely vital. Opportunities can’t always find you if you aren’t accessible.

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