Your Future Career - Q1 2020

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ANGELA WINTER, UCAS “If one option suits your way of study more, then you’re far more likely to make it a success.” » p2

MAGDA KNIGHT, YOUTH EMPLOYMENT UK “You can build life and work skills over time to stand out in any job you do and any career direction you take.” » p3

DAISY HOPPER, CMI “At the start of your career, it’s not only important to perform well, but also to be seen doing so by others.” » ONLINE

Your Future Career YOURFUTURECAREER.CO.UK

“My unconventional route into media taught me not to be afraid to try something different.”

Yomi Adegoke, Author & Women’s Columnist at the Guardian P4

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Why a placement year in industry is great for students

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Placement years give students enriching employment opportunities in their chosen industry — and an opportunity to get ahead of the job-seeking competition.

FRANCES GOW Head of Employability and Careers, University of Surrey

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n iversit y st udent s who spend a placement year in industry as part of their degree can benefit in a variety of ways. “A placement year – usually taken in your penultimate year – is tailored to your degree and gives you a richer insight into your subject and career potential,” explains Frances Gow, Head of Employability and Careers at the University of Surrey.

It’s also a good way for students to find a full-time job once they graduate. Around 40% of students at Surrey who take a placement year say their providers end up offering them a permanent role. Even without the offer of a job, industry experience looks impressive on a CV, and gives students more credibility – and employability.

Work placements also give an insight into what the recruitment process is really like. Students often make a number of applications and go through interviews before they get their placement offers, and some may experience set-backs along the way.

However, they don’t have to deal with challenges – and potentially rejection – on their own: the careers services at their respective universities are on hand to offer them support, advice and encouragement.

Placements give students experience and confidence “The beauty of the placement year i s t h at s t u d e nt s h ave t o ap pl y to employers t h e m s e l ve s ,” s ay s G ow.

“In our case, they tend to apply to the companies we work with, but are free to find others.”

Most industries o f f e r placement years, but

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they’re particularly popular in sectors such as science, technology, eng i neer i ng a nd mat hemat ics (STEM), finance and accounting, tourism and health. “I can’t think of an industry that doesn’t offer them,” says Gow. “So, whatever your subject, it’s just a matter of being persistent.”

When students do find a placement within a company, their confidence can rocket. “We see such a difference in them at the end of the year,” says Gow. “We only have to talk to them to see how confident they’ve become, compared to those who haven’t had the experience of a placement opportunity. Working in industry for a year helps improve their communication skills, which is something that employers are always asking for. It also gives students the chance to hone their problem-solving abilities and apply the knowledge they’ve learned at university to realworld situations. They come back with a completely different, more positive view on their remaining year, and tend to end up doing better because of it.”

WRITTEN BY TONY GREENWAY

More info For more information on the University of Surrey’s placement opportunities, visit: www.surrey.ac.uk/ professional-trainingplacements

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Is uni or a degree apprenticeship right for me?

WRITTEN BY: ANGELA WINTER UCAS

Wondering where your future might be after school or college? You’re not alone. Hundreds of thousands of students each year navigate the different options available and work out the right one for them.

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ou might already have the key to unlock your decision.

Each year we see students go straight from school to university – whether or not they have a clear view of where they want to end up. For some, it’s the bright lights of a different city or town, or the experience of being a student. For others, it’s driven by a passion for a subject, or even an expectation from others that university or college is the right next step. But, with more alternatives to study now widely available, perhaps it’s not always the best option.

L ast year, 40% of universit y applicants told us they also applied for a degree apprenticeship alongside their degree – an increase on previous years. This suggests a new generation of students like the idea of an alternative to full-time study.

advertise and recruit. Because it is a job, it’s perfect for those who know what they want to do after school or college – those who can clearly see themselves as an engineer, a lawyer, a business manager, or as a designer or architect.

Comparing the two is a bit like comparing apples and pears – they’re both great for you, but the experience will be totally different. So, rather than be daunted by that, use it to inform your choice.

Keeping your options open is perfectly OK While university applications tend to follow a well-known timetable – apply by January, wait to hear back from universities, get results, accept place, start university in the autumn – applications for a job do not.

Vacancies for degree apprenticeships can come up at any time. Just like any other job vacancy, employers can identify a need for a role and then

What suits you best?

With full-time university or college, you’ll get the whole experience of being a student and all that comes with it – you’ll ultimately have more flexibility with where your studying takes you. But a degree apprenticeship will potentially get you from A to B quicker – you’ll be working and studying at the same time (which will need commitment and organisation), you’ll get hands-on

Last year, 40% of university applicants told us they also applied for a degree apprenticeship alongside their degree – an increase on previous years

experience, and you’ll have more cash in your pocket. So, using your knowledge of you, which would you thrive on?

Speak to the right people and do your research We’ve got plenty of information on ucas.com to help you work out which would suit you best, including Career Finder – a job search and alerts service. Use the National Apprenticeship Service’s resources, and visit UCAS exhibitions to speak to employers, universities and colleges, as well as students and apprentices – so you can hear firsthand what the expectations and the reality are actually like.

Neither is an easy option. Socially, financially, and academically, both have their pros and cons. If one option suits your way of study more, and is just a better fit with your life, then you’re far more likely to make it a success – and enjoy the process.

Perhaps it’s a cliché, but your future is genuinely in your own hands – make sure your uniqueness is what informs your decision.

Read more at yourfuturecareer.co.uk

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Top tips on boosting your life and work skills

The world of work can be an overwhelming place in which to make your mark, but just five key skills can help you stand out and succeed in any job market, and they will help you in life too.

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ere are three top tips from Youth Employment UK on building the key skills of self-belief, self-management and communication.

Self-belief In any job, project or new step you take in life, confidence counts for a lot. Confidence is about having motivation and a positive attitude, learning from setbacks to keep moving forward.

Self-belief tips: • Use any critical feedback at work to help you learn • Volunteer to help out work colleagues Self-management Self-management is about taking charge of how you handle things at work and in life. You’ll work without always being told what to do. You’ll plan ahead to avoid chaos. Finally, you’ll consider

yourself responsible for results – both good and bad.

Self-management tips: • Arrive at your job every day and on time. If you can’t meet a deadline for a task, don’t be shy or proud – tell a team leader so they can change their plans. This shows you care about your job and understand the need for being organised.

• Plan your time, whether you are in a job or looking for one.

Keep your diary planner up to date.

Communication Communication comes in three for m s: s p e a k i ng, w r it i ng a nd body language. How can we get

WRITTEN BY: MAGDA KNIGHT Editor, Youth Employment UK

our message across t hrough good communication and active listening?

Communication tips: • In job interviews it’s not just what you say but how you say it. Make eye contact, don’t slump and don’t fidget. It’s fine to take a moment to make sure you understand what’s being said.

• Contribute to team projects and meetings. There are lots of opportunities to get your voice heard and offer new ideas.

• Listen as well as talk. Active listening is about really paying attention to what other people say.

More info Youth Employment UK is the leading organisation championing youth employment.

To see how you can get regular free training in these skills if you’re aged 14-24, visit the Young Professional hub on Youth Employment UK’s website.

Read more at yourfuturecareer.co.uk

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How my unconventional route into media taught me to take risks YOMI ADEGOKE Author and Women’s Columnist, The Guardian

When it came to choosing a career path, I decided that my parents probably knew best, and they were sure I’d be a great lawyer, since I was so argumentative. What they didn’t account for was the endless reading of case law and the copious amounts of Latin.

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efore I graduated university, I already knew that Law wasn’t for me - but I wasn’t sure what was. Confused, I ended up taking a year out of my degree, during which I started a blog for fun.

The only part of my degree I enjoyed was the writing, and would ra nt a nd rave about whatever was on my mind that week. An acquaintance informed me I could do this and get paid at the same time - it was called journalism.

The start of my career in journalism I wasn’t someone who had dreamt of working in the media since i n fa nc y; I d id n’t k now ab out t he N C TJ q u a l i f ic at ion m o s t aspiring journalists acquire and apprenticeships at newspapers were nonexistent when I was first starting out.

I had written for my university paper maybe once or t w ice. I started applying for internship after internship with no luck and publications didn’t seem to want the pitches about the things that mattered to me.

After a while, I decided to create a platform where me and girls like me could write about the things we wanted.

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Using a small grant from the charities O2 Think Big and vInspired, I started a publication called Birthday magazine, aimed at black teenagers in Britain. It was distributed in South London hair shops and served as my first work experience.

Soon afterwards, I returned to university to finish my Law degree and secured my first internship at a national paper.

Don’t be afraid to try something different I don’t regret studying Law - my degree was not only a safety net in case journalism didn’t quite work out, but a useful learning curb.

My unconventional route into media taught me not to be afraid to try something different; whether it be pursuing a career not related to your degree or forging a completely different route into an industry.

My parents were right; I am still a skilled arguer. But I prefer making my case in columns.

Read more at yourfuturecareer.co.uk

How can an apprenticeship give you a head start?

Do you feel like you’re being pressured into going to university? Before you settle, get to know your options – an apprenticeship might just SEAN ALLISON suit you better.

Managing Director, Not Going To Uni

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o, what is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship combines both work and study to give an all-round learning experience.

The work side of things involves working day-to-day with seasoned colleagues, learning the working environment and understanding the dynamics of the workplace. The learning aspect depends on the type of apprenticeship, the sector and the company or training provider.

However, the hands-on approach that apprenticeships take mean you will constantly be learning – whether that be from colleagues or from your own mistakes and experiences.

Apprenticeships are offered in almost every sector from engineering to computer programming. Most of the biggest companies you can think of will take apprentices, as well as local businesses. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door.

Companies really value apprentices Apprent ices a re i mp or t a nt to companies and imperative to their future and growth, which really shows the high value that being an apprentice can hold. There are

Fig. 1 Apprenticeships vs. university

Going to uni because you’re not sure what you want to do has become common in recent years and has resulted in the growth of the skills gap different levels of apprenticeship, ranging from level 1 to level 6/7. These different levels will, naturally, appeal to different people and what suits them best.

No one expects an apprentice to walk into a role and be the best – there are some employees that will have been doing that job for years; this is the perfect chance to learn under them. You’ll learn from their mistakes and they’ll be able to offer more of a personal touch that you might not get in the traditional classroom.

An apprenticeship is usually between three-to-four years long and, upon completion, it is really common that the apprentice is offered a full-time job within the same company.

To clarify, an apprenticeship is gaining hands-on working experience, receiving a qualification upon completion, all while being paid a salary. Sounds good doesn’t it?

Why should you do an apprenticeship?

Adding to the numerous positive points aforementioned, an apprenticeship can also give you a head start. How? Simple; the experience you have gained as an apprentice will go a

long way. If you compare an apprentice to a university student, then the differences suddenly become crystal clear (See Fig. 1).

There are some careers t hat require you to go to university a nd ga i n a deg ree, a nd t hat ’s understandable. However, going to uni because you’re not sure what you want to do has become common in recent years and has resulted in the growth of the skills gap.

Coming out of university with a degree you weren’t 100% about, and then looking for a job in a completely different field of work leaves you back at square one. With an apprenticeship, not only do you become extremely competent in what you worked on, but you gain soft skills (some might call them ‘life skills’), which are invaluable. It is often the case that an apprentice will be a lot more employable than a uni graduate.

So, before you go to uni because you think it’ll be fun, spare a thought to your future and consider if an apprenticeship would actually be a lot more beneficial…

More info For any apprenticeship queries or to search apprenticeships all across the UK, visit www.notgoingtouni.co.uk

Read more at yourfuturecareer.co.uk YOURFUTURECAREER.CO.UK

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