Careers World North East SUMMER 2014 by Open Doors Media Ltd

NORTH EAST edition

SUMMER 2014

RADIO 1 SUPERSTAR

SCOTT MILLS “I really had to convince them that I was the person for the job, because they didn’t think I was!”

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

STUDYING IN AMERICA

Want to study stateside? We ﬁnd out how!

CONFUSED ABOUT CLEARING? Clearing can be a mineﬁeld, fortunately we can help you navigate it and get that place

PLUS: WE GET THE LOWDOWN ON THE FUTURE OF APPRENTICESHIPS & OUR EXPERT PANEL TACKLE ANOTHER ROUND OF YOUR QUESTIONS

m AFFILIATE MEMBER

With over 350 career opportunities in the NHS there are plenty to choose from. At Health Education North East we ensure our workforce has the right amount of people, with the right skills and attitudes to deliver excellent care to our patients. If you would like to be part of the north east NHS workforce check out our website for the range of opportunities available.

With over 350 career opportunities in the NHS. Health Education North East is the perfect place to live and train.

hene@ne.hee.nhs.uk

ne.hee.nhs.uk

@HealthEd_NE

Welcome to Careers World Magazine, the premier resource for careers information and guidance. The Summer term is a scary time for a lot of you, with some big decisions to be made about your future. Don’t worry, the Careers World team are here to help! We provide you with the facts on the most popular careers and sectors, and help you really get to grips with the industries that interest you. Get an insight into the lives of young people who have been through the careers process, with case studies and advice from successful professionals. In this issue we speak to radio superstar Scott Mills, who’ll let us know just how he got established in broadcasting. It’s never too late or too early to start thinking about your future career, and with Careers World here to help, you can’t go wrong!

Elliot Gardner, Editor

BBC Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills chats to our editor about how he managed to turn his hobby into a career.

Some tools, tips and tricks to help you make those important choices, from our very own editor!

11 We ask our specially selected panel to tell us what they can oﬀer you!

Creative, Media & The Arts

Business & Customer Service

Education & Early Years

35 39

We give you the lowdown on all the other sectors out there, which we’ll feature in future issues.

Some handy materials for careers advisors, plus some facts and ﬁgures about the world of careers.

15 The best of the best in your region tell us about themselves!

Engineering

We cover... The Summer Term Confused about Clearing? Qualiﬁcations Explained Apprenticeships Vs A-Levels

Some contact details we think you’ll ﬁnd useful, including web links, email addresses and phone numbers.

Agriculture & Animal Care

And now for something completely diﬀerent...

Published by Open Doors Media Ltd 01765 694 120 | info@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

Colouring inside the lines | James Sharman | Design design@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

Advertising | Sales sales@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

Joined up writing | Elliot Gardner | Editor editor@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

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All material is copyrighted both written and illustrated. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. All images and information is collated from extensive research and along with advertisements is published in good faith. Although the author and publisher have made every eﬀort to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Careers World is published by Open Doors Media Ltd ©2014. ISSN: 2050-6600

DJ AND PRESENTER SCOTT MILLS

talks to our editor about tricks of the trade, the ups and downs of work in radio, and his long road into the industry. Scott has been in the business for over two decades and is one of the most well-known and respected names in broadcasting. He currently presents the Scott Mills show every weekday at 1pm on BBC Radio 1.

it’s fair to say that most people will recognise you from Radio 1, but what came before that? Well, I always wanted to do radio, from as far back as I can remember really. I was actually helping out at my local radio station when I was 12.

I THINK

I had a weekly slot where I would do the chart run-down and tell awful jokes. I have a couple of copies of recordings from those times and my voice just sounds really high! I wrote to loads of radio stations in my area and oﬀered to volunteer, which is a really good way of getting into radio. Eventually, after 2 or 3 years, one of them gave in to my constant hassling and let me do some voluntary work at the local commercial radio station in Southampton. your hobby and made it into something you might want to make a career out of? Yeah it was just a hobby, I used to go down to hospital radio every Tuesday and Sunday, I used to absolutely love it. From that point there was no doubt in my mind; I knew that if I could, that was exactly what I wanted to do. No doubt at all.

SO YOU TOOK

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inspired you go into radio though? I don’t know! It’s something that just absolutely fascinated me, and because I was quite a shy child it was a way of talking to a lot of people without actually having to meet them. I used to listen to a lot of radio back then in my room and there was something just magical about it. It was just ideal, even to the point that when I was 8 or 9 I would pretend to play songs on the radio in my bedroom to my mum. I was pretty determined, which is important I think, especially in a job like this, because there were, and there still are, knockbacks. You just have to be prepared to take it all on the chin. If you can’t take those then it’s probably not the job for you, because it’s not all plain sailing.

WHAT FIRST

weren’t in broadcasting, what career path do you think you would have gone down? Is there anyone that ever tried to convince you when you were younger to go down a diﬀerent career path? I went to my careers advisor when I was at school and told them I’d like to be on the radio and they just laughed! Well I’m very interested in travel and everything that goes with that so maybe I would have gone down that road somewhere.

IF YOU

you would be on TV or radio doing travel? To be honest I’ve not thought about it too much because I’ve worked hard to make a career in radio. With radio you have to be prepared to move around a bit. I spent a few years at a station in Bristol, I did 2 years in a station in Manchester, and then I moved down to London to be on Heart for a bit. Then, after a lot of hassling, I managed to get the job on Radio 1, but that took years. Because I’ve been at Radio 1 for a long time people think that it was easy, but I really had to convince them that I was the person for the job, because they didn’t think I was.

DO YOU THINK

kind of assume that it was the ﬁrst job you got. Well I would send them CDs of demos all the time. For 3 years every 2 months. I was very persistent! Then ﬁnally someone cracked and that’s how I got the early breakfast show.

I GUESS PEOPLE

you get knocked down at the first hurdle you need to keep trying? Yeah you really have to. And then when you come to Radio 1 you have to be prepared to start at the bottom again. So I did 5 years of early mornings, which is getting up at 3am. It’s kind of hard work but when you do it it’s worth it. I remember when I was 16, I couldn’t even get to the radio station because I wasn’t even old enough to drive, so I had this really naff little old scooter that I used to drive into work in all weathers. When they eventually gave me a break it was between 1 and 6 in the morning, obviously my mum wasn’t that interested in taking me in at that time so I had to find my own way to get there.

SO EVEN IF

honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University… Yeah how did that happen! That was amazing. My whole family was there. Sometimes I forget and then I remember ‘oh yeah I’m a Doctor of Arts.’ I chose not to go to university; I didn’t even go to college. I left school and went straight into radio, so it’s quite an honour to be given something like that from a uni.

YOU RECEIVED AN

think you would have gone to uni even if you didn’t go into radio? I was so determined; it wasn’t even on my mind. I remember my parents saying you have to have something to fall back on, because radio seems like one of those jobs that no one gets. But my mum and dad totally supported me. They really did. There’s always a danger, it’s one of those industries that some people get into ﬁne and some people never do. But I

DO YOU

wasn’t taking no for an answer, I was really determined. So it didn’t really cross my mind because I was already doing the job that I wanted to do. the craziest thing you’ve done through Radio 1? Well no two days are the same. Sometimes we have a day where we are just like ‘wow’. It’s honestly the best place to work in the world. I never thought of Radio 1 as a goal because I thought it was impossible, so I actually just really enjoy working here. When I ﬁrst started working at Radio 1 they gave me a mental job. They told me to present backstage at the BRIT awards. We were in a little porta-cabin backstage and I’d only been there a year. They were kind of trying me out to see if I would sink or swim. I remember there was a queue of famous people, Elton John, Destiny’s Child, Eminem, and this is when I was really scared of interviews. I felt massively out of my depth. The other thing that sticks out in my mind is about 6 months after I got the job at Radio 1. They rang me and asked me if I wanted to do top of the pops next week. I’d never even done anything on television. I was actually physically sick before the show out of nerves. It was so terrifying. But you get given an opportunity and you just can’t say no!

SO WHAT IS

the kind of industry that you don’t really get the opportunity to say no to things? Absolutely, you can’t, and also if you did then I think you would kick yourself. I do things at Radio 1 all the time that really scare me. These are all things that wouldn’t have happened without my job. We did this trek through the desert in Kenya with Lorraine Kelly, Olly Murs and Dermot O’Leary 3 years ago for Sport Relief, and that’s something that I never thought I’d be able to achieve. Last year they made me do another thing for sport relief. I danced with Olly Murs on stage. It’s one of my worst fears because I can’t dance, but I did it!

IT SEEMS LIKE

a favourite guest from the years that you’ve been doing radio? When I started Radio 1 it was the late 90s. Bands were quite angry and people could be really rude, but now pop stars are generally really nice. Tinie Tempah is really nice to interview, and we had Will.I.Am in recently. He was hilarious, we didn’t play any music for 40 minutes because he’s so engaging and he’s got some good stories. The oddest one I think was one I did about 2 years ago with Nicolas Cage. He wouldn’t look at any of us in the studio so we had absolutely no eye contact with him at all. His answers to the questions were very strange as well, he was an odd one.

HAVE YOU GOT

anyone that you’ve really wanted to meet but then they’ve let you down a little bit? Pamela Anderson was quite rude. I expected her to be nice but she just wasn’t. I did a TV show with David Hasselhoﬀ where I went to go live in his house for a bit and I expected that to be an icebreaker in the conversation, like ‘I lived with David and you used to work with him on Baywatch’, but she didn’t

IS THERE

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care, so I was a bit disappointed by that. You don’t really get that so much anymore. Even with massive people like Rihanna and Beyonce. I don’t know why, I guess people are just a bit nicer now. it now to back when you first started then? I do. It’s because I’m much more confident. I totally put it down to this job. If you told me now that I was going to interview Lady Gaga in five minutes then it wouldn’t really bother me, whereas back in the day I would have been absolutely terrified.

SO YOU PREFER

only having a couple of minutes before an interview, do you feel responsible for the success of Chris Stark? Well I kind of do actually! I’ve known him for years and he always used to make me laugh. I met him at university radio in Southampton because I was doing a bit of stuﬀ there. We ended up DJing together and kept in touch. I just found him hilarious, and every time he was up in London we’d meet up and have a chat. I just thought to myself, ‘you’ve got something. I don’t know what it is, but I think you’re so normal that people will really like you.’ I don’t think I’m responsible for his success because you make your own luck, but I hope that I helped.

SPEAKING OF

done some TV in the past, with the National Lottery and documentaries and all sorts, would you consider more of that in the future? I really enjoy it when I do it but I’m too shy to be properly famous. I don’t fancy it, it’s not for me. When I went to the Brits this year I saw people with 30 photographers following them and I thought to myself ‘I would absolutely hate that’, it’s just not for me. I’m doing the Eurovision semi-ﬁnals again this year for BBC3, which I really enjoy, but yeah it’s my little hobby really, but I do love it because it’s a diﬀerent skill.

YOU HAVE

give one piece of advice to your teenage self now what would it be? Stop worrying. Be yourself. I think in my job in particular it’s important that you are yourself. If you heard tapes of me when I was on the radio in Manchester, I just don’t sound like me. You wouldn’t even recognise me.

IF YOU COULD

it’s just a case of being yourself? It’s a case of relaxing and being conﬁdent enough to be yourself on the radio. That’s what Radio 1 teaches you, because they do want you to be you.

SO THEN

in radio about 24 years now, what’s the biggest change in the industry in that time? Social media. 100%. Even in the last 5 years. For Radio 1 to survive it needs to be where the young people go the most, and that’s on their phones and laptops, that’s where kids spend most of their time. The days of just listening to the radio are kind of dying out, so if Radio 1 wants to appeal to the next generation of 14-15 year olds, which they obviously do, then they have to be on their phones. It’s the ﬁrst radio station to hit a million subscribers on YouTube, which is pretty impressive, but that is the way it’s going and that is the way it’s going to have to be.

YOU HAVE BEEN

Ready to make some tough decisions about courses, careers and your future? You don’t need to make your big career decisions alone. The National Careers Service can help you: • assess your skills • find the right course • choose the right uni • understand the job market • find out about careers • develop your CV Text your name and ‘advice’ to 07766 413 219 and a National Careers Service adviser will call you back for free.

You can also search online for National Careers Service, or call us on 0800 100 900.

Each issue, we ask our editor to give you a roundup of the topics that might aﬀect you, as well as the choices you need to make about your future. As you could imagine, there are plenty of things going on that tend to stay behind the scenes. Usually, you’d have to trawl through pages of information to learn all this, but don’t worry; we’ve done all that for you!

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR At this time of year there’s some big decisions to be made, and with all that pressure piled on, lots of young people take the easy way out and just go with what their parents or careers advisor want them to do. Of course these people know what they’re talking about and only want the best for you, but the only person who can REALLY decide what’s best is you! There’s been lots of talk lately of young people being convinced not to go down certain career paths because of a belief that they are either too clever or not clever enough for them, or that the course isn’t going to lead to a decent career. If you have done your research and know about the beneﬁts that an Apprenticeship ,degree, or going straight into work can provide, then don’t just back down and submit to what someone else wants you to do, prove to them that it’s the right choice for you by giving it your all and enjoying it while you do!

THE FUTURE OF APPRENTICESHIPS Thinking about doing an Apprenticeship? Then you better make sure you’re up to date with these big changes that are coming soon. Most placements won’t be aﬀected until 2017, but there are a few that are being reworked now! •

•

• • •

KEY FACTS

The aim is to make Apprenticeships more appealing to employers and to help apprentices become more employable. Changes to assessment methods. Two thirds of your grade will be assessed at the end of the Apprenticeship. Simple frameworks. No more reading through pages of information to ﬁnd out what your course is about. Graded Apprenticeships. New ranks of ‘pass’, ‘merit’, ‘distinction’ and ‘fail’. Minimum duration. All Apprenticeships will now be a minimum of one year with no exceptions.

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WHY ARE THINGS BEING CHANGED?

Apprenticeships are getting bigger and bigger, and lots more students are considering them as an alternative to college, sixth form, or university. The Government is really keen to keep this going and for it to be the norm that every pupil either studies for a degree or undertakes an Apprenticeship. With this in mind, Apprenticeships are being changed to make them as attractive as possible to employers. After all, if more employers want to train apprentices, that’s more places for you to apply to! All this means that you can expect to see lots of Apprenticeship vacancies opening up in small companies. These businesses are going to have a lot more say in what their apprentices study, which means that the chance of you getting a placement close to home is going to be much higher!

IMPROVING EMPLOYABILITY

The other reason for all these changes is to make all apprentices more employable after their course is finished. What’s the point in doing a course if you’re not going to be able to get a job out of it! In the last issue of Careers World we talked about changes to Maths and English GCSEs that mean a minimum standard will be expected from every school leaver. This is going to be the same in Apprenticeships, with requirements being stepped up a notch. Employers will be able to set what level of Maths and English skill will be required to complete their Apprenticeship. As well as this, off-the-job training will be a vital part of all courses. No, this doesn’t mean training at the beach. At the minute, some apprentices don’t receive any training away from their place of employment. The new change is that all apprentices will have to spend 20% of their placement studying ‘off-the-job’ topics. This might still be in your workplace but won’t be related to your everyday position. More than likely, for those studying Apprenticeships through colleges or universities, this would mean studying in an education environment.

CHANGING ASSESSMENT

The method of assessment for your qualiﬁcation depends very much on the actual Apprenticeship that you are

working towards. Some focus on whether you can actually work to the level demanded of the position you are in. Others are geared towards more traditional exams. One thing that all Apprenticeships share is the mix of on-going assessment throughout the placement, and end testing. The change is to have a minimum of two thirds of assessment at the end of the Apprenticeship. The approach to testing probably won’t change much, after all there’s no point in all your exams being all written when you are trying to prove that you can be a builder, but a lot of Apprenticeships like to test you throughout the year so that you can show your development and constantly build up your skill set. The new method would involve a lot more revision, as well an end of year exam-type situation, with a broad range of skills being tested all at once, proving you are ready to work in that sector.

they plan to go about this is to make Apprenticeships graded. The new grades would be ‘Fail’, ‘Pass’, ‘Merit’ and ‘Distinction’ (Familiar to anyone who has completed a grade in music).

ﬁnd what you need! On top of this, the description of each Apprenticeship will have to be less than one page of A4, which is a big deal because at the minute they’re more like twenty!

What this essentially means is that Apprenticeships will become more focused around your end-results, and the best grades will look amazing on CVs. There’s a down side though. If you don’t get at least a Merit in your Apprenticeship then an employer might see you as ‘only’ passing, instead of rewarding you for completing a demanding course. The point is to ‘incentivise’ Apprenticeships, in other words trying to get you to work as hard as you can, but you should probably be doing that anyway!

While most of these changes won’t come into eﬀect fully until 2017, there are a few subjects that have already been aﬀected, and will continue to change over the coming months. These are called ‘trailblazers’ and are mainly in the STEM subjects (that’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). So if you are thinking about a career in those sectors, you better double check your Apprenticeship is being delivered in the way you think!

SIMPLE FRAMEWORKS

There are over 250 different Apprenticeships in England, and lots of those have optional modules within them, making everything very complicated. There are so many different options, sometimes it can be GRADED hard to find out what course you APPRENTICESHIPS Right now, Apprenticeships need to do to get the job you’re are pass or fail. Lots of people actually after. like this way of doing things as it makes the whole process That’s why changes are being a lot less painful. In a degree, made. There will be one or A-levels, simply passing is separate Apprenticeship course often not enough because there for every job. That means it are so many grades, making should be simpler for you to everything more competitive. find the Apprenticeship you The Government are really keen need to get the job you want on rewarding high-achievement because you can just search in Apprenticeships, and the way for ‘Chef Apprenticeship’ and www.careersworld.co.uk

WHO IS AFFECTED?

The nature of Apprenticeships is definitely changing and the proposals that we’ve talked about above are really going to have a huge impact on every single apprentice in England. It’s so important that you keep your finger on the pulse if you are even considering Apprenticeships in the slightest. Deciding to become an apprentice can be one of the biggest and best decisions of your life so you have to make sure you are as informed as you can be. It’s like starting a new job thinking you’re in sales but getting there and finding out you’re working in the warehouse!

STUDYING IN AMERICA America is one of the most important countries in the world. We are constantly surrounded by US culture; whether it’s the clothes we wear, the TV we watch, or music we listen to. Visiting the United States is on the top list of things to do for thousands of young people in the UK, but did you know that in the quest for your ideal career that you can study full time state-side? At Careers World we’re asked all the time for information on American study, and since now is the time that you should be thinking about where to apply if you want to study abroad, we’ve put some information together about what American education can oﬀer you.

WHY SHOULD I STUDY THERE?

HOW DO I APPLY?

Make no mistake, studying in America is not for everyone, but if you have a sense of adventure and want to learn at the same time, it could be right down your street. There’s a real emphasis on the social side of things at US universities. Uni’s in the UK have this as well, but to nowhere near the same level. Can you imagine a UK university sports club being televised and getting 50,000 fans attending every game? There are hundreds of societies to join, including a national competitive Quidditch league for you Potter fans!

The application process for UK nationals to study in the USA is a bit more long-winded and complicated than applying through UCAS, but then again you are asking a university from the other side of the world to accept you for study, so what do you expect! UCAS applications are based around your grades and other academic achievements, but the US system tends to evaluate your whole character. Obviously your grades are still a big deal, but they also want to know about your background, and what you do in your spare time.

If you don’t like being limited with the universities you can apply to, maybe the college or uni in your favourite city doesn’t oﬀer your course, you’re pretty much guaranteed to not have the same problem in the US. There are just under 200 Higher Education facilities in the UK right now, but with over 4,500 oﬀering undergraduate degrees in America right now, you’re spoilt for choice.

If you are worried about costs (it’s hardly cheap going to uni here, let alone in America!) then you should consider applying for a scholarship or funding. Funding looks at all of you, not just how much money you or your parents earn. If you can show that you are worth their money, the uni will sponsor you to study at their institution.

If you struggled to decide on what GCSEs or A levels to choose, picking just one degree course can be a bit of a nightmare. There’s nowhere near the same amount of pressure at American colleges and universities, they adopt a ‘liberal arts philosophy’. This means that you take several diﬀerent classes in the ﬁrst year of your degree, and then move on to choose your main ‘major’ subject after you’ve had a taste of a few. It’s also much easier than in the UK to switch courses if you change your mind.

According to figures from The Fulbright Commission, 65% of employers favour applicants with experience of work overseas. It really is a fantastic way to kick-start your career and improve your employability. The Fulbright Commission are jointly funded by the UK and US governments and operate the Advisory Service, the only official source of US study advice in the UK, so it’s worth checking them out at www.fulbright.org.uk. Don’t forget that the timetable for applications is a bit different than in the UK, so if you’re thinking about going to an American university next year, you need to be doing some research about where you want to go NOW!

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expert /’ekspərt/

Noun. A person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area.

Ask the Experts

Adjective Having or involving such knowledge or skill. Synonyms noun. specialist - connoisseur - adept - judge - master adjective. skilled - skilful - skillful - proﬁcient - adept

Are you frustrated by all the choices you face? Don’t you wish there was a way to compare all your options, or to have those key questions answered? Well, we’ve done it for you. We’ve put together a team of experts from your area to give you an insight into what kind of experiences, beneﬁts and future they can oﬀer you. We’ve asked the same questions to each expert, to help you decide on the right choice for you.

The Employer IS IT TOO LATE IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR TO START THINKING ABOUT CAREER PATHS AND OPTIONS?

At Health Education North East we ensure the north east NHS workforce has the right number of people, with the right skills and attitudes to deliver excellent care to our patients. Web: ne.hee.nhs.uk

Oh, and working in the NHS has even more perks……you can also access a range of NHS staﬀ discounts for holidays, electronics, clothes, and entertainment!

It’s never too late to think about your future, and it’s likely you will continue to think about WHAT CAN SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES your education and career pathway for quite EXPECT IN THEIR FIRST MONTH WITH a few years yet! The main thing you need to concentrate on at the moment is doing the YOU? best you possibly can in all of your current Your ﬁrst few weeks will be spent getting studies, but you can also start to formulate to know your department and the rest of a career plan. the team. You will attend some induction training relevant to your job to help you Take some time to research the kind of understand the policies, procedures and work you would like to do. Where are these work ethics of your employer, such as kinds of jobs being advertised now? How infection control, manual handling, values & might these jobs change in the future? What behaviours, and who wears what uniform. are the employers looking for in a good You might also be given your own uniform candidate? to wear and look after.

WHAT IS IT THAT APPEALS TO YOUR APPLICANTS AND MAKES YOU UNIQUE?

As the largest employer in England, the NHS aims also to be the best. It’s in everyone’s interests that the NHS of tomorrow is staffed by skilled, enthusiastic and committed The National Health Service (NHS) is one of people, sharing in the delivery of high quality the largest employers in the world, and is healthcare. the biggest in Europe, with over 1.3 million staff. SELL YOURSELF IN ONE PARAGRAPH No matter what area of the NHS you join, you will become part of a talented, passionate team of people - committed to providing the best care and treatment to patients. You will also enjoy one of the most competitive and flexible benefits packages offered by any employer in the UK.

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The NHS is a rewarding place to work. It offers a huge range of exciting and challenging opportunities for people who are passionate about making a difference. With around 350 different careers on offer, there is a job for you no matter what your interests, skills or qualifications are.

The University IS IT TOO LATE IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR TO START THINKING ABOUT CAREER PATHS AND OPTIONS?

We are an innovative, forwardthinking university with high standards of teaching, research and support. We have strong links with industry and business, and work closely with some of the world’s leading companies. Web: www.sunderland.ac.uk

No, we still have places available on some courses, and you can apply until Monday, 30th June via the UCAS website. We have three twilight tours left before the deadline, where you will be shown around the facilities at City Campus, as well as the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s. All friends and family are welcome. (www.sunderland. ac.uk/ug/opendays/twilighttours) There is also an Undergraduate Open Day taking place on Saturday, June 7 between 10am and 4pm. (www.sunderland.ac.uk/ ug/opendays)

The Training Provider Baltic Training Services provide real employment opportunities for young people who are looking to gain real life work experience, recognised qualiﬁcations and earn while they learn! We oﬀer Apprenticeships in; I.T. Professional Level 3 & 4, Software Development and Social Media and Digital Marketing. Web: www.baltictraining.com

IS IT TOO LATE IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR TO START THINKING ABOUT CAREER PATHS AND OPTIONS?

Deﬁnitely not. Baltic Training Services are recruiting all year round. You may feel too young to be thinking about your future career, but it is important to think about your life after secondary school, no matter what stage you are at in the academic year. You need to think about the necessary steps that are going to help you with your career, whether that is choosing the right course, earning good grades, or participating in extra programmes. It can seem overwhelming trying to choose a career before you complete high school, but always keep in

The College IS IT TOO LATE IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR TO START THINKING ABOUT CAREER PATHS AND OPTIONS?

Many students are unsure of their options and are still researching their choices, and this is perfectly normal. We are offering information sessions on the first Tuesday of every month, as well as taster sessions in schools and at the college to give students the opportunity to find out more about their potential options at both further and higher education levels.

Our £35 million campus oﬀers an impressive range of buildings, facilities, and resources to give you a modern and stimulating learning environment, complemented by the most up It is important for all students to remember to date learning materials, IT that they can change their minds right up to September, and we will happily move facilities and resources. Web: www.newcollegedurham.ac.uk

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students onto alternative courses. Even after September it is not too late, those who make the wrong choice can still join us at a later point in the year.

WHAT IS IT THAT APPEALS TO YOUR APPLICANTS AND MAKES YOU UNIQUE?

the Blue Peter set and National Glass Centre, are some of the best around, but it’s the warmth and support that students receive at the University of Sunderland that The impressive Sir Tom Cowie Campus at really sets us apart. St Peter’s sits right next to one of the best stretches of coastline in the UK and has WHAT CAN SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES been named one of the top five campuses EXPECT IN THEIR FIRST MONTH WITH in the UK with the ‘wow’ factor. The City Campus is in the heart of the city, with a YOU? wide range of arts, culture, sports, and You will meet and live with new people entertainment venues right on its doorstep. who will become friends for life, from many different areas of the UK and worldwide. You We were shortlisted for University of the will have support from the university and will Year in the Times Higher Education Awards, be kept active with university events. You and offer superb facilities – we have will also begin your course at Sunderland, invested £130 million in our two Sunderland which will set you on the path to becoming campuses. Our media facilities, including an employable adult when you leave.

SELL YOURSELF IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Sunderland is a modern city by the sea and employability is at the heart of our student experience. In an increasingly competitive graduate job market we understand the importance of equipping yourself with not only the best possible academic qualiﬁcations, but with the life skills to make you stand out in the eyes of employers. We have eight current Sunderland students who can give you an inside view of student life and what makes the University of Sunderland a great place to study through their Lives Online blogs. (livesonline. sunderland.ac.uk)

mind that it is never too late to change your time, which increases the employability of into their new place of work, learning about career path, and no one says you have to our apprentices after they have ﬁnished the the company and about their colleagues. programme. decide right now.

WHAT IS IT THAT APPEALS TO YOUR APPLICANTS AND MAKES YOU UNIQUE?

As well as our high standard programmes, we also offer free of charge additional vendor qualifications, which allow our apprentices to progress even further, achieving qualifications that will be beneficial throughout their career. Baltic Apprenticeships are designed with businesses in mind, meaning we aim to match you up with the right employer every

WHAT IS IT THAT APPEALS TO YOUR APPLICANTS AND MAKES YOU UNIQUE?

Whether students are looking to study a vocational or academic programme, the teaching expertise, real-life simulation workspaces, classrooms, and labs will ensure they develop a deep-rooted understanding of their subject. We prepare our students for taking their next steps either through higher education or employment, and have a track record to back it up.

WHAT CAN SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES EXPECT IN THEIR FIRST MONTH WITH YOU?

The first month of the Apprenticeship is the settling in period for our apprentices. To begin with the apprentice will be enrolled onto our programme through an induction. As part of this they will learn about the course and what specific modules they will be undertaking, as well as health & safety and initial assessments. Throughout their first month, they get the chance to settle

WHAT CAN SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES EXPECT IN THEIR FIRST MONTH WITH YOU?

We spend a lot of time ensuring our students become happy and settled within a very short period of time. Other than the usual orienteering and inducting that you would expect, our students meet with their Personal Learning Coaches to establish quickly what the learning goals and challenges are for each individual, and strategies are put in place to ensure that every one of our students has a clear path to success.

www.careersworld.co.uk

SELL YOURSELF IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Baltic Training Services is a forward-thinking, innovative Apprenticeship provider who strive for excellence. Working with leading employers in the IT sector, we endeavor to reignite the economy by ensuring we secure talented, driven, energetic young adults for Apprenticeship opportunities. We are an equal opportunities provider, committed to wiping out youth unemployment regardless of race, gender, age, disability, or orientation.

SELL YOURSELF IN ONE PARAGRAPH

New College Durham is equipped with some of the best facilities in the region, and the expertise in our teaching teams ensures every student who joins us heads for a successful future. We celebrated a 98% pass rate last year for our full time provisions, and our Apprenticeship success rates are consistently well-above national average. If students are unsure of their options or what the next step would be, we ask them to get in touch with our (ASC) Advice Support Careers team, who will give free impartial advice to any potential student. The easiest way to contact them is through the Live Chat feature on our website.

GET THE CAREER YOU WANT BY CHOOSING AN APPRENTICESHIP. IF YOU WANT TO ENTER THE WORLD OF WORK, GET PAID AND YET CONTINUE YOUR EDUCATION, AN APPRENTICESHIP COULD BE THE IDEAL ROUTE FOR YOU. On-the-job, you’ll work as an employee, alongside

We offer a huge range of Apprenticeships including:

experienced staff members. Off-the-job, you’ll learn through a combination of learning methods that may

• Building Services

include: classroom attendance, online assessments and

• Business and Management

assessments in your workplace.

• Construction • Education

An Apprenticeship is available to anyone aged 16 years

• Engineering and Science

and over, plus each one involves a structured programme

• Hairdressing and Beauty

of training, leading to a recognised qualification. They are

• Health and Community Services

available at different levels, letting you choose the speed

• Horticulture

you wish to learn at.

• IT and Telecoms • Motor Vehicle

We have invested heavily in real-working environments to

• Professional Services

give you the best possible training, while you also benefit

• Retail

from our well established links with local employers.

• Veterinary Nursing • Sport and Active Leisure

Call: 0330 123 1300 or visit: www.intraining.co.uk/neapprenticeships

We like to keep you up to date with the latest goings-on of your local institutions, as well as providing you with case studies and stories from people who have been in your position and seen the light at the end of the tunnel; this is their forum for connecting with you.

Chris taps into Apprenticeships with Northumbrian Water A Durham man has become Northumbrian Water’s ﬁrst telecommunications apprentice after rejecting university in favour of an Apprenticeship and the opportunity to learn while you earn. Chris Tindale, 19, has joined the water and waste management company at its head oﬃce in Pity Me, as an Information and Communication Technology Apprentice. Chris combines his time with learning at Intraining and in the workplace. His role involves working on the company’s telephone systems across its many sites throughout the North East.

Gain Experience: Industrial Placements

my time after sixth form in the classroom again. I wanted to develop my skills and experience in the workplace. “As part of my Apprenticeship I am learning about network systems. This is really helping me in my job as I get practical experience of working on them every day. It’s really a case of being able to put into practice what I am learning at Intraining. This is deﬁnitely the best way for me to learn.” If you are considering an Apprenticeship as a future career route then get in touch with Intraining today.

Chris said: “I’m much more of a hands on type of person and didn’t want to spend all of

Competition in the graduate job market has risen dramatically in recent years, and students are always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. An excellent way of doing this is by choosing an industrial placement as part of your degree course. This involves spending a year working in industry, normally between your second and third years of study, enhancing your CV and gaining highly sought-after skills. Employers not only like to see people who have developed the necessary theoretical skills, it’s also great if a student has used their initiative and sourced opportunities to develop their employability skills. During your placement you will be paid by the employer and treated as a permanent member of staﬀ. You will also gain practical experience that

Web: www.intraining.co.uk Tel: 0330 123 1300

can be invaluable both in your final-year project and when competing for jobs. Students with industrial experience tend to not only improve their final degree performance, but also develop clearer ideas about their future career path. We are aware that finding an industrial placement can be a step into the unknown for many students and we are here to provide support for you. We maintain regular contact with you, even when you begin your placement If you are interested in an industrial or sandwich placement, or a graduate job in the life sciences, biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries, make sure you take a look at the Cogent Placements website for all the latest opportunities.

Web: www.cogent-placements.com

www.careersworld.co.uk

Ben Goss

Prior Pursglove College At Prior Pursglove College, we have a strong reputation for high standards, outstanding facilities, and a real commitment to helping our students to become successful. We are regularly rated as one of the best colleges in the country for helping to get students into university. Former Prior Pursglove College student Faye Marsay, 26, has gone on to a successful acting career, with major roles in the BBC’s The White Queen, Channel 4’s Fresh Meat, and ITV’s The Bletchley Circle. The college also has a number of sporting alumni, including Bradley Halliday, who completed his BTEC Sport course at Prior Pursglove last summer and is now enjoying his ﬁrst season as a professional footballer after signing for Middlesbrough

Visit www.pursglove.ac.uk or call 01287 280 800 for more information or apply online

FC. Steph Elliott, who studied Physical Education and Applied Business, made her international hockey debut for England in 2013, at the Investec Challenge in South Africa. Prior Pursglove alumna Natalie Pluck (pictured) returned recently to inspire creative students about careers in photography and speak about her experiences of setting up her own business. After completing her studies, 24-year-old Natalie set up her own photography venture, concentrating on weddings and fashion photo shoots. She said: ‘Setting up in business isn’t easy but it has been really rewarding so far. If I can set up my own business then so can anyone. If you’re passionate about something then put everything into it.’

An Evesham A-Level student has turned his fitness hobby into a full-time career, after opting to not go to university, and completing a personal training course with The Training Room. Ben Goss, 20, always had a flair for fitness, and was recommended The Training Room by his local gym following the completion of his A Levels, having decided that further education wasn’t for him. The Training Room is a full service careers provider offering a range of fully accredited personal training courses, from full-time fast track courses to part-time and e-learning programmes. We equip students with industry-ready qualifications and skills for entry into a career in personal training. Ben underwent a certification with The Training Room to gain a Level 3 personal trainer qualification. He chose to study via the e-learning course, which

allowed him to work at home for the majority of his course. Ben said: “Personal training wasn’t presented to me as a career option when I was at school, but when my local gym told me about the courses available with The Training Room, I knew it was something that I wanted to pursue.” Ben started work at Phoenix Fitness Solutions right after completing his e-learning course in September 2011, and qualified as a personal trainer in January 2012. He continues: “I found that the home study option worked well for me as I was already used to independent study from my A-Level courses. Now that I’m qualified I’m doing a job I love, proving that personal training is a great option for those who have a passion for fitness and don’t want to go down the university route.”

For more information about courses at The Training Room, call 0800 028 4162 or visit thetrainingroom.com.

www.careersworld.co.uk

The Passport to your Dream Horsey Job Have you considered a career with horses? The British Horse Society can help make your horsey career aspirations a reality with their unique vocational qualifications system. Written by industry experts, they are exactly what employers are looking for. Even if you are not thinking about working directly with horses, extra curricular qualifications will enhance your CV and demonstrate aptitude, dedication and a willingness to learn. The Fab Four – BHS Stage Exams The BHS Stage exams are all round equestrian qualifications, split into horse care and riding units. The exams are really flexible so if riding isn’t your thing, you can concentrate on the management and welfare of horses with our Care exams. Instructor’s Qualifications The BHS Instructors’ qualifications are awarded for a combination of a BHS Stage exam and the successful completion of a BHS coaching

How do I apply? For further information on any of the qualiﬁcations above, please visit our website – www.bhs.org.uk or contact the BHS Education team on 02476 840508.

exam. They not only confirm your skills as a coach/teacher but acknowledge that you have an industry standard qualification in horse care and riding too. Work-Based Diplomas, Scottish Vocational Qualifications and Apprenticeships If the thought of a one day exam is a bit daunting and you prefer to have continual assessment whilst at a workplace then a Work Based Diploma (WBD), Scottish Vocational Qualification or an Apprenticeship may suit you better! Equine Tourism Qualifications The equestrian tourism sector is a growing area with many horsey and non-horsey people turning to a riding holiday or trek for relaxation. If you love riding outdoors on long hacks, cantering through glorious countryside or galloping along a beach then qualifying as a ride leader may be the perfect career for you.

Training to Meet the Needs of Today’s Workforce Building Capacity has launched ‘FLEX’, an innovative training programme designed specifically to meet the changing needs of today’s business and create a highly skilled workforce. Figures recently released by the CBI suggest that employers are struggling to create a workforce that is rounded, grounded and ready to meet the most basic of challenges. The figures suggest that the traditional ‘one size fits all’ approach to learning and development no longer meets the needs of a modern successful organisation. FLEX is a new and fresh concept that encourages participants to truly engage with learning and development and recognise the benefits it brings to them as individuals, as well as to their employers. The programme encourages a collective

approach to learning, which supports the strategic aims of an organisation and is inclusive and ﬂexible enough to be deployed across the full workforce, regardless of geographical location or position within the structure. Tom Gallon, Director at B-Cap said: ‘All too often training is not delivered in conjunction with a company’s strategic aims or workforce development schemes. We developed FLEX to enable businesses of all sizes to beneﬁt from the ongoing training and development of their employees. FLEX supports a culture of encouraging individuals to make decisions about their own learning and career development and promotes a commitment to continuous learning, a key component of workforce planning.”

For more information contact Claire or Vanessa on 0844 848 7144

www.careersworld.co.uk

From our facility in the North East the A-Tech Group of companies are able to provide a wide range of products and services which includes: • • • • • • •

Design, manufacture and install a range of production equipment and logistics products. Design and manufacture a range of Battery changing equipment Design and manufacture a wide range of Conveyors In partnership with Yaskawa we are able to oﬀer a turn key Robotic Manufacturing and Logistics solutions Provide specialist Electronics service including PCB design and manufacture along with comprehensive repair service. From our onsite training academy we are able to provide a range of training courses. Provide comprehensive prototyping service and support on service parts

A-Tech Fabrications is a family run Engineering Company dedicated to providing the Highest quality, lowest possible cost solutions to its clients. We have been operating in both the UK and International markets for over 20 years. We work closely with our clients to ensure our products and services add real value to their business. Our success has been built on a dedication to quality and innovation in all areas, from design and manufacture through to customer support. The company is continually developing its products and services to ensure it stays ahead of its competitors.

A-Tech Fabrications Limited Fulbeck Road, Aycliﬀe Business Park, Newton Aycliﬀe, Co. Durham. DL5 6TX Phone: 01325 304033 Fax: 01325 304044

THE REAL WORLD A-Tech Fabrications A-Tech Fabrications Limited is a family run engineering company dedicated to providing the highest quality, lowest possible cost solutions to its clients. We have been operating in both the UK and International markets for over 20 years. We work closely with our clients to ensure our products and services add real value to their business. Our success has been built on a dedication to quality and innovation in all areas, from design and manufacture through to customer support. The company is continually developing its products and services to ensure it stays ahead of its competitors.

Engineering

A-Tech Fabrication Apprenticeships

You can engineer pretty much anything these days and it’s a sector that we rely on heavily to produce some important stuﬀ! Aeroplanes, toxic chemicals, skyscrapers, cruise liners and tanks are all a result of an engineer’s thoughts. Read on to ﬁnd out how you can get into this sector…

You ask us... WHAT’S THE ENGINEERING SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

Well, it certainly covers a lot of ground. Engineering is so diverse that pretty much everything you see around you is the product of engineering. It’s about creating technology to help us advance as people; engineers were behind the first aeroplane, the first cannon, the first microwave and even the first tin of beans. But it’s not just about creation, it’s also about improving; F1 teams use engineers to make their cars faster and lighter and car manufacturers always need new designs to keep ahead in the market.

WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

Most engineers work in factories, but some ﬁelds such as chemical engineering might require you to work in a laboratory with complex equipment or in the case of Marine Engineers, on a boat in the middle of the ocean!

Apprenticeships are an excellent way of gaining qualiﬁcations and workplace experience. In other words they’re a great way to earn while you learn! At A-Tech Fabrications Limited, your program will include personal and social development as well as training in the technical skills that you require to progress in your career. The training that we provide will really make a diﬀerence; it will enhance your potential, opening up real opportunities. Although A-Tech Fabrication Limited fully understands that all aspects of engineering and manufacturing are not always seen as an attractive career choice, we aim as a company to develop strong links and partnerships with schools and academies, and invite in young people as they progress through education, to inspire the younger generation into the engineering and manufacturing sector. We also invite more mature people into the world of engineering and manufacturing, showing them how rewarding a career within this Sector can be.

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

As we’ve mentioned a billion times already, engineering is a huge part of the UK economy. In fact, it comprises one ﬁfth of it. Over half the people who work in Engineering are in managerial and professional roles, so there is an obvious route to progression in this sector.

This is a very big sector, so you can expect a very big salary as you become more WHERE IS THE WORK MOST qualified. Starting salaries are around CONCENTRATED? £17,000 and the average, fully qualified engineer can expect to earn £43,000 a The North of England is one of the leading year. Of course, the more specialised you areas in the world for this sector; there’s aerospace, automotive, chemical and become, the more you will earn! marine engineering in that region, but speaking more locally, most factories and plants are where the action is. Naturally, most work is on industrial estates so be prepared to look around to find the type of engineering you would like to work with. www.careersworld.co.uk

Web: www.a-techtraining.com Tel: 01325 304033

Engineering

Careers Choices Engineering is behind the creation of pretty much everything in the world. That’s a bold statement, but everything you see around you was at some point in time a thought in the mind of an engineer. You need a logical thought process, patience and a willingness to improve on what you’ve already done. No project is ever quite ﬁnished and there is always a little more to tweak and make better, faster or stronger. Here are the main areas of the Engineering industry.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

This sounds pretty complicated and it kind of is, as it deals with combining complex chemicals to produce products. However, it’s behind the advancement of some of our best medical cures and vaccinations, as well as creating new materials that are used in other areas of Engineering.

METALS ENGINEERING

Everything you see that’s made from a metal was engineered by this industry. Metal production is vitally important and it contributes £15 billion a year to our economy. Plus with recycling on the increase, the industry will continue to grow and grow.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Electrical Engineering covers everything from the smallest microchips to ensuring the national grid (responsible for the power ﬂowing into our homes) is running smoothly. It covers maintenance and creation, as well as evaluating systems for improvement.

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Did you know that the UK is the second largest manufacturer of space vehicles in the world? Aerospace covers satellites, commercial and military aircraft, space shuttles and all the bits that make them up.

www.careersworld.co.uk

MARINE ENGINEERING

Marine Engineering covers all things oceanic. You could be designing cruise liners, ﬁshing boats and other aquatic vehicles. It also covers oﬀshore oilrigs and wind farms. As the UK is an island, there’s plenty of business to be had in this sector!

DEFENCE ENGINEERING

Although most engineers that work in defence would probably fall into one of the above categories, there are projects (such as missiles, aircraft, satellites, advanced technology) that fall into a separate category. Some projects are kept top secret and require specialists to work on, so if you choose to follow this path, keep it on the low down…..

AN ESTIMATED

154,400

PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED IN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING

Where to begin If you think this is the sector for you, read on to learn more about how you can kick your career off…

APPRENTICESHIPS

As you can see, there are a lot of choices to make regarding this sector. It’s one of those careers where you specialise and stay on a particular path, so make sure you choose the right job for you. Here are the frameworks you can expect to see in this industry and all Apprenticeships result in a Level 2 BTEC, Diploma or NVQ. Engineering • Engineering Construction • Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration • Industrial Applications • Marine Industry

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

These are the equivalent to A-Levels and can usually be joined after completing the associated Intermediate Apprenticeship. They are ideal for people who want a practical role as they learn while gaining valuable employment experience. Engineers with Advanced Apprenticeships tend to progress to management a lot quicker than those without, as the skills they learn help them progress. Here are some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks for this sector and all of these will result in a Level 3 qualiﬁcation such as a BTEC, a Diploma or an NVQ. Engineering • Engineering Construction • Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration • Marine Industry

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the most popular gateway into university and are sought after by employers. Here are some of the relevant A-Levels for this sector: Biology • Chemistry • Design and Technology • Maths • Marine Science • Physics

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A Foundation Degree combines university lifestyle with practical, hands on work. It’s sort of like a cross between an Apprenticeship and an Honours Degree. They are often used as gateway qualiﬁcations to a full time Degree as they count towards the ﬁrst two years of an Honours Degree. They usually take two years to complete and you’ll be both in the work place and on the university campus. They are available in a range of engineering subjects, including marine, aircraft and chemical.

A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL CAR MANUFACTURERS HAVE UK BASED PRODUCTION SITES

96%

OF THE WORKFORCE IS FULL-TIME

Engineering

REGIONAL FOCUS Traditionally, the North East was one of the world’s forerunners in maritime engineering and innovation. The ﬁrst steam turbine was invented in Tyneside, which revolutionised ships around the world! Nowadays the shipbuilding industry has declined but there’s still a strong engineering presence in the area, with the petrol and steel industries playing a huge role in the region. Bridge building is a signiﬁcant engineering sector in Teesside, local company Cleveland Bridge even built the arch that stands over Wembley Stadium!

COLLEGE COURSES

College courses are also a great way to get into this sector. To check which colleges do courses relevant to you, head to www.careersworld.co.uk.

A higher Apprenticeship (NVQ Level 4) is also available in Engineering Technology. www.careersworld.co.uk

Best

college in the area for getting students a place at university Sutton Trust Report 2011

Largest

range of A/AS courses in the region

Choose a successful future www.pursglove.ac.uk Prior Pursglove College, Church Walk, Guisborough, TS14 6BU 01287 280 800

ppc.enquiries@prior.pursglove.ac.uk

facebook.com/priorpursglovecollege twitter.com/priorpursglove

THE REAL WORLD

Agriculture & Animal Care

Martin Wins National Groundsman Student of the Year

The UK is blessed with some of the most beautiful countryside in the world; rolling hills, green ﬁelds and more breathtaking views than you can shake a stick at. It’s also an important part of our economy, with farming, landscaping, conservation and national parks all bringing in money in various ways. Animal care is all about caring for animals (duh…); making sure they are ﬁt and healthy, as well as grooming them for both domestic and professional use.

Agriculture is quite a broad term for land based industries such as farming, landscaping, environmental conservation and forestry. It also covers the manufacturing of machinery for various uses on farms, forests and foliage alike. Animal Care involves the treatment of animals in both a domestic and professional environment. Whether this is through veterinary means or if you are grooming the next Grand National winner, you’ll need to know everything about the animals you will be looking after.

WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

Because this is such a broad sector, we can’t list all the salaries for every single job, but as a rough guide, farm based job roles start at between £10,000 to £13,000 and increase as you progress up the career ladder. Specialist career paths such as farriery (making horseshoes) and park rangers (who look after our national parks) can start on around £18,000 and be on upwards of £30,000 after experience. In animal care, a veterinary nurse can expect to start out on about £13,000, whereas professional horse-groomers usually begin on about £12,000.

Martin Stephenson faced stiﬀ competition from sports turf experts at some of the country’s biggest football clubs, but returned to Wearside as the winner of the ‘Institute of Groundmanship (IOG) Most Promising Groundscare Student of the Year Award 2013.’ The IOG is the leading membership organisation for everyone involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape, and amenity facilities. The 25-year-old from Seaham bowled over judges at the awards with his dedication to tending to the pitches at Ashbrooke Sports Club, Sunderland.

You ask us... WHAT’S THE AGRICULTURE & ANIMAL CARE SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

Green ﬁngers and a passion for sports pitches have helped a former East Durham College student scoop a prestigious prize at the Groundsman of the Year Awards 2013.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

Well, given that it’s land based and animals are mostly found outside, then you’ll be doing most of your work in the great outdoors! You could be in a ﬁeld harvesting crops, on a farm looking after the animals or in a forest keeping everything looking natural. In an animal care environment, you could be working in a veterinary surgery treating people’s pets, or going out and about in your community doing house calls. You could even be working at a race track helping horses prepare for their next big competition.

The former Seaham School pupil was presented with his award at a ceremony held at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena, alongside other winners from the likes of Warwickshire Cricket Club, York Racecourse, and Wembley Stadium. Martin, who recently completed his Level 3 Horticulture Sports Turf Apprenticeship with Ashbrooke and East Durham College, said: “The College helped me to develop an incredible knowledge of sports turf and it feels fantastic to have won, it’s like all your hard work has really paid oﬀ.”

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

Just under half of the people that work in this sector are self employed, as most agricultural farms are family run businesses. On the animal care side of things, the demand for qualified veterinary staff is on the rise; the government predicts that from now until 2020, this sector will require at least 44,000 people with a minimum Level 3 qualification in their chosen field.

WHERE IS THE WORK MOST CONCENTRATED?

It goes without saying that this sector is focused on working in the countryside, so don’t be looking to the big cities for work! Most farms are family run businesses, but you might find some that are willing to take on apprentices. You’ll also find veterinary surgeries in nearly all small towns and villages, but you’ll find it easier getting work in surgeries that have a larger catchment area. www.careersworld.co.uk

For more information on Horticulture Apprenticeships or Diplomas please contact East Durham College on 0191 375 4710 or visit www.eastdurham.ac.uk

Agriculture & Animal Care

Careers Choices So, do you think you could thrive in an Agricultural environment? If you don’t like working outside but still like the idea of working with animals, then perhaps you would want to consider a career in veterinary sciences or as an animal trainer! This sector is truly massive, so massive in fact that the job roles we’ve listed below don’t really begin to scratch the surface of what you can do! These are the most popular job roles you can expect to ﬁnd:

HORTICULTURE & LANDSCAPING

Ever wondered what it is that makes our country that little bit more beautiful? From the city centre parks people stroll in to the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales, this sector is all about making the areas we visit look good. You might be arranging ﬂowers in a local community or maintaining our national parks; either way you’ll be getting plenty of satisfaction from people taking in your work. Your starting salary will be around £15,000, but could be more depending on what it is you’re working on.

FARM WORKER

It’s not just big beards and wellies (although you should probably get a pair for this; you might end up losing your trainers pretty quickly). Farming is hard work, but the rewards that come out of it, in terms of money and pride, are well known. You could be looking after animals such as sheep, cows and pigs, or working with hightech machinery cultivating and harvesting crops. You can expect to earn around £7,200 if you are aged 16 or over, while those who are 19 and over will expect to bring in around £10,000, rising to around £15,000 with experience.

RANGER

Rangers are responsible for keeping our national parks clean and tidy, while also making sure that the wildlife and plants are also kept healthy and safe. This is deﬁnitely a career for those who want to work outdoors but also for those who are avid about the environment and working with animals. Salaries start out at around £18,000, but Senior Rangers can earn in excess of £30,000.

VETERINARY NURSING

Animals get sick just like people do (and unlike people, they can’t drive themselves to the doctors; their feet can’t reach the pedals for one thing) and require treatment, checkups and if necessary, surgery. Veterinary nurses assist vets in treating domestic animals, such as dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, parrots and horses. You’ll learn all about the diﬀerent types of animal’s anatomies, as well as the kinds of treatments each animal needs in each situation. Don’t be afraid to get your hands a bit messy in this industry! Your starting salary will be around £14,000, but Senior Veterinary Nurses earn around £25,000.

www.careersworld.co.uk

LAND BASED ENGINEERING

As you can imagine, farm working involves a heck of a lot of complex machinery, such as threshers, harvesters, processors, tractors and many others. Land based engineers are responsible for building and maintaining these machines, so an eye for mechanics and systems will be handy here. Starting salaries in this sector are quite high and usually between £20,000 and £26,000.

78,000 PEOPLE WORK IN ANIMAL CARE

86% 3,350

OF ANIMAL CARE BUSINESSES EMPLOY 5 STAFF OR LESS

AGRICULTURE RELATED BUSINESSES IN THE UK

Where to begin If you think this is the sector for you, read on to learn more about how you can kick your career off…

APPRENTICESHIPS

If you are aged 16 and over you could enter an Apprenticeship, which would teach you the skills you need while you work and earn a salary. You’ll spend half your time in the classroom and half out on the job. Listed below are the apprenticeship frameworks for this sector, which when completed will give you a Level 2 qualiﬁcation in the form of a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ: Game and Wildlife Management • Animal Care • Horticulture • Environmental Conservation • Land Based Engineering

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

These are the equivalent to A-Levels and can usually be joined after completing the associated Intermediate Apprenticeship. They are ideal for people who want a practical role as they learn while gaining valuable employment experience. People with Advanced Apprenticeships tend to progress up the ladder a lot quicker than those without, as the skills they learn are more suited to management and supervisory roles. Here are some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks for this sector and all of these will result in a Level 3 qualiﬁcation such as a BTEC, a Diploma or an NVQ. Animal Care • Environmental Conservation • Game and Wildlife Management • Land Based Engineering • Veterinary Nursing

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the most popular gateway into university and are sought after by employers. They are also useful for getting into more senior roles such as management and team leading. The following A-Levels will help you get into this sector: Biology • Chemistry • Maths • English • Geography • Geology

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A Foundation Degree combines university lifestyle with practical, hands on work. It’s sort of like a cross between an Apprenticeship and an Honours Degree. They are often used as a gateway qualiﬁcation to a full time Degree as they count towards the ﬁrst two years of an Honours Degree. They usually take two years to complete and you’ll be both in the work place and on the university campus. There are a wide range of Foundation Degrees available for this sector, such as Farm Management and Wildlife Conservation.

Agriculture & Animal Care

REGIONAL FOCUS Because of the vast rural areas of County Durham and Northumberland, farming is big business in the North East. The open space lends itself to a huge variety of diﬀerent farms, from sheep, to dairy, to honey! One of the biggest changes in agriculture in this region is the move away from wheat farming; the amount of wheat produced has fallen by over 20% in the last ten years. 60% of the region’s agricultural economy comes from Northumberland alone.

COLLEGE COURSES

A college course is another way to get into this sector. For more information, check out www.careersworld.co.uk

VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

These can be undertaken instead of doing A-Levels and can be done at Level 2 and 3. They, like Apprenticeships, can result in a BTEC, NVQ or Diploma and are handy for getting into more speciﬁc job roles in this sector. www.careersworld.co.uk

THE REAL WORLD Emma Roberts, Art and Design Emma Roberts chose to study at Newcastle College as she wanted to break out of the school routine and start a fresh challenge.

Creative, Media & The Arts Facebook, Emmerdale, The Mona Lisa, Call of Duty. All these things have one thing in common – they all fall into Creative, Media and Arts sector and they could be the basis of your future career!

You ask us... WHAT’S THE CREATIVE, MEDIA AND ARTS SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

The Creative sector will soon become one of the most important in the country. As technology advances, people need to keep up to date and that’s where you come in. At present, the industry is worth £36 billion a year; in the time it takes you to read to the bottom of this section, the Creative sector have generated over £70,000. Around WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT will £1 in every £10 of our exports are in this TO EARN? sector, which means that other countries You’ll start off on somewhere in the region favour our approach to Media, Creativity of £10,000 to £18,000 depending on what and The Arts. you do. Some of the newer roles, such as interactive and digital media tend to pay WHERE IS THE WORK MOST more because they are more specialised, CONCENTRATED? but nearly all the career paths available will have room for advancement and as the It obviously depends on what you specialise market continues to expand new roles will in, but generally there is more work the further towards London you go. However, become available. the BBC has recently relocated a lot of its to Salford (near Manchester) WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD programming and there are of course independent I BE WORKING IN? publishing companies, newspapers and Most media companies work out of offices digital media companies all over the country. and studios; this isn’t anywhere near as It really is a case of moving to where the boring as it sounds as most creative offices work is, but once you become established, are bustling with ideas and tend to be more moving won’t be an issue. laid back than the bigger corporations. Of course TV and Film would have you working in various settings both indoor and outdoor and the fashion industry could take you from a cat walk to a high street shop. It’s everywhere. On your TV, on your computer, on your games consoles, in every newspaper, painting, t-shirt, magazine, book, website or newsletter, it’s a massive sector that covers the things we enjoy most at home.

www.careersworld.co.uk

Art and Design courses at the college give students a flavour of different arts subjects (including fine art, textiles and fashion) before they have the option to specialise in the second year. This was an important factor when Emma was making her choice of where to study. The course also allows students to develop their skills using the latest technologies and the Mandela Building on campus hosts top of the range Mac suites and art studios, where students can practice their skills. Emma believes that the course has given her the skills she needs to be able to progress on to higher education, where she would like to study textiles and surface design. “I would definitely recommend Newcastle College. You learn in a relaxed environment that’s easy to work in, and we’re encouraged to be creative in our own individual way. “The college has helped me become more independent. You meet a different range of people and the course is fantastic. From day one everyone was really friendly.”

Web: www.ncl-coll.ac.uk

Creative, Media & The Arts

Careers Choices If you have the imagination to match your ambition and desire to succeed, then you will go far in this sector. From television to fashion, there’s a whole host of different career paths to be taken, but be aware that this is a very popular sector to get into, so it’s best to get some work experience behind you to make you more attractive to employers. Here are some of the biggest areas within this sector:

PUBLISHING

This magazine you are reading wouldn’t exist without publishing and it covers everything to do with written word. Most publishers are small and deal with specialist publications, such as career speciﬁc magazines or travel guides. Starting salaries are quite high, ranging from £15,000 to £20,000.

INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Also known as New Media, everything from Facebook and Youtube to apps and websites is covered here. You’ll have to move with the times, as in this industry something could go from popular to forgotten in just a few seconds. Remember Bebo? No, me neither. Starting salaries are pretty high because it’s a specialist subject; expect to earn between £16,000 and FILM & TELEVISION Fancy yourself as the next Phillip Seymour £20,000 with more to come as you become Hoffman? What do you mean who?! Well, more experienced. it’s not all about the actors; all those names that scroll at the end of the credits (that you FASHION probably leave the cinema half way through) If you know what’s hot and what’s not, are roles that make film and television work. what’s in and what’s out, then this could Cameramen, sound and lighting operators, be right up your alley. Fashion covers makeup artists, special effects specialists designing new clothes, patterns and styles and directors are just some of the roles as well as buying stock for high street shops available. Salaries usually start out fairly to sell. You can expect to start on between low (about £12,000) but will grow as your £12,000 and £15,000. experience does.

PERFORMANCE ARTS

All the world’s a stage. Not only does this cover the performers, but also the supporting crew; you could be in wardrobe, stage management or directing the whole show! Starting salaries are usually between £12,000 and £16,000 depending on your role.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

PR is all about networking – you might be representing a small company looking to expand or a high proﬁle celebrity in search of that next big blockbuster. Starting salaries in PR are usually higher than others in this sector; you’re looking at £19,000 to start out with, but experienced PR people at the top of the ladder can earn upwards of £100,000! That’s a lot of chicken dinners…

www.careersworld.co.uk

ANIMATION

Finding Nemo, Toy Story and Shrek; all are huge animated ﬁlms that started life on a drawing board. Animators work on bringing still images to life. Animation isn’t just limited to ﬁlm; it appears in TV, on websites, adverts and video games. Starting salaries are between £16,000 and £20,000 and can increase with experience.

CURATORS/CONSERVATORS

Museums, heritage sites and art galleries all require experts to look after the exhibits that guests come to see. Whether it’s bringing new exhibits in or restoring old ones to display quality, it’s a varied job that will give you a lot of gratiﬁcation. There is a minimum salary (by law) of £20,895, which you can expect to rise as you gain experience.

55,900

PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED WITHIN TV - 11% OF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY MORE THAN

1/3

OF PEOPLE WORKING IN MEDIA ARE FREELANCE

50%

OF THE TV WORKFORCE HAS UNDERTAKEN UNPAID WORK

Where to begin If you think this is the sector for you, read on to learn more about how you can kick your career off…

APPRENTICESHIPS

With over 48,000 diﬀerent companies in this sector, an Apprenticeship might be the easier route to take to get into a very tough sector. Competition for places in this industry are super high, so having one foot in the door and earning as you learn could be a great way to go. Here are the frameworks you can expect to see in this industry and all Apprenticeships result in a Level 2 BTEC, Diploma or NVQ. Design • Games Testing • Performing Arts (Theatre) • Fashion and Textiles • Music Business • Creative

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

These are the equivalent to A-Levels and can usually be joined after completing the associated Intermediate Apprenticeship. They are ideal for people who want a practical role as they learn while gaining valuable employment experience. Here are some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks for this sector and all of these will result in a Level 3 qualiﬁcation such as a BTEC, a Diploma or an NVQ. Creative • Creative and Digital Media • Design • Performing Arts • Photography • Photo Imaging

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the most popular gateway into university and are sought after by employers. Here are some of the relevant A-Levels for this sector: Art and Design • Dance • Drama • Fine Art • Graphic Design • Media Studies • Music Technology • Photography

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A Foundation Degree combines university lifestyle with practical, hands on work. It’s sort of like a cross between an Apprenticeship and an Honours Degree. They are often used as gateway qualiﬁcations to a full time Degree as they count towards the ﬁrst two years of an Honours Degree. They usually take two years to complete and you’ll be both in the work place and on the university campus. Example degrees include Creative Writing, Animation and Photography.

Creative, Media & The Arts

REGIONAL FOCUS If you are looking for a creative or media job in the North East, chances are you will gravitate towards the Newcastle area. The biggest TV stations in the region are BBC North East and Cumbria, which broadcasts from Newcastle, and ITV Tyne Tees & Border, located in Gateshead. If you’re an arty person, the North East Art Collective is a new gallery located in Eldon Garden which is dedicated to showcasing the art of North East people to the people of the North East!

COLLEGE COURSES

College courses are also a great way to get into this sector and many colleges do Creative courses. To check which colleges do these courses, head to www.careersworld.co.uk. www.careersworld.co.uk

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Business & Customer Service Business is all about getting stuﬀ done. Whether it’s launching and selling a product or starting up a company in your kitchen, business boils down to one thing; making money. If you have good business acumen, then you won’t be far from success. Every business is hinged on meeting and dealing with customers and for that you’ll need a good customer service ethos. A smile, a friendly demeanour and a professional but helpful attitude will help your customers feel at ease and in good hands.

You ask us... WHAT’S THE BUSINESS & CUSTOMER SERVICE SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

It’s a huge sector that covers nearly every other industry out there. Everybody needs to make money to survive, from your local corner shop to the world’s largest companies. It goes hand in hand with customer service, which businesses rely on to not only attract new customers, but also keep hold of current ones. This sector covers everything from management to being an entrepreneur and starting your own business. With regards to customer service, you’ll ﬁnd roles in telesales, reception and more!

WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

It depends on your role in a business and the type of company you work for. As a money orientated sector, you’ll be making plenty of cash if you keep hitting targets. The average salary for starters in business is around the £15,000 mark, but don’t be surprised to see this ﬁgure increase very quickly. Customer Service starts out at about £11,000, but is a career ladder that’s easy to climb with the right attitude and can in some cases lead to a career in PR.

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

This country sees over 8000 new businesses started every week; some from current companies merging, others starting up with just one staﬀ member in their living room. Nearly a quarter of UK private enterprises are situated in the business services sector and recently new schemes have been brought in to help people aged 18-24 start up their own companies.

WHERE IS THE WORK MOST CONCENTRATED?

It probably won’t surprise you to hear that the largest concentration of work in the business sector can be found in the South of England, towards the London area. However, many new start up companies are found in the North, around major cities such as Manchester and Sheﬃeld. Leeds is also renowned for its business district, where the headquarters of supermarket giants Asda, hair product company GHD and video games developer Rockstar are located.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

A business environment is competitive and fast paced; sales targets have to be met in order to satisfy customers and management alike. If you’re ambitious and enjoy a challenge then you’ll revel in it and go far. Customer Service is a little diﬀerent, as you have to act as the face of the company and therefore require a more relaxed demeanour (you’ll still have to be professional; don’t be greeting top customers with ‘Yo dude, how’s it hanging?”!).

www.careersworld.co.uk

Business & Customer Service

Careers Choices Business is vital to our economy; without it, there wouldn’t be any money. And without money, there’d be no society. So it’s imperative to make sure that businesses run to their best potential. To make these businesses work, there are many cogs in the machine, such as administration, human resources and management, all of which require a different set of skills.

ADMINISTRATION

Administration is the part of business that we as customers rarely see. Whenever we sign up for a contract on a phone or buy a house, that contract has to be processed, checked and ﬁled away for future reference. These aren’t skills to be taken lightly and the function of admin should never be underestimated. You can expect to earn between £15,000 and £20,000, with the possibility to earn more with progression.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Customer Service is all about making customers feel like they’re in safe hands when doing business with your company. Whether it’s a friendly telephone demeanor or a simple smile and a handshake, a company’s treatment of their clients goes a long way to doing future business. It also helps garner reputation to attract new customers that previously slipped through the net. Starting salaries are around £12,000, but progression can come quickly and with it comes a higher wage.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Somebody has to look after the employees in a company and this job falls to the human resources department. This is no easy task, especially when it’s a large company with hundreds of people in various job roles. Responsibilities for the HR department include hiring and recruiting, keeping employee records, dealing with complaints and providing staﬀ training for development. Salaries start out at around £15,000, while managers can earn close to £50,000 a year.

ENTREPRENEURIAL

Ever wonder why there isn’t a product in the world that probably should exist but doesn’t? Then why not go for it and start up your own business? Perhaps you have a talent which you can showcase as a service to other people or know how to turn a struggling business into a successful one. The government is currently running a scheme for 18-24 year olds who want to start their own business, providing funding, training and help to make sure young people starting from scratch are on the right path.

www.careersworld.co.uk

4.7 MILLION

SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS THE UK

Where to begin Fancy a career in business? Well read on to ﬁnd out how you can get started...

APPRENTICESHIPS

If you are 16 or over then you can enter an Apprenticeship, which would teach you the skills that you need while you work, you’ll also earn a salary. On your Apprenticeship, half of your time will be spent doing the job and the other half will be spent learning in the classroom. Listed below are the Apprenticeship frameworks for this sector, which when completed will give you a Level 2 qualiﬁcation in the form of a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ: Business and Administration • Contact Centre Operations • Customer Service • Management • Sales and Telesales

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

These are equivalent to A-Levels and can usually be joined after you complete the associated Intermediate Apprenticeship. Advanced Apprenticeships are perfect for those who want a practical role as they learn while gaining relevant employment experience. People with Advanced Apprenticeships often progress up the career ladder faster than those without, because the skills that they learn are more suited to management or supervisory roles. Here are some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks for this sector, completing any of these will result in a Level 3 qualiﬁcation such as a BTEC, NVQ or Diploma. Business and Administration • Contact Centre Operations • Customer Service • Enterprise • Management • Sales and Telesales

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the most popular route into University and are sought after by most employers. The following A-levels provide a great path into this sector: English Language • Maths • Business Studies • IT

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A foundation degree combines the University lifestyle with practical, hands on work. It’s basically a cross between an Apprenticeship and an Honours Degree. They are both used as gateway qualifications to a full time Degree because they count towards the first two years of your Honours Degree. Foundation Degrees normally take about two years to complete and you will be in both the work place and on the university site. Nearly all universities provide Foundation and full Honours degrees in Business related fields.

A FULLY QUALIFIED ACCOUNTANT CAN EARN OVER

£50,000 PA

BUSINESS SKILLS CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO ALMOST ANY OTHER SECTOR!

Business & Customer Service

REGIONAL FOCUS There are lots of customer service call centres in the North East because the accent is seen as friendly and calming on the phone! There are great opportunities in international trade in the area as it is unique in being the only UK region to export more products than it imports. The Teesside area is a very important part of the country when it comes to chemical trading, and Tyne and Wear is famous for being the original home of the Newcastle Brown Ale brand.

COLLEGE COURSES

A College course is another good way to get into the Business and Customer Service sector. To ﬁnd out more about these courses, have a look at www.careersworld.co.uk.

www.careersworld.co.uk

think social care “Knowing that I can make people happier is the most satisfying part of my job” There are a huge range of jobs available in adult social care, such as...

front line care workers, therapists, activity organisers, managers, administration… How do I g adult soc et into ial care? There’s more to social care than you might think – every day is different. You might be helping people to socialise with friends, go shopping or even go on holiday.

One of th e best ways to get into t he sector is through an Apprenti ceship. Earn whil e you lea rn. Gain qua lifications . Become a confide nt and skille d worker.

For more information about adult social care Apprenticeships:

www.skillsforcare.org.uk/apprenticeships or email: info@skillsforcare.org.uk

Education & Early Years Some people say your best years are your school years; I’m sure many of you reading this will disagree. But teaching is a very rewarding career to be in, as it nurtures the talents of many young people and not only does it educate them in school subjects, it’s also responsible for helping young people through the transition into adults.

You ask us... WHAT’S THE EDUCATION & EARLY YEARS SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE

Opportunities in the Education sector aren’t just limited to teaching, COUNTRY? which might surprise a few of you (it certainly did us!). This sector Last year £56.27 billion went into the Education sector and a lot also covers early years and nursery staﬀ, as well as teaching of that will have gone to the teachers and other education workers. assistants who assist teachers in a variety of classroom roles. Schools in the South of England tend to gain more funding due to the sheer number of students they cater for, but with the education WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN? sector changing all the time, expect this unbalance to even out over The starting salary for a teaching assistant is about £12,000 per the coming years. year, this may not seem like a lot but there are many opportunities for advancement. A fully qualiﬁed teacher can earn about £35,000WHERE IS THE WORK MOST CONCENTRATED? £40,000 per year – however that will increase as you become more Well, education usually takes place in schools, which you already experienced. know having been there for some time already! Bigger cities and

towns have plenty of schools both in the centre and in ‘catchment’ areas, which cover outlaying villages and areas outside the built up Normally you’ll be working in schools and sometimes nurseries areas. However there are many nurseries and crèches all over the – depending on the area that you decided to specialise in. In a UK as well where you can work in the education sector too. primary school the atmosphere will often be more relaxed but in a secondary school it won’t be quite so informal – you might have to wear a tie! If you are working in Ofsted then you will be going into schools and deciding whether they are performing adequately.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

www.careersworld.co.uk

Education & Early Years

Careers Choices Education and Early Years careers are all about helping and teaching children and young people everything from the classic three times tables to the intricacies of intermolecular structures. Teachers, examiners, pastoral support workers and teaching assistants all work towards educating their students to achieve the best possible grades. Whether it’s twenty out of twenty in a spelling test or an A* at GCSE level, it’s the educators who are responsible for shaping the futures of their pupils. Here are some of the popular roles that you can expect to ﬁnd in the Education and Early Years sector.

TEACHING ASSISTANT

This job is all about working with children; you have to support teachers in the classroom and help children with their educational and social development, both in and out of the classroom. Teaching Assistants work for about 30-40 hours per week and your starting salary is usually about £12,000 although that will increase as you gain additional qualiﬁcations.

PLAY WORKER

This job involves you to plan, organize and take part in play and leisure activities for 4 to 16 year olds. Getting the balance right between responsibility and fun is paramount here, but helping young people have fun is one of the most rewarding careers you can be in. Full-time playworkers can earn between £12,000 and £20,000 a year. Managerial staff can earn between £25,000 and £30,000 a year. If you work part-time then you may be paid an hourly rate. Most NURSERY NURSE If you’re a warm, caring person who wants playwork is in the evenings, at weekends to work with babies or toddlers, then and during school holidays. this is probably the career for you. Good communication skills, a fair approach and PASTORAL WORKER a responsible attitude are also required. This job involves working with schools, Your working hours will vary and often pupils and families to find solutions to include shifts to cover early starts and late problems that pupils may have. Good finishes to meet the needs of parents. The listening skills, a calm and sympathetic starting salary for junior nursery nurses can approach, the ability to build good working be between £10,000 and £12,000 a year; relationships with pupils, parents and this will increase as you become more teachers and an understanding of the experienced. law relating to education and childcare are essential in being a Pastoral Worker. You will normally earn around £20,000 to over £30,000 a year, depending on your qualifications and amount of experience. However visits to students’ homes and other schools are common. You will often be expected to have or be working towards a qualification in social work.

www.careersworld.co.uk

8.2 250,000 MILLION PEOPLE WORK IN OVER

THIS SECTOR

Where to begin If you think this is the sector for you, read on to learn more about how you can kick your career off…

APPRENTICESHIPS

If you are 16 or over then you can enter an Apprenticeship, which would teach you the skills that you need while you work, you’ll also earn a salary. On your Apprenticeship, half of your time will be spent doing the job and the other half will be spent learning in the classroom. Listed below are the Apprenticeship frameworks for this sector, which when completed will give you a Level 2 qualiﬁcation in the form of a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ: Early Years Worker • Care Worker • Assistant Youth Support Worker • Assistant Playworker • Play Centre Assistant

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

These are equivalent to A-Levels and can usually be joined after you complete the associated Intermediate Apprenticeship. Advanced Apprenticeships are perfect for those who want a practical role as they learn while gaining relevant employment experience. People with Advanced Apprenticeships often progress up the career ladder faster than those without, because the skills that they learn are more suited to management or supervisory roles. Here are some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks for this sector, completing any of these will result in a Level 3 qualiﬁcation such as a BTEC, NVQ or Diploma. Playworker • Nursery Nurse/Worker • Nursery Teaching Assistant • Youth Support Worker

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the most popular route into University and are sought after by most employers. The A-Levels that you take should depend on which area of teaching you want to specialize in, for example if you want to be a History Teacher, then you should take a History A-Level. English Language • English Literature • Maths • Biology • Physics • Chemistry • French • Geography • German • History • Other Subjects

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A foundation degree combines the University lifestyle with practical, hands on work. It’s basically a cross between an Apprenticeship and an Honours Degree. They are both used as gateway qualiﬁcations to a full time Degree because they count towards the ﬁrst two years of your Honours Degree. Foundation Degrees normally take about two years to complete and you will be in both the work place and on the university site. There are lots of Foundation Degrees available in this sector, such as Teaching Support and Primary School Teaching. Working with Children: Education and Wellbeing • Teaching and Learning Support

SCHOOL PUPILS ACROSS THE UK

THERE ARE OVER

24,000

SCHOOLS IN THE UK

Education & Early Years

REGIONAL FOCUS While the amount of adults without qualiﬁcations is high within the North East, the region is incredibly successful in terms of young people’s education. The area has the highest amount of pupils getting ﬁve A*-C grades at GCSE of any region in England, and 84% of 16 year olds in the North East choose to go into education or training. The fantastic success rates mean that this is a great part of the country for those who want to teach.

COLLEGE COURSES

A College course is another good way to get into the Education sector. To ﬁnd out more about these courses, have a look at www.careersworld.co.uk. www.careersworld.co.uk

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Your Career,

Your Choice. We couldn’t possibly print an article for every sector; we’d have to change the name to ‘Careers World Textbook’! But, we also understand that the five sectors covered on the previous pages might not be to your tastes. Not to worry! Below are the other sectors we cover, which we will detail more in upcoming issues. You’ll also find some example job roles, expected starting salaries and the qualifications you can study to get into the sector to give you an idea of what to expect from each sector.

ARMED FORCES & EMERGENCY SERVICES

We rely on our emergency services when things go wrong and they are a vital part of our day to day lives. From the police who patrol our streets to the paramedics who save lives, this sector is all about helping people in the community. Of course, serving in the armed forces means protecting the country and providing international aid to other nations. Whether you are based abroad or in the UK, you’ll be working as part of a team in a variety of situations, some of which will take place in hostile environments so a cool head is a good trait to have!

Example Job Roles: Paramedic • Police Officer • Fire Fighter • Coastguard • Soldier • Fighter Pilot • Navy Cadet • Royal Marine Salaries: Military salaries usually start at around £13,000, while emergency services salaries are usually around £19,000. Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3 – HM Forces run their own apprenticeship schemes) • College Courses (such as police studies) • A-Levels (useful for officer training)

AUTOMOTIVE

If you know your spark plugs from your spare and problem solving mentality, but this sector is tyres, then you’ll probably have a future in the generally favoured by those who enjoy working automotive industry. This sector covers the with their hands. maintenance of any vehicle with an engine, from cars and motorcycles to more complex Example Job Roles: Mechanic • Vehicle systems such as combine harvesters and Service Technician • Panel/Paint Technician luxury coaches. You could find yourself working Salaries: Salaries in this sector tend to start in a garage fixing up customer’s vehicles, or at around £13,000 a year. in a workshop specialising in things like body Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 work, paint and windscreen repair. You could and 3 – this is the most popular route into also work in one of the main car dealerships, this sector) • College Courses • Foundation diagnosing and repairing cars and offering Degrees • HNDs advice to customers. You’ll need an analytical

CONSTRUCTION

Building structures is something the human race has always prided itself in; from simple houses to the Empire State Building, every building requires a different method of planning and construction. Actually building the structure is just one part of the process; there are a whole host of job roles in this sector! Civil engineers and surveyors plan and design building projects, scaffolders construct safe platforms for others to use, plumbers fit pipes for various water outlets and painters make everything look eye catching. This is an industry that combines both practical and design orientated job roles. www.careersworld.co.uk

Example Job Roles: Bricklayer • Plumber • Plasterer • Surveyor • Civil Engineer • Painter/Decorator • Joiner • Carpenter • Scaﬀolder Salaries: Civil Engineering starting salaries are around the £15,000 mark. Salaries around practical roles such as Joinery and Bricklaying tend to start at around £13,000. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3 - this is a popular route into this sector) • A-Levels • College Courses • Foundation Degree • HND

ENERGY & RENEWABLES

Traditionally, our energy came from burning This sector oﬀers job roles in a wide variety of fossil fuels, which were pretty harmful to the areas, such as plant maintenance, recycling atmosphere. But, being a smart, proactive operations and nuclear working. species, we’ve adapted our energy sources to make the most of our environment. Now, Example Job Roles: Recycling Operator • we can generate power via wind turbines, Plant Technician • Radiation Monitor geothermal reactors, tidal generators and solar Salaries: Starting salaries in this sector are panels. We also have nuclear power, which quite high, starting at around £17,000. might not sound environmentally friendly, but it Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 generates a lot of energy and is relatively cheap and 3) • A-Levels (Sciences are useful here) to run. The government has also invested a • College Courses • Foundation Degrees lot of money in recycling our household waste and goods, in a bid to keep our country clean.

FINANCE & LAW

Both of these are vital to how our country runs; finance is all about working with money, while law covers everything from the justice system to working in a courtroom. With finance, you might find yourself working in a bank serving customers, or working personally with people providing financial advice on areas such as mortgages, loans and savings. The legal sector also has plenty of job roles that require you to work with the public, such as court clerks, paralegals and admin staff.

Example Job Roles: Paralegal Assistant • Finance Assistant • Payroll Clerk • Finance Advisor • Legal Administration Assistant Salaries: Expect your salary to start at around £14,000 for the legal sector, while you’ll be starting on around £11,000 in a ﬁnancial role. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • A-Levels • College Courses • Foundation Degrees

HAIR & BEAUTY

In an age where getting your hair and nails done is no longer considered girly (come on guys, don’t kid yourselves), making people look and feel good has become big business. And it doesn’t stop at feeling great on the outside; this sector also covers spa therapy, which is a growing industry in the UK. You could be working in a salon styling hair, recommending a nail design or in a country retreat providing seaweed wraps; whatever you choose to do, you can be satisﬁed that you’ve helped give somebody a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Example Job Roles: Spa Therapist • Hairdresser • Barber • Nail Technician • Beauty Therapist Salaries: Salaries in this sector tend to start at around £13,000. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • College Courses

HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE

Our healthcare system is renowned for being one of the best in the world, so what better sector to get into? Nearly 1.5m people work for the NHS, which is the main employer for healthcare in this country. But this sector also covers private companies and professions, such as therapists, dentists, social workers and support staﬀ. You could be working in a hospital helping to heal sick people, or going out visiting patients and clients in their own homes. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll ﬁnd this sector provides you with a rewarding and satisfying career.

Example Job Roles: Healthcare Assistant • Dental Nurse • Maternity Support Worker • Optical Care Assistant • Social Worker • Clincial Support Staﬀ Salaries: Starting salaries are between £11,000 and £18,000. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • A-Levels • College Courses • Foundation Degrees

IT, DIGITAL & TELECOMS

Pretty much every other industry relies on IT in some way or another, so the need for people working in IT has never been greater. Computers are constantly changing and being upgraded, so this sector requires a lot of adaptability as well as a logical, problem solving way of thinking. You could be managing a network for a large company, or providing IT support at a school. You might even ﬁnd yourself working within another sector; industries such as Logistics and Creative Media rely heavily on IT to deliver their products and services.

www.careersworld.co.uk

Example Job Roles: IT Technician • Software Developer • IT Support Staﬀ • Telecoms Technician Salaries: Salaries start out between £14,000 and £20,000. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • A-Levels • College Courses • Foundation Degrees

MANUFACTURING & PROCESSING

This is a sector that is, to all intents and purposes, all about making things. What that is could be anything from a microwaveable chicken curry to a car windscreen. It’s literally that diverse. Food and drink, metals, ceramics, textiles, building materials, electronics are just some of the areas you could be working in. Manufacturing is split into so many diﬀerent areas and job roles that we could probably dedicate a whole magazine to it! Your work could take you from an oﬀshore oil rig in the North Sea to a production line in a factory on home soil!

Example Job Roles: Production Line Supervisor • Extraction Operative • Pipe Fitter • Welder • Refrigeration Technician • Jewellery Technician Salaries: You can expect to start out on around £12,000, but supervisory roles tend to pay more. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • A-Levels (Any technology or science subjects would be useful in this sector) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees

RETAIL

Well, who doesn’t love shopping? Retail is big business in the UK and we spent £311 billion on shopping last year (when I say we, I mean the country, not me and the missus...), therefore there is a need for skilled retail staﬀ to cover the demand. Retail covers all forms of shopping, from high street clothing stores to giant supermarkets. Customer service and communication skills are vital to this industry, so if you are a helpful, happy person, then a career in retail could be right up your street. Get it? Street? Shopping? Ah, never mind.

Example Job Roles: Sales Assistant • Visual Merchandiser • Manager/Supervisor/ Team Leader • Retail Buyer Salaries: Starting salaries in the retail sector are usually around £11,500. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees

SPORT & FITNESS

Getting fit and healthy has become a really important part of people’s lives. This sector is all about helping people improve through various forms of exercise; this might be in a gym using weights, or on a football pitch playing in a cup final. Either way, this sector is about making people feel good about themselves so you’ll need good interpersonal skills and a determined nature to help push people to achieve their goals. You could find yourself training somebody in a health club, or outside coaching athletes in a variety of sports.

Example Job Roles: Personal Trainer • Sports Coach • Fitness Instructor • Outdoor Activities Supervisor Salaries: Gym based job roles tend to start out at around £13,000, while coaches start on anywhere between £12,000 and £18,000. Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3, inc. a route into professional sports) • A-Levels (Sport Science and Biology will be of use) • College Courses • Foundation Degree • Industry Specific Qualifications

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

Ever wondered how that present you ordered hundreds of people. A clean driver’s licence will online makes its way to your front door? Nearly be required for any full time driving jobs. every business makes use of Logistics at some point, whether it’s ordering new parts for a Example Job Roles: Railway Operative project, sending out a new product to stores • Airport Ground Staff • Mail Service or something as simple as sending a birthday Technician • Warehouse Operative • Bus/ card. You could find yourself working at a Coach Driver port or airport, or even working oversees on a Salaries: Starting salaries in this sector are freighter. It isn’t just deliveries; this sector also around £12,000 a year. covers the public transportation industry. The Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 vast network of railways and bus routes requires and 3) • A-Levels (Geography is useful for constant upkeep and maintenance and keeping transport related job roles) • College Courses everything running on time is a job that requires • Foundation Degree

TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY

Everybody needs to let their hair down from time to time and this sector allows you to work in an area dedicated to helping people have a good time. That could be here in the UK working in bars, restaurants and hotels or abroad acting as a holiday representative or a travel agent. That’s right; you could actually go on holiday for a living! This sector is ideal for those with good people skills, as you’d be working with plenty of diﬀerent people from all sorts of backgrounds. Travel is also a great way to get out and see the world while also earning a salary!

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Example Job Roles: Bar Staff • Front/Back of House Staff • Chef de Partie • Overseas Rep • Travel Representative • Cabin Crew Salaries: Starting salaries are between £11,000 and £16,000. Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees • Industry Specific Qualifications

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For information on other courses available call now on 0844 848 7144 Or visit us at www.building-capacity.com enquiries@building-capacity.com

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We appreciate more than anyone the importance of giving appropriate careers advice to students between the ages of 14 and 19. To help we have put together some aides, guides and FAQs to help you to make up your mind and make the changeover from pupil to employee that bit easier. Over the next few pages, we will tackle some of the common problems and concerns students face during the summer term.

The Summer Term This time of the year is arguably one of the most important for, and dreaded by, students of all ages. From 14 to 19, there are end of year reviews and ﬁnal exams. Most older students will have by now decided on what route they want to take after school or college, but for others there may still be important decisions to be made. There will no doubt be much excitement about the future, but there will inevitably be a fair amount of disappointment too, with grades not being to the required level, or not getting that dream University place. For this reason we’ve put together a guide to one of the most important processes for those who haven’t quite gotten on to the course they’ve dreamed of, Clearing. Also included is a ‘versus’ guide, to help students decide between Apprenticeships and A levels, as well as useful links for your area, to make it easier for you to get in touch with those important contacts.

CLEARING

If you haven’t got the university place that you were hoping for, and your reserves haven’t worked out either, then all is not lost. Clearing helps over 55,000 students every year find places in universities and colleges that they didn’t originally apply for. The process is basically a way for higher education bodies to fill up any spaces that are left over from the initial application period. It’s all done through your UCAS profile, so this is the first place to turn to if you didn’t get that much sought-after university place. There are several reasons you might need to use Clearing: You didn’t get the grades…If you didn’t meet the requirements of your conditional offers then the first thing you need to do is check UCAS. There’s often a bit of leeway and they may have still accepted you. If you are shown as conditional, then you might have to give the uni a bit of time to process you. If after a couple of days there isn’t any change then you can

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give them a call and they’ll let you know what’s what. You can always contact UCAS if the uni is taking too long! You will be provided with a Clearing number on your online proﬁle if it ends up that they haven’t accepted you, and you should quote this to any universities with Clearing courses that you are interested in so they can look at your proﬁle and decide if they want to interview or accept you.

convince you to stay, but at the end of the day they’re not going to force you to stay in a place that you don’t want to! You applied late…Every year there are those that miss the UCAS application deadline. Sometimes a university will tell you to apply anyway, but there’s no guarantee that you will get a place. If you applied after 15th January and you haven’t been successful in getting an oﬀer, or you applied after 30th June, then you will be placed into Clearing automatically. You will have to complete the UCAS online application in the normal way, as well as paying the £22 fee for a degree application if you haven’t already. Your Clearing number won’t show up until after they have processed your application, but you can always do some research on what courses, unis and colleges you fancy going to while you wait.

You changed your mind… Picking a course, as well as a university or college, is a very tough decision. You might get all the way through to the ﬁnal stages of your application, even get accepted, but then decide that you were pressured into studying Maths, or you don’t fancy living in London. If you really don’t think you can cope with the course you have been accepted on then the ﬁrst thing you need to do is ring up the university or college you applied to and ask them to release you. They might not be happy It’s important to keep your about it, and will probably try to mind open when you enter

Clearing. Options are limited, so making the choice to defer your application or to decline your offers should not be a quick and easy decision. There is a reason that applying to do a degree is a lengthy process and not just a free-for-all! Everywhere you want to go may already be full up, or you might have to do a foundation course or different degree so you can go the university you want. The good news is that if you don’t have your mind set on a specific course then you are not limited to one degree. You could enquire about English with French at one university and Modern Foreign Languages at another, you won’t be penalized.

CONFUSED ABOUT CLEARING? WHICH QUALIFICATION? APPRENTICESHIPS VS A-LEVELS

Call 0800 100 900 or search online for National Careers Service

Helping you take the next step www.careersworld.co.uk

National Careers Service

13/03/2014 09:19

Careers Hub

Confused about Clearing?

YOU HAVEN’T BEEN OFFERED A PLACE AT UNI - ARE YOU LISTED AS ‘CLEARING’?

NO WAIT A WHILE PROVIDER MAY STILL BE CONSIDERING YOU

RING THE UNI OR COLLEGE IF IT IS TAKING A LONG TIME TO GET AN UPDATE ON YOUR APPLICATION

YES

TALK TO SOMEONE - YOUR SCHOOL OR COLLEGE CAREERS ADVISOR WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION - FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN BE A BIG HELP TOO!

DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH CLEARING? YES

3 4

E N D

CHECK OUT WHO STILL HAS SPACES VIA UCAS ONLINE (THE SITE IS UPDATED REGULARLY) - THE TELEGRAPH ALSO PRINTS CLEARING COURSES

DO YOU STILL WANT TO STUDY THAT COURSE? YES

NO CHECK YOUR ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS SEE BOX RIGHT

YOU ARE WILLING TO CONSIDER A DIFFERENT COURSE

GO TO

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

THERE ARE LOTS OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE: • RE-SIT A-LEVELS • TAKE NEW A-LEVELS • GAP YEAR • EMPLOYMENT YOU CAN ALWAYS APPLY AGAIN IN THE FUTURE

GO TO

THAT COURSE IS PERFECT FOR YOU AND YOU CAN’T THINK OF ANOTHER YOU WANT TO STUDY

CONTACT YOUR CHOSEN UNI OR COLLEGE FOR MORE INFORMATION DID THEY TELL YOU TO PROCEED?

SEARCH FOR NEW COLLEGE OR UNI AND TRY AGAIN

GO TO

YES IF THEY LIKE YOU AND WANT YOU TO APPLY, THEN

TAKE A LOOK AROUND THEIR CAMPUS OR WEBSITE/S

ADD THEM AS YOUR CLEARING CHOICE ON THE UCAS WEBSITE - YOU CAN ONLY MAKE 1 CLEARING CHOICE AT A TIME

DID THEY SAY YES? YES

OR SEARCH FOR NEW COLLEGE OR UNI AND TRY AGAIN

GO TO

NO CHECK YOUR ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS SEE BOX ABOVE RIGHT

E N D

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU’RE GOING TO COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY!

Where are you heading? 44

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Call 0800 100 900 or search online for National Careers Service

Helping you take the next step www.careersworld.co.uk

National Careers Service

13/03/2014 09:19

Careers Hub

Which Qualification? There are tonnes of different types of qualifications at varying levels; for example, a Level 3 NVQ is the equivalent to an Advanced Diploma. This can be confusing and trying to figure out what is the same level as what can be mind boggling. Below is a handy chart, listing all the levels of study and the qualifications students can take, making it easier to tell your diplomas from your degrees!

LEVEL

5 GCSEs

LEVEL

SKILLS FOR LIFE

LEVEL

BTEC

LEVEL

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS

LEVEL

OCR NATIONALS

AWARDS, CERTIFICATES & DIPLOMAS

LEVEL

NVQs

FOUNDATION LEARNING

LEVEL

ENTRY LEVEL

CERTIFICATES

(GRADES D-G) 1

5 GCSEs

LEVEL

(GRADES A*-C) 2

INTERMEDIATE

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS

BTEC 2 NATIONALS

LEVEL

DIPLOMA OF

NVQs

LEVEL

NVQs

ADVANCED DIPLOMAS

LEVEL

BTEC HIGHER NATIONALS (HND, HNC)

OCR NATIONALS

LEVEL

BTEC FIRSTS

LEVEL

NVQs

LEVEL

FOUNDATION LEVEL 3 DEGREES 4+

LEVEL

APPRENTICESHIPS

FOUNDATIONS 1

A LEVELS

FOUNDATION LEVEL FOUNDATION LEVEL DIPLOMAS 1 DIPLOMAS 2 OCR LEVEL NATIONALS 2

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPs

GCE IN APPLIED

SUBJECTS

LEVEL

3 3 3

HIGHER EDUCATION

LEVEL

4+ LEVEL

SPECIALIST LEVEL 4+ 3 AWARDS

LEVEL

Top Tip It’s tempting when revising for exams to think that you only need the grades to get into college or get onto the course you want. You end up setting yourself a low bar to make yourself believe that you don’t have to do as much work. You have to cut that out right now! Your GCSEs are likely to be the ﬁrst really important exams you take, and even those are taken into consideration by employers, universities, Apprenticeship providers, and more. You can go through the entire educational process and still be expected to give your school grades on a job application form, so that’s real incentive to try as hard as you can!

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Call 0800 100 900 or search online for National Careers Service

Helping you take the next step www.careersworld.co.uk

National Careers Service

13/03/2014 09:19

Careers Hub

Apprenticeships Vs A-Levels Apprenticeships are becoming more and more popular for those looking for qualiﬁcations beyond GCSEs, but do they really stand up to the traditional after-school route of studying A-levels at college or sixth-form? We’ve given you the facts on both to help you ﬁgure out which direction you want to go in with your education.

APPRENTICESHIPS

A-LEVELS

Very diﬀerent to the academic route, Apprenticeships are a form of ‘vocational’ education, which basically means you will be learning trade skills. You will be in a work environment instead of a classroom. You will specialise in a job role and learn all about the ins and outs of that occupation.

A-Levels are very academic and are, in many ways, similar to school. You will inevitably be taking exams and will probably have some form of coursework, though the environment is a bit more grown up this time around. The experience also diﬀers between college and sixth form.

YOU’LL EARN A REAL WAGE, GET TRAINING & RECEIVE QUALIFICATIONS

FREE PERIODS TO STUDY OR SOCIALISE

A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT, NOT A CLASSROOM

MEET LOADS OF NEW PEOPLE AT COLLEGE OR STICK WITH YOUR FRIENDS AT SIXTH FORM

FANTASTIC JOB PROSPECTS: YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE KEPT ON AFTER YOUR TRAINING

RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS THAT YOU CAN USE TO APPLY FOR A WIDE RANGE OF CAREER ROUTES

UCAS ACCEPT APPRENTICESHIPS: DON’T THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T DONE A-LEVELS THAT YOU CAN’T GO TO UNI!

MANY APPRENTICESHIPS ARE ACTUALLY HARDER TO OBTAIN THAN UNIVERSITY PLACES

APPRENTICES EARN ABOUT £100,000 MORE OVER THEIR LIVES THAN THOSE WHO CHOOSE OTHER ROUTES

NOT AS MUCH FOCUS ON SCHOOL UNIFORM. COLLEGES OFTEN DON’T HAVE ANY UNIFORM RULES AT ALL!

APPRENTICESHIP FRAMEWORKS ARE DESIGNED BY EMPLOYERS: THE MATERIAL IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY SEVERAL SUBJECTS. YOU COULD BE ACTING IN DRAMA ONE MINUTE, THEN DESIGNING A CAR IN CAD THE NEXT

Where are you heading? 46

109483 BannerAd 15_180 SS1.indd 1

Call 0800 100 900 or search online for National Careers Service

Helping you take the next step www.careersworld.co.uk

National Careers Service

13/03/2014 09:19

UNIVERSITIES

COLLEGES NEWCASTLE & GATESHEAD

Durham University www.dur.ac.uk 0191 334 2000

Gateshead College www.gateshead.ac.uk 0191 490 0300

Newcastle University www.ncl.ac.uk 0191 222 6000

Newcastle College www.ncl-coll.ac.uk 0191 200 4000

Northumbria University www.northumbria.ac.uk 0191 243 7420

TYNESIDE

COUNTY DURHAM Bishop Auckland College

www.bishopaucklandcollege.ac.uk 01388 443 000 Darlington College www.darlington.ac.uk 01325 503050 Derwentside College www.derwentside.ac.uk 01207 585900

University of Sunderland www.sunderland.ac.uk 0191 515 3000

South Tyneside College www.stc.ac.uk 0191 427 3500

East Durham College www.eastdurham.ac.uk 0191 518 2000

Teeside University www.tees.ac.uk 01642 218121

Tyne Metropolitan College www.tynemet.co.uk 0191 229 5000

New College Durham www.newcollegedurham.ac.uk 0191 375 4000

SUNDERLAND City of Sunderland College www.citysun.ac.uk 0191 511 6000

ENTREPRENEURS ARE NOT BORN, THEY’RE M DE! Founded by entrepreneur and star of Dragons’ Den, Peter Jones CBE, the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy offers unique courses in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship for those aged 16 and above. Our pioneering business courses, which are being delivered in colleges across the country, ensure that our students achieve an accredited qualification and also gain the necessary experience and skills that are vital for employment or running their own business. There’s nothing quite like one of our Enterprise courses, each one embraces the Academy’s ethos of ‘learning by doing’ by combining innovative teaching methods with sessions from industry experts. We currently offer BTEC Levels 2 and 3 and our ‘Ignite’ Apprenticeship programme, which includes the Advanced Apprenticeship in Enterprise and the new Higher Apprenticeship in Innovation and Growth.

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LOCAL COUNCILS

TEES VALLEY Askham Bryan www.askham-bryan.ac.uk 01904 772277

Darlington Borough Council www.darlington.gov.uk

Cleveland College of Art and Design www.ccad.ac.uk 01642 288000 Hartlepool College www.hartlepoolfe.ac.uk 01429 295111

Middlesbrough Council www.middlesbrough.gov.uk Newcastle City Council www.newcastle.gov.uk

Middlesbrough College www.mbro.ac.uk 01642 333333 Redcar and Cleveland College www.cleveland.ac.uk 01642 473132

NORTHUMBERLAND Northumberland College www.northumberland.ac.uk 01670 841 200

North Tyneside Council www.northtyneside.gov.uk Northumberland County Council www.northumberland.gov.uk Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk South Tyneside Council www.southtyneside.info Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council www.stockton.gov.uk Sunderland City Council www.sunderland.gov.uk

“ “

“

Gateshead Council www.gateshead.gov.uk Hartlepool Borough Council www.hartlepool.gov.uk

Hartlepool 6th Form www.hpoolsfc.ac.uk 01429 294 444

Stockton Riverside College www.stockton.ac.uk 01642 865400

Durham Council www.durham.gov.uk

Choosing the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy instead of A-Levels was a perfect decision. I am now National Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 and running my own business!

“

Harry Day, Solihull College

To read more about the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy courses and to find an Academy near you, get in touch today! www.pjea.org

0207 471 0520

info@pjea.org

29/08/2013 14:43:50

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Find us at www.facebook.com/careers.world and follow us on twitter using the handle @careers_world. We are currently running a competition which rewards all of our Facebook friends; every time we get another 500 likes on the Careers World page, we’ll choose one lucky winner to receive a prize! What’s even better is that the prizes will continually get bigger and more exciting as we get more likes!

COMPETITION WINNER! In our last issue, we asked you to send in an article with the title ‘What Not to do at an Interview’. Congratulations to Jessica Cameron of Baysgarth School in Humberside who will be receiving a £50 Amazon Voucher! You can read her fantastic article below:

K££P YOUR WALL£T W£IGHT£D Whether you’re off travelling after school, doing a placement abroad or away from home, or going to uni; one thing’s for certain, you’re going to have to start looking after your own cash. Here’s our advice. Don’t take it seriously. • • • • •

• • • • •

You can get a good four uses out of pants by wearing them backwards and inside out. Note: does not work with thongs Make friends with someone with a car. It’s the cheapest possible public transport Own-brand beans Go vegetarian. Have you seen how much meat costs? Eat like a rabbit and you can aﬀord to have the heating on that week Sell everything you don’t need online. People will buy anything on eBay. Lost one of your shoes? Flog the spare on the internet Freezers are your friends. I’ve made a loaf of bread last a year before now Own-brand beans Running is cheaper than the gym. You’re probably going to be mal-nourished from not eating anyway There’s a coupon for everything. Google it before you leave the house. …Own-brand beans

So, you’ve got an interview. Possibly the most important of your career; you cannot risk losing out on this job, nothing can go wrong. You know exactly what you need to do; you’re conﬁdent, your CV is word perfect and your references are impeccable. But… have you thought about what not to do at an interview?

There’s the obvious, we all know you probably shouldn’t turn up late, insult your prospective boss or pick your nose, but have you ever thought about the less obvious? Not everybody does and it’s often these subtleties that are more significant and perfecting them could set you apart from your competitors. Bear in mind your posture; don’t slouch or look uninterested. Appear confident; don’t avoid eye contact or give yes/no answers. It’s the simple things like this that may very well get you the job you’ve been waiting for. Never turn up in a creased shirt or with unwashed hair; be polite and courteous, be confident and be yourself; don’t leave wishing you’d never entered the room. Every interview is important, and could change your life. Remember though, picking your nose at an interview is still a definite no no.

There’s a species of jellyfish that regenerates its cells so well, it can never die if it is never hunted. It’s the time-lord of the sea When a rabbit is excited it makes a movement called a ‘binky’ A flamingo can only eat when its head is upside down Male puppies let female puppies win in play-fights, what gentlemen! Polar bears are left-handed A giraffe can clean its ears with its tongue The Common Swift never lands, it flies for all its life, eating flying insects to stay alive You can housetrain an armadillo, but they’re smelly and nocturnal. That’s not an excuse to call your brother an armadillo Gentoo penguins mate for life, and instead of a ring they propose using a pebble. You can lead a cow upstairs…but not down again

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N E OP

4 1 0 2 S Y DA

THIS IS SEEING IT FOR YOURSELF OPEN DAYS SATURDAY 5 JULY 2014 SATURDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2014 SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014 SATURDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2014

A fantastic opportunity to explore our campus, experience our state-of-the-art facilities and meet current students and staff. Campus open 9.30am - 3.00pm Registration from 9.00am

Book your place today at: dmu.ac.uk/opendays +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70