Careers World North West SPRING 2014 by Open Doors Media Ltd

NORTH WEST edition

SPRING 2014

PETER JONES CBE “We are pioneering a new approach to teaching entrepreneurship by focusing on ‘learning by doing’”

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

CV BUILDER

Get yours right ﬁrst time!

GCSE MATHS & ENGLISH REFORMS What do they mean for you?

PLUS: OUR EXPERT PANEL ANSWER MORE OF YOUR KEY QUESTIONS & WE PREVIEW NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2014

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Welcome to Careers World Magazine, the premier resource for careers information and guidance. During the spring term many of you will have time between winter and summer exams to think about what happens next after school or college. That’s where we come in! In every issue we help you discover more about the most popular career sectors, as well as asking experts and successful young people for their tips and advice for the future. In this edition we pitch our questions to the Dragon himself, Peter Jones, and we’ll see how he’s investing in the future of potential entrepreneurs. Now’s the time to get to grips with your future and focus on ﬁnding the career that’s right for you.

Elliot Gardner, Editor

Entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones shares the secrets of his success.

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

Construction

Travel & Hospitality

31 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

There’s never been a better time to be an apprentice. Find out why with our Apprenticeships feature.

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

Business & Customer Service

And now for something completely diﬀerent...

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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: 2050-6589

Peter Jones is a world-famous entrepreneur and star of the hit TV programme, Dragons’ Den. Peter is from Berkshire and has a long history of achievement when it comes to business. The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy has been running since 2009, taking on the challenge of making business more accessible to students across the country. Peter talks to our editor about his success, the Academy and just what it is that makes him tick. School grades, so how did you do then? Academic success wasn’t a focus for me because I was more interested in enterprise and making money. I wasn’t the biggest fan of my primary school in Windsor and so bunked off at every opportunity to sit in the big chair in my father’s office and dream about running a big company one day, even though it often got me into trouble. I liked my secondary school, Windsor Boys, but was still fascinated by those around me who showed enterprising qualities. An English teacher was the only teacher at school to have a top-ofthe-range Porsche and I loved finding out how he did it.

Your website mentions running a tennis schools as the start of your entrepreneurial journey. What else inspired you? My parents hugely inspired me when I was growing up. My father was an expert in air conditioning and worked particularly hard. He motivated me to strive harder and reach the top. However, I have also been inspired in ways that haven’t brought me success. Impressed by the movie Cocktail, starring Tom Cruise, I opened a cocktail bar in Windsor which didn’t do very well and just cost me money. This episode demonstrated the importance of judgement when pursuing any idea.

Do you think you need a specific mind-set to become an entrepreneur? There are definitely particular traits which are more common in entrepreneurs, such as grit, perseverance and determination. However, I fundamentally believe that entrepreneurialism can be taught and that entrepreneurs are not born, they are made. In 2005 I established my own charity in order to help young people have brighter futures, and in 2008 I set up the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, which is working to put enterprise at the heart of education in the UK. The key to the Academy network is instilling a ‘can’ attitude in our future leaders and giving our young people the confidence they need to fulfil their dreams. Putting students in front of people who have been there and done it allows them to see how attainable entrepreneurship can be.

We keep hearing the phrase “business acumen”, but what does this mean to you? “Business acumen” is all about being able to make good judgements and quick decisions, which ultimately results in eﬀective business decisions. This skill is deﬁnitely not limited by age. My 11 year old daughter, Natalia, always has an opinion about those businesses that I have been given www.careersworld.co.uk

the opportunity to invest in. And nine times out of ten, she is completely right!

Do you think there are more pros than cons to being your own boss? Absolutely. Otherwise I would have backed out of this game a long time ago. Being an entrepreneur requires huge commitment and a lot of hard work, but the rewards are completely worth it. It is a challenge but you learn to follow your instincts and begin to really value advice from those who have been there before you.

Describe your ideal business partner Finding your ideal business partner often happens organically, where you have complimentary skills and talents, but mine is extremely hard working and determined. Plus, they must be visionary and be able to lead by example. Trust is also incredibly important. They must have faith in my choices and abilities, my team and the potential of a business venture.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a TV personality? One of the great beneﬁts of being famous is being able to get exclusive access to other like-minded entrepreneurs and senior executives, many of whom have some fantastic and interesting ideas. I don’t see any disadvantages to that.

If you weren’t in business, what would be your dream career? I loved tennis and wanted to be a professional but I’d still hand in the towel to be a successful entrepreneur. Being in business is the most exciting and challenging career anyone can have and I’m pleased it’s become my chosen path. I wouldn’t change it for the world. Your lifelong love of tennis, what sparked that off? At age 12, I was helping a teacher at my school to teach tennis and he inspired me later, when I was 16, to set up my first business, a tennis academy. As a child I used to play tennis at county level, and I still play regularly with ex-professionals. That was a real watershed moment in my life I think. At the time, I had the chance to improve my game with a view to becoming a professional, but there was something in me that wanted to take that talent and develop a successful business from it rather than, say, win Wimbledon. As a big family man, what advice do you give to your children about careers? I encourage my children to follow their hearts and to choose a path which they are really passionate about – only then will they give themselves the best chance of being successful and finding true happiness. It is very important to me that my children work hard and stand on their own two feet. I have set up an arrangement to incentivise my kids to work hard through a funding platform that doubles their income every day for the rest of their lives.

You’ve had more than one IT based company, what brought that on? Are you a bit of a tech head? Yes, I love technology and have always been interested in gadgets. My second business was based around building and selling computers. Whenever gadgets are pitched in the Den, it’s always me who gets instantly excited. I always say that entrepreneurship is about being innovative and improving something that already exists. This attitude describes technology to the core, which ﬁts perfectly with my overall business mantra. “Being innovative isn’t about doing something new it’s about doing something better than your competition.”

What is the next big thing for Peter Jones? Anything up your sleeve? I have got many projects on the go at the moment. Since taking over Jessops last year, that has been a huge focus for me and will continue to be for a while. I’m hoping there will be lots of opportunities like Jessops for my investment group in 2014. In 2012 I founded Tycoon in Schools, a nationwide competition that spearheads my mission of putting enterprise at the heart of all education. Now in its second year, the competition has been even bigger and better, with over 700 students taking part this year from all over the country. I can’t wait to see the achievements of this year’s highﬂyers, and the inspiring young people who apply next year. We had over 3,000 apply this year, which was fantastic. This competition continues the work that I started with the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, where we aim to equip budding entrepreneurs with the skills necessary to start their own business, or act entrepreneurially within one. I am thrilled with the journey the Academy has taken so far, where we have about thirty Academies operating across the country, and can’t wait to see it grow even more next year.

Is there anything on Dragons’ Den you regret not investing in? I don’t actually. No regrets. Even when I see some products that I chose not to invest in being successfully launched, I don’t have regrets. With Wonderland, YUU World, Woodblocx, Alf Turner, Tiny Box, The Present Club, Bare Naked Foods, Reminiscence Pods and the one and only Levi Roots, who can possibly regret anything? The record speaks for itself! What is your favourite product from Dragons’ Den? And what was the worst? All of them are my favourite! Not fair to choose one. And my worst, Layline Beds. It’s basically a sheet with a stitched line down the middle to tell husband and wife that ‘this is my space and this is your space’. It is ridiculous. That, or the American Inventor guy who said that spinning bicycle hub cabs will be the next craze. Only in America!

If you were to go into the den as a new entrepreneur, what would your pitch be? And how would you stand out? If I said ‘I could turn £50,000 into £1million’ would you invest? I would then make sure my idea was good enough to capture the Dragons’ imagination and get them interested. I would end with “Are you in?” I would stand out by wearing a smart, sharp suit and wear the most outrageous stripy socks I could ﬁnd!

If I were 15/16 and wanted to be an entrepreneur, what would you say to me? I would encourage you to have a vision and then make that vision bigger, because the bigger your vision the more successful you are likely to be. Don’t be swayed from your vision by anyone, and make your own decisions. Then make sure you do sufficient research, finding out not only what your competitors are doing, but also how you can make your product or service that little bit better. Finally, it is important to have fun, because business is about more than making money. People will be more likely to buy your product or service if you are having fun and enjoying the business. However, ultimately, I would encourage you to log onto www.pjea.org.uk, to find out everything about the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy and join our nationwide network!

If you could do exactly what you wanted with the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, what would you do? I would ensure that every college in the country has an Academy within it and that all young people were given the chance to apply. I want to continue to ensure that our Academy network continues to put enterprise at the very heart of the UK education system and that the “learning by doing” method is widely implemented and respected, helping young people to make their dreams a reality.

All of our pioneering courses have been developed in conjunction with Pearson (Edexcel), as well as education and industry experts, and I had a personal hand in the writing of these qualiﬁcations. I’m very proud of what we have achieved in such a short amount of time.

How do you think careers advice should be given to students? We deliberately designed the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy to be completely diﬀerent from the traditional academic environment. We are pioneering a new approach to teaching entrepreneurship by focusing on ‘learning by doing’. That means combining business theory with business practice to replicate the environment of the real business world. And ultimately, we believe that’s the best way to unlock the potential of the next generation of entrepreneurs. The best way to learn how to succeed is to work with those who have been there and done it, and to get stuck in and give it a go yourself. Students receive master classes in entrepreneurship from the best in the business, where they have heard from the likes of Paul Lindley of Ella’s Kitchen and David, Vanessa and Jacqueline Gold.

What are the Academy’s best success stories? There are so many of these it is tricky to keep track! Each year we recognise the most outstanding student across The Academy network, where the National Entrepreneur of the Year is announced. Our 2012 winner, Rob Nunn is developing his business that aims to encourage people into the aviation industry. There is no stopping the 2013 winner, Harry Day, who is running a tailoring business and currently working on the development of it in Bangkok!

Who is better at business, you or Alan Sugar? Alan is a great friend of mine and I think very highly of him. He is a big supporter of the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy and has such a wealth of experience. I think he’s better because he’s older and wiser!

People love your socks. Do you have a favourite pair? My stripy ones, of course. I launched my own range of socks a few years back, where all the proceeds go to charity. They’ve been very popular. Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden, Theo Paphitis: Snog, Marry, Avoid? Wow, what a question! I wouldn’t snog any of them. Nor would I want to be married to them. Lastly, I’m not saying who I’d avoid! Which actor would you like to play you in a ﬁlm of your life? I’m guessing not Tom Cruise… Pierce Brosnan.

How much input did you have in setting up The Academy? A great deal. I founded The Academy back in 2008 and our ﬁrst intake of students was in 2009. My vision was to create and encourage a more entrepreneurial activity in the UK, based on a philosophy of ‘learning by doing’.

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Friday 27 June Saturday 28 June

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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 can 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 I’ve been thinking about whether there is some golden piece of advice that I can offer you in your search for a career, and the number one thought that keeps cropping up in my head is simply ‘do your research’. It’s all well and good thinking ‘I want to go to university’, but what course? What job do you want at the end of it all? There is a career path for all of us but the most difficult step is finding it. The majority of us don’t have a job handed to us on a platter so we need to get out there and look for ourselves! If you don’t know what you want to do don’t hesitate, start looking! Get careers advice from your school or college, have a look at all the different kinds of Apprenticeships, rummage around UCAS to find a uni course that suits you and most importantly, don’t dismiss anything based on what someone else has told you. It’s your career, go find what suits you!

GCSE MATHS & ENGLISH REFORM Maths and English not your strong point? Just going to breeze through your GCSEs without giving it a real go? Looks like you’ll need to think again.

• • •

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KEY FACTS

GCSEs have changed a lot this year If you don’t manage a C grade in Maths and English, you will have to carry them on until the age of 18 It’s because employers want a good understanding of Maths and English. Almost every career has some dealing with these subjects You don’t have to go to college to continue studying, there are many ways to re-do your GCSEs You won’t just be retaking your exams over and over, the focus is on developing your skills

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WHAT’S CHANGED?

You might have heard murmurs about changes to the way GCSEs are going to be carried out this year. The big diﬀerence is that students who fail to get a minimum of grade C in GCSE Maths and English will have to carry on these subjects up until the age of 18. What this means is that thousands of pupils will have to take additional courses to get their literacy and numeracy skills up to scratch after they have left school. This might be with a college, training provider or other educational body, but whatever the route, you can be sure it’s going to have a big impact. In the past you could stick with the grades you received from exams no matter what they were, but the Government has said this isn’t good enough anymore.

BUT WHY DID THEY CHANGE IT?

country in the developed world carries on with numeracy and literacy after the age of 16 and It’s because generally employers our Government is keen to not like a good understanding let the UK fall behind. of Maths and English more than anything else learned at In terms of careers, most school. That doesn’t mean you employers ask for a minimum should just jack in geography; of grade C in English and Maths all subjects are good for no matter the position. What do something, but these are nurses, engineers, receptionists skills everyone needs in the and shop workers all have in workplace. The Government common? (No smart answers have decided the education please) They all have some sector needed shaking up with dealing with Maths or English; it big changes being made to both could be working out discounts schools and exams. Every other on the ﬂy or ﬁlling out contracts.

WHAT ELSE IS CHANGING?

Surprisingly, changes to Maths and English are not the only things new about exams. Starting this year GCSEs are changing from a modular format to becoming linear. What this means is instead of a few smaller tests at the end of each part of your course, there will be one or two big exams in May/June. You also won’t be able to re-sit one particular part of your GCSE if you didn’t get the grade in that module that you wanted. You have to re-take every exam in that subject.

If a pupil is leaving without this level of qualiﬁcation, they are at a massive disadvantage in the job market.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

I know that many of you will be worrying about what all this means, but it might not be as bad as you think. While the ideal situation is to pass your English and Maths GCSEs with a C, if you really struggle then don’t think you are just going to be re-sitting over and over again.

For example, if you did fantastically and got an A* in your calculator test in maths, but slipped up and got an E in your noncalculator one, you have to retake both if you’re not willing to stick with the overall grade. Bear in mind you also won’t have to retake any classroom assessments you’ve had (For Example timed practical tests in Art or IT).

The focus is on continuous development rather than just grades. This means that you might be able to do an equivalent qualiﬁcation that’s more suited to your style of learning. You also don’t have to go to college for further education if this wasn’t going to be your route after school. There will be other methods of study that you can take part in, so don’t think you won’t be able to start an Apprenticeship or Traineeship just because your grades weren’t ideal.

English, Geography, History and R.E, there will be quite a hefty amount of marks geared speciﬁcally towards them. So make sure you’re not telling examiners about the lives of Jebus and Ghundi.

If you’re in Year 10 and thinking about taking A-Levels then you have to watch out. A similar system is coming into eﬀect from 2015 for further education as well. There’s also going to be a big focus on No more AS and A2 exams, just one big Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. For exam period. subjects that you have to write a lot, i.e.

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HOW WILL IT BE DONE?

You’ll be able to rest a bit easier knowing that the number of students who haven’t managed to pass before leaving sixth-form or college will be reported in that school’s performance tables, meaning that it is in schools’ and colleges’ interests to provide the best possible education to encourage you to pass. Some schools in the past have entered pupils into easier qualiﬁcations so they don’t have to show low grades to the public, but the new rules will put a stop to this; everyone will be educated to the same level. The funding of colleges will also be changed. Basically if they don’t have great English and Mathematics departments, they won’t get as much cash.

WHO IT AFFECTS

The new rules have already come into eﬀect. Meaning if you are gearing up to do your GCSEs next term you might be staying on a bit longer than you thought, but only if you don’t get the right grades. Of course this only matters to you if you don’t pass your Maths and English exams ﬁrst time around. It can be seen as a little push to try your best in your exams, but let’s be honest you should be doing that already, and you really don’t want additional subjects looming over your head when you’re trying to think about where you want your career to go. Post 16 study is hard enough without having to think about left-over GCSEs as well! The change goes hand-in-hand with the Raised Participation Age of education (discussed in the previous issue of Careers World) which means school-leavers are required to stay in some form of education until they are 17, which is soon to be extended to 18.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While this new system may seem unfair to a lot of you, it really does make sense. If you could see the amount of job listings out there that say ‘must have English and Maths GCSE Grade C or equivalent’ your collective jaws would drop. It’s not just courses and careers where you’re required to write or add up; employers like to know that if they hand you any task that crops up, you’ll be able to handle it. The most important thing to take away from it is that even if the work is that bit tougher now, in the long run it will be good for you. You’ll be able to apply for tonnes more jobs and the satisfaction you’ll get from knowing that you passed is worth all the extra eﬀort.

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK A huge success in past years, National Apprenticeship Week, set up by the National Apprenticeship Service, is returning in 2014 and is fast approaching. Designed to celebrate and increase awareness of Apprenticeships, NAW is a great event that promotes Apprenticeships of all levels to students, employers, schools, colleges, training providers and the media. Loads of good stuff goes on all across the country so you’re guaranteed to find something you can get involved with. This year NAW takes place on 3rd-7th March and there are over 900 events to attend across the UK (no, that isn’t a challenge). Apprenticeships are becoming a big deal. Last year Prime Minister David Cameron said he wanted to make Apprenticeships, alongside university, the new norm for pupils leaving school. Make sure you get involved over twitter, follow @Apprenticeships and check in on #NAW2014. If you are considering an Apprenticeship but can’t find one to suit you then chances are you are about to have your eyes opened. Dozens of employers post vacancies during the run up and throughout the week. Really it’s the best possible time to consider an Apprenticeship.

THEY REALLY ARE A BIG DEAL

Recently there has been a study focusing on education in 30 countries. It has found that vocational education (that’s education that’s focused on a speciﬁc ﬁeld of employment to you and me, e.g. Apprenticeships, BTECs, etc) is much more likely to get you a job than just a general education. Not only this, but the people on vocational courses have a better chance to wind up with a long-term position, not just a short starter job, and a much higher starting wage than young people who have just gone through a standard route of education.

Yes, this might sound like one big advert but if you’re even considering an Apprenticeship in the slightest then the week can be a really important time of year for you, so stick it in your calendar and try to get involved with as much as possible. It has also been found that individuals who took part in a practical work-based The variety in events is huge. You course, like an Apprenticeship, were could attend a careers event at your even more likely to find a job than those local college, or an employer might be who did classroom based courses like offering work experience for the week. BTECs. This is because the courses It’s not just schools that get involved. are designed in partnership with the Big businesses like British Gas see employer, meaning they know exactly how useful it is to inspire young people what skills the students have, and can to consider becoming an Apprentice. gear the course more towards relevant Get over to apprenticeships.org.uk areas. And honestly, it’s much easier to to have a look what’s going on in your keep on an Apprentice that you have area. already trained than finding someone new. Don’t forget, it’s National Careers Week at the same time as Apprentice Week, Don’t get worried if work-based but over at Careers World we believe courses aren’t for you. The research that any week of the year can be a showed that even work experience is careers week. I mean except Christmas. enough to give you an edge over other Who wants to be thinking about jobs at candidates, so get going and do all Christmas? That’s presents time... you can to gain as much experience as possible.

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Section Heading

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 CAREERS AND EDUCATION CHOICES CAN BE SCARY! HOW SHOULD APPLICANTS MAKE THEIR DECISION?

Laing O’Rourke is a globally diverse engineering enterprise. We fund, design, manufacture, construct and maintain the built environment – providing the facilities to accommodate, educate, employ, transport, care for and sustain communities. Web: www.laingorourke.com

WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU OFFER SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS?

There are a great deal of career choices available to you, therefore it’s important that applicants research as much as possible. Speak to people who are already in the industry that you are considering, read as much as you can and think about what motivates you.

A dedicated programme manager will work closely with the project teams, apprentice mentors and training providers to make sure the apprentices are supported and on track to meet all their initial goals and to assist in their development within the business.

Construction is an exciting and ever changing industry that oﬀers a huge variety of job opportunities, including traditional trade Apprenticeships and sponsored learning programmes.

We work hard to create an environment that brings out the best in our people. So as a Laing O’Rourke employee you can be sure your career is in good hands. Our Apprenticeship programme is designed to give our apprentices the best possible start to their career in construction, creating a solid foundation that could take them to great heights.

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU?

When you join Laing O’Rourke you will be fully supported through your learning. Successful applicants will receive expert training from both our vastly experienced trades-people on site, and through a huge network of UK colleges. Our Apprenticeship programme also includes a number of personal development modules delivered over four years which are aimed at broadening your learning experience beyond your trade.

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The University

The University of Liverpool is the original ‘Redbrick’ university, a Russell Group institution oﬀering research-led teaching within a culture of innovation and ambition. Web: liv.ac.uk

CAREERS AND EDUCATION CHOICES CAN BE SCARY! HOW SHOULD APPLICANTS MAKE THEIR DECISION?

Identify your strengths and weaknesses, be honest with yourself and seek the opinions of those who know you best. Determine your skills and qualities and how could use them in a speciﬁc career/subject area. Choose a subject you enjoy by making sure you research on www.ucas.com. After all, you will spend at least three years studying it! Remember, not all courses with the same title will be taught in the same way so look closely at course content on university websites. Most importantly, START EARLY – don’t leave everything to the last minute and ﬁnd yourself rushed into making a decision that could impact on the rest of your life.

The Training Provider ProCo is a forward-looking training organisation oﬀering a wide range of learning opportunities to individual learners and businesses. The provision available includes Government funded programmes including Young Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships, Advanced Apprenticeships, Foundation Learning and Work Placed Learning. Web: www.proconw.co.uk

CAREERS AND EDUCATION CHOICES CAN BE SCARY! HOW SHOULD APPLICANTS MAKE THEIR DECISION?

It is a scary time when it comes to career and education choices. On leaving school, many young people are bored by the idea of moving on to do full time further education, and are keen to become independent, enter the world of work and start earning. But doing any job will involve learning; employers want people with the knowledge and experience. Apprenticeships give you the qualiﬁcations and experience to help you succeed in the world of word. Basically if you know what you want to do, an Apprenticeship will help you make a professional start in your chosen career. An Apprenticeship is true investment for your future.

The College CAREERS AND EDUCATION CHOICES CAN BE SCARY! HOW SHOULD APPLICANTS MAKE THEIR DECISION?

Lisa O’Loughlin is Vice Principal for HE and Adult at The Manchester College. The College has campuses across the city oﬀering a range of higher education courses including Foundation degrees, HNDs and HNCs. Web: www.themanchestercollege.ac.uk

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Education has a huge impact on people’s lives and choosing the right subject is key. Think about what you enjoy doing. Make sure you give the decision plenty of thought and research thoroughly. The chances are you will feel more conﬁdent, and more likely to do well in, something you enjoy.

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

Whichever path you choose, we believe in giving you a learning experience to prepare

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

A university is an academic environment and the University of Liverpool is no diﬀerent. We oﬀer courses in over 150 subject areas and provide a high quality, engaging learning experience encompassing lectures, seminars, practical classes, oral presentations, and tutorial sessions. Your day-to-day will vary on what subject you choose.

WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU OFFER SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS?

Employability Service and Liverpool is one of the top 25 most targeted universities by leading graduate recruiters (High Fliers Research, 2013).

We constantly invest in the future. Our £660 million campus investment programme includes award winning facilities such as our Central Teaching Hub (‘Best Facilities’ at the Guardian University Awards) and our superb Your time at University is an excellent Vine Court eco-residences. opportunity to develop your CV beyond your studies, opportunities include learning an All this is against the backdrop of our additional language, enhancing computer wonderful vibrant city - rich in culture skills, volunteering and developing and heritage. A city where people feel leadership skills. immediately at home, with more galleries and museums than any other city outside WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU? London. With almost 22,000 students on We oﬀer a dynamic, international and campus from over 150 countries we are vibrant research-led academic environment truly a student city within a city!

associated with eight Nobel Laureates. You will be taught by academics at the forefront of their ﬁelds, responsible for world leading We have an award winning Careers & research.

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

In order to complete the Apprenticeship programme, each learner must successfully achieve a ‘framework’. Apprenticeships can be done in a wide range of occupational areas. The framework is an integrated programme of learning that combines practical work experience with appropriate training arranged by a learning provider, like ProCo. NW Ltd. Apprenticeships will oﬀer a range on learning opportunities, both on-job and oﬀ-job.

2 or 3); Technical Certificates, which cover the under-pinning knowledge and understanding of the qualification; Functional skills, as required by the specific framework; development of Personal Thinking and Learning Skills (PTLS); and basic understanding of Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR)

WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU OFFER SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS?

them as much experience as necessary in their organisation to be competent in all of the NVQ’s mandatory and optional units.

WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU?

We are a local central based training provider that has a wealth of experience in supporting young people learn while they earn. We oﬀer real jobs in industry that will give you the experience you need with an Apprenticeship of choice.

ProCo NW Ltd work closely in partnership with employers to help all apprentices achieve their learning aims and goals. Apprentices will be supported and guided throughout their qualification by highly The framework is a nationally recognised qualified staff. All employers are expected to group of vocational qualifications that develop and support the learners and give includes NVQs (usually offered at Levels

you for the world of work. Our facilities are WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU OFFER some of the best in the country - exciting SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS TO HELP campus buildings, industry standard THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS? training restaurants and hair & beauty salons, high tech recording studios, media Our fantastic teaching and support staff are suites and great live performance venues, fully qualified to provide you with the advice and guidance you need to get you on the fitness suites, and sports facilities. right track and help you think about things Our experienced teaching staff are industry you may not have otherwise considered. professionals who will help you learn the We have small class sizes so that we can offer each and every student a personal relevant skills for your chosen industry. level of support. In the latest National Student Survey our undergraduates gave us the thumbs up, We offer a university education that is with their experience at the college being affordable for all, with some of the lowest tuition fees in the country. above the national average.

www.careersworld.co.uk

WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU?

We believe that the expertise and dedication of our staff, the quality of facilities and equipment, and the support we provide our students are second to none. We aim to give you the confidence and qualifications to be who you want to be. Whatever you want to do, whoever you want to be, The Manchester College can make it happen.

Where do I go next? Apprentices can get paid up to ÂŁ210 per week

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Deciding what to do after college or university can be a daunting experience, and choosing which career path to take is often a difficult decision. North West England is home to hundreds of aerospace companies, many of which offer apprenticeships or graduate schemes in a variety of rolesâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; from project management to finance to engineering. So if the wish list for your ideal job includes above average pay, excellent training opportunities and global travel; a career in aerospace could be for you! Check out the Take Off in Aerospace web pages for video case studies, day in the life profiles, careers information and where to find your local aerospace companies.

www.makeit.org.uk/aerospace

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.

Creative Academy Creative Academy oﬀers 1823 year olds the chance to study for a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care. The programme combines intensive structured learning with practical experience to develop essential skills for a successful future in a rewarding job role. We spoke to Sarah, one of our current apprentices, who said: “My college tutor encouraged me to apply for a place on the Creative Academy Apprenticeship programme because she knew that the organisation has an excellent reputation and she thought I’d be the right person for the job. I enjoy working with my new colleagues; the atmosphere is very upbeat, and the service users I support have great

personalities. My advice to anyone who’s thinking of applying would be not to hesitate! I’m already looking forward to a successful career with Creative Support when I finish my Diploma qualification.” Creative Academy manager Ray Corry added: “Creative Academy is the training department of Creative Support, a nationwide social care provider with over twenty years experience of improving the lives of people with learning disabilities, mental health issues and other support needs. We are an ‘Investors in People’ Silver accredited employer. Our advanced Apprenticeship programme will equip our apprentices with the knowledge, and most importantly the values and skills, to make their career rewarding and fulfilling.”

Web: www.creativesupport.co.uk Tel: 0161 238 7664 Email: training@creativesupport.co.uk

Hayley Rickard Keen LLP After completing A-levels in Psychology, Human Biology, Chemistry and Maths, I chose to study with the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) instead of going to university. Once I had successfully completed the AAT qualiﬁcation I decided to pursue a career as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and progressed to the ACA qualiﬁcation. I don’t regret not going to university, as once I’d decided on chartered accountancy, I started looking for jobs with training programmes and found a place on the Rickard Keen AAT-ACA Fast Track programme. Sometimes I think I would have liked to have lived the university lifestyle, but when I hear my friends comparing their

student debt, I’m glad I didn’t go! My current role is Audit and Accounts Senior, which involves working on some of the firm’s largest client audits alongside the Director of Audit. Not only is it great experience, but it’s fun too! One piece of advice I would give to students looking into chartered accountancy as a career is to consider training with firms of different sizes. Although the salaries offered in bigger London firms seem very appealing, the environment in a smaller firm may offer a wider range of experiences whilst training.

To ﬁnd out more about how to become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant visit icaew.com/careers or ﬁnd us on Facebook at facebook.com/ icaewstartingpoint

www.careersworld.co.uk

Myerscough College…your Number One choice! Myerscough College is one of the UK’s largest land-based and sports colleges, offering a wide range of courses across 20 subject areas. It’s a popular choice for students, with a stunning parkland campus situated between Preston and Lancaster. Myerscough is the number one college in the UK for land-based student achievement rates and 2nd nationwide for student satisfaction according to the 2013 National Student Survey results. It was recently awarded an OUTSTANDING classification for its Agriculture and Countryside Studies provision by Ofsted. For students working towards their GCSEs, the College offers a range of entry level introductory courses, right through to A-Level equivalent Level Three Diplomas, ideal for progression to university degrees. As well as the main campus at Preston, Myerscough also has additional learning centres at Croxteth Park in Liverpool, Witton Park in Blackburn and Crow Wood Equestrian Centre, Burnley.

For students taking A-Levels, there are great opportunities to progress to Foundation and Honours Degree courses at the College. Myerscough is an Associate School of the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), one of the largest universities in the UK with around 35,000 students as well as 11 world-leading and 17 internationally excellent research areas. Myerscough oﬀers superb onsite residential accommodation for more than 700 students, with a fantastic range of social activities organised by the College’s Students Union. For students already living in the North West, dedicated bus routes provide direct College transport from various towns and cities. Find out more at one of their Saturday Open Mornings held regularly throughout the year.

A day in the life of Jon Berrisford, BAE Systems “As an Aircraft Fitter on the Typhoon final assembly I have an active role in putting together one of Europe’s most impressive fighter jets. The parts for the Typhoon are made all over Europe, but the RAF jets end up in Warton, to be put together. “The day begins with a start up meeting, which gives the team an opportunity to suggest ideas for making our working life easier and more efficient. The ideas can be to do with anything from reducing production times to improving health and safety. “I grab a cup of coffee and head over to the production line, where a shipment has just arrived in from Italy. We get components from all over the world, and my role comes at the start of the final assembly production. Today we’re bolting the left wing to the main body of the aircraft. It could take us a while to finish this - as you

Web: www.myerscough.ac.uk

can imagine, piecing together specialist parts takes patience and skill to get right. “Following lunch, I’ve been called over to assist another team on the aircraft they’re producing. This happens quite a lot in my role, and I enjoy it as it gives me a chance to have a nosy at what’s going on at the other end of the production line! It’s also a change to the usual work I do, which gives me a chance to make use of the diﬀerent skills I learnt during my training as well as developing new ones.” Since joining BAE Systems he has completed a BTEC National Diploma, NVQ Level 3 in Aeronautical Engineering and a HNC in Manufacturing Engineering. He is about to take the HND in Manufacturing Engineering.

Web: www.makeit.org/aerospace Tel: 01772 648 800

EUROPEAN UNION Investing in Your Future

European Regional Development Fund 2007-13

www.careersworld.co.uk

Tobias Miller, QA Apprentice at Resolve IT Solutions I made the best decision of my life so far when I chose to join QA Apprenticeships to train and ﬁnd myself a job in my desired sector, IT. After secondary school, where I gained four years of low level experience in ICT, I chose college to gain some more knowledge in IT. After almost a year studying for my A Levels, I decided that it was not right for me and realised I must move on in order to pursue a career.

with others has vastly improved, so much so that people might struggle to recognise me now! I would recommend an Apprenticeship in IT without hesitation because I have gained so much from it. I have made new friends and achieved industry recognised qualiﬁcations, which illustrate how much I have learnt. I have now completed my Apprenticeship and have a full-time job, which I love, at an inspiring company with such great prospects; I’m really excited about the future.

After spending some time looking for something new with no success, I was contacted by QA Apprenticeships to attend an interview and to see whether I could be a candidate for their Apprenticeship scheme. I was successful and managed to get an interview with Resolve IT Solutions, an award-winning IT company in my home city of Sheﬃeld. I was again successful in getting a place as an apprentice at their company. When I look back to how I was before the Apprenticeship – it’s unbelievable; I am much more mature and knowledgeable, and my ability to communicate

Ollie Ollie left school at the age of sixteen and was unclear about which career path he wanted to take. Then he heard about an apprenticeship at Oaklands Community Care; who deliver care and support services to people with learning disabilities and mental health issues. Ollie felt this might be the career for him as he already had experience within his family of the positive impact supported care can make. At Oaklands he was treated like a member of the team from the outset. Initially he began shadowing project workers, getting to know service users and taking on his own responsibilities. All this support helped Ollie gain conﬁdence. Every day is diﬀerent for Ollie. His tasks are varied and can

Apply now for a QA Apprenticeship in IT: Web: www.qa.com/apprenticeships Tel: 0845 074 7825 Email: apprenticeships@qa.com

include escorting service users to medical appointments, helping them to shop and cook, or just offering emotional support over a cup of tea. Ollie works with a wide selection of adults with varying needs across a range of different age groups. He feels a sense of achievement every day, helping vulnerable adults back into the community and supporting their needs. After school, Ollie didn’t think that he would be studying again, but it is clear to him now that being an apprentice is the ideal work-based route to a long term career, supported by on-going work training. Ollie said: “I would definitely recommend the apprenticeship programme to those who want to gain experience in care whilst training and studying. It’s a brilliant programme and the training is second to none.”

Web: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/icare Email: info@skillsforcare.org.uk

www.careersworld.co.uk

THE REAL WORLD Stegta “I enrolled on STEGTA’s ESF NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) Programme in January 2013, an 18 week programme which would give me the chance to gain some ‘hands on’ experience in a workshop by completing a Level 1 Hand Fitting Unit and also provide me with support to enhance my CV and interview technique. “During the programme, I developed my knowledge in the basic principles of hand fitting skills such as drilling, filing and sawing. I also produced some ‘T and U pieces’ using mild steel, brass and aluminium. I gained vital experience and received one on one training with a STEGTA Training Officer at their training centre based in Wellacre Academy in Flixton.

Engineering 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?

“I attended a job interview at Harland Machine Systems Ltd, who were looking for an Apprentice Fitter – Wireman. I presented the work I had produced as part of the course and the company oﬀered me a trial. Following the trial I was oﬀered the position and began employment in September 2013. “I am currently working towards a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering and attend College on day release to study BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Operations and Maintenance Engineering.”

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!

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.

Web: www.stegta.co.uk

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

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 This region has a strong background of engineering and manufacturing. Ever since the industrial revolution, Manchester has been a hub for industry and remains one of the country’s hotspots for engineering and innovation, with research being carried out at the university. Liverpool has engineering links in a variety of disciplines because of its rich history of industry, with the ﬁrst railways, steamships, trams and electric trains all being pioneered in the city!

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

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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 With some of the country’s biggest cities in the North West, it’s no surprise that business is certainly a very proﬁtable trade. Hailed as the capital of the north, Manchester is home to Kellogs, Betfred, Adidas and many more. Due to Liverpool and Manchester being very close, much business is done between the two cities, though the north of the region is much less corporate. Manchester and Liverpool are great hubs for jobs in administration, mainly because of the amount of large businesses in the area that have a need for admin assistants and HR staﬀ.

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

THE REAL WORLD Futureworks At Futureworks, Manchester’s School of Media, all of our tutors are practising industry professionals. Our students often ﬁnd themselves working in their chosen industries before they’ve even ﬁnished their courses!

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

Recent Visual Effects graduate Daniel Hammonds has worked on the brand new Keanu Reeves film ‘47 Ronin’ for visual effects company, ‘Framestore’. In addition, some of our visual effects students managed to earn themselves acknowledgement from the BBC for their work on visual effects for the CBBC TV series ‘The 4 O’Clock Club.’ In our games department, games design graduate Joseph Grainger was picked up by Matmi, who produce award-winning mobile and social apps for iOS and Android. His first project was on a brand new iOS game called ‘Rollabear’. Our Audio Engineering & Production graduate Will Brown has become a rising star under his alias ‘Compa’, having his music signed and performing at the Warehouse Project in Manchester. How do they achieve all this? Futureworks tutors boast great industry connections, and their students work harder within the smaller class sizes. Portfolio projects and exercises in self-promotion make up part of the curriculum for all courses, and when it comes to their Professional Diplomas, students looking to work part-time or fulltime can fit their studies around any jobs they wish to undertake.

Web: www.futureworks.co.uk Tel: 0161 214 4600 Email: info@futureworks.co.uk Address: Futureworks, Riverside, New Bailey Street, Manchester M3 5FS

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 The North West has long been known as a cultural hotspot; with music icons like The Beatles and Oasis coming from the area, there’s a lot to live up to! Ian Brown of The Stone Roses said ‘Manchester has everything except a beach’, and it’s certainly true in a cultural sense. It was host to the biggest exhibition of ﬁne art in the UK, has an excellent theatre culture, and of course, many emerging bands. Liverpool is also a hotspot for creativity, with events such as the International Gothic Festival in November 2013 and a huge art scene.

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

TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT APPRENTICESHIPS WITH PRESTON’S COLLEGE At Preston’s College, we have Apprenticeships available in a range of industries from Accountancy to Motor Vehicle, Hairdressing to Laboratory Operations and much more. If you want to earn while you learn call 01772 225186 now and speak to an advisor.

01772 225186 www.preston.ac.uk info@preston.ac.uk

THE REAL WORLD Arian Hajdari A construction trainee from Preston’s College has won a place at the ﬁnals of the UK’s largest multi-trade competition, SkillBuild 2013. Arian Hajdari has already triumphed at the North West regional heat and will compete against the other regional winners at The Skills Show, the UK’s biggest skills and careers show which takes place at the NEC Birmingham from 14-16 November. Arian will be competing in the Painting & Decorating category against the best trainees in the country.

Construction Ever wondered how they built some of the most iconic buildings of our time? Perhaps you think Big Ben isn’t big enough, or that The Leaning Tower of Pisa is just a bit rubbish; if you think you can make a diﬀerence to the buildings we see, then the Construction industry is for you.

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

crane at 150ft! Most of these job roles require working with heavy machinery so you’ll need some specialist training, just in Construction is a broad term for all things case you end up driving a cement mixer building related. It doesn’t just cover bricks, onto the motorway. Or accidentally building tiles and pipes; you’ll find a whole host of an office block on top of a graveyard. job roles that use skills such as problem solving, design and leadership. You could HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO be planning a development project for a rundown area, installing plumbing systems OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY? or even supervising a team working on a Construction is one of the country’s largest skyscraper! sectors; it employs over 2.35 million people, which equates to around 8% of the WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT UK workforce. Due to the self employed nature of this industry, a whopping 92% of TO EARN? organisations employ less than 10 people, The starting salaries in construction are meaning employment in private companies pretty high; most practical job roles start out is becoming harder to find. at around £16,000. Jobs in areas such as civil engineering and surveying tend to start WHERE IS THE WORK MOST out with a salary of around £15,000, but fully qualified professionals can earn in excess of CONCENTRATED? £40,000. It’s also worth noting that almost Unlike other industries, construction isn’t a third of this industry is self employed; this usually fixed to one place; you’ll have to go means you set your own schedule and where the work is. The company you work prices. It could also mean getting up on a for will have a catchment area which you Monday morning would just be for a slice of will work in; obviously larger companies will toast and a cup of tea. be able to cover larger geographical areas. Domestic construction, which includes WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD improvements, repairs and the building of housing, usually takes place wherever the I BE WORKING IN? client lives. New housing projects usually A construction environment isn’t always spring up on the outskirts of towns and just a building site; you could be in a design villages, whereas larger buildings such as studio planning out the structure of the office blocks and commercial retail areas building, or working underground checking are usually built on out of town business and on the maintenance of the gas and water retail parks. pipes. Heck, you could be operating a www.careersworld.co.uk

Mick Hamill, Regional Delivery Manager for CITB in the North West, said: “The SkillBuild 2013 finals will celebrate the enormous amount of construction talent across the nation. The finals bring together the country’s most promising construction trainees and we are really excited to see another year of outstanding achievement.” A spokesperson from Preston’s College commented: “We’re delighted to see Arian go through to the national finals of SkillBuild 2013. It’s a real testament to the work that he has been doing, and we foresee a bright future ahead of him in the construction industry. “Entering competitions such as SkillBuild is a key part of our programmes here at Preston’s College as they really give learners the opportunity to set themselves apart when it comes to getting a job and progressing in their career.” SkillBuild is run by the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board (CITB) as part of its commitment to training and excellence across the construction industry. The competition will be followed by a SkillBuild reception event, and then an awards event held in conjunction with the Skills Show.

Web: www.preston.ac.uk Tel: 01772 22 55 22

Construction

Careers Choices Were you a dab hand with Lego as a kid? Every structure you see, from your local corner shop to towering skyscrapers in the big cities, is a result of the Construction industry. This sector generates billions of pounds a year for the economy and has a diverse range of careers and roles to choose from. Whether you prefer working with tools outdoors on a site, in an ofﬁce designing buildings or installing facilities in people’s homes, there’s a career for everyone in this industry. There is an emphasis on teamwork, so if you enjoy working with others then this could be the career for you. And if not, you can work in your own ofﬁce giving plans and directions to others! Here are some of the more popular trades you can choose; we couldn’t possibly print them all, there are far too many!

PAINTING & DECORATING

It’s not as diﬃcult as your parents make it look! Painters and decorators can work in a variety of places on a wide range of projects, from wallpapering a bedroom to painting a hospital exterior. Salaries vary depending on experience, but senior supervisors can well over £30,000.

BRICKLAYING

A popular choice for people who like to work with their hands, Bricklaying involves building, repairing and demolishing walls using a variety of techniques, it isn’t just staring at a brick wall. Salaries usually start at around £17,000, but rise with experience.

PLUMBING

Remember Super Mario? This is how he got started. You might not end up having a day like him, but your work will be just as varied; you could be repairing a broken pipeline, or installing a completely new system to your own design. Don’t be afraid to get a little wet in this line of work! Salaries usually range from £17,000 for newly qualiﬁed plumbers to £35,000 with progression.

SCAFFOLDING

Creating a safe working environment is a priority in any career and scaffolders provide this on a range of projects, from simple building sites to towering office blocks. You will be building platforms for the construction crew to work on and can expect to earn CIVIL ENGINEERING Civil Engineers design a whole range of between £17,000 and £26,000. structures, such as bridges, pipelines and railways as well as drawing up plans for new CARPENTRY & JOINERY buildings. You will work both in an office Wood. It’s all over the place. It’s the job of and on site so be prepared for a varied day! Carpenters and Joiners to take it and turn Salaries can be upwards of £36,000 with it into a useful product for widespread use. progression. You could be carving an ornate staircase in a hotel, or building a roof support for a mansion. With experience you can expect to earn more than £30,000.

www.careersworld.co.uk

PLASTERING

Plastering is now considered a specialist skill within this trade; from simple walls to extravagant statues, you will be creating something important wherever you work. You can expect to earn between £17,000 and £28,000 in this line of work.

SURVEYING

Surveyors are like teachers; they point out flaws in work and then tell you how to improve it. Or, they tell you to destroy it completely. There are so many roles in the field of Surveying, such as Cartography (that’s map making to you and me), improving run down areas of cities, developing land for future building work and so much more. Like the roles, the salary varies depending on what you specialise in, but a trainee surveyor can expect to start on £15,000 and earn up to £60,000+ in some fields.

92%

OF ORGANISATIONS IN THIS SECTOR EMPLOY LESS THAN 10 PEOPLE

55%

ARE EMPLOYED IN MANUAL OCCUPATIONS

37% ARE SELFEMPLOYED

Where to begin If this is the ﬁeld for you, then read on to ﬁnd out how you can get started.

APPRENTICESHIPS

This where most people in the industry start out. An apprenticeship allows you to learn you trade while also being paid a salary. There are many employers out there who provide apprenticeship schemes; to get an idea of who’s out there, head to websites on our ‘Useful Links’ page. Below you will ﬁnd the Apprenticeships frameworks relevant to this industry, which will give you an idea of what you’ll be able to choose from. All these frameworks result in a Level 2 qualiﬁcation, such as NVQ’s BTEC’s or Diplomas, are the equivalent of 5 GCSE passes and takes two years to complete. Construction Building • Construction Technical, Supervision and Management • Construction Civil Engineering • Construction Specialist

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

This is the equivalent of two A levels, but without sitting in a classroom studying. Like a regular Apprenticeship, it’s suited to more practical ﬁelds of work. Advanced Apprenticeships in construction only take a year and on completion you will receive a Level 3 Qualiﬁcation, again either a BTEC, an NVQ or a Diploma. Construction Building • Construction Technical, Supervision and Management • Construction Civil Engineering • Construction Specialist

COLLEGE COURSES

A college course is another way into this sector. To see if there are any colleges near you with relevant courses check out www.careersworld.co.uk

A-LEVELS

A-Levels might not sound relevant to this ﬁeld of work, but employers and universities both like candidates with scientiﬁc and practical subjects. Examples of A-Levels you can study are listed below: Physics • Chemistry • Graphic Design • Technology • Electronics • Maths • Geography

Construction

REGIONAL FOCUS The North West Is the third largest region for population but the eight in terms of actual space, this means there are a lot of people to house but not much room to do it! The biggest sector of construction is repair and maintenance, meaning you might not be building so much as keeping properties safe and sound. Non-physical positions are very popular in this region, with many architects and technical engineers calling the North West home.

FOUNDATION DEGREES

If you feel like you want to experience the university lifestyle and perhaps break away from those troublesome parents, then a Foundation Degree is a way of getting there. They usually last two years (this does tend to vary depending on your choice of course) and mix study with practical learning. These courses are available across the country and might give you the opportunity to live away from home and give you more independence – you’ll get to choose your own bed time and everything.

www.careersworld.co.uk

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Travel & Hospitality Imagine waking up in London, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Sydney all in the same week. No, it’s not a TV show, it’s a career in Travel. If you like to keep your feet on the ground and enjoy working face to face with new people every day, then perhaps Hospitality is for you. Let’s have a closer look…

You ask us... WHAT KINDS OF CAREERS ARE AVAILABLE IN THIS SECTOR?

It’s all down to what you enjoy doing most; if travel is your thing, then you will ﬁnd work on cruise liners, ferries, trains and airline companies all over the world. If you prefer the home comforts, then you can work in the hospitality sector in a bar, restaurant, hotel, café or even festivals and events. Over 200,000 people from this sector worked at the 2012 Olympics, highlighting the importance of Hospitality in the UK.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THE TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY SECTOR?

You can expect a varied, busy day in this sector; the majority of jobs in Travel and Hospitality involve being face to face with new people every day so customer service is very important. Of course, good hospitality brings tips, which means money in your pocket on top of your salary!

WHAT KIND OF MONEY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

In the Travel sector, salaries vary slightly depending on the company you work for; the major airlines and travel agents obviously oﬀer more but there is more competition for jobs. The average starting salary is around £11,000 for travel agents and £14,000 for cabin crew. In the hospitality sector, a low basic salary is boosted by the tips factor; the starting salary is usually between £10,000 and £11,000 depending on your area of work.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

Again this varies on which sector you choose. Travel kind of speaks for itself; it’s for those who enjoy living out a suitcase and travelling the world. Travel agents tend to spend their time in an office helping customers, but do sometimes get out and about. Hospitality is divided into front and back of house; the front of house are your receptionists, bar and waiting staff, porters and supervisors, while back of house staff work in the kitchens and look after the hotel via cleaning, gardening and maintenance.

IS THIS A POPULAR SECTOR TO WORK IN?

Almost certainly. 9% of the UK workforce makes up this sector and it tends to be a bit more laid back because of the customer service aspect. More than half the workers in the Hospitality sector are between the ages of 16-28 with over 50% of them working part time, combining work with their education and other interests. Travel is also popular, as everybody wants to go on holiday for a living! This whole sector is the ﬁfth biggest contributor to the UK workforce.

WHERE IS WORK MOST CONCENTRATED?

This particular sector is found all over the country – wherever you see a hotel, pub, restaurant, café, travel agents or airport you are looking at the Travel and Hospitality industry. You will obviously ﬁnd more work in the bigger city centres, whereas airlines are based all over the world – don’t be afraid to branch out and discover new places!

www.careersworld.co.uk

Travel & Hospitality

Careers Choices Everybody needs a holiday at some point. Whether it’s a far away tropical island, or a caravan in the Lake District, it’s always nice to forget about everything and put your feet up. Whilst you are on holiday, you’ll probably eat out at nice restaurants and your parents will enjoy a drink at the bar. Perhaps you ﬂew to your destination and were served food and drink on the plane by a smiling cabin crew member. All these things that you enjoy are available as careers in the Travel and Hospitality industry. It’s by no means easy; you’ll be challenged every day and will have to keep up to date with an ever changing industry. Not everybody takes to travelling or going out with a positive frame of mind (as I’m sure anybody whose sat near a baby on a plane will tell you) and complaints, questions and problems can present themselves at any time, so you will have to be prepared to adapt and troubleshoot to make sure your customers are happy. If you are a determined, focused, sociable person with great personnel skills and an eye for the creative then you won’t have trouble ﬁnding a career in this sector; have a look below at some of the roles:

TRAVEL AGENT

All holidays have to start somewhere and it would be up to you to help customers choose their perfect holiday. You will have to have a good knowledge of the world and the ever changing travel industry so that you can plan and book exactly what the customer wants. The starting salary varies between £11,000 and £14,000.

CATERING

If you have a flair for preparing delicious dishes and fantastic food, then this might be the career for you. The type of work you will be doing depends on where you are based; you could be in a pub, a hotel, a restaurant – anywhere you can see a menu. Jamie Oliver started out in an apprenticeship and he’s done alright for himself! You can expect to earn up to £13,000 as an apprentice, but once you qualify it can vary depending on CABIN CREW With a uniform and a smile, you will be your location. responsible for looking after the passengers travelling with you. This involves serving BAR & WAITING STAFF food and drinks, answering questions from Behind every good pub, restaurant, bistro the customers and giving advice and aid and hotel lounge you’ll find staff working in tough situation. The perks speak for hard to produce high quality service and themselves, but as well as spending time in products. This job is ideal for those who another country you can expect a starting enjoy mingling and meeting new people and salary of £14,000 - £16,000. if you do well enough, expect good tips. This industry is ideal for young people as the average age for starters is between 15 and 18. The starting salary is quite low and does depend on your age, but the average for starters is around £10,000.

www.careersworld.co.uk

HOTELS & RESORTS

Do you ever wonder who puts the little mint on your pillow in a hotel? Or who decides which meals you eat for dinner? This line of work has a variety of roles, from Receptionists and Porters to Booking Assistants and Maintenance. Customer service is a priority here, so always make sure you have a smile on your face! Salaries vary depending on the role, but starter’s salaries range from £10,000 to £13,000.

90% OF THE INDUSTRY WORK FULL-TIME

Where to begin If you like the idea of working in this sector, read on to ﬁnd out how to get started…

APPRENTICESHIPS

This is probably the most popular route into this sector - It’s where it all began for Jamie Oliver. The government are keen to help both starters and the currently employed to up-skill to match the requirements of their job Last year, over 24,000 Level 2 starters began their apprenticeships, which at this level will result in either a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ. Here are some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks you can expect to see: Hospitality Services • Food and Beverage Service • Housekeeping • Front of House • Travel Services

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

This is the equivalent of an A level, but without sitting in a classroom studying. Like a regular Apprenticeship, it’s suited to more practical ﬁelds of work and you earn as you complete your study. On completion you will receive a Level 3 award in the form of a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ. Hospitality Supervision and Leadership • Hospitality Retail Outlet Supervision • Travel Services (Head Oﬃce, Field and Leisure & Business)

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are useful if you want to go on to university or study a foundation degree. Some A-levels you could take to get into this industry are listed below. English Language • Maths • Travel and Tourism • Business Studies • IT

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A Foundation Degree gives you both an academic and hands on experience and they are a great as either a gateway to university or into the working world. Usually, Foundation Degrees take two years to complete (although they can take up to four if you do them part time) and you will ﬁnd yourself learning at both the university campus and in the workplace. You can do a Foundation Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

MORE THAN

218 MILLION PEOPLE USE AIRLINES EVERY YEAR

332,700 PEOPLE WORK IN THE PUBS, BARS & NIGHTCLUBS INDUSTRY

Travel & Hospitality

REGIONAL FOCUS More than two thirds of the workplaces in this region are restaurants, bars, clubs or nightclubs, so it’s not surprising that most of the people working in this sector are under 25. The North West has many popular tourism attractions such as Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Manchester is a very popular alternative holiday destination to southern England, so there is a great deal of work available in city tours and hostel work. There are many caravan and camping parks in the north of the region, which need holiday reps and maintenance workers.

COLLEGE COURSES

These are another opportunity to get into this sector and you can ﬁnd out which colleges provide the relevant courses 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.

AGRICULTURE & ANIMAL CARE

We depend on this sector a lot more than most beautiful locations, or as a vet looking after most people think; most of our food comes household pets. from agriculture and with a growing number of people taking pets on, there is a demand for Example Job Roles: Ranger • Veterinary skilled veterinary staff to take care of them. Assistant • Farm Worker • Landscape Agriculture is a very broad term for working Technician outdoors. It’s commonly mistaken for farming, Salaries: Starting salaries are usually which while a large part of this sector, is not the around the £13,000 mark. be all and end all. Forests, rivers, mountains Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level and national parks all need looking after; not 2 and 3) • College Courses • Foundation to mention the animals that reside within them! Degrees (university is the best way into You might find yourself working as a park ranger, veterinary linked job roles) helping conserve the plants and animals in our

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 www.careersworld.co.uk

EDUCATION & EARLY YEARS

As a person between the ages of 14-19, you’ve probably spent the better part of your life so far in school. So, why consider being a teacher? Well, it’s a very rewarding career to have, as you’re helping the next generation of people through some important (and tricky) times. This sector also covers play work and early years, namely, working with toddlers and very young children. This could be through a nursery, preschool or a day care/activity centre. Whichever age group you choose to work with, you’ll need a caring, helpful and patient personality.

Example Job Roles: Teaching Assistant • Nursery Nurse • Playworker • Play Centre Assistant Salaries: Salaries usually start at around £12,000 a year. Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • A-Levels (English is great for all job roles in this sector, but if you want to go into full time teaching, you’ll need to study the subject you want to teach!) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees (You’ll need a teaching qualiﬁcation to teach full time)

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.

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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.

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 www.careersworld.co.uk

State-of-the-art campus There aren’t many colleges that can rival Welbeck’s campus. With an indoor swimming pool, state of the art sporting facilities and ensuite residential quarters, it’s a simply superb place to learn, develop and gain new skills. Rounded education As well as a technically-focused education, Welbeck offers a total approach to learning. The programme of personal, physical and intellectual development stretches the abilities, builds physical fitness and increases confidence. After two years at Welbeck, students are ready for anything. The fact that Welbeck is a boarding college also means students get all the benefits of mixing with likeminded individuals in an environment that’s geared to shaping their future career. Future prospects Welbeck leads to a degree at some of the UK’s leading universities (supported by £4,000 a year bursary through DTUS - the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme), then onto an engineering career in the Armed Forces or Civil Service. So Welbeck students couldn’t be better prepared - or supported - as they embark on their adult lives and careers.

Entry Requirements To apply for sponsorship to the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Air Force you should be medically ﬁt, a UK, Commonwealth or Irish citizen and aged between 15 years and 17 years six months on 1st September in the year of entry to the College. Commonwealth citizens are required to have 5 years residency in the UK prior to application. Certain other single-service conditions may apply and will be outlined at the time of application. To join as a Ministry of Defence Civil Service candidate you must be a British citizen or hold dual nationality, one of which must be British. For RN, RAF, DESG: An ‘A Grade’ or better at GCSE (or equivalent) in Mathematics and a ‘B Grade’ or better in dual award Science or Physics, as well as a ‘C Grade’ or better in English Language. For Army: One ‘A grade’ or better at GCSE (or equivalent) in higher level Mathematics or dual award Science or Physics and at least a ‘B Grade’ in the other, as well as a ‘C Grade’ or better in English Language.

WELBECK DEFENCE SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

WHERE LEARNING MEETS ADVENTURE.

AND ENGINEERS MEET THEIR FUTURE.

Welbeck is the Defence Sixth Form College - and it’s one of the best A-level colleges in the country. For potential engineers with drive, ambition and ability, Welbeck is where potential turns into bright futures as Oﬃcers in the Armed Forces or Civil Service. The combination of state of the art facilities, excellent teaching and a constant drive for improvement, creates an environment that prepares young people for success in whatever role they take in their professional lives. • • • •

99% of students from Welbeck were oﬀered a place at university in 2012 Tuition funded by the MoD En-suite accommodation Annual technical bursary of £4,000 at University

If you’d like to turn your engineering or technical potential into a promising career, come and visit us at one of our Open Days. For more information visit www.dsfc.ac.uk or follow us on

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.

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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 minds 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 spring term.

The Spring Term So students have come back after the winter break; they might have mock exam results coming through, or have to dig right into coursework, but one thing is for certain, many pupils, especially younger ones, won’t have any idea about what to do when they leave school, college or sixth form. Before exam preparation starts to get into full swing, students need to have a good think about what they want to do with their working life and inevitably you’ll have plenty of students wanting you to present them with every possible option available. We’ve put together FAQs and useful links in order to ease this process and assist in setting students straight in terms of the choices they have to make. In this issue we’ve included a guide to writing a CV, an area many students won’t have much, if any, experience in.

CV’S

There’s no denying that the writing of a good quality CV is an absolutely essential part of the employment process. Unfortunately most students don’t have any experience of writing one and can get a bit bogged down about how to start. CVs can vary in style so much that guidelines on how to write a good one, especially for young people, can be really diﬀerent from one another, making giving advice diﬃcult. Fortunately there are a few nuggets of guidance that will make the process a bit easier. Always keep in mind...

What...have you done worth mentioning? You should try to stay to the point and only list your jobs and achievements in a way that highlights the appropriate skills you’ve learned. There’s no point in telling employers how good you are at serving customers behind a till if you’re applying to be a helicopter pilot.

Where...do you see the job taking you? If it’s not just a job but a career you’re interested in, try to make that come across. You’ll naturally appear genuinely excited about the prospect of the position. This also relates to the skills and interests that you list. Try to show that you will be a Who...is going to be reading it? good candidate for progression. Always remember that the CV is you applying? a highly formal document and Why...are is going to be read by either a Employers don’t want to hear manager or someone else just that you’re applying for the as important. Keep this in mind position because you want a bit when deciding what language to of extra cash for the weekend. use in your CV. Never use slang You need to appear genuinely and try to speak in full sentences, interested in the position, as avoiding abbreviations. It won’t well as capable and mature go down well if you tell them enough to be a good addition to the team. If you’re struggling “how awesome English is lol”.

to sound excited about the job who fits into the vibe of the office. then explain why the sector The only thing you can really do is try to use your strengths to interests you. your advantage! If you’re a real How...does it look? If you think brainiac then emphasize your the document is ugly to look qualifications but if you’re more at, then chances are so will an of a social butterfly, try to inject employer. This doesn’t mean that aspect of yourself into the you should start adding pictures application. of flowers and pink text; it’s about formatting the CV to be If you’re going for a position at more appealing to the eye. You a big business you will likely be could use tables to set out your applying online. The rules are school-grades and headers to really the same as if you are define each section. Ensure writing a CV (and to be honest the spelling, punctuation and most of it you can copy and grammar are perfect and most paste anyway) except it’s just in importantly, never allow your a format they prefer. Quite often CV to be more than two pages. they will ask you a few questions If an employer has a hundred that will catch you off-guard and applications to get through make you think. Your best bet is they’re just going to skip the to not create generic responses but to make your answers ones that read like an essay. unique, they are looking for Always remember that someone who shines, not a just employers are human beings! a random applicant out of a pile. One might value qualifications above anything else, and hire someone with the best possible grades; another might feel that personality is more important and would choose an employee

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Careers Hub EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

If you haven’t had a job yet, or have limited experience, create a ‘Skills and Achievements’ section and include any work placements, awards, time spent helping at your dad’s garage, anything you can think of that might give evidence of your ability, and provide you with that little edge over competition. If you have worked before, list your past job titles, most recent ﬁrst; how long you were there; and a short description of the role and what you learned there. Again, you’re best to relate the skills you gained to the job you’re applying to. e.g. Working on a checkout can you give you the conﬁdence and interpersonal skills you need to work in customer service.

CONTACT INFO

This section speaks for itself really. Make sure that you include all relevant methods of contact (email, mobile, home phone). It’s important to keep this section updated, an employer could be trying to contact you but if they’re calling your old mobile number, then the whole application is a waste of time. Lots of people will tell you to put your age in this section, but that’s not a good idea. Employers aren’t technically allowed to discriminate because of how old you are, but that doesn’t necessarily stop them from seeing a CV from a 16 year old and binning it!

CV Builder PERSONAL PROFILE

It is important to make this section fit to the job you are applying to, or at least to the sector. It’s all well and good saying you’re a punctual, well mannered individual, but how can you make this relate to a career in construction? Take the opportunity to show your passion in the field of work. Make it short but punchy, a lot of managers make a decision about a candidate after the first few sentences of a CV.

EDUCATION

If you are not at the stage in education where you have any completed qualifications then don’t worry, simply show any predicted grades and make a note that you’re still studying them. You can also list any academic achievements in this section, such as perfect attendance, being a prefect or on the school council, or exam-based awards. Same as with jobs, you should list your educational history in order of the most recent qualification first. Unlike the previous sections, you don’t have to be specific here; it is better to list all the subjects you have studied to show a depth of knowledge in a number of fields.

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

This is a controversial section, some people disagree with including it altogether, but it can be important to show that you have a human side. If written carefully it can show you have a well-rounded character, but the danger is seeming as though you care more about your personal life than your work life (even if you do it’s not a good idea to show it!). Some say it takes up room that you could be using to focus in more detail on skills for employability. If you’ve had tonnes of jobs or done loads of extra-curricular stuﬀ, then it might be an idea to skip this area and write about those in more detail.

REFERENCES

It is expected that at the bottom of your CV you include the sub-heading ‘References Available upon Request’. If they’re expected you will usually be asked to provide them so don’t worry about anyone snooping about behind your back. It is a good idea to have a separate document with the details of 2-3 references. A rule of thumb is to have 1 or 2 past employers and 1 personal reference. If you’re low on employers then simply list your most recent educational body and a personal reference from a suitable adult or work experience placement. Make sure your reference givers are not your friends and aren’t related to you, but have also known you long enough to tell someone about you in a bit of detail. You can always include someone at your school, college or university as a reference and actually that’s not a bad idea, they’ll almost always be willing to help you. You should usually ask a past employer’s permission to list them as a reference, but unless your performance was awful, they’ll probably help you out.

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Careers Hub

FAQs Let’s be honest, hundreds of people are in the same position as you and have the same questions they need answering. Many of them will have no idea what it is they want to do, so we’ve collected a few of the most popular questions and answered them as best we can! Don’t forget, you can get in touch with us over at www.facebook.com/careers.world or on www.careersworld.co.uk and ask us your questions there.

I CHANGED MY MIND! I WANT TO GO TO UNI NOW WHAT DO I DO?

Well the bad news is that if you’re applying after the 15th January then you have missed the UCAS deadline for most courses. If you’re thinking about an art or design course, many are still open until the 24th March so there could be time left. If your course did close in January then all might not be lost. Some universities accept late entries if their programmes aren’t full up and these can be sent all the way up until 30th June. Your best bet is to get in touch with the university and see if they accept late entries. Get over to www.ucas.com/ apply and ﬁnd out whether or not your course is listed as still being open or accepting late entries.

SHOULD I STAY AT SIXTH FORM OR GO TO COLLEGE?

There is no right answer here. They are deﬁnitely very diﬀerent environments, sixth form is usually quite small, you are often taught by the same teachers

that you had for your GCSEs, chances are you will know quite a lot of the people there (especially if you have friends in younger year-groups) and you’ll be able to get more personalised teaching. Colleges can be pretty huge (regularly having hundreds or thousands of students), there will inevitably be a much wider range of courses, you will meet loads of people, and there is a real focus on social life. College is almost a mini university where you will be expected to learn at your own rate and be treated as an adult, wearing your own clothes etc. Sixth-forms will also expect maturity but at the end of the day you are still in a school environment.

I THINK AN APPRENTICESHIP IS FOR ME, BUT WHICH ONE SHOULD I DO?

There are hundreds of different Apprenticeships so you are bound to find one that suits you down to the ground, though we can see how you can get a bit lost; there are so many it’s hard to find the right one! Have a good

think about what ﬁeld you want to go into, chances are there’s going to be an Apprenticeship for it (from accountancy, to plumbing, to working for MI5!). There are steps you can take to narrow it down though; check out the What Apprenticeship handbook (which is most likely in the same place you found this magazine), it’s got every Apprenticeship handily sorted into sector and level of study; you can read it online for free at www.whatapprenticeship. co.uk. You can also take a look at the National Apprenticeship Service’s website at www. apprenticeships.org.uk which lists loads of sectors and vacancies across the UK.

now’. If you know you want a job related to a subject then getting a degree can be an excellent way to progress your career, but if you’re just getting one for the hell of it, you might want to hold oﬀ until you have more of an idea of what you want to do. Do some research into the jobs in the area of your favourite subjects, you might ﬁnd an Apprenticeship in it, or that you can apply to a position with BTECs or A Levels.

It’s never too late to decide on your career, some people don’t know what they want to do in their forties! Your best bet is to sit down and do some serious thinking about what it is you want from your education and life. What are your I’VE BEEN TOLD IT’S BEST working favourite subjects? What do you TO HAVE A DEGREE, EVEN enjoy doing as a hobby? Are IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT you really going to be a pro footballer? What are the CAREER YOU WANT. IS chances of playing Xbox for a living? Be sensible but at the THAT TRUE? Absolutely not, there are loads same time aspire and aim high! of alternatives to university. There’s not much point in paying out thousands for a degree that you’ll get and then think ‘oh, I don’t want a job in engineering

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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

BTEC 2 NATIONALS

LEVEL

DIPLOMA OF

LEVEL

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

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS

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 Employers are much more aware about modern technology and what kind of things young people are up to than you might think. In other words, they check up on you over Facebook and Twitter! It is absolutely vital to keep your social media clean when you are applying for a job. There are things you can do to help yourself out, like setting all your accounts to private and only accepting friend requests from people you know but there’s always going to be some way to see what you are up to online. Unless you are really conﬁdent that your online presence is spotless, it might be a good idea to go back through your photos and statuses to make sure there aren’t any controversial comments or photos of you hanging around outside bus stops.

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There’s never been a better time to be an apprentice. Apprenticeships give you the chance to earn while you learn; in a real job, gaining a real qualiﬁcation and a real future. Currently, more than 100,000 employers in England oﬀer Apprenticeships, at 200,000 locations, covering over 1,500 job roles. From advertising to youth work, environmental engineering and nuclear decommissioning, there is bound to be something which sparks your interest. At any one time, there are up to 20,000 Apprenticeship vacancies available on apprenticeships.org.uk, the jobsite for Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship, which is the equivalent of a degree. More of these highly skilled Apprenticeships are being offered each year, allowing you to fully realise your potential. Employers love Apprenticeships. Trained apprentices are viewed as 15% more employable than those with other qualifications. Long-term research shows that the lifetime benefit of undertaking an Intermediate Apprenticeship is extra earnings of between £48,000 and £74,000, and an Advanced Apprenticeship between £77,000 and £117,000. This figure rises to £150,000 plus for a Higher Apprenticeship!

Apprenticeships are becoming more and more popular, and in the 2011-12 academic year more than half a million apprentices Apprentices also have the opportunity to started in a real job with real training. achieve recognition through a number Apprenticeships last a minimum of 12 of initiatives introduced by the National months, and can take up to four years Apprenticeship Service to celebrate all the to complete, depending on the level of talent developed by Apprenticeships. These Apprenticeship and the industry you choose include awards ceremonies, annual skills to work in. Anyone who is over 16, living competitions and National Apprenticeship in England and not taking part in full-time Week. education can apply for an Apprenticeship. National Apprenticeship Week 2014 takes Apprenticeships also give you great place from 3-7 March 2014, with hundreds opportunities for career progression. You of events expected to take place across can even work your way up to a Higher England.

Every year the Week increases in popularity, with National Apprenticeship Week 2013 being a phenomenal success. More than 900 events and activities took place, ranging from business events designed to encourage more employers to recruit apprentices, to interactive careers events aimed at potential applicants. A national calendar of events will be available on the apprenticeships.org.uk website, so you can ﬁnd out what is happening in your local area. To ﬁnd out more about Apprenticeships, go to apprenticeships.org.uk, or view real examples of apprentices explaining why Apprenticeships are for them at apprentice.tv.

HOW CAN I BECOME AN APPRENTICE?

HOW CAN I MAKE MY APPLICATION STAND OUT?

The jobsite for Apprenticeships – apprenticeships.org.uk – gives potential apprentices the opportunity to search and apply for positions in a variety of industry sectors.

When applying for an Apprenticeship vacancy, here are three tips to make an application FIT for the job:

The National Apprenticeship Service has made this resource even easier to access, with the new AV Search app for iPhone and Android. Prospective apprentices can create an account, log information and set up preferences; such as vacancy location and salary, before searching.

The Week, which is co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, is designed to celebrate Apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the economy.

• • •

Find out more about the employer, the training provider and the job description before applying. Identify yourself, your skills and interests clearly – be professional and allow your personality to come out. Tailor your application to each vacancy – don’t just send the same CV and covering letter to each employer.

Finally, don’t forget to follow up an application with a phone call to ensure the CV is top of the pile. www.careersworld.co.uk

CASE STUDY GEMMA PARKINSON BRIDGESTREET LIVERPOOL ONE LEISURE MANAGEMENT AN APPRENTICESHIP HAS HELPED GEMMA PARKINSON TO PROGRESS THROUGH THE RANKS OF LEISURE MANAGEMENT Having completed a Higher Apprenticeship in 2012, Gemma Parkinson, a mum of two from Liverpool, is now the reservations manager at BridgeStreet Liverpool One - an international chain oﬀering luxury apartments for leisure and business. Having previously attained NVQ’s in hairdressing and customer service, 34-year-old Gemma originally came to BridgeStreet as a Guest Service Assistant. Recognising Gemma’s potential, her employer quickly promoted her to Reservations Coordinator. Gemma commenced her training for the role in July 2011, which took the form of a Higher Apprenticeship in Strategic Management, and which was supported by training provider Liverpool Chamber Training. Gemma says, “This Apprenticeship has taken me out of my comfort zone and provided me with the ability to undertake tasks which I previously would not have thought possible. One of these was delivering a presentation about upselling to the guest service team which gave me the opportunity to feed across my ideas and some of the knowledge I’d gained.” Gemma’s manager was highly impressed with her upselling. The strategy resulted in a 5% year increase in revenue within

a twelve month period. Gemma received recognition for this at a national level with her employer, and her sales methodology has been cascaded throughout the BridgeStreet international brand.

LADDER TO SUCCESS

After completing the Apprenticeship in July 2012, and gaining a Business Management Level 3 qualification, Gemma has progressed to further qualifications, including a Level 5 Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) qualification, resulting in her promotion to reservations manager. While advancing towards her ILM qualification, Gemma worked closely with the senior management team to develop the business strategy, improve quality standards and optimise the customer experience. “My Apprenticeship has enhanced my confidence and helped me to achieve successive promotions in a short period of time,” Gemma says. “I now have the capabilities to elevate my aspirations and aim for a future senior management position.” Gemma has also been crowned North West (Liverpool) Higher Apprentice of the Year 2013.

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ENCOURAGING OTHERS

“As a direct result of my success on my Apprenticeship, BridgeStreet has signed a further six apprentices in the areas of team leadership, customer service and management.” As a brand ambassador for Apprenticeships, Gemma is committed to taking every opportunity to promote the benefits, which has included appearing as a guest speaker at the British Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast alongside an MP and a councillor, and responded to questions from the audience in relation to how Apprenticeships can benefit employers, young people and the economy. “Apprenticeships are a great opportunity for people like myself to be given the chance to progress. Given that Liverpool has the second highest percentage of “workless households” of any city in Britain and one of the highest unemployment rates for 16-24 year olds, I would encourage all employers in the area to recruit an apprentice.” To find out more about Apprenticeship opportunities, please contact the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600 or visit the website apprenticeships.org.uk

UNIS University of Bolton www.bolton.ac.uk 01204 900600 University of Central Lancashire www.uclan.ac.uk 01772 201201 University of Chester www.chester.ac.uk 01244 512800 University of Cumbria www.cumbria.ac.uk 01228 400301 Edge Hill University www.edgehill.ac.uk 01695 575171 Lancaster University www.lancs.ac.uk 01524 592029 Liverpool Hope University www.hope.ac.uk 0151 291 3000 Liverpool John Moores University www.ljmu.ac.uk 0151 231 5090

The University of Manchester www.manchester.ac.uk 0161 275 2077

Liverpool Low Carbon and Superport UTC www.utcolleges.org 0151 231 3510

Bolton Sixth Form College www.bolton-sfc.ac.uk 01204 846215

West Lancashire College www.westlancs.ac.uk 01695 52300

The Manchester Metropolitan University www.mmu.ac.uk 0161 247 2000

Media City UTC www.utcolleges.org 020 7925 7900

Burnley College www.burnley.ac.uk 01282 733373

Wigan UTC www.utcolleges.org 01942 761 523

Bury College www.burycollege.ac.uk 0161 280 8280

St. Mary’s College www.stmarysblackburn. ac.uk 01254 580464

The University of Salford www.salford.ac.uk 0161 295 5000

UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGES Birkenhead UTC www.utcolleges.org 0151 647 4747 Burnley UTC www.visionslearningtrust. co.uk 01254 54659 Energy Coast UTC www.utcolleges.org 01900 605 665 Liverpool Life Sciences UTC www.lifesciencesutc. co.uk 07738 730 540

COLLEGES

LANCASHIRE Accrington and Rossendale College www.accross.ac.uk 01254 389933 Blackburn College www.blackburn.ac.uk 01254 55144 Blackpool and Fylde College www.blackpool.ac.uk 01253 504343 Blackpool Sixth Form College www.blackpoolsixth.ac.uk 01253 394911 Bolton College www.boltoncollege.ac.uk 01204 482000

Cardinal Newman College www.cardinalnewman. org.uk 01772 460181 Holy Cross College www.holycross.ac.uk 0161 762 4500 Myerscough College www.myerscough.ac.uk 01995 642211 Nelson and Colne College www.nelson.ac.uk 01282 440200 Preston’s College www.preston.ac.uk 01772 22 5522 Runshaw College www.runshaw.ac.uk 01772 622677

CUMBRIA Newton Rigg College www.newtonrigg.ac.uk 01768 893400 Barrow in Furness Sixth Form College www.barrow6fc.ac.uk 01229 828377 Carlisle College www.carlisle.ac.uk 01228 822 700 Furness College www.furness.ac.uk 01229 825017 Kendal College www.kendal.ac.uk 01539 814 700 Lakes College West Cumbria www.lcwc.ac.uk 01946 839300

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.

Careersworld advert - autumn 2013 v1IC.indd 1

www.careersworld.co.uk

GREATER MANCHESTER Ashton Under Lyme Sixth Form College www.asfc.ac.uk 0161 330 2330 The Cooperative College www.co-op.ac.uk 0161 819 3000 Hopwood College www.hopwood.ac.uk 0161 643 7560 Loreto Sixth Form College www.loreto.ac.uk 0161 226 5156 Macclesﬁeld College www.macclesﬁeld.ac.uk 01625 410002 Manchester Business School www.mbs.ac.uk 0161 820 8344 Royal Northern College of Music www.rncm.ac.uk 0161 907 5200

Birkenhead Sixth Form College www.bsfc.ac.uk 0151 652 5575

Oldham Sixth Form College www.osfc.ac.uk 0161 287 8000 Salford College www.salford-col.ac.uk 0161 631 5000 Tameside College www.tameside.ac.uk 0161 908 6789 The Manchester College www.themanchester college.ac.uk 0161 203 2100 Traﬀord College www.traﬀord.ac.uk 0161 886 7070 Wigan and Leigh College www.wigan-leigh.ac.uk 01942 76 1111 Winstanley College www.winstanley.ac.uk 01695 633244 Xaverian College www.xaverian.ac.uk 0161 224 1781

Carmel College www.carmel.ac.uk 01744 452200 Hugh Baird College www.hughbaird.ac.uk 0151 353 4444 King George V College www.kgv.ac.uk 01704 530601 Knowsley Community College www.knowsleycollege. ac.uk 0151 4775850 Liverpool Community College www.liv-coll.ac.uk 0151 252 3000 Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts www.lipa.ac.uk 0151 330 3000 Maritime and Engineering College North West www.mecnw.co.uk 0151 666 1028

“

MERSEYSIDE

Oldham College www.oldham.ac.uk 0161 785 4000

Southport College www.southport-college. ac.uk 01704 500606

Reaseheath College www.reaseheath.ac.uk 01270 625131

St. Helens College www.sthelens.ac.uk 01744 733766

Riverside College www.riversidecollege. ac.uk 0151 257 2800

St. John Rigby Sixth Form College www.sjr.ac.uk 01942 214797

Sir John Deane’s College www.sjd.ac.uk 01606 810020

Wirral Metropolitan College www.wmc.ac.uk 0151 551 7777

South Cheshire College www.s-cheshire.ac.uk 01270 654654

CHESHIRE Aquinas College www.aquinas.ac.uk 0161 483 3237 Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College www.camsfc.ac.uk 0161 4846600

Stockport College www.stockport.ac.uk 0161 958 3100 Warrington Collegiate Institute www.warrington.ac.uk 01925 494 494 West Cheshire College www.west-cheshire.ac.uk 01244 656555

Mid Cheshire College www.midchesh.ac.uk 01606 74444 Priestley College www.priestleycollege. ac.uk 01925 633591

“

Lancaster and Morecambe College www.lmc.ac.uk 0800 306 306

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

www.careersworld.co.uk

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!

TIPS AND TRICKS TO HELP MAKE YOUR LIFE A LITTLE EASIER • • • • • • • • • •

If you have a wrinkly shirt and no time to iron, hang it up in the bathroom while you shower, the creases should start to fall out If you go to the zoo, try to find out what colour the zookeepers wear. If you wear the same colour the animals will come right up to you If you struggle to remember your dreams, drink apple juice before bed. A chemical in the juice helps your dreams become more vivid Put your phone in an empty cereal bowl and it will act as a speaker for your music A spoonful of sugar will help soothe a burnt tongue (can’t make any promises about medicine going down) Your phone will charge quicker on airplane mode Chew chewing gum when cutting onions to stop the tears. Will not help if you are just upset about onion genocide If you want to light a candle and can’t find a match, use a stick of spaghetti! To find all spam emails in your inbox, search the word ‘unsubscribe’ Put a glass with a small amount of water in it in the microwave when reheating pizza, it will keep the crust crunchy

You might feel like a bit of a dumb-dumb if you forget to proof-read your CV or send an application to the wrong university, but you can rest easy knowing that you’re not as thick as these people - hopefully. In North Carolina, a man took a swig of a mystery liquid on a friend’s shelf. Realising it was petrol, the man promptly spit it out. To settle his nerves afterwards he decided to have a cigarette, causing him to go up in ﬂames Brisbane, Australia, A man felt like he should get in on the planking craze. He decided the best place to get a picture of himself lying straight as a board was on the narrow railing of a balcony. Splat In Daejon, South Korea, a frustrated wheelchairbound man gets angry at missing the lift so rams the door with his chair several times. He successfully got them open and fell right in

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! FOR THE CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR WORK PUBLISHED IN CAREERS WORLD, AND TO WIN A £50 AMAZON VOUCHER, WRITE AN ARTICLE WITH THE TITLE ‘WHAT NOT TO DO AT AN INTERVIEW’. MAKE IT FUNNY, MAKE IT SERIOUS, DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE, BUT MAKE SURE IT’S UNDER 200 WORDS AND SUBMITTED TO EDITOR@ OPENDOORSMEDIA.CO.UK BEFORE 1ST MARCH 2014. 54

An American lawyer was defending a suspect, claiming the victim shot himself. No one believed the deceased could be that stupid so to prove it, the lawyer pointed a gun at his head and pulled the trigger, not realising the gun was loaded. He won the case at least An Indian man had a dream that gold was buried beneath his house. Every day in secret he dug underneath his stairs but didn’t take into account how close he was to the sea! It turns out that following your dreams isn’t always a great idea 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…

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.

You could be in a l home, out in your loca community, or working in someone’s house.

How do I g adult soc et into ial care?

One of th e into the s best ways to ge t an Appre ector is through nticeship . Earn whil e you lea rn. Gain qua lifications . Become a confide n and skille d worker. t

For more information about adult social care Apprenticeships:

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