Careers World South East AUTUMN 2013

SOUTH EAST edition

AUTUMN 2013

JESSICA ENNIS-HILL “We all need to have a vision of what we might want to do as a career”

UCAS: THE GUIDE

Our ultimate guide for applying to Uni

RPA? TRAINEESHIPS? Our Editor gives you the lowdown...

m AFFILIATE MEMBER

Better Skil s Better Life Better Job Whichever direction you see your future career going, Central Sussex College has the study route for you.

Apprenticeships - Earn while you learn!

• Over 25 subject areas to choose from • At least 30 new local apprenticeship vacancies available every month

Full-time Courses for School Leavers • Extensive range of A-Level and vocational courses at campuses throughout central Sussex • Excellent facilities for all subjects • £30 million brand new Sixth Form campus in Haywards Heath • Opportunity to take your studies higher at our University Centre

University Level and Professional Courses • Wide range of full and part-time higher education courses • Working in partnership with the Universities of Brighton and Chichester

University Centre

AT CENTRAL SUSSEX COLLEGE

Call: 01293 442201/205/206 Email: info@centralsussex.ac.uk Click: www.centralsussex.ac.uk

Find out more at our next Open Evening: Sixth Form Haywards Heath

Wed 6th and Thurs 7th November 2013, 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Crawley campus

Wed 15th November 2013, 4pm - 8pm

Apprenticeship Advice Session Wed 5th March 2014 4.30pm - 6.30pm

We’re Careers World funky new features, including Magazine, your one stop some frequently asked place for careers guidance! questions, some advice from careers advisors and This term brings some an interview with the lovely important choices for a lot of Jessica Ennis-Hill. people, so we’re here to help you make the choices that So, what are you still looking suit you best. at the contents page for?

Turn this page over (actually, In this issue, we will provide maybe look at the contents you with some tips and tricks first) and start your journey to help you make those towards your dream career! important decisions, as well as an in depth look at the biggest career sectors in your region. You’ll also find some Tom Haymes, Editor

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Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill tells us her inspirations for success in the first of our new features.

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

Travel & Hospitality

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

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

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Business & Customer Service

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Construction

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

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

Retail

Transport & Logistics

Some commonly asked questions about this time of year.

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

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Applying to University: All You Need to Know! A handy guide to the many aspects of applying for university!

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And now for something completely different...

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

Designer | James Sharman design@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

Advertising | Sales sales@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

Editor | Tom Haymes editor@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

Production Manager | Sarah Peel artwork@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

Distribution | Subscriptions distribution@opendoorsmedia.co.uk

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 ©2013.

ISSN: 2050-6597

As part of our shiny new look, we’ve decided on some new features. This section will feature interviews with famous people about their life and careers; don’t forget, they were all in your position once! First up is Olympic Heptathlon Gold Medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill. Jess grew up in Sheffield, Yorkshire and was competing in track and field from an early age. She talks to our editor about her experiences and provides some insight into what it’s like to be a professional athlete!

So, has the euphoria of the Olympics worn off, or do you still get goosebumps when you hold your medal?

I still get a real buzz when I see the footage from London, or show my medal to people.

I worked so hard over twelve years to win that medal so it’s such a satisfying feeling to simply hold it and remind myself I did it.

Studies have recently shown that a student that has completed an Apprenticeship is just as desirable to an employer as a university graduate because of the work experience gained.

What are your thoughts on this?

I think it’s really important to have some kind of qualification to fall back on and as an apprentice you usually come away with supporting qualifications. I think we all need Your affinity for athletics began at a young age; at what point did you decide to have a vision of what we might want to do as a career as this sets you up with a you wanted to be a full time athlete?

I first tried running, jumping and throwing at foundation for working. the age of ten and when one of the coaches suggested I join a club, I started to focus People often cite their parents as an on specific disciplines. So I was roughly influence on their careers, how much 13 years old when I decided sport was the input did your family have on your career for me. career choice?

My parents weren’t really an influence on me; they offered me support and advice It’s obviously a lot of people’s dream when I wanted it, but it was me who made to be a sports personality, what does it feel like to be living that dream? Do you the decisions in the end. still pinch yourself before you compete at big events?

Away from the track, what do you do I don’t think you ever dream of being a to unwind between events? I hear you sports personality; you dream of being the are a Sheffield United fan… best athlete and for athletics the highest I do support Sheffield United, but I’m not a achievement is to win Olympic Gold. The huge football fan; I don’t have the time to rest of it is a by product of striving for that really follow a lot of sport as I train 6 days a goal. I do really enjoy all of the fun events, week. In my downtime I like nothing better glamorous parties and amazing shoots, but than curling up on the sofa with a good TV first and foremost I am an athlete. box-set to watch. I need my rest!

Determination is vital to being a professional athlete; would you say that same attribute could be applied to studying in school?

I was always a focused student but I had to work hard to achieve really good grades – so yes if you apply yourself you will achieve your best.

Before making the choice to become a full time athlete, did you ever want to do anything else?

At one time I did think I’d like to be a journalist, but really I took up athletics pretty young and was ambitious as a sportswoman from the outset.

When you decide to hang up your trainers, will you remain in some sort of sporting capacity or will you move into something else?

I’m not really sure, but I definitely want to put something back into sport and help others with their careers. How that will look is something I am working on at the moment, but I still have a few years left on the track!

You studied Psychology at university, which is a bit different to athletics, what was your thinking there?

I really enjoyed psychology and wanted to study something outside sport; I loved the course and I think if I was not an athlete I would have pursued a career in psychology.

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Obviously Sheffield has a huge manufacturing background; how much did your environment affect your choices growing up?

Sheffield has played a key role in shaping me; I was born there, discovered athletics there, I went to school and university there and I choose to still live and train there.

People from Yorkshire are known to be pretty down to Earth and being surrounded by honest and kind people has been a real advantage. I also have a very close family network and I think the combination has meant I had no desire to go to university in the US or anywhere else. So yes, I can say it has affected my choices.

www.careersworld.co.uk

Do you have any tips for young people who want to pursue a career in professional sports?

Make sure you get the balance right between sport and education; you need a good education to get you through your whole life, whereas a sports career is relatively short.

The heptathlon is your speciality, why did you choose this over other track and field events?

I tried out all disciplines when I was young and was guided by my current coach into heptathlon as I had the ability to do all 7 disciplines.

How important do you feel careers advice is to young people?

If you have no idea what you want to do, it is always good to look at all the options available. Careers advice can help you focus on what it is that you really want to do.

What’s next for you then? Has the preparation for the next Olympics begun?

I’m taking each championship as it comes, and my long term goal will of course be the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

As a result of your successes, you must have met some interesting people? Who’s your favourite person you’ve met so far?

It’s hard to say; there have been a lot of really interesting people, but I might have to say David Beckham who is incredibly nice and a great family man – principles I really like.

Do professionals such as yourself have much involvement in training younger athletes who are just starting out?

Not whilst you are an athlete yourself as you have to really focus on your own training.

But when I can I share experiences through my work with Sky Sports ‘Living for Sport’ or through my website.

You have travelled all over the world competing; which country have you enjoyed the most?

I think it’s probably the commonwealth games in Melbourne, Australia; I loved the city and the people. Rome in Italy is a close second.

Do the Olympians form a sort of social circle? Do you speak to any other athletes a lot outside of competitions?

Not really, I tend to have close friends during competitions and training camps but when I am done at the track it’s key for me to switch off and be with my family and friends from school, they keep me real.

Do you have any tips for people about to make those vital career choices?

Take time to work out what you enjoy the most; work is full time and it’s much easier if you enjoy what you do and get satisfaction from doing it. If you don’t know, then don’t rush into something, you might regret it later in life.

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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

Each issue, we ask our editor to give you a roundup of the topics that are going to affect you, as well as the choices you need to make about your future. As you could imagine, there are plenty of things going on that tend to stay behind the scenes.

Usually, you’d have to go through pages of information to learn all this, but don’t worry; we’ve done all that for you! Without further ado, we’ll introduce our editor!

MEET THE EDITOR

My name is Tom and I’m the editor for Careers World magazine. As surprising as it may sound, it wasn’t too long ago that I had to make choices about what I wanted to do. I remember sitting in a stuffy classroom, being confronted with weird words like ‘Apprenticeship’, ‘Vocational’ and ‘Wikipedia’ (I’m not actually joking, life was tough back then...).

I looked blankly at my careers advisor as they listed off what seemed like pages and pages of options, courses and colleges. I was in way over my head. Which path was the right one for me? What were these government programmes that I’d heard about?

I know that the position I was in wasn’t unique to me; there were, are and always will be thousands of young people who aren’t really sure what they’re going to do after leaving school, or what’s really going on in the world of education.

This article is here to discuss some of the hot topics in the world of education, so that you are aware of how they impact you and what you can do to make sure you fully benefit from them. So then, let’s get started.

RAISING THE PARTICIPATION AGE Or RPA to you and me! It might sound like something you’d hear in a credit card advert, but RPA is very, very important to you.

WHAT IS RPA?

It essentially dictates the age that somebody is free to leave compulsory education, so it really has a bearing on the choices you’ll be making in the near future. Compulsory education was, until this year, completed at the end of Year 11 (at the age of 16) and then you were free to go out and do what you liked. With the participation age now moved to 17, it means those leaving school in Year 11 must continue in education (or other options – we’ll get to that). It doesn’t, as many worried young people thought, mean that they’re sticking another year into secondary school. You still do GCSEs in Year 11; the only difference is you now have to choose your next step in education. www.careersworld.co.uk

WHY CHANGE IT?

Many young people are a bit baffled as to why the government has told them they have to spend another year in education or training. I can see why; at 16 you gain more independence and some of you will be keen to see what you can make of yourselves in the wider world. This is admirable, but the problem was that people were leaving school and then not doing anything at all. This not only puts a strain on our benefits and welfare system, but it also means that many young people weren’t able to get jobs further down the line.

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After a great deal of thought, the government decided that rather than risk young people’s talents going to waste, they’d implement a system which gave the younger generations a chance to be prepared for the working world. It shouldn’t be thought of as ‘making you stay in school’ because this isn’t the case at all; it’s simply a way of ensuring that young people have a better chance of employment in a very tough job market.

CHOICES, CHOICES...

As I said, you don’t have to stay in school if you don’t want to. Full time education doesn’t mean full time school. There are basically 3 options you can choose from, which are as follows: • •

•

Full -time study in a Sixth Form, college or with a training provider Full-time work or volunteering combined with part-time education or training An Apprenticeship

Many of you will already have made your decision and won’t really have noticed all of this going on. If you’ve already applied for a Sixth Form or College, then you’ve voluntarily applied for full time study without even thinking about it. If you haven’t made a choice yet, then don’t panic! If you don’t fancy the idea of continuing studying, then you can opt to get a job instead.

on your C.V.! Again, this has to be accompanied by training or education, but the education can be done part time while you work.

WHO IT AFFECTS

If you’re reading this and you’re in Year 11 or below, then you’ll be the first crop of young people to experience the RPA. If this is the case, then chances are you’ve already made your decision on what it is you want to do next. The options will be explained to you in more detail by your careers advisors and teachers; remember, don’t worry if you don’t know what to do, there are plenty of people around you willing to help. As the year progresses, you’ll perhaps learn more about what it is you want to do.

Now that job, as part of the new RPA rules, must include training.

The best way to do this is through an Apprenticeship. Why, you ask? Well, an Apprenticeship allows you to earn money while you train in a fully functioning, work environment.

They’re available in pretty much every line of work you can think of; head to www.apprenticeships. org.uk, register and apply (you THE FUTURE can apply for up to ten at a time If you are just starting Year and registration is totally free!).

11, then you’ll have plenty of You can also volunteer or do time to choose your next step. intern work; you won’t get paid, With GCSEs coming up in the but the experience will look great summer, it’s probably an idea

to start thinking about it now.

What you choose in the future will have a much larger bearing, because as of next summer, the participation age goes up again, to 18. The same rules apply; you’ll still do GCSEs in the Summer Term and finish Year 11, but you must then remain in education or training for two years, until you turn 18. If you’ve applied to study A-Levels, then you won’t notice as they take 2 years to complete anyway. If you’ve applied for an Apprenticeship, then once it’s completed, you’ll have to continue in something else; this could either be the next level up on the Apprenticeship, or it could be work based training in a job role you’ve found.

TRAINEESHIPS There’s a really annoying loop you can get into when looking for work. You’ll apply for a job, but you’ll be told that to get the position you need to have experience. But without working, how do you get that experience do you need? You need a job, which you can’t get because you don’t have experience. See how irritating that is?

It’s a cycle that nearly everybody encounters when they start looking for work. In particular, this has become a common theme among young people applying for Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships have always been seen as the best way for people to gain experience and training while earning money.

The problem now is that young people aren’t getting Apprenticeships because employers have deemed them ‘unsuitable’. The solution; the traineeship!

A traineeship is part of the same family that the Apprenticeship scheme is in. Think of a traineeship as a practice Apprenticeship; there’s no qualification at the end of it (unless you undertook an English or maths course during your traineeship), but that aside, you’ll often undertake everything you’ll encounter in a full Apprenticeship programme.

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WHO THEY’RE FOR

Anybody between the ages of 16-24 (from August 2013) can undertake a traineeship; the program is available to young people with learning disabilities up to the age of 25. Traineeships are aimed at young people who aren’t in a job and have little work experience, but have a strong desire to find employment. It suits those who are between the ages of 16 and 19 and are qualified below Level 3, or those between 19 and 24 who have not achieved a Level 2 qualification.

If you’re already in work then there’s no need to worry about it at the moment, but if for whatever reason you find yourself out of a job, a traineeship could help you get back out there!

www.careersworld.co.uk

WHAT YOU’LL GET OUT OF IT

Traineeships are designed, first and foremost, to prepare young people for work. Therefore, the focus is on building up the traits employers look for in people. This could be something as simple as practising for interviews or learning what to wear, right up to having solid maths and English skills. Skills training is an important part of a traineeship, as employers value good numerical and literary skills. If you already have a GCSE A*-C in those subjects, then it’s not something you’ll have to worry about. If you don’t, then the traineeship can help build up your qualifications to a level that you require. This level can be entry, Level 1 or Level 2; whatever suits your needs.

The core of the traineeship will be a high quality work placement. This will be at a workplace of your choice, therefore helping

FINAL THOUGHTS...

The aim of this is to ensure that the next generation of young people have the skills necessary to compete in today’s job market. By undertaking compulsory education, skills can be built up to a point where a young person feels confident when looking for work. It’s all about benefitting you.

You might not realise these benefits straight away, but when it comes to applying for work, you’ll have an advantage if you’ve already had a job! Don’t think of it as having to spend 1 or 2 extra years in school, that’s a myth that’s completely wrong. The options you choose open up many gateways to your career, something which you and you alone will choose.

with the ‘lack of experience’ factor of job applications. Your work placement will be created to suit your needs and will last from anywhere between six weeks and five months. Employers will design a programme that gives you the best possible preparation for working in the job role full time. There’s even a chance that the company you do your placement at will offer you an Apprenticeship scheme!

GETTING ONTO A TRAINEESHIP SCHEME

You can apply for a traineeship by getting in contact with your local learning provider.

It’s a very popular scheme, so be prepared to wait a little while to get a place. You can also call the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600; you’ll be put through to a friendly person who’ll take your details and help get you onto the scheme.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Ready for this? Nothing. It will cost you absolutely nothing. This scheme is aimed at those who might have trouble paying for other qualifications they might need to get into work, so it’d be a bit pointless charging people for it!

FINISHING THE COURSE

FINAL THOUGHTS...

Your traineeship will be over when one of Traineeships have been brought in to shore three things happens: up a gap that has long needed filling. The age old ‘experience’ problem will become • You move into employment, a thing of the past. The traineeship scheme an apprenticeship or further has just started in the last few months and education/training has already received a huge number of • You’ve completed all the aspects applications. Don’t worry though; they can of the course, including the work be undertaken at any time of year, so if you placement ring up and get put on a waiting list then be • You’ve been in the programme for patient. You won’t be waiting long and it’ll more than six months really be worth it in the end, especially if the end result is a job or Apprenticeship.

If it’s because of the first one, then congratulations! If it’s one of the others, then don’t worry. While you’re working, your local learning provider will be working with employers to organise an Apprenticeship for you to start. You’ll also be provided with support if there are any qualifications you need to complete to find work.

At the end of the traineeship, you’ll receive certificates for any qualifications you took while on the course, such as maths and English awards. You’ll also receive a reference from your employer, highlighting your strengths and experiences. You can use this reference as part of your C.V. when applying for jobs and coupled with your experience, will give your application hopes a real boost!

www.careersworld.co.uk

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Where are you heading?

We can help you…

The National Careers Service offers millions of young people and adults the chance to develop their potential. We also support the experts who are there to help you.

If you live in England and are aged 13 or older, then you can use our service.

What’s more, it’s free. We can offer you plenty of information, advice and support to help you decide what’s best for your future development and help you make the most of your skills.

Whether you’re interested in an Apprenticeship, taking a university degree or simply volunteering, we’re here to help you take that next step.

To find out more, search online for National Careers Service or call 0800 100 900

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 WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND BENEFITS CAN YOU OFFER POTENTIAL APPLICANTS?

We help our clients create the value they want, from public and private companies, to governments and charities. We help to measure, protect and enhance the things that matter most to them.

Web: www.pwc.com/uk/employability

Join PwC and you’ll have the opportunity to be part of the world’s leading professional services network and enjoy the benefits that come with that. You’ll get to work with big name clients where you’ll get to grips with the value they’re looking for by getting into the detail. We’ll provide an environment where you’ll be able to explore new opportunities, to help you grow and find your niche. And we’ll also give you access to the best learning and development around. Everyone enjoys a structured career programme, including study towards a professional qualification.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN AN APPLICANT?

Your intellect, willingness to learn, ability to build relationships, put yourself in others’ shoes, while always making a positive impact with our clients and each other. For most of our programmes we take any degree subject

www.careersworld.co.uk

WHAT WOULD THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOUR APPLICANTS?

No matter which area of the business you choose to join, all routes offer the same deal. The opportunity to grow as an individual, to meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will stay with you for life. Your hard work will be rewarded with a competitive salary and a personally tailored benefits package.

IF YOU HAVE ONE TIP, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

You might not know it, but there’s a good chance you’re already developing the skills we’re looking for. To support you, we’ve developed an employability guide, to help you identify situations where you might be building them. Visit www.pwc. com/uk/employability for tips on how you can draw on these areas. What’s important is that you reflect on your experiences and use well thought-out examples, both in your online application and when we meet you.

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WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND BENEFITS CAN YOU OFFER POTENTIAL APPLICANTS?

The University of Southampton is a member of the world-leading Russell Group of institutions and ranked amongst the top one percent of universities in the world. Southampton offers a distinctive education in a modern learning environment underpinned by three core elements: research that directly influences the education we offer, choice and flexibility in study options and preparation for employment and life after university.

When you come to the University of Southampton, you have an amazing opportunity to explore the subjects you’re really interested in with people who are just as excited and interested as you.

And it’s not just through your lectures and coursework that you’ll learn and grow but also through the things you do outside of the classroom with clubs, societies, volunteering and community activities that will help to shape the types of things you learn whilst you earn a world class degree.

Web: www.southampton.ac.uk

Baltic Training Services provide real employment opportunities for young people who are looking to gain real life work experience, recognised qualifications and earn while they learn! We offer apprenticeships in; I.T. Professional Level 3 & 4, Software Development and Social Media and Digital Marketing across the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber and the Midlands.

WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND BENEFITS CAN YOU OFFER POTENTIAL APPLICANTS?

The ability to gain on the job training, receiving a guaranteed minimum salary of approximately £100 per week whilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification, with the addition of free vendor qualifications including CISCO essentials, Microsoft Professional and CompTia depending on the apprenticeship completed.

Web: www.baltictraining.com

WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND BENEFITS CAN YOU OFFER POTENTIAL APPLICANTS?

Whether you want to train for work, gain an academic qualification or learn new skills, MidKent College will help you do it. We offer hundreds of part-time, full-time and higher education courses in a wide range of subjects, ensuring you are bound to find the qualification that’s right for you. Our staff have years of experience working in the industries relevant to the subjects they teach, and can therefore provide you with a level of knowledge not available in schools. The College is also home to lots of clubs and

MidKent College is one of the largest providers of further and higher education in the South East, offering an extensive range of learning and training services.

Sue McLeod is the College’s first ever female principal and started her new role in September 2013.

Web: www.midkent.ac.uk

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www.careersworld.co.uk

The University Our world-leading academics will push WHAT WOULD THE FUTURE HOLD FOR the boundaries of your knowledge and YOUR APPLICANTS? experience and there are some fantastic and unique facilities in Southampton where All of our degrees and foundation programmes represent the first stage to a learning becomes doing. rewarding career. A Southampton degree opens many doors for career opportunities WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN AN and says to employers that you’ve developed the skills that will stand you in APPLICANT? We’re looking for the most talented good stead throughout your career. students, regardless of where they come from or their background. Whilst you need to ensure that you achieve the academic qualifications we require to get in, you also need to be passionate about the subject you want to study.

IF YOU HAVE ONE TIP, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Two tips, actually.

To get the place you want – when you are filling out your UCAS form, make the most of your personal statement. This is your best opportunity to share the person behind the qualifications.

And once you get that place - take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you. Don’t let anything pass you by!

The Training Provider WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN AN APPLICANT?

As our qualifications are a Level 3 standard, a good level of English and Maths is required, as well as a genuine interest in the role. However if a candidate shows a natural aptitude and ability we will consider any application.

WHAT WOULD THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOUR APPLICANTS?

IF YOU HAVE ONE TIP, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

80% of our candidates are employed by the Be yourself, research the position and know employer on completion of their qualification, your employer! if not they are in receipt of a high skill set, knowledge and work experience to transfer to future employment.

The College societies so we are confident you will make they can be, we’re more than willing to help lots of new friends and enjoy a fantastic them. learning experience.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN AN APPLICANT?

MidKent College welcomes students from all walks of life – regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or academic ability – and will work with them to achieve their goals no matter what.

We do, however, expect all applicants to have a genuine interest in the subjects they wish to study, as that will aid their learning and give them the best possible chance of meeting their goals at the end of their time here. If they are willing to be the best that

WHAT WOULD THE FUTURE HOLD FOR YOUR APPLICANTS?

Most of our courses are work-related, giving our students the vital job skills employers are looking for to give them that all-important first step up the career ladder. However, not everyone who studies here is aiming to enter full-time employment straight away.

For example, many will be planning to move onto university while others – such as our Foundation Learning students – are simply looking to learn the skills that will help them in their day-to-day lives.

www.careersworld.co.uk

IF YOU HAVE ONE TIP, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Have confidence in yourself. Whether it’s the confidence to fill out an application form or to meet and interact with new people, you’ll enjoy a more fulfilling and rewarding college experience if you believe in your own abilities. You don’t have to be top of the class, but you’ll have a better chance of getting there if you have the confidence to give it a try.

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Bhavika Nayee, Advanced Apprentice in Electrical/ Electronic Engineering

Students raise the roof at Sussex Coast College

Having completed her A-Levels, Bhavika was considering her options when she decided that theory-based study did not suit her, and that an apprenticeship might be the best way forward.

“I was offered a place at Leicester, before I realised university study wasn’t for me. At the time I didn’t think there would be any option but to find a full-time job, but I wrote a letter to Elekta, where I had previously done work experience, and was offered an apprenticeship which would enable me to put theory into practice every day. I have never looked back!”

“I am the only female apprentice that my company has taken on in several years, so this makes me want to work even harder to prove my ability both in College and in the workplace. During my work experience with Elekta, I worked with a female employee, who was an apprentice at the time, and she has now progressed within the company to a senior management role. I find this incredibly inspiring and it is another motivation for me to do my best and impress my employer.”

Web: www.centralsussex.ac.uk/apprenticeships Tel: 01293 44 22 05

Construction students at Sussex Coast College are leading the way with an innovative building project that will see a full size house incorporating the most eco-friendly building techniques built indoors.

Students at the Ore Valley campus are getting hands-on experience as they construct a fully functional house from the ground up. The structure is rapidly taking shape with the timber frame almost completed and work on the inside starting soon.

The project provides a great learning environment for students studying a range of different trades. Like any new build the bricklayers were first on site and will be followed by electricians, carpenters, plumbers, plasterers and painters and decorators.

Jim Murray, Carpentry Lecturer at Sussex Coast College Hastings, said: “On a typical day students will have theory lessons in the morning before making their way to the house to test what they’ve learnt. The finished house will measure 100 sq metres and will have been built by dozens of students.”

The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is part of a cross channel initiative to provide training and promote sustainability. Strong links with a school in northern France means students are involved in regular exchange visits where they swap skills and knowledge.

Jim added: “The eco-house is a unique learning tool and brings lessons to life. We have welcomed the participation from a number of local groups including contractors and traditional craftsmen who come together to demonstrate their skills and share best practice.

“You won’t find anything else quite like it in the region, so our students have a distinct advantage. The future of the construction industry lies in sustainable projects and our pupils are very lucky to learn these specialist skills.”

Web: www.sussexcoast.ac.uk Tel: 01424 716 419 Email: info@sussexcoast.ac.uk

www.careersworld.co.uk

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Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing Katrina Lambert and Nosheen Mahmood are two dental nurse apprentices currently earning their L3 Diploma in Dental Nursing through Aylesbury College. Katrina, a nurse at the Water Eaton Health Centre in Bletchley says she enjoys caring for patients behind the scenes before the Dentist sees them. Nosheen with the Park Street Dental Clinic finds dental nursing a rewarding career and feels that she helps patients to be less apprehensive about their dental treatment.

Katrina chose Aylesbury College for her Diploma as the College’s requirements fit around her work schedule. Diane Broadbent, one of the College’s Assessors for the Dental Nurse qualification commented that observations are conducted in the workplace, always at the convenience of the practice dentists and managers.

The Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing is practice-based. Nosheen says she feels that her training has benefited the patients she works with as she is able to directly apply what she is learning.

Chichester College Furniture Making Student Crowned “Best in the World” at WorldSkills 2013 George Callow, a Chichester College student, took the top spot for the UK, winning a gold medal at the coveted WorldSkills 2013 competition held this summer in Leipzig, Germany.

George studied Furniture Making on the specialist course for Apprentices and full time students run at Chichester College. He wanted to do a practical but creative course, which would enable him to develop his skills whilst also earning at work. Always having loved wood, he decided that a Furniture Making course would offer him everything he wanted - and he says he was right!

He was selected to represent ‘Team UK’ after several outstanding competition results in the two years leading up to World Skills selection. He fought off strong competition from other talented international craftsman, to secure his place as the ‘best in the world’.

Scoring the highest among ‘Team UK’ to claim the ‘Best in Nation’ award, George was delighted with his win.

Eleanor Wade, the lead assessor for Dental Nursing at the College, stated that gaining a certified qualification is now a mandatory requirement for becoming a registered Dental Care Professional with the General Dental council and the L3 Diploma is suitable for registration.

George began his apprenticeship with Rolls Royce and has since completed it and moved to bespoke Furniture company, Cimitree.

Earning a Level 3 Diploma is the equivalent to 2 A Level passes and opens doors to other areas in the dental profession. Progression routes include attending university, becoming a senior dental nurse, hygienist, therapist or practice manager.

Furniture Making at Chichester College has a strong pedigree with students gaining good employment, high quality apprenticeships or going on to start their own businesses. Prestigious commissions have been earned and the College has provided the UK World Skills competitors for the last three World Skills competitions.

If you are interested in Furniture Making as a career, why not come along to one of the Open events in October, November or March or contact Admissions for more details.

Web: www.aylesbury.ac.uk Tel: 01296 588 588

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Web: www.chichester.ac.uk Tel: 01243 786 321

www.careersworld.co.uk

Jordan Allcock, Higher Apprentice “University wasn’t for me - this is so much better”

Amy Collins, Public Services BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma

What’s it really like to be a Capgemini apprentice?

‘’Before joining BCoT I knew what I wanted to do - study Public Services and the course at BCoT ticked all the boxes.

Capgemini is one of the world’s biggest IT consultancy companies, helping its clients with technology problems and suggesting innovative solutions. At the moment, I’m working as a Software Engineer as part of the Microsoft team based in Sale.

In a typical day, I get asked to fix technical problems for applications we’ve built and manage for clients. We rarely get the same problem twice - which is great because it means no two days are ever the same.

Higher Apprentices are well supervised at Capgemini we have regular catch-up meetings to discuss progress and to set targets - and there’s always someone to ask if I have a problem I can’t fix myself.

Teamworking and collaborative skills are a must, to build successful relationships with your clients, suppliers and colleagues. You also need communication, analytical and creative skills. And it’s good to be flexible about where you work, as you may have to travel to offices and client sites across the UK.” What happens at the end of your apprenticeship?

That’s the best bit, a Capgemini apprenticeship isn’t just a training programme - it’s a full-time, permanent role from day one! At the moment I’m giving some thought to what I’ll do next. Working for a global company with offices around the world, means when you have completed the programme the opportunities are endless.

If you think an apprenticeship is for you, find out more or apply by visiting our website.

Web: www.uk.capgemini.com/careers

At BCoT I’ve learnt about various career paths, which has helped me to decide to apply for the RAF-police, which I’m really excited about.

I found meeting deadlines a struggle when I first started, but I’ve found that the tutors are always there to help and guide you through the course.

If you’re thinking of doing the course, I’d say go for it. You’ll enjoy it so much and you’ll gather so much more information on public services and the different career paths available.”

Ines Guerreiro, Art & Design Pre-degree Foundation “After completing my A Levels I decided to pursue my creative direction and come to BCoT. It’s helped me define what I want to do in the future.

The course is well structured and covers lots of subjects, giving you the opportunity to explore a range of areas. I really love drawing, but my main passion is make-up and prosthetics for film and media.

My time at BCoT has made me so much more prepared for uni - I’m off to London College of Fashion, where I’m going to incorporate the make-up side of things with my jewellery collections. I’ve learnt to enjoy being me and be happy where I am - I’m a much happier person and more open-minded. BCoT has literally changed my life. If you decide to do this course, you won’t regret it. You learn so many things - not just about art, but about yourself too.”

Web: www.bcot.ac.uk Tel: 01256 354141 Email: information@bcot.ac.uk

www.careersworld.co.uk

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

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 people who run 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 entrepreneurial ventures (that’s starting your own business to you and me!). 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.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

far. Customer Service is a little more laid back, 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?”!).

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 somebody’s house.

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.

Justyna Pruska Business student, Justyna Pruska is well on her way to achieving her career ambitions thanks to the support of her lecturers at East Berkshire College.

Justyna explains: “After working full-time for a few years, I realised I needed my level three qualification in order to go to university and progress my career in Human Resources. The College has been able to provide me with all the support I need to do well and even helped me to access funding to cover the costs of my daughter’s childcare.

The lecturers know how to get the best from everyone and really believe in you. Their belief in me has given me greater confidence to follow my ambitions.”

Justyna has now successfully completed the first year of her Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Business, with the aim of progressing on to university and ultimately becoming an HR Manager for a major corporation.

With everything from engineering to catering, the College offers over 800 courses in a wide range of subjects and at various levels.

Web: www.eastberks.ac.uk Tel: 0845 373 2500

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 www.careersworld.co.uk

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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.

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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

A FULLY QUALIFIED ACCOUNTANT CAN EARN OVER

£50,000 PA

BUSINESS SKILLS CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO ALMOST ANY OTHER SECTOR!

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.

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

REGIONAL FOCUS The South East has the second largest regional economy in the country (valued at £177 billion!), so it’s a great place to get into business. The number of applications for Customer Service apprenticeships is also on the rise in our area, with almost 80% of people needing some form of customer service skills in their job role.

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Your career in fashion retail starts here If you’re interested in...

Fashion Retail Business

Apply online now!

Buying Merchandising Visual Display & Retail Branding Store Management Garment Construction Garment Technology Graphic Design We’ve got courses for YOU...

www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk

Why study at the FRA? Full-time, Short Courses and Apprenticeships are available at the FRA’s modern facilities in the centre of the West End. Learn in this inspirational environment and draw on the FRA’s extensive fashion industry contacts and business networks.

You will gain all the skills and experience to make you “job ready” for an exciting career in the retail industry.

Retail

Shopping is awesome. We as a country always have an excuse to go and spend our money and this sector provides a varied range of career choices if you fancy turning your shopping experience into your career.

WHAT IS RETAIL ALL ABOUT?

Retail is all about selling stuff to people – the better it looks, the more cash people will spend on it.

It’s competitive and challenging and you can expect to be tested on a fair few levels, so make sure you have the ambition to succeed.

WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

You’ll start off on somewhere between £11,000 to £16,000, which might not sound a lot but you have to factor in staff discounts in-store and flexible working hours. You can also advance pretty quickly and managers of large stores earn over £40,000, plus bonuses such as company cars, holidays, travelling and all the other awesome stuff.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

There will be people everywhere, so if you have good customer services you’ll be fine. If you don’t, get some, because it’ll be everything to the shopper’s experience. You need to be adaptable as not all shoppers are happy shoppers, so learn to deal with everything thrown at you, both good and bad.

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

Over 16% of the UK companies have an active apprenticeship program and most of these employers are shops and brands you will almost certainly have heard of.

There are more than 1.8 million people employed in the retail industry so employability is very high compared to other sectors.

WHERE IS THE WORK MOST CONCENTRATED?

Right in the middle of a city or town. The number of retail outlets in the UK now exceeds 210,000, so you won’t have to look far for work. You probably walk past them every day, so do research into what the best place to work is for you.

Jessica Hide, 2nd year student on the National Diploma in Art & Design (Graphic Design) at the Fashion Retail Academy “Fashion has always been a large interest of mine, so when I heard through a friend and student of the FRA about the Academy I was impressed by the variety of courses they offered within a fashion retail context. The vocational emphasis and links to the fashion industry led me to apply for the BTEC in Graphic Design as an alternative to A-Levels; keeping my options open for either work or higher education.

Now in my second year, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the course and at the Academy with it’s excellent resources and friendly atmosphere. Teachers offer great work support and help is always given if needed. The wide ranging course structure allowed me to develop as an independent learner and has also helped me to determine what area of design interested me most to pursue further.

Having been intrigued by the history of art and fashion during contextual studies, next year I hope to continue my education and study for a BA in the History of Art at university.”

The Fashion Retail Academy offers free full-time vocational courses for students aged 16-19 to develop the skills and experience required to make them ‘job ready’ for an exciting career in the world of fashion retail.

Web: www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk Tel: 020 7307 2345 www.careersworld.co.uk

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Careers Choices These are some of the roles you can find in this sector. Obviously what you do from day to day will vary depending on your employer, but these roles are found across the Retail sector:

RETAIL BUYING

If you can’t get enough of shopping, this might be the job for you because is essentially buying products for a living.

You will be responsible for selecting what merchandise your store will sell, so you will need to keep up to date on current fashions and trends. These are the people who decide what’s hot and what’s not from season to season. Salaries start out between £16,000 and £20,000 depending on your employer and you can expect to earn more as you gain more experience.

STORE OPERATIONS

You’ll be right in the action here; you’ll be serving customers and helping the store run smoothly. It’s down to you to make the overall shopping experience better for people so it helps to have good knowledge of what you are selling (you can’t just blag it, you will get found out.). You’re looking at a starting salary of £11,000 to £15,000 depending on your employer, but this is a sector where progression is matched by ambition and you will find yourself quickly climbing up the ladder.

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VISUAL MERCHANDISING

If you have a knack for eye catching fashion displays then this will ‘suit’ you down to the ground (see what I did there?). You will be responsible for arranging the displays in windows so that passersby will be drawn into the store. But it doesn’t stop there; the mannequins and stand layouts inside will also be arranged in your design, so that the customers are getting a good experience and therefore buying stuff. Salaries start out at between £12,000 and £16,000 a year.

MANAGEMENT

If you have a talent for leadership and motivation then you would make for a great manager. It will be down to you to organise your staff so that everything runs smoothly, from the shop floor to the warehouse and deliveries. Store managers usually start out on £16,000 to £20,000, while area managers or managers of huge stores can earn in excess of £40,000 a year – this is usually accompanied with perks such as longer holidays and company cars.

www.careersworld.co.uk

1 IN 10 PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED IN RETAIL

JUST 10 RETAILERS EMPLOY AROUND

1/3

OF ALL THOSE WHO WORK IN RETAIL

UK RETAIL HAS AN ANNUAL TURNOVER OF

£321 BILLION

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

APPRENTICESHIPS

Over 30,000 people started in Level 2 and 3 Retail Apprenticeships in 2012 and that number is expected to increase this year. In this sector in particular employers like to teach you while you learn and you’ll find yourself taking in a lot very quickly.

The Level 2 award will take the form of a diploma, a BTEC or an NVQ. Some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks and associated roles you might see are: Retail (General) • Retail Specialist

A-LEVELS

A –levels are a good pathway to university, but they are also qualifications that employers like to see. There aren’t any A-levels that are directly linked to retail, but some that might help you are listed below.

Business Studies • Maths • IT • English

EMPLOYER FUNDED STUDY

A lot of the bigger chains such as Sainsbury’s, B&Q, Tesco and Marks and Spencer have special training schemes for their employees. These more often than not have an option for management so you ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS Just like a regular Apprenticeship, you will know there’s the opportunity to go far! Entry be learning and working at the same time. levels vary, so it’s best to check the brands The Retail Apprenticeship continues to website for more information.

Level 3, again resulting in a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ. Here are some of the job roles: Sales Professional • Visual Merchandising • Retail Management

FOUNDATION DEGREES

Foundation Degrees are a great way to get an employer respected qualification while still working in your job. They are university level qualifications and are the equivalent of the first two years of an honours degree.

These take two years to complete and if you want, you can extend your qualification to a full Honours degree when you finish. www.careersworld.co.uk

REGIONAL FOCUS The retail sector in our region employs close to 400,000 people which is around 16% of the total retail work force in England. National companies such as Amazon UK, Furniture Village and Mars (the chocolate, not the planet) all have headquarters or major offices in the region and offer many job roles, from telesales to high street customer advisors.

The Bluewater shopping centre is the fourth largest in the UK, making it a great place to kick off a career in retail!

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At Aylesbury College we have courses for everyone * 6th Form & A Levels * Vocational Courses * Apprenticeship Programmes * Higher Education Degrees Upcoming Open Days: 14th November 2013 12th February 2014 10th May 2014 26th June 2014 Taster Sessions available during November and December.

Follow website link for more information www.aylesbury.ac.uk/tastersessions tel: 01296 588595

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…

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. Hospitality also one for the young people; more than half the workers in this sector are between the ages of 16-28 and more than half of them work 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?

Floyd’s Story 18 year old Floyd left school at 16 and started his apprenticeship at the University of West London, which is accredited by the Hospitality Guild as an Asian and Oriental Centre of Excellence.

“I applied online to do the Asian and Oriental course and initially completed a six-week pre-employment course.

“I hadn’t thought about pursuing Indian cuisine to develop my cooking skills but I’d always liked Asian food, especially the spices used.

“I’m now working as an apprentice at Imli and love all the different flavours in the food. My favourite dish to cook at the moment is the Tandoori lamb chops � they are great.

“My main advice to anyone wanting to work in this sector is that if you want to be a chef you have to actually enjoy cooking in order to enjoy the job. It’s quite challenging but the benefits and fun factor is there, but be prepared to work hard. I’m glad I’ve taken this route and can see a bright future in the industry.”

Web: www.hospitalityguild.co.uk

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, where as airlines are based all over the world – don’t be afraid to branch out and discover new places! www.careersworld.co.uk

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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 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 CABIN CREW With a uniform and a smile, you will be you qualify it can vary depending on your responsible for looking after the passengers location. travelling with you. This involves serving food and drinks, answering questions from BAR & WAITING STAFF the customers and giving advice and aid Behind every good pub, restaurant, bistro in tough situation. The perks speak for and hotel lounge you’ll find staff working themselves, but as well as spending time in hard to produce high quality service and another country you can expect a starting products. This job is ideal for those who salary of £14,000 - £16,000. enjoy mingling and meeting new people and 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.

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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

MORE THAN

218 MILLION PEOPLE USE AIRLINES EVERY YEAR

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

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.

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

REGIONAL FOCUS The South East is blessed with some fantastic tourist attractions, such as Legoland Windsor, Canterbury Cathedral and various castles and historic points of interest.

These attractions generate over £10 billion in the region a year, making Travel and Tourism big business round these parts. Of course, we also have a major sea port at Southampton, where cruise ships depart for a whole host of destinations such as Scandinavia, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean!

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VOCATIONAL

VOCATIONAL

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would recommend their course

100%

success rate 2011 in L2 Diploma in Site Carpentry - 15% above national average

64%

2013/2014

FULL-TIME COURSES

2013/2014

At school I didn’t really give much thought to the future, but being at college and out at work too has really made me grow up and know what I want I to do....

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progressed to a higher level course

100%

of students agreed that feedback is helpful and informs me of ways I can improve (Student Survey 2012)

91%

FULL-TIME COURSES

level 3 pass rate - national

At school I thought that IT was just about Powerpoint 53 and Spreadsheet, but coming into college it goes much more indepth; learning about programming, routers, fixing equipment...

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.

WHAT’S THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

Most of these job roles require working with heavy machinery so you’ll need some specialist training, just in case you end up driving a cement mixer onto the motorway. Or accidentally building an office block on top of a graveyard.

Construction is a broad term for all things building related. It doesn’t just cover bricks, tiles and pipes; you’ll find a whole host of job roles that use skills such as problem solving, design HOW DOES THIS SECTOR and leadership. You could be COMPARE TO OTHERS planning a development project for a rundown area, installing ACROSS THE COUNTRY? plumbing systems or even Construction is one of the supervising a team working on country’s largest sectors; it a skyscraper! employs over 2.35 million people, which equates to WHAT KIND OF SALARY around 8% of the UK workforce. to the self employed nature CAN I EXPECT TO EARN? Due of this industry, a whopping The starting salaries in 92% of organisations employ construction are pretty high; less than 10 people, meaning most practical job roles start employment in private out at around £16,000. Jobs in companies is becoming harder things like civil engineering and to find. surveying tend to start out with a salary of around £15,000, but WHERE IS THE WORK fully qualified professionals can earn in excess of £40,000. It’s MOST CONCENTRATED? also worth noting that almost Unlike other industries, a third of this industry is self construction isn’t usually fixed employed; this means you set to one place; you’ll have to your own schedule and prices. go where the work is. The It could also mean getting up company you work for will have on a Monday morning would a catchment area which you just be for a slice of toast and a will work in; obviously larger cup of tea. companies will be able to cover larger geographical areas.

Domestic construction, which WHAT KIND OF repairs and ENVIRONMENT WOULD I istheimprovements, building of housing, usually BE WORKING IN? takes place wherever the client A construction environment lives. New housing projects isn’t always just a building site; usually spring up on the you could be in a design studio outskirts of towns and villages, planning out the structure whereas larger buildings such of the building, or working as office blocks and commercial underground checking on the retail areas are usually built on maintenance of the gas and out of town business and retail water pipes. Heck, you could parks. be operating a crane at 150ft!

Ryan Crook, Apprenticeship Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Fibrous Plastering I started a Level 1 CSkills Diploma in Plastering and progressed to Level 2, and now I’m doing an apprenticeship with George Jackson Ltd. I spend one day a week at college and the rest working.

I work on jobs and bigger projects, which means I get to learn a lot of different things and really sharpen my skills. I’ve made enriched cornices, niches, piece moulds and fluted pilasters, and although I still have a lot to learn I’m proud of what I can do now. I work hard and I really love the job.

The tutors in our department are really good. They’ve all worked in the trade themselves, and some of them still do, so they know what they’re doing. They know the students really well, and they always have time to help you.

I would definitely recommend doing an apprenticeship. When you’re working in the trade there can be lots of right ways to do a task. Your lecturer at college will teach you their way, but at work you could learn another which suits you better. You get the qualifications you need to work in the trade, and having all the work experience gives you a better edge.

Web: www.nescot.ac.uk Tel: 0208 394 3038

www.careersworld.co.uk

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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.

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 BRICKLAYING A popular choice for people who like to progression. work with their hands, Bricklaying involves building, repairing and demolishing walls SCAFFOLDING using a variety of techniques. You can be Creating a safe working environment is as adventurous as you want; it isn’t just a priority in any career and scaffolders staring at a brick wall. Salaries usually provide this on a range of projects, from start at around £17,000, but rise with simple building sites to towering office experience. blocks. You will be building platforms for the construction crew to work on and can expect to earn between £17,000 and CIVIL ENGINEERING Civil Engineers design a whole range of £26,000. structures, such as bridges, pipelines and railways as well as drawing up plans for new buildings. You will work both in an office and on site so be prepared for a varied day! Salaries can be upwards of £36,000 with progression.

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CARPENTRY & JOINERY

Wood. It’s all over the place. It’s the job of Carpenters and Joiners to take it and turn it into a useful product for widespread use.

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

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

REGIONAL FOCUS The construction industry in our region is big business; it accounts for 15% of the total national income for the sector (we make around £12 billion a year). The largest demand in the industry for our region is for Painters and Decorators, labourers and civil engineers. There are currently around 11,000 people working in construction in the South East and with the demand for skilled young people growing, you could be joining them!

35

Still Time!

There is still time to enrol on many BCoT courses at levels suitable for everyone.

Whether you have recently left school or are looking to train for a new career, there are a number of full and part time courses to suit your needs.

Why not ďŹ nd out more by contacting us on 01256 306484

nextyear@bcot.ac.uk

www.bcot.ac.uk BCoT1122

Transport & Logistics Imagine sending a letter to the USA; what happens after you pop it in the post box?

That letter could travel by rail, sea, road or air – or all of them! Transport and logistics is all about the movement of goods and people from one place to another. The man who delivers your mail in the morning isn’t just a postman, he’s a logistics technician. His work involves planning, organising, troubleshooting, communicating and management.

Whether it’s somebody’s order from eBay, a freighter full of oil or a plane full of passengers, the process of transporting goods and people is much more complex than what we see as customers.

WHAT’S THE TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

With more transactions taking place online, retailers are relying more on logistics companies to deliver the products to the customers, instead of the customer having to come and collect it (in fact, we can buy just about everything we need without leaving our homes!

However, the process of delivering that product involves packaging, storing, sorting, loading, transport, unloading, filing, recording and a whole host of jobs that you wouldn’t even think of!

WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

There’s a large range of salaries in this sector; you can progress quickly if you can move into a management or supervisory role. A starting salary is usually between £10,000 and £17,500, but you’ll find progression just as easy in smaller companies as you would in larger, better known ones, such as Network Rail or Royal Mail.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

Because this industry involves transporting goods and people, you could be in a variety of different locations. The first thing to consider is how the transportation is going to take place; it could be by road, rail, sea or air. Storage, packaging and sorting takes place in a warehouse, which could be at a business park if the delivery is by road, a port if it’s by the sea or an airport/airstrip if it’s by air. If you’re working as part of a

passenger transport company, you could find yourself working on a train, plane or even a ferry to different countries!

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

The logistics sector currently employs over 2.3 million people across the UK, contributing £96 billion to our economy. This makes it the 5th largest sector in the UK. Because logistics is relied so heavily upon by other sectors, there’s an ever increasing demand for skilled workers – by 2020 900,000 new starters will be needed.

WHERE IS THE WORK MOST CONCENTRATED?

Again, this depends on which part of the industry you work in. Transport by air will probably see you based at a major airport, many of which are found in the London area.

Marine based logistics will see you based at a port, such as Southampton, Portsmouth, Liverpool or Dover.

Land based logistics companies are scattered across the country, but you’ll tend to find them closer to major motorways such as the M1 and the M25 because it’s quicker to get the goods out across the country.

Many logistics companies are international, so there’s a range of opportunities and travel to work abroad.

Kat Horsley, Operations Director, Easy as HGV After a few years searching for her vocation - working as a travel agent, a retail manager, and a promoter of rock and metal club nights - word of mouth led Kat to her career in logistics. A friend tipped her off about a job as trainee operations manager at Easy As HGV. “I started off here licking envelopes and look where I am today four years later!”

Kat joined a company with only four employees, but with her help, Easy As HGV has gone from strength to strength and is outgrowing its office. Specialising in nationwide HGV training, the company now employs 40 people in a range of roles from training to marketing and sales.

Kat is keen to encourage women and young people into the industry.

In the last four years, the number of women employed at Easy As HGV has grown from 1 to 11. Her advice? “Don’t be afraid to think creatively - if something doesn’t work, pool resources with others to change it for the better. That’s the spirit of this industry. And get a good pair of flat shoes - you’re going to need them!”

Delivering your future: The definitive guide to careers in logistics. www.deliveringyourfuture.co.uk

The Logistics Guild: Work placements for military leavers. www.logisticsguild.net

Logistics Skills Calculator: Find out what YOU could earn. www.skillscalculator.org

Professional Development Stairway: Plot your way up the logistics career ladder. www.thestairway.org

Made in China: Test your enterprise and Maths skills! www.madeinchinaresources. co.uk

www.careersworld.co.uk

37

Careers Choices It’s probably fair to say that logistics is one of the most important sectors in the country; without it business couldn’t get their products out to their customers, clients couldn’t travel to important meetings and the country as a whole wouldn’t function.

The 2012 London Olympics was one of the biggest logistics operations the UK has ever seen; 17,800 athletes from 205 countries competed, with more than 590,000 people coming to the UK to cheer them on! Everything from rail networks and delivery companies to commercial airlines are covered in this sector, so if you want to a career that’s going places, look no further!

RAIL SERVICES & OPERATIONS

Rail Services covers passenger and freight transport, as well as the maintenance of the tracks they run on. Trains can carry any number of things, from people to plutonium and running the network so that the two don’t collide is a difficult task. You could be working on the trains themselves, or repairing the tracks and signals that they rely on. Starters in this line of work can expect to start out on around £13,000 for passenger rail services, while you can expect to start on between £10,000 and £14,000 in rail freight job roles. With advancement in both industries you could be on double that in no time.

GOODS TRANSPORTATION

We’ve all seen lorries on the motorway, probably without giving much thought as to what they’re carrying. Drivers travel all over the country delivering loads and carrying products from one area to another and if you’re a fan of travelling you’ll really get a kick out of this career. You could also find yourself behind the wheel of a van, or delivering by bike or motorcycle.

If you’re in a truck, there’s also a strong possibility that you’ll have to drive to somewhere in Europe, such as Holland, Belgium and France, as the UK relies on international logistics to import its goods from elsewhere. You can expect to earn around £11,000 when starting out, but the salary for a fully qualified HGV tanker driver PASSENGER SERVICES We probably take public transport for is £35,000. granted, but without it millions wouldn’t be able to get around. Driving buses MAIL SERVICES and coaches isn’t easy; it takes plenty of This isn’t just being a postman (sorry, training to be able to manoeuvre a vehicle logistics technician). While the delivery of that size. It’s certainly a job that gets you of products is an important part of this satisfaction and it you’re a people person, industry, it’s not the only part. Mail has to be then you’ll really enjoy it! Starting salaries sorted, processed, and security checked are usually around the £13,000 mark, but before it is delivered and there are job roles overtime or extra shifts will give you more. from the sorting floor to right up to your front door (see what I did there?)! Salaries usually start out between £10,000 and WAREHOUSE & STORAGE When you order something off the internet, £15,000, but jobs in the sorting office tend chances are it’s coming from a warehouse to offer a little bit more (around £14,000 to somewhere in the world. Warehouses £15,500) and have better prospects for are used to store goods before they are advancements. shipped out to customers. They’re found all over the place, but mostly near areas that have access to various forms of transport, such as ports, motorways and airports. The staff in warehouses require training to use machinery, such as forklifts, and there are also admin and management roles available. Starting salaries are usually around £10,000 to £14,000 for floor staff, but with training and experience can expect to earn well over £20,000.

38

www.careersworld.co.uk

AIR FREIGHT & TRANSPORT

Everybody always thinks of pilots when they think of airlines, but cabin crews are just one cog in the smoothly oiled machine that is an airline company.

Ground support staff, baggage handlers, air traffic controllers and customer service staff all work in unison to make sure passengers (and their luggage!) get to their destination on time safely. Moving freight by air is also a huge part of logistics, especially for high value goods such as fine art, machinery or even animals! Salaries start out between £10,000 and £15,000, rising to between £15,000 and £24,000 when you’re fully qualified.

SEA FREIGHT & TRANSPORT

As well as air, road and rail, goods can be moved by sea, both across the UK and around the world. People working in these industries will work closely with port authorities to make sure the valuable loads keep moving and arrive on time. You could work as a crane operator moving heavy containers or as a port operative helping with the movement of passengers and cargo. Salaries start at around £12,000, but experienced operatives can earn in excess of £20,000 a year.

REMOVALS & MOVING HOUSE

When the time comes to make a big move, you’ll be hard pressed to get everything in the back of a Ford Fiesta. This is why we have the removals service, who load up our possessions carefully and transport them to a new location. Salaries usually start out around the £12,000 mark, but increases with experience.

OVER 90,000 WORK IN THE COURIER INDUSTRY (5% OF THE UK LOGISTICS WORKFORCE)

5,600

STORAGE & WAREHOUSING WORKPLACES IN THE UK

41%

OF THE WORKFORCE IS UNDER 35 YRS OLD

Where to begin Fancy a career in this sector? 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, your time will be split between doing the job and 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: International Trade and Logistics Operations • Warehousing and Storage • Logistics Operations • Rail Services • Rail Engineering (Track) • Rail Infrastructure Engineering • Driving Goods Vehicles • Bus and Coach Engineering and Maintenance • Commercial Moving • Mail and Package Distribution • Port Operations • Traffic Office

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 • IT • Geography • Business Studies • Foreign Languages • Chemistry • Physics • Technology

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A foundation degree combines the University lifestyle with practical, hands on work. It’s basically a cross between an Apprenticeship and an Honours Degree. They are both used as gateway qualifications to a full time Degree because they count towards the first two years of your Honours Degree. Foundation Degrees normally take about two years to complete and you will be in both the work place and on the university site. There are some very specialized degrees available, such as Air ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS These are equivalent to A-Levels and can Transport Management. usually be joined after you complete the associated Intermediate Apprenticeship.

COLLEGE COURSES Advanced Apprenticeships are perfect for A College course is another good way to those who want a practical role as they get into the Transport and Logistics sector. learn while gaining relevant employment To find out more about these courses, have experience. People with Advanced a look at www.careersworld.co.uk.

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.

Warehousing and Storage • Logistics Operations • Rail Services • Driving Goods Vehicles • Bus and Coach Engineering and Maintenance • Rail Traction and Rolling Stock • Purchasing and Supply Management www.careersworld.co.uk

REGIONAL FOCUS Our region actually has the largest proportion of logistics employers in the UK, with over 339,000 employees working across 27,600 work places.

49,000 of these positions are in goods handling and storage, in places like warehouses and ports, while the vast majority (168,900) work in specialist roles within the sector. There are also a growing number of female applicants to these roles, showing that it’s not just a job for the boys!

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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 people think; most of our food comes from agriculture and with a growing number of people taking pets on, there is a demand for skilled veterinary staff to take care of them.

Agriculture is a very broad term for working outdoors. It’s commonly mistaken for farming, which while a large part of this sector, is not the be all and end all. Forests, rivers, mountains and national parks all need looking after; not to mention the animals that reside within them!

You might find yourself working as a park ranger, 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 which will take place in hostile environments so a cool head is a good trait to have!

AUTOMOTIVE

If you know your spark plugs from your spare tyres, then you’ll probably have a future in the automotive industry. This sector covers the maintenance of any vehicle with an engine, from cars and motorcycles to more complex systems such as combine harvesters and luxury coaches. You could find yourself working in a garage fixing up customer’s vehicles, or in a workshop specialising in things like body work, paint and windscreen repair. You could also work in one of the main car dealerships, diagnosing and repairing cars and offering advice to customers. You’ll need an analytical www.careersworld.co.uk

most beautiful locations, or as a vet looking after household pets.

Example Job Roles: Ranger • Veterinary Assistant • Farm Worker • Landscape Technician Salaries: Starting salaries are usually around the £13,000 mark.

Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees (university is the best way into veterinary linked job roles)

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)

and problem solving mentality, but it this sector is generally favoured by those who enjoy working with their hands.

Example Job Roles: Mechanic • Vehicle Service Technician • Panel/Paint Technician Salaries: Salaries in this sector tend to start at around £13,000 a year.

Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3 – this is the most popular route into this sector) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees • HNDs

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CREATIVE, MEDIA & THE ARTS

What do television, theatre, radio, the music business, cinema, cartoons, the internet and art galleries have in common? They all have related job roles within this sector! The underlying theme of this sector is obviously entertainment; from witty comedy panel shows to historic paintings, there are job roles to suit every type of creative out there! You could be doing makeup, scouting for locations, designing sets and graphics or even presenting your own show! If you have a bubbly, confident personality, then this sector could be for you!

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 teaching, namely, working with toddlers and very young children. This could be through a nursery, pre-school or a day care/activity centre.

Whichever age group you choose to work with, you’ll need a caring, helpful and patient personality.

ENERGY & RENEWABLES

Traditionally, our energy came from burning fossil fuels, which were pretty harmful to the atmosphere. But, being a smart, proactive species, we’ve adapted our energy sources to make the most of our environment. Now, we can generate power via wind turbines, geothermal reactors, tidal generators and solar panels. We also have nuclear power, which might not sound environmentally friendly, but it generates a lot of energy and is relatively cheap to run. The government have also invested a lot of money in recycling our household waste and goods, in a bid to keep our country clean.

ENGINEERING

Engineering is a vast sector which can be broken down into seven main categories; chemicals, mechanical, metals, electrical, aerospace, marine and defence. Chemical engineers manufacture everyday products from raw materials such as crude oil. Mechanical engineers work with high-tech machinery, while the metal engineering industry covers the creation of steel and other alloys. Electrical engineers work with, you guessed it, electrical systems and aerospace is all about creating and improving things that fly. Defence is all about, er, defending the country. Whichever area you

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.

42

www.careersworld.co.uk

Example Job Roles: Radio Broadcast Assistant • Wardrobe Assistant • Location Scout • Camera Crew • Lighting/Rigging • Animator • Curator • Art Restorer Salaries: Starting salaries in the creative sector tend to start out around the £13,000 mark.

Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • A-Levels (English, Art, Photography and Graphic Design are all good to have) • College Courses • Foundation Degree

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)

This sector offers job roles in a wide variety of areas, such as plant maintenance, recycling operations and nuclear working.

Example Job Roles: Recycling Operator • Plant Technician • Radiation Monitor Salaries: Starting salaries in this sector are quite high, starting at around £17,000.

Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • A-Levels (Sciences are useful here) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees

choose to work in, you can be sure that your work will be challenging and varied.

Example Job Roles: Systems Engineer • Aerospace Engineer • Electrical Technician • Lab Technician Salaries: Salaries start at around £14,000.

Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Levels 2 and 3) • A-Levels (Technology and Maths are helpful here) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees

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.

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.

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.

MANUFACTURING & PROCESSING

This is a sector that is, to all intents and purposes, all about making things. What that thing 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!

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 various sports.

www.careersworld.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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, including a route into professional sports) • A-Levels (Sport Science and Biology will be of use) • College Courses • Foundation Degree • Industry Specific Qualifications

43

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

Thinking about University?

Interested in 2014 entry?

Come and pay us a visit: • • •

Saturday 28th September 2013 Saturday 26th October 2013 Thursday 31st October 2013

Your community, your University Call us 01243 816002 or email admissions@chi.ac.uk www.chi.ac.uk

www.chi.ac.uk/visit

c:\Careers Hub>_

So, it’s autumn term; everything is fresh and new and the students are taking the next steps, as well as making decisions that will hopefully feed and nurture their aspirations.

Everybody, from year 10 through to year 13 has important choices to make which will affect them in different ways. Some people know exactly what they want to do; some people have absolutely no idea.

We’ve asked our editor to provide you, the careers advisor, with some helpful advice to aid students with any choices or worries they might have. Over the next few pages, we will tackle some of the common problems, options and concerns students face during the autumn term.

The Autumn Term The first term of the school year is always greeted with mixed feelings. For some, it’s a chance to see friends they haven’t seen all summer. For others, it means the end of the holidays and is greeted with a fair amount of disappointment. However people feel about it, it’s an important time of the year for everybody because it marks the start of the decision making process. Whether they’re making choices at the age of 14, or whether they’re in the final year of Sixth Form, everybody has some important choices to make in the coming months.

There’s no set pathway for anybody and there are options available to suit everyone. Let’s start by looking at the choices that are available at various levels and how you can help.

GCSES

GCSEs are the qualifications taken at the end of Year 11. They’re mandatory to everybody in education and are the first set of qualifications young people receive on the path to their career. Given that the autumn term has already started, pupils in years 10 and 11 will have already chosen their options towards the end of Year 9. It doesn’t hurt to prepare the current Year 9 pupils for these choices, so it’s a good idea to have them think about what kind of career they want to pursue. If they already know, then guidance towards the further future is a good idea; you could discuss the eventual consequences of each option or which future educational choices are the best ways to kick start their careers. If they aren’t sure of what they want to do, then it might be a good idea to suggest subjects that the pupil excels in or enjoys, in the hope that it prompts a decision on a future career.

There are two types of GCSEs: Compulsory subjects such as English, Maths and Science are mandatory.

Employers value English and maths skills, as they provide a good indicator of the person’s abilities. Even in careers that don’t necessarily require writing or mathematics,

having solid English and maths skills can A-LEVELS & SIXTH FORM show a candidate’s confidence in both the A-Levels are qualifications that can be seen technical and communicatory aspects of as the next step from GCSEs. At one time, the job role. they were seen as the best pathway for those that wanted to go to university. This is Optional subjects, such as photography, no longer true, but they’re still recognised as sports studies and religious education valuable qualifications by both universities should be chosen for the purposes and employers. Your school might have a of specialisation, academic ability or Sixth Form attached to it; a lot of students enjoyment. The latter option might not wishing to study A-Levels choose to stay seem integral to the learning process, but if where they are for convenience. However, a student is engaged in the subject content, students need to be made aware of the then they’re more likely to excel. fact that A-Levels aren’t just limited to Sixth Forms; they can be studied at colleges, This will more than likely be a student’s dedicated institutions or in some rare cases, first experience with coursework, so it in the comfort of their own home. might also be a good idea to explain the fundamentals of working on a long term As with GCSEs, the important thing when project. Students that are in Year 11 will choosing A-Levels is to think one step be looking to complete their final pieces of ahead. If a student wants to study Medicine, coursework this year and will be making they’ll need to choose scientific subjects like their choices for their next step in education. Chemistry and Biology. If they’re looking to As with the Year 9s, it’s probably best to work in animation, they’d be better served talk to them about their future, especially studying art and IT based A-Levels. as there’s more chance of them knowing what it is they want to do (and how they’ll Students will enjoy this if...they enjoyed go about it). learning in a school environment. The topics they study will be ones they’ve chosen and will be able to combine an educational learning environment with subjects they’re passionate about. www.careersworld.co.uk

47

Careers Hub COLLEGE

Studying at college is a great alternative to Sixth Form, as it offers a larger degree of freedom. Often students can plan their own schedules, workloads and social life to suit them. It’s worth pointing out to them that college is a lot more laid back than the school environment; perhaps suggest advantages over schools, such as the fact that the students can wear their own clothes and call teachers by their first names.

when they start the course, their training especially as it’ll be the first time they’ve left home for a prolonged period of time. It’s fees will be paid by the government. a good idea to talk about what university While working as an Apprentice, they’ll will have in store for them; discuss positive receive all the benefits that the other aspects such as helpful tutors and the employees get, such as a wage, holiday social side of things as well as what a pay and any other perks that come with university degree means in the context of the company. The student will study a employment. structured course called a ‘framework’, which consists of mandatory and optional Applications for university can be from a units (which are used to specialise within wide variety of qualifications, from academic chosen fields).

Apprenticeships take studies such as A-Levels to vocational around a year to complete and at the end courses and even Apprenticeships. To of it the apprentice receives a nationally apply, the student will need to go through recognised qualification, such as a BTEC UCAS application, which is a simple, online or NVQ. They’ll also have valuable work process. It’s also a good idea to point out experience, which is highly prized by an that the student shouldn’t feel obliged to go to university when they leave college or employer. sixth form, as universities accept people Students will enjoy this if...they want to from all ages and backgrounds. swap the classroom for the workplace and complete their learning while working and Students will enjoy this if...they fancy the idea of meeting new people, studying a earning a salary subject they love and being independent.

Colleges offer a wide range of courses at varying levels, from vocational courses in cookery and hairdressing to more technical subjects such as engineering and IT. Vocational courses are aimed at preparing students for employment and are found in subjects that require a large amount of practical work. Colleges also offer GCSEs, A-Levels and, in some cases, Higher Diplomas and Foundation Degrees. It’s also worth seeing if the student is eligible for funding for their chosen course, as well UNIVERSITY as the perks that come with them (such as There was a time, in the distant past, where reduced fees and grants). university was seen as a place for the elite.

Of course, this hasn’t been the case for a Students will enjoy this if...they want long time and university is now a popular something a little different to school. It choice for further education. combines the academics of a Sixth Form with the independence of university.

University offers people a chance to pursue independent study in a subject they feel passionate about. At the end of the APPRENTICESHIPS Apprenticeships are a way for people course, students receive an internationally to earn money while they learn a trade. recognised qualification, highlighting them There are courses available in pretty much as an asset to their subject area. every industry you can think of, from bookkeeping to tennis coaching. They’re There is of course the small matter of paying a popular choice for those who don’t enjoy for it, but pretty much everybody is eligible studying in a classroom, or for people who for a student loan, which doesn’t need want to get straight out into the world of repaying until the student has graduated work. In the majority of cases, the student and is earning at least £21,000 a year. will have to visit college once a week, but Some people are also entitled to grants the rest of their training will take place in the and bursaries, which are non-repayable amounts of money (again, it’s a good idea workplace. to mention these benefits and help the They’ll be paid a weekly wage (they are student check if they’re eligible). working there after all!); the average apprentice earns around £130 a week – it’s The vast majority of students live away a good idea to mention this as many young from home and learning takes place in a people want to know how much they’ll be social environment with other people in earning and when. On top of this, provided their age group. Leaving for university can they’re between the ages of 16 and 18 be a worrying time for many young people,

Top Tips

Travelling is the most popular use of a gap year and many people head to exotic locations such as Thailand or Peru.

Some also travel around Europe using the Eurostar rail network, or work abroad in programmes that help young people in less fortunate areas. There are literally hundreds of destinations available and there are dedicated companies that will provide the student with all the help they need to go travelling. They say travel broadens the mind; with a year’s travelling on their C.V., they’ll certainly stand out to employers and be somewhat richer for the experience too!

Students will enjoy this if...they just want a break from everyday life and want to try something different.

Here are some top tips for getting through the autumn term:

FOR THOSE IN YEAR 9...

48

GAP YEAR

Most people associate gap years with university. However, some people at 18 decide that they want to earn money or travel before heading off to uni or going into full time work. It’s unlikely that this will be the most popular option for this age group, but it’s something that students sometimes forget about.

FOR THOSE IN YEAR 11...

GCSE options are being chosen this year, be sure to;

It’s about taking the next step this year, make sure that;

Speak to the teachers of the subjects that are being considered; they’ll have a good idea of course suitability.

Choose options that are enjoyable. GCSEs take two years to complete and once the choice is made it’s difficult to switch to something else.

Consider the future. While it might seem like a way off, it helps to have some idea what career choices lay ahead and which options are the most attractive.

All available options are fully explored and considered.

The pros and cons of each option is understood, along with other consequences such as cost, enjoyment and future choices.

A C.V. has been prepared for those applying for Apprenticeships.

It would also be helpful to have a good interview technique and an idea of what to expect when it comes to meeting the employer.

We’ll be covering C.Vs and applications in our next issue, so be sure to check out our Spring edition for tips!

www.careersworld.co.uk

Careers Hub

Qualifications There are many, many different types of award at varying levels; for example, a Level 3 NVQ is the equivalent to an Advanced Diploma. This can throw many people, especially those who have no experience of other qualifications. Below is a handy chart, listing all the levels of study and the qualifications students can take. This way, everyone can see which qualifications are the equivalents of others, which is handy when people applying for courses and jobs.

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

3

4+

BTEC 2 NATIONALS

LEVEL

DIPLOMA OF

LEVEL

NVQs

LEVEL

NVQs

ADVANCED DIPLOMAS

LEVEL

BTEC HIGHER NATIONALS (HND, HNC)

OCR NATIONALS

LEVEL

LEVEL

LEVEL

BTEC FIRSTS

LEVEL

LEVEL

NVQs

LEVEL

1

1

FOUNDATION LEVEL 3 DEGREES 4+

LEVEL

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS

APPRENTICESHIPS

FOUNDATIONS 1

A LEVELS

2

2

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

4+ LEVEL

4+

SPECIALIST LEVEL 4+ 3 AWARDS

LEVEL

3

FOR THOSE LEAVING SIXTH FORM, COLLEGE OR AN APPRENTICESHIP...

It’s another big step, so be sure that;

The search for universities has begun, if that’s the preferred choice. Applications should preferably be completed before the end of November. It’s a good idea to start collecting university prospectuses and checking out potential destinations.

A C.V. has been prepared or updated for those wishing to undertake an Advanced (or Higher) Apprenticeship. Brushing up on interview skills couldn’t hurt either.

If the preferred choice is a gap year, all destinations have been researched thoroughly, including all laws and medical advice (some countries require inoculations before entry is accepted). It’s also a good idea to firm up travel arrangements and accommodation, as well as getting currency sorted from a reputable source.

www.careersworld.co.uk

49

APPLY L-Earn   

c:\Useful Links>_

UNIVERSITIES University of Brighton www.brighton.ac.uk 01273 600900 The University of Buckingham www.buckingham.ac.uk 01280 8814080 Buckinghamshire New University www.bucks.ac.uk 0800 0565 660 Canterbury Christ Church University www.canterbury.ac.uk 01227 782900 University of Chichester www.chiuni.ac.uk 01243 816000 University for the Creative Arts www.ucreative.ac.uk 01252 722411 The University of Kent www.kent.ac.uk 01227 827272 Oxford University www.admissions.ox.ac.uk 01865 270000 Oxford Brookes University www.brookes.ac.uk 01865 741111 University of Porstmouth www.port.ac.uk 023 9284 8484 University of Reading www.reading.ac.uk 0118 378 8619 Royal Holloway, University of London www.rhul.ac.uk 01784 434455 University of Southampton www.southampton.ac.uk 023 8059 5000 Southampton Solent University www.solent.ac.uk 023 8031 9000 University of Surrey www.surrey.ac.uk 01483 300800 University of Sussex www.sussex.ac.uk 01273 606755 University of Winchester www.winchester.ac.uk 01962 827234

UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGES Bluewater UTC www.utcolleges.org 01322 620426 Buckinghamshire UTC www.buckinghamshire utc.co.uk 01296 388451 Elstree UTC www.utcolleges 01707 284458 UTC Reading www.utcreading.co.uk 0118 955 4544

COLLEGES BERKSHIRE

Berkshire College of Agriculture www.bca.ac.uk 0800 0711 666 Bracknell and Wokingham College www.bracknell.ac.uk 0845 330 3343 East Berkshire College www.eastberks.ac.uk 0845 373 2500 Newbury College www.newbury-college. ac.uk 01635 845000 Reading College www.reading-college. ac.uk 0800 371 434

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Amersham and Wycombe College www.amersham.ac.uk 0800 614 016 Aylesbury College www.aylesbury.ac.uk 01296 588 588

HAMPSHIRE & ISLE OF WIGHT Alton College www.altoncollege.ac.uk 01420 592200 Barton Peveril College www.barton-peveril.ac.uk 023 8036 7200 Basingstoke College of Technology www.bcot.ac.uk 01256 306484

Brockenhurst College www.brock.ac.uk 01590 625555 Eastleigh College www.eastleigh.ac.uk 023 8091 1000 Fareham College www.fareham.ac.uk 01329 815200 Farnborough College of Technology www.farn-ct.ac.uk 01252 407040 Havant College www.havant.ac.uk 023 9248 3856 Highbury College www.highbury.ac.uk 023 9238 3131 Isle of Wight College www.iwightc.ac.uk 01983 526631 Itchen College www.itchen.ac.uk 023 8043 5636 Peter Symonds College www.psc.ac.uk 01962 857500 Portsmouth College www.portsmouth-college. ac.uk 023 9266 7521 Queen Mary’s College www.qmc.ac.uk 01256 417500 South Downs College www.southdowns.ac.uk 023 9279 7979 Southampton City College www.southampton-city. ac.uk 023 8048 4848 Sparsholt College www.sparsholt.ac.uk 01962 776441 St. Vincent College www.stvincent.ac.uk 023 9258 8311 Taunton’s College www.tauntons.ac.uk 023 8051 1181 The Sixth Form College Farnborough www.farnborough.ac.uk 01252 688 200 Totton College www.totton.ac.uk 023 80 874 874

www.careersworld.co.uk

KENT & MIDWAY Canterbury College www.cant-col.ac.uk 01227 811111 East Kent College www.thanet.ac.uk 01843 605040 Hadlow College www.hadlow.ac.uk 0500 551 434 K College www.kcollege.ac.uk 0845 207 8220 Mid-Kent College www.midkent.ac.uk 01643 402020 North West Kent College www.nwkcollege.ac.uk 0800 074 1447

MILTON KEYNES Milton Keynes College www.mkcollege.ac.uk 01908 684444

OXFORDSHIRE Abingdon and Witney College www.abingdon-witney. ac.uk 01235 555 585 Oxford and Cherwell Valley College www.ocvc.ac.uk 01865 550550 The Henley College www.henleycol.ac.uk 01491 579988

SURREY Brooklands College www.brooklands.ac.uk 01932 797 700 East Surrey College www.esc.ac.uk 01737 772661 Esher College www.esher.ac.uk 020 8398 0291 Godalming College www.godalming.ac.uk 01483 423526 Guilford College of Further and Higher Education www.guildford.ac.uk 01483 448500

North East Surrey College of Technology www.nescot.ac.uk 020 8394 3038 Reigate College www.reigate.ac.uk 01737 221118 Strode’s College www.strodes.ac.uk 01784 437506 Woking College www.woking.ac.uk 01483 761036

SUSSEX Bexhill College www.bexhillcollege.ac.uk 01424 214545 Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College www.bhasvic.ac.uk 01273 552200 Central Sussex College www.centralsussex.ac.uk 0845 1550043 Chichester College www.chichester.ac.uk 01243 786321 City College, Brighton and Hove www.ccb.ac.uk 01273 667788 Northbrook College www.northbrook.ac.uk 0845 155 60 60 Plumpton College www.plumpton.ac.uk 01273 890 454 Sussex Coast College www.sussexcoast.ac.uk 01424 442222 Sussex Downs College www.sussexdowns.ac.uk 01273 483188 The College of Richard Collyer www.collyers.ac.uk 01403 210822 Varndean College www.varndean.ac.uk 01273 508011 Worthing College www.worthing.ac.uk 01903 243389

51

The autumn term is upon us! This means that for some of you, it’s time to think about applying for university. It may seem like a way off (it is, you won’t be going until next year), but the application process does take a bit of time. It’s not difficult, but you’ll have to set aside some time to make sure it’s completed.

THE PROCESS

UCAS have made applying for university as easy as it could possibly be! The first thing to do is to head to www.ucas.co.uk, find the ‘Apply’ button and click it. There’s loads of online help to assist you with your application, but you can also call a UCAS advisor on 0871 468 0 468 (have your UCAS ID ready) and they’ll be able to help you with anything you get stuck with. You can also get in contact via social media, through both Facebook (www.facebook. com/ucasonline) or through Twitter, using the handle @ucas_online.

If you’re applying from the UK or the EU, then the normal time to start your application is in mid-September and you should have your application completed by the 15th of January 2014. However, there are some exceptions to this rule; for those of you applying to medical, veterinary science, veterinary medicine, dentistry or Oxbridge (Oxford or Cambridge) courses, you need to submit your application by the 15th of October 2013. For those of you applying to art and design courses, be aware that some courses have deadlines on the 24th March, so be sure to check if this applies to you!

APPLYING

Whichever deadline you have to meet, it never hurts to start the application process early; this way, you’ll have plenty of time to go back and make any changes you need to make.

You’ll need to register in the ‘Apply’ section; if you’re applying from school or college, then you’ll need to get hold of their buzzword.

This lets the UCAS application system know where you’re applying from. You won’t be able to access your application without it, so don’t go forgetting it!

Don’t worry if you don’t have the time to complete everything in one sitting; you can save your application at any time and come back to it later. Just remember your password and username and you’ll be fine!

52

PERSONAL STATEMENT

A very important part of your application, the personal statement is your chance to talk about yourself to potential universities.

It looks like you’ve got a lot of space to write in, but you only get 47 lines to fit everything in, so you have to get straight to the point!

Here are some tips for writing a great personal statement!

REFERENCES

For those of you applying from school or college, you’ll need to send your completed application to your referee. Unless you’re told otherwise, this will be your form tutor or a teacher in the subject you are applying to study. The referee will check your application and if they find any mistakes, they’ll send it back for you to amend. Once you’ve changed it, you need to send it • Try to be clear and concise; remember back to them. Once the referee adds their that universities have to read thousands reference, your application will be sent to of these, so you have to get across UCAS. what you’re trying to say without waffling on.

If you are applying as an individual (rather • Be sure to use paragraphs to space than through school, sixth form or college), out your statement; if you change the you need to make sure your chosen subject or make a new point, start a referee are willing to provide a reference new paragraph. Be sure everything through the UCAS online method. Enter flows properly; don’t follow up a their contact details in the reference paragraph about travelling with one section and click ‘Ask referee to complete about your school subjects, it’ll come reference’. UCAS will then contact them across as disjointed and difficult to to request your reference. When they’ve follow. provided it, you’ll be notified that you can • Ask somebody else to read it for you. complete and submit your application. If If they can’t understand what you’re your referee is at a school, college or other talking about, then neither will the registered centre, you can request that university. Ask somebody you know they complete their part online. Go to the will tell you the truth; if they point out ‘Options’ section in Apply and click ‘Ask a some mistakes, don’t take it personally, registered school, college or organisation it’s important to get this right! to write your reference only’. If they agree, • You can’t list everything about yourself then the reference will be attached to your in this statement, so pick out your best application. Once every section (including strengths and skills. Talk about your the reference) is completed, you can then hobbies, your subjects and any teams send your application off to UCAS. or clubs you’re in, as well as why you really want to study your chosen COST subject.

Once all the sections are completed, you’ll • Don’t just copy somebody else’s have to make a small payment. The fee is statement!

UCAS use very strict £12 if you’ve only applied for one course plagiarism software that can tell when or £23 if you’ve applied for two or more statements are duplicated; feel free courses. to look at online examples of good statements, but never use the text and CLEARING claim it as your own.

Results aren’t always what people expect, You don’t know who is going to be reading but it doesn’t mean the end of the road. your statement, so make sure you make Many universities will have spaces on their as good a job of this as you can. In many courses that you can apply to do and once cases applicants are not interviewed by you have your results, the application universities, so this is your one and only process becomes much simpler. If you wish chance to make your case for a place on to apply, then check the UCAS website for vacancies, then once you’ve found one, ring their course. the university and if they want to consider you, simply send them your application online and you could have a place confirmed that very day! www.careersworld.co.uk

Web: www.ucas.co.uk Tel: 0871 468 0 468

Web: www.ucasprogress.com

UCAS Progress is a great way for young people to find courses and training providers to help them make that next step in education.

The search option allows you to find courses that interest you and save them to your own unique ‘favourites’ page, meaning you can sort and share them with later with family and advisers.

The best way to find courses near you is to enter your postcode into the search option, select the subject you’d like to study and the distance from your home. UCAS Progress will then list all the educational institutions that match your search criteria, allowing you to easily explore all the options available to you (some of which you might not have even been aware of!).

Applying is easy; in participating areas, you can use the ‘Apply’ section to track the stages of your application. Once it’s submitted, you can track your progress and use the communications tool to contact the course providers about interviews, start dates and any other queries you have.

Visit www.ucasprogress.com to start taking that next step in education! www.careersworld.co.uk

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You aren’t the only one in your position right now; thousands of others are facing the same choices you are and many of them will have no idea what it is they want to do.

What we have here are some of the common questions we get asked at this time of year and the answers to those questions.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO AS A CAREER! HELP ME PLEASE?

Don’t panic! There are thousands of people in your position! Remember that a job is temporary, but a career is for life. A career should be in something you love doing, so it’s important to think about what you want to do in life. It’s a decision that takes some people minutes and others years to make; so don’t worry if you’re leaving education not knowing, it’s something that requires a great deal of thought!

I HAVE TO CHOOSE MY OPTIONS, WHICH ONES ARE THE BEST?

Erm. There isn’t really a right answer here.

It sort of links into the “What do I want to do?” line of questioning. A GCSE or A-Level in Graphic Design is worth more to an employer in the publishing industry than a qualification in Physics; you have to choose your options to suit what it is you want to do.

More creative lines of work, such as those in media, will favour theory based subjects such as English, Art and History. Practical careers, such as engineering and IT will be better served with qualifications in things like Maths and Science. It’s worth skipping ahead and finding out what universities and employers look for down the line, so you can choose your options to suit decisions you have to make in the future.

I’M LEAVING SCHOOL, WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

A number of things. At 16, you can leave school and go straight into employment.

Some people already have work lined up, or they undertake an Apprenticeship, which is essentially a job with training. If you want to continue studying, then you can undertake A-Levels or a college course in any number of subjects. Leaving school at 18, you’re faced with pretty much the same choices, but no doubt you’ll have been told about university. Uni is one option and it’s certainly popular, but some people prefer to work (again Apprenticeships are available) or even take a year out from studying to do something else, such as earn money working or travelling.

ENTREPRENEURS ARE NOT BORN, THEY’RE M DE! Founded by entrepreneur and star of Dragons’ Den, Peter Jones CBE, the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy offers unique courses in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship for those aged 16 and above.

Our pioneering business courses, which are being delivered in colleges across the country, ensure that our students achieve an accredited qualification and also gain the necessary experience and skills that are vital for employment or running their own business. There’s nothing quite like one of our Enterprise courses, each one embraces the Academy’s ethos of ‘learning by doing’ by combining innovative teaching methods with sessions from industry experts. We currently offer BTEC Levels 2 and 3 and our ‘Ignite’ Apprenticeship programme, which includes the Advanced Apprenticeship in Enterprise and the new Higher Apprenticeship in Innovation and Growth.

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Careersworld advert - autumn 2013 v1IC.indd 1

www.careersworld.co.uk

Don’t forget, if you have any questions for us that aren’t printed below, you can head to www.facebook.com/careers.world and ask us a live question!

I’M NOT GREAT AT STUDYING AND MY GRADES AREN’T BRILLIANT, WILL THIS AFFECT GETTING A JOB?

In short, no, it won’t. If school isn’t for you, you probably aren’t going to spend your next few years studying; you’ll want to be going out into the world of work. Most employers look for people who have good English and Maths skills; this doesn’t mean they want somebody who can recite Shakespeare and do algebra, but rather they want somebody who can communicate clearly and problem solve. But even if your grades aren’t great, you can take something called Functional Skills, which provide you with employer standard levels of basic English and Maths.

Absolutely; it’s a common misconception that A-Levels are the only way into university.

In the olden days this was probably the case, but as more people are now applying, the criteria for getting in has changed a lot.

Universities use a points system to grade qualifications. Each university course has a points requirement that has to be met (special circumstances are usually allowed) to see if the student is suitable for the course.

You can see a list of which qualifications are worth what here: www.ucas.com/how-itall-works/explore-your-options/entryrequirements/tariff-tables

I WANT TO START WORK NOW! HOW DO I GO ABOUT IT?

Well, for starters, it’s probably not a good idea to look for full time work until you are at least 16; the reason for this is that when you start work, your employer needs a NI number from you, something you don’t get until you turn 16. This makes applying for work when you’re under 16 very difficult, but not impossible. If you’re leaving school with qualifications, you’ll have a better time of it.

The best way into full time employment from school is an Apprenticeship (see earlier in the magazine) and you’ll need a C.V. (make sure you read our next issue for tips on C.V building!).

“ “

“

CAN I GO TO UNIVERSITY WITHOUT A-LEVELS?

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

55

You’ve made it to the end of the magazine, congratulations! You will see below that this page isn’t like the others; in fact, it’s totally different. Welcome to the randomness that is our Off Topic page.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Find us at facebook.com/careers. world and follow us on twitter using the handle @careers_world. If that wasn’t enough, 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! If that wasn’t enough, the prizes will continually get better as we get more likes! So our 10,000th liker might be getting a speedboat*!

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE...

NASA uses the film ‘Armageddon’ as part of its training program. A little worrying to say the least.

Each morning I appear, to lie at your feet, all day I will follow, no matter how fast you run, yet I nearly perish in the midday sun.

Two in a corner, one in a room, none in a house but one in a shelter. What am I?

The width of your arm span stretched out (pretend you’re an aeroplane) is almost exactly the height of your own body.

What English word has three consecutive double letters?

I’m full of holes, yet I’m full of water. What am I? In order to keep me, you have to give me. What am I?

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Men’s shirts are made with buttons on the right, while women’s shirts have them on the left. I bet you just checked...

Cows have best friends and they become very stressed and agitated if separated. A little bit like Jedward...

What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs?

What word is the same written forward, backward and upside down?

Famous ice cream maker Ben and Jerry’s has its own private graveyard, in which is buried all of their discontinued flavours.

*Erm. Or you know, not a speedboat. That would be far too expensive. But it would be equally awesome. We promise you that. www.careersworld.co.uk

The “sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick” is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language. Not surprising really, it’s hard enough reading it.

Answers: A penny, A shadow, The letter ‘r’, bookkeeper, A sponge, Your word, noon (in capitals)

A COUPLE OF BRAINTEASERS FOR YOU TO TRY OUT ON YOUR FRIENDS! (ANSWERS FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE; THEY’RE UPSIDE DOWN SO THEY’RE HARD TO READ.)

Ok, so we said in the intro that this page would take your mind off school. Well, we bent the truth a little. Below are some genuine answers to exams; these aren’t made up by us, people actually answered like this.

An owl is the only bird in the entire world that can see the colour blue.

Which is bad news for Smurfs.

P R E S E N T S

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