Careers World West Midlands SPRING 2014 by Open Doors Media Ltd

WEST MIDLANDS edition

SPRING 2014

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

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

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

Elliot Gardner, Editor

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

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

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

27 Armed Forces & Emergency Services

Sport & Fitness

Hair & Beauty

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

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

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

Automotive

Retail

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

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

And now for something completely diﬀerent...

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All material is copyrighted both written and illustrated. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. All images and information is collated from extensive research and along with advertisements is published in good faith. Although the author and publisher have made every eﬀort to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Careers World is published by Open Doors Media Ltd ©2014. ISSN: 2050-6627

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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OUR HISTORY

IS YOUR FUTURE

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

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

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

• • •

• •

KEY FACTS

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

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WHAT’S CHANGED?

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

BUT WHY DID THEY CHANGE IT?

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

WHAT ELSE IS CHANGING?

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

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

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

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

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

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

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

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

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HOW WILL IT BE DONE?

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

WHO IT AFFECTS

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

FINAL THOUGHTS

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

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

THEY REALLY ARE A BIG DEAL

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

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

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Section Heading

expert /’ekspərt/

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

Ask the Experts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU?

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

www.careersworld.co.uk

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

De Montfort University (DMU) is committed to giving its students an education that will propel them into successful careers, while equipping them with vital life skills. Web: www.dmu.ac.uk

Once you have decided that university is an option for you, the ﬁrst step is to research which courses are available. You are ideally looking for courses that you will enjoy, but also that will allow you to go into a career you are interested in. The UCAS website is a great place to start, before moving on to universities’ websites and prospectuses as your research progresses. We also recommend going along to open days to see what the campus is like and what facilities the university has to oﬀer.

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

We have been helping people move forwards with their lives for over 25 years. In that time we have learned one thing for certain, it requires more than just training. We promote an attitude and approach designed to help deal with life’s ups and downs both now and in the future.

Like any decision made in life, it is important to ensure that you make the right choice for you. It’s easy to make a decision based on your comfort zone, and often young people make a decision just because their friends are doing it. This is not always the right choice as people have diﬀerent interests and ambitions. Making that ﬁrst step after secondary school is a scary experience, but something you always need to remember is that you are not alone; everyone else is taking that step with you.

Web: www.junipertraining.co.uk

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

Warwickshire College is one of the largest general further and higher education colleges in the UK, with six centres in Leamington, Warwick, Rugby, Moreton Morrell, Henleyin-Arden and Pershore in Worcestershire. Web: www.warwickshire.ac.uk

www.careersworld.co.uk

Do lots of research – go to open events and taster sessions, try different things to find out what you really want to do, and where. Visit colleges, talk to tutors and current students to find out what the student experience is really like. Don’t just do a course because your friends are; make sure you choose what’s right for you. It’s your future – take control of it.

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

We are proud to deliver outstanding teaching and learning for our students, in

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

At De Montfort University (DMU) we have invested around £200 million in providing award-winning facilities which include industry standard equipment, studio spaces, a 24 hour library, specially designed workshops and a wide range of places for you to play sport, relax and enjoy yourself.

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

DMU oﬀers a range of support for all students, from academic assistance to help

WHAT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CAN SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS EXPECT WITH YOU?

graduate ready for the world of work, so our courses are designed with employability in mind. Not only are more than 170 of our courses professionally accredited, but we also provide 1,850 work placements with We also have a dedicated Student Support companies such as Caterpillar, 3M and Team who’re always there to help you make PepsiCo. the most of your time at DMU, and assist with any queries you have during your time Our new initiative, #DMUglobal aims to give the majority of our students an with us. international experience while studying with WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU? us, ultimately enhancing their CV and giving With a £90 million campus transformation them a competitive edge. The placements project in progress and the recent launch of will be tailored to your academic needs #DMUglobal, now really is an exciting time and provide rewarding life experiences. It could be anything from a week of intensive to study at DMU. language training, to a whole year abroad We are committed to ensuring our students working at a global company. you achieve everything you want to during your studies, to advice and guidance from our Careers and Employability Team to help you accomplish your occupational goals.

area that you are interested in so that you the world of work, including motivational get to see what it’s like to work in that sector. employer visits, monthly one to one reviews, Apprenticeship talks from experienced professionals, and much more. WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU OFFER

Juniper’s ‘Mint’ course offers a relaxed, fun, SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS TO HELP and friendly environment that focuses on your individual needs. Our groups consist THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS? of a maximum of 14 students which allows Juniper works to support our students both for more focused learning and support. academically and personally. Throughout Mint, students are supported through a Mint is split into 4 focussed sections. First variety of emotional and pastoral matters. you will undergo a 4 week engagement Each student has an individual plan which period. Second is the development period, helps map their progress. Each week we including an enterprise project which run a full day dedicated to developing the enables students to use a set budget of core subjects of Maths and English, with £100 to produce a product they feel will sell tailored sessions working on the areas that and make a profit. Third is the vocational you need to develop. option, where you will focus on building your knowledge of the working environment. Juniper also offers several additional Finally is work experience in the occupational incentives to help prepare our students for

excellent facilities. But we also know that WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU OFFER in the current economic climate, just having SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS TO HELP a qualification isn’t enough for employers. THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS? This is why, as a Gazelle college, we offer our students more than just a qualification. Whatever our students’ ambitions, whether university, employment or starting their own Whatever course you’re doing, A Levels or business - we’re there to support them animal welfare, horticulture or construction, every step of the way. For those who want we give you the chance to develop to get a job, our unique study programmes employability skills such as creative thinking, will ensure that they can develop their communication skills, problem-solving, and employability skills to make sure they’re time management to help you progress into ‘work-ready’ when they leave us, with more than just a qualification. a successful future career. Our students also get the opportunity to work in commercial environments, attend unique events and take part in enterprise competitions – opportunities which add real credibility to your CV or UCAS statement.

If students are interested in starting their own businesses, then the college can support them through our enterprise board. The board oﬀers support and guidance to budding entrepreneurs, ensuring that the best ideas are worked on quickly and successfully, from the ﬁrst pitch through to www.careersworld.co.uk

WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU?

If you are looking for a course that’s tailored to suit your needs and that oﬀers a full package of support then Juniper’s Mint course is for you. We will work with you to develop the skills needed to not only gain employment or an Apprenticeship, but to sustain it. Our courses have helped hundreds of young people to progress into their occupational area of interest, including administration, care, animal care, youth work, hair and beauty, accountancy, sports & recreation and many more.

testing, piloting and completion. The board has supported student ideas including a plant identiﬁcation system and tree surgery company.

WHY SHOULD CANDIDATES PICK YOU?

We offer our students an outstanding learning experience, in first class facilities with dedicated tutors and staff. But what makes us different is that you’ll get more than just a qualification – we’ll help you achieve your goals and develop the skills to match what employers and universities are looking for.

We are keen to recruit young people who: Have or are predicted to gain five GCSEs at Grade A-C or who have completed AS, A levels or BTEC National in Engineering and are looking for a challenging and rewarding career. Get in touch today!

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

Former NEW College student to represent the Country

assessments, Adam has now been chosen to represent the country in the skill of Automobile Technology.

A former apprentice and student of North East Worcestershire College has been selected to represent the college at the 42nd annual World Skills Competition, taking place in Leipzig, Germany, alongside over 900 competitors from around 50 diﬀerent countries.

Tutor Jeﬀ Cross, who taught Adam throughout his time at the College, said: “Having watched Adam grow over the past three years, I have seen his potential realised. It’s a great achievement and we wish him the best of luck, I’m sure he will do us proud.” Adam has also been successful in securing a place at Derby University where he will be studying Motorsport.

Adam Proudman, from Birmingham, undertook a level 3 Apprenticeship with NEW College. During this time he was successful in reaching the ‘SkillAuto’ National ﬁnals competition in 2011, where he ﬁnished 3rd overall. It was due to his performance in that competition that Worldskills UK approached him to join the UK Team. After successfully completing further practical

Jorden Allcock Higher Apprentice What’s it really like to be… a Capgemini apprentice? 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 the 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

For information on a wide range of courses with exciting career opportunities contact NEW College by phoning 01527 570020 or visiting the website at www.discovernewcollege.com

someone to ask if I have a problem I can’t fix myself. Team-working 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 www.uk.capgemini.com/careers

www.careersworld.co.uk

King Edward VI College King Edward VI College is the only Sixth Form College in Warwickshire specialising in the teaching & support of 16-19 year olds. We take students from Coventry, Warwickshire, West Midlands and neighbouring counties. The college has over 1100 students, approximately 80% of which will go on to University.

designed speciﬁcally for 16-19 year olds. You will have the opportunity to participate in up to 17 sports teams and even compete at a national level. Starting college gives students the chance to reinvent themselves. A fresh start leads to more invigorated and motivated students. College is a chance to make new friends, have greater freedom of expression and be treated like an adult.

With an excellent reputation and long established track record of success, the college oﬀers over 50 subjects at AS, A-level and BTEC, all available at one institution.

Our students gave the following reasons for coming to college rather than staying on at their school:

Our teachers are highly qualiﬁed academics who specialise in their subject area and are dedicated to teaching only Sixth Form students. We provide an excellent environment for students to develop the work and personal skills needed for university or employment. Our staﬀ are skilled in providing excellent advice and guidance when selecting a university or career choice.

•

• • • • • •

More freedom and a more relaxed environment More subjects to choose from Meeting new people Wanted a change High standard of education All students the same age, no younger students Better opportunities Good support

We provide an unrivalled range of enrichment opportunities

Web: www.kecnuneaton.ac.uk

Birmingham Metropolitan College If you’re a Year 11 student in Birmingham or the Black Country and you’re thinking about what your next level of study or training is going to be, then there’s only one choice to make – the bright choice, with Birmingham Metropolitan College. Reasons to choose Birmingham Metropolitan College: We have one of the best ranges of courses on oﬀer with 49 A levels and over 25 vocational, practical subjects for you to choose from.

We were named college of the year by British Colleges Sport (BCS) and the Association of Colleges (AoC), and presented with an award that celebrated our sporting success at both a regional and national level over the last 12 months. Working with some of the region’s major business and ﬁnance employers, including KPMG, Deloitte and Deutsche Bank, we have recently opened the Greater Birmingham Professional Services Academy (GBPSA) for young people aspiring to work in ﬁnance, law, accounting, banking and other related industries.

The qualiﬁcations body BTEC presented us with the award for the Most Innovative Apprenticeship Provider due to our links with major employers like BMW and Samsung and because our training facilities are some of the best in the country.

If you would like to know more about BMET, visit www.bmetc. ac.uk where you can search more for information about courses and facilities and ﬁnd out the dates of our next Open Events.

www.careersworld.co.uk

Midland Group Training Services Midland Group Training Services has a number of exciting employment opportunities for school and college leavers, including undertaking an engineering Apprenticeship in Coventry and Warwickshire. An Apprenticeship is an excellent route into a career in engineering. An Apprenticeship with MGTS provides both the opportunity to develop practical skills as well as to study in an academic environment.

As trained professionals, engineers are highly respected and are very well paid. Many get top jobs and even run their own companies. If you enjoy working as part of a team, enjoy solving problems and have a practical flair, you’ll find engineering has a lot to offer. We have an excellent Technical Centre at Coventry where you’ll learn how to use the latest machinery and equipment.

Engineering is the use of Maths and Science to design, build and maintain structures, machines, systems and processes that are vital for our everyday lives. So you’ll need to have, or have been predicted to achieve, good GCSE grades (A*-C) in English, Maths, and Science. You will be paid by your employer an average of £180 per week. This will increase annually as you develop and gain more skills, becoming more useful to your employer.

Apprentices Beneﬁt from Community Beneﬁts!

to local Sandwell residents for training and employment throughout the lifetime of the development.

Did you know that Sandwell Council’s Community Beneﬁts Coordinator, Karen Richards, makes sure that all the local developments and builds take on local labour and recruit local apprentices?

If you want to become a construction apprentice in carpentry, painting and decorating, plastering or bricklaying; give Future Skills Sandwell a call to arrange an appointment to discuss your future on 0121 555 4350. Or you could register on the National Apprenticeship website where you will ﬁnd all of Think Local’s apprenticeship opportunities: www.apprenticeships.org.uk

When the council buys in services or has large developments going on, Karen makes sure a Community Beneﬁt Clause is included in any commissioning documents. That means the contractors are required to take on a certain number of apprentices through Think Local, Future Skills Sandwell and Youth Employment Teams. The number of apprentices they are required to take on depends on the size of the project. For example the recent Tesco development led to 19 opportunities with the main contractor and subcontractors on site! Karen works closely with employers and the Youth Employment Team to make sure that the highest possible number of positions is made available

Web: www.mgts.co.uk Tel: 02476 630333

If you are an employer and would like to discuss taking on an apprentice please give Future Skills a call or to discuss Community Beneﬁts and how you can support Sandwell and its economy call Karen on 0121 569 2104

Email: future_skills@sandwell.gov.uk Tel: 0121 555 4350

www.careersworld.co.uk

THE REAL WORLD Apprentice takes top spot at national awards Remit works with almost 7,000 young people across the country, and its awards ceremony, which took place on the 20th December at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nottingham, celebrated the individuals who excelled. David Price joined the Surf Blue Garage in Giltbrook as an Apprentice Vehicle Technician in 2009. He has a real passion for Minis, having converted one at the age of 15, and was delighted to secure a position with the local Mini specialist.

Automotive Okay, so cars are totally awesome. From the Mini to the Mercielago, cars come in all shapes and sizes and require a fair bit of work to keep them roadworthy. If you’re a regular old petrol-head, then this is deﬁnitely the career for you!

You ask us...

But it was two years into his Apprenticeship that everything changed and David was presented with an opportunity he couldn’t turn down. He said: “I’d really enjoyed working at the garage and the owner was ready to sell up and retire, so he gave me and the others an opportunity to buy the garage, before it went on the open market. I wanted to keep the business going and carry on with restoring these old Minis. “Remit were fantastic and gave me a gap year in my Apprenticeship to allow me to set up the business.

WHAT’S THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

you will be out and about on roads recovering stranded vehicles. Finally, if you work in sales, you’ll find yourself in a shiny It’s all about fixing stuff that breaks down. showroom full of clean cars and those weird Anything that has an engine, from a basic fake plants they have in every car salesroom 50cc moped to a £300,000 supercharged for some reason. sports car. This might involve something simple like doing an MOT or a service, to HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO more complicated procedures such as replacing internal engine parts or restoring OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY? panels on the vehicle that have become This sector generates a whopping £6.5 damaged or dented. million to the UK economy each year! There are over 32 million vehicles on the WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT roads in this country alone, which 740,000 people work to maintain and service. There TO EARN? are also 8 F1 teams based in the UK, who Your salary will vary massively on your employ staff in a whole range of roles, from experience and your area of expertise. Many pit technicians to performance analysts. garages are privately owned businesses that have a good register of customers; these WHERE IS THE WORK MOST returning customers mean they have faith in your work and will pay (and possibly tip) CONCENTRATED? more. Your starting salary will be between You will find mechanics garages and £9000 and £13,000, but will quickly rise workshops in nearly every town in the UK. as you become more established. If you Car show rooms are also found nationwide, choose to work in sales, you can also earn but are mostly concentrated on business commission on top of your salary. parks located on the outskirts of towns and cities.

“Not many people get to do their hobby as their job, but I do and I’m so glad I took on my Apprenticeship. Winning this award is a fantastic honour; I hope I can inspire other young people to follow their dreams.”

Remit currently has dozens of Apprenticeship vacancies across the country. Those young people who are interested should contact the recruitment team on 01623 410 020 or visit www.remit.co.uk

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

In this sector you’ll be working in one of three environments depending on your choice of career; if you choose ﬁtting, repairs or body work, you’ll be in a mechanics’ garage working with tools and machinery to ﬁx vehicles. If you choose roadside assistance, www.careersworld.co.uk

Automotive

Careers Choices Cars, motorbikes, buses, campervans, transit vans and Lorries all have one thing in common; they’ll all inevitably break down at some point and leave you standing by the road waiting in the rain for a man in an orange jacket to take you to a garage. However, if you’re a mechanic, you can ﬁx the issues without a problem (not necessarily by the road if it’s something major like a wheel falling off, you’ll probably be at a garage for that). Fixing automotives is a highly skilled trade that requires a fair amount of knowledge; from engines to exhausts, each part of a vehicle requires a different set of skills. This sector also covers body and paint work, roadside assistance and the selling of automotives.

MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

This is all about keeping vehicles on the road. You might specialise in cars, buses, motorcycles or campervans, as every vehicle needs a diﬀerent sort of attention. The engines, tyres, transmission and the other parts diﬀer depending on what you’re working on. You might be doing a routine service, or replacing whole mechanical systems in your daily regime; either way, I hope you like the smell of petrol! You’re looking at a starting salary of around £13,000 here.

BODY AND PAINT TECHNICIAN

From the tiniest chip to the biggest smash, prangs, knocks and little accidents are commonplace in the driving world and when the unexpected happens, people need their cars ﬁxing up. This is where Body and Paint technicians come in; it might be a full body rework or it might just need a touch up of paint but no two jobs will ever be the same. This is quite a specialised ﬁeld, so the salary is a little higher, usually between £13,500 (starting out) and £20,000.

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE

You can guarantee that at some point in the future, you’ll be in a vehicle that breaks down. 50 years ago, this would have meant walking miserably to the nearest town, but becoming stranded now is a thing of the past. Roadside Technicians ﬁx broken down vehicles and if the repairs can’t be done there and then, they’ll tow your stricken vehicle to the nearest garage for you. Salaries here range from £13,000 to £16,000.

FITTING TECHNICIAN

Fitting involves the installation of parts such as tyres, exhausts, batteries and brake pads while the customer waits. You’ll have to have a familiarity with a wide range of vehicles and brands so that you can ﬁt the right parts to the right model of car. Salaries start at around £12,000 and rise to £15,000 when fully qualiﬁed.

www.careersworld.co.uk

PARTS OPERATIONS

Selling parts is an important area of the automotive industry, as most people from customers right up to car dealerships and garages require parts to sell in their workplaces. You’ll be in charge of stock checking, dealing with customers (so best customer service voice on!), processing payments and organising distribution. Salaries are fairly low to start with, at about £9,000, but your income will increase quickly as you progress.

AUTOMOTIVE SALES

Selling cars isn’t easy; your earnings will be based on commission, so you’ll have to sell honestly but productively in order to please both your employer and your customers. Cars are expensive, so you’ll have to make sure the customer is getting exactly what they want for the price oﬀered. You get a base salary of around £12,000 which is boosted by commission you make on sales. As you progress and grow in the industry, both your salary and your commission rate will signiﬁcantly rise.

MORE THAN

514,000 39,700 PEOPLE WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY

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

APPRENTICESHIPS

If you are aged 16 and over you could enter an Apprenticeship, which would teach you the skills you need while you work and earn a salary. You’ll spend half your time in the classroom and half out on the job. Listed below are the apprenticeship frameworks for this sector, which when completed will give you a Level 2 qualiﬁcation in the form of a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ: Roadside Assistance and Recovery • Vehicle Body and Paint Operations • Vehicle Fitting • Vehicle Maintenance and Repair • Vehicle Parts Operations • Vehicle Sales

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

These are the equivalent to A-Levels and can usually be joined after completing the associated Intermediate Apprenticeship. They are ideal for people who want a practical role as they learn while gaining valuable employment experience. People with Advanced Apprenticeships tend to progress up the ladder a lot quicker than those without, as the skills they learn are more suited to management and supervisory roles. Here are some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks for this sector and all of these will result in a Level 3 qualiﬁcation such as a BTEC, a Diploma or an NVQ. Roadside Assistance and Recovery • Vehicle Body and Paint Operations • Vehicle Fitting • Vehicle Maintenance and Repair • Vehicle Parts Operations • Vehicle Sales

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the most popular gateway into university and are sought after by employers. However, for this industry it’s a less popular pathway to take due to the lack of practical learning the student receives. It could, however, be used to get onto a Foundation Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

FOUNDATION DEGREES

BUSINESSES MAKE UP THIS SECTOR

QUALIFIED MECHANICS CAN EARN OVER

£30,000 PA

Automotive

REGIONAL FOCUS Zytek Group, the automotive and motorsport company, make the West Midlands their home in Staffordshire, near the old airfield. Goodyear Tyres and Dunlop Tyres are also in the area and manufacture for motorsport. The region is the biggest in the UK for the production of cars, with companies like Jaguar and Peugeot UK having their head offices here, so obviously there is plenty of work for anyone interested in the automotive industry. Alongside these factors, Birmingham has the biggest population in the UK outside of London, that’s a lot of cars to be sold and maintained!

COLLEGE COURSES

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

VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

This is the most popular route into the automotive industry, as it allows students to combine practical and theoretical study. In this way, students gain working experience while also learning about things like Maths, Science and English.

www.careersworld.co.uk

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THE REAL WORLD Jake, Mid Counties Cooperative When Jake was 18 he noticed an advertisement to join an Apprenticeship programme with Performance Through People (PTP) and the Co-op. He saw this as a great opportunity to better himself and enrolled on the “Intermediate Apprenticeship in Retail Skills (Specialist)” course. Jake goes out once a month to “oﬀ job training” sessions which are relevant to his course. Jake felt that these sessions with PTP staﬀ boosted his team working, presentation and public speaking skills. Jake was suddenly put to the test when he unexpectedly had to step up and run the store himself. This tested everything he had learnt and really threw him in at the deep end, but he grabbed the opportunity with both hands and succeeded in rising to the challenge.

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.

You ask us... 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.

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

Jake said “This is a really great course; I disliked sixth form so I enjoyed the fact that I only had to go out once a month to a classroom environment. I would deﬁnitely encourage others to go down the Apprenticeship route as there are great opportunities for progression, especially with the Co-op.” Terri, Jakes’ Manager said “Apprenticeships not only get new blood into companies but give learners the chance to get their foot on the ladder. Support from PTP helps with the theoretical side, which is great as sometimes they need an external push.”

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.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

Web: www.ptp-training.co.uk Tel: 03332 408 302

There will be people everywhere, so if you have good customer service skills you’ll be ﬁne. If you don’t, get some, because it’s essential to the shopper’s experience. You need to be adaptable as not everyone is a happy shopper, so learn to deal with everything thrown at you, both good and bad. www.careersworld.co.uk

Retail

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

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 according to 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

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 work 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 an 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

JUST 10 RETAILERS EMPLOY AROUND

1/3

OF ALL THOSE WHO WORK IN RETAIL

UK RETAIL HAS AN ANNUAL TURNOVER OF

£321 BILLION

Retail

REGIONAL FOCUS There are over 1 million people in Birmingham alone, and that’s a lot of shoppers. For this reason, most of the retail opportunities are focused on the Birmingham area. The Bullring is located in the city centre and is one of the largest shopping centres in the UK. Coventry West Orchard centre is known for its range of shops. Wolverhampton has the Wulfrun Centre and the Mander Centre, located in the heart of the city.

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

Search online for RAF The Royal Air Force values every individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique contribution, irrespective of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or social background. However, for reasons of combat effectiveness, the RAF Regiment is open to men only. MoD/Crown Copyright from www.defenceimages.mod.uk

THE REAL WORLD

Armed Forces & Emergency Services Attention! The UK prides itself on its military and ability to provide rapid response to emergencies. Whichever path you choose to take, you can take heart in the knowledge that your work is helping to protect and serve the people you love most. It’s a rewarding, progressive career which will give you a varied working day.

You ask us... WHAT’S THE ARMED FORCES & EMERGENCY SERVICES SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

At its most basic, this sector is all about saving lives. It’s a huge sector that is often misjudged; it’s not just about marching, shooting and being yelled at by an oﬃcer. You can join the Forces as a chef or a medic, or if you fancy going into the emergency services, you can work out on the streets or at a desk, helping interview people and sorting evidence.

WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

Base but again you’ll have to ship out to one of the many bases around the world. In the Navy, you’ll be on a ship so make sure you have the stomach for the seas! You’ll be a little closer to home in the Emergency Services; Police Oﬃcers and Fire-ﬁghters tend to work in the local community, whereas Paramedics will be working out of ambulances and hospitals.

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

Aside from the Travel and Hospitality sector, there isn’t a better chance for you to travel abroad in your work! There are over 140,000 people serving in the Army alone and the UK is the third highest in the world for military expenditure, with over £39bn spent on keeping our country safe. Around 20,000 people were recruited last year and 25% of those were under 18, so it’s easier to get into this sector from a young age.

With regards to the Armed Forces, you will be paid a salary as soon as you begin training and it starts between £13,000 and £14,000 depending on which Force you go into. In the Emergency Services, you will have to undertake training before you begin earning, but your starting salary is very reasonable; Police Officers earn around £23,000, FireWHERE IS THE WORK MOST fighters earn £20,500 and Paramedics can CONCENTRATED? make up to £21,000. This sector is big on advancement, especially the Armed Forces In the Armed Forces, it’s at military bases where hard work is rewarded with respect and ports (obviously the Naval bases are situated near the sea; it’s no good having (and more money). them in the Midlands!), whereas Emergency are located all over the country. WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD Services Each region has its own authority and is I BE WORKING IN? responsible for recruitment to the respective Well, in the Armed Forces, it depends on service, but don’t be afraid to move away which Force you go into and which role you from your local community if required. The wish to undertake. In the Army, you’ll be bigger cities obviously have larger areas of based at a barracks in England when you influence, so you are more likely to find work are assigned to a regiment and then you there, but it is worth checking online to see could go anywhere from Northern Ireland where current vacancies are located. to Germany, the Middle East or America. In the Air Force, you’ll be installed at an Air www.careersworld.co.uk

Senior Aircraftwoman Victoria Holden Senior Aircraftwoman Victoria Holden is a member of Cabin Crew working on the Voyager Airbus 330 Aircraft at RAF Brize Norton – the UK’s main airport for worldwide military operations. Cabin Crew is just one of the roles you can choose as a Catering and Hospitality Specialist in the RAF. “Part of the job is Air to Air refuelling, which is a fantastic experience that I will never tire of seeing,” says Victoria. “We trail fast jets such as a Tornados and refuel them during their journey. The aircraft will be so close that it’s an amazing experience and a sight to behold.” “There are so many opportunities for you to see the world. I have already visited Canada, USA, Malaysia, South Africa, Kenya, Holland, and Germany, to name just a few. I always wanted to join the RAF and looking back it was the best decision I ever made.” For your ﬁrst tour in Catering, you will be posted to an Oﬃcers’ or Sergeants’ Mess within a RAF base. Here you will gain experience in the dining room, bar and reception areas. As your career progresses, you will have the opportunity to be trained in new skills, including management and leadership. “At the start I was, as you can imagine very nervous, but once I graduated and my family came to visit, it proved to be the most rewarding experience I have had. You make friends for life during your training.”

With more than 50 careers to choose from, Catering and Hospitality Specialist is just one of the paths that you can follow in the RAF. To ﬁnd out more please visit www.raf.mod.uk/careers.

Armed Forces & Emergency Services

Careers Choices So what kind of career can you make out of this sector? The Armed Forces carries an honour like no other; you are responsible for the safety of the country and are our ﬁrst line of defence against possible threats. The Emergency Services are there to help us on a local level, helping prevent crime and saving lives. So no matter which role you take in this sector, you can go to bed at night knowing you’ve made a difference. Here are the roles you can take to start your career off:

ROYAL ARMY

The Army is split into two forces; the Royal Army and the Territorial Army (a reserve force). The latter can be done part time and suits people who want to train and work at the same time. Whoever you serve with, you could be based at home or abroad, or working with other countries’ forces in international emergencies. Starting salaries are between £13,000 and £14,000, plus a tax free lump sum called a ‘bounty’ for people serving in the TA. Your pay starts as soon as you begin training.

ROYAL AIR FORCE

The Air Force guards our country from the sky, but as they say “You don’t have to be a pilot to ﬂy in the RAF”. You could work as a navigator or a gunner. Or if you prefer to stay on the ground, you could work alongside the Navy on an Aircraft Carrier or at a base maintaining grounded aircraft. Starting salaries are around £13,700 and you are paid while you train.

ROYAL NAVY

Protectors of our oceans, the Navy are experts at marine based combat. Whether it’s as a shipman working out at sea or as a highly trained, super-elite Royal Marine inﬁltrating enemy bases, you’ll be trained in one of the most prestigious military organisations in the world. Salaries start at around £13,500 and like the other armed forces; you are paid while you train.

POLICE FORCE

The police look after our safety in the local community. There are plenty of areas to specialise in, such as dog handling, riot response, traﬃc and highway patrol and undercover (CID) and your work will vary massively from day to day. You can expect to start on around £23,000 after you complete your training.

www.careersworld.co.uk

FIRE BRIGADE

Fires can occur anywhere, from the home and the office to factories and motorways. Each situation requires a different solution. Simple house fires risk family’s lives whereas chemical fires can lead to explosions and endanger a wider area. You’ll have to be brave, and an understanding of health and safety is part and parcel of this rewarding career. Expect to start off on around £20,500.

PARAMEDICS

Paramedics are part of the response units who attend medical emergencies. Most paramedics ride in Ambulances, but there are specialised roles such as air support (riding in a helicopter) and rapid response (who use cars instead of ambulances). It’s a great way to work in the medical sector if you don’t fancy being conﬁned to a hospital, but be prepared to learn a lot of medical terminology so that you can diagnose somebody as quickly as possible. Paramedics earn around £21,000 when they ﬁrst start out and earn more as they gain more experience.

262,124 PEOPLE WORK IN THE POLICE SERVICE

74,228 PEOPLE WORK IN FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES

THE ARMED FORCES AIM TO RECRUIT

24,000 PEOPLE PER YEAR

Where to begin Here’s how you can get into a career in the Armed Forces or the Emergency Services…

TRAINING

In all the Armed Forces, you will be given basic training in areas such as combat mindset, weapons training and military etiquette. Then, your training will diversify depending on what your role is within that force. You don’t actually need any academic qualifications to be recruited and qualifications can be gained while or before you serve. However, if you wish to enter into Officer training, recruiters often look for solid academic achievements, though you can apply for Officer training if you have been serving as a regular soldier.

COLLEGE COURSES

Some colleges oﬀer courses which act as a medium between education and work such as Police Studies. Paramedics and Fire Services have their own colleges you can attend to begin your career.

Armed Forces & Emergency Services

REGIONAL FOCUS The regional Army brigade for the West Midlands is 143 Brigade, who are based out of Copthorne Barracks in Shrewsbury. They have strong ties to the local community and often reach out to help army families in the region. The two major air bases in the region are RAF Cosford, focused on the training of Ground Tradesmen and RAF Shawbury. The West Midlands Ambulance Service covers the whole of the region, with about 50% of their treated patients coming from Birmingham. The fire service is split in the region with West Midlands Fire Service covering the majority of the region but Staffordshire Fire and Rescue maintaining the rest. Similarly the West Midlands Police cover most of the region but Staffordshire Police are the authority in the north east of the area.

INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS

Apprenticeships are a great way to get into the Armed Forces and Emergency Services and allow you to gain the relevant skills you need for your ﬁeld. Apprenticeships will result in a Level 2 qualiﬁcation for Intermediate Level and Level 3 for an Advanced Apprenticeship. The award will take the form of a BTEC, Diploma or NVQ. Here are the frameworks for the Apprenticeships available: Emergency Fire Operations • Policing • Health (Emergency Care Assistant) • HM Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force)

www.careersworld.co.uk

AGED 16-18? Achieve your goals at Stoke on Trent College Our Real Education includes: • Genuine work environments • Work experience on all study programmes • A unique Job shop on site • Support for university entry • Brand new Sports Academy • New Sports Science facilities in 2015

Visit: www.stokecollege.ac.uk for course information Open Evenings: February 13th, March 19th, May 8th 2014 5pm - 7.30pm

Cauldon Campus: Stoke Road, Shelton, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2DG Burslem Campus: Moorland Road, Burslem, Stoke on Trent, ST6 1JJ

THE REAL WORLD Gareth Chetwyn, BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Exercise, Fitness and Coaching Gareth said, “My goal is to work as a fitness instructor and personal trainer, so I chose this particular course to help me develop my skills in the fitness industry. My time here has helped me become more confident and I’ve really enjoyed learning about how the body works and reacts to exercise. I’ve also found out about the benefits of balanced nutrition which gives me even more employment opportunities. So, if you’re interested in sport, fitness and how the body works then this course is really worth taking.”

Sport & Fitness Keeping ﬁt is very important nowadays; the time of extra Yorkshire puddings and chips are gone! People are more keen to get and stay in shape and this sector is all about helping people do just that.

Gareth benefits from the brand new Sports Academy opened at Stoke on Trent College in 2013, which features a sports hall, fitness gym, physiotherapy lab and aerobics studio. Stoke on Trent College offers progression routes from Level 1 to degree level, delivered either full-time or part-time in the areas of sport, exercise, fitness and sports science. All our courses are designed with employers needs in mind and all have significant practical content as well as experience of work within the study programme.

You ask us... WHAT’S THE SPORT AND FITNESS SECTOR ALL ABOUT?

It’s more than just working out at the gym; this sector also includes coaching people in various sports, running outdoor activities such as kayaking, rock climbing and gliding and of course there are the roles that support sports centres, gyms and activity areas.

WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

HOW DOES THIS SECTOR COMPARE TO OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

Sport and Fitness is a popular sector to work in and it employs 663,000 people across the country, which accounts for 2% of the total UK workforce. Over 4 million people are subscribed to some sort of ﬁtness or gym program, so there will never be a shortage of people to help. The one downside to this is the cost and some people see it as a luxury they cannot aﬀord. Perhaps this is something you can change for the better!

The starting salaries vary according to the role you will play, but they tend to range from WHERE IS THE WORK MOST £12,000 to £15,000 and can be upwards CONCENTRATED? of £25,000 with experience. For example, a fully qualified Fitness Instructor can earn You’ll find gyms all over the place although some of the private ones can be found over £32,000 a year. attached to spas and hotels and can be in middle of nowhere. The bigger chains WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD the can be found in towns and city centres I BE WORKING IN? along with council run sports centres. Again, this depends on your role. If you are Outdoor activity centres are usually found in working in fitness, then you are likely to be the countryside, but also look out for places in a gym or sports centre. Outdoor activities by the sea and in forested areas. can take you to rivers, cliff faces, mountains, oceans and ski slopes, so be prepared to fill your wardrobe with clothing to suit the occasion! www.careersworld.co.uk

Contact for further information about courses in Sports, Fitness or Coaching at Stoke on Trent College: Website: www.stokecoll.ac.uk Email: info@stokecoll.ac.uk Telephone: 01782 208208

Sport & Fitness

Careers Choices You don’t have to be a ﬁtness fanatic to work in this sector (but it probably helps to be a little ﬁt) and there are many more roles than people think. This industry also covers outdoor activities, play work (with young children and toddlers), coaching in the community and the operation of gyms and sport centres. Here are some of the areas within this industry you could go into:

PERSONAL TRAINING

People hire Personal Trainers (or PT’s as they are commonly known) so they can have one on one training sessions tailored to suit their needs. You’ll need a wide knowledge of physiology and the body so that you can cover all possible areas that a person might ask for. As well as just training them, you will be giving them nutritional advice and therapies such as warm downs, stretches and massages to help the client relax after a workout.

COACHING

Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Martin Johnson and the like all started out as coaches before they became successful managers. Coaching is all about using your skills and knowledge to guide others as they start out their sports careers and this could be coaching at grassroots level with an U9’s basketball team, right up to working for the big sports clubs in England.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

There are a whole host of outdoor pursuits that you can work with. Sports such as White Water Rafting, Paintballing, GoKarting, Zip-Lining, Abseiling and Caving all require instructors and supervisors to ensure everybody has a safe and enjoyable time. Instructors can also coach people who are interested in making a career out of their sport.

SPECTATOR SUPPORT

Every professional sports match requires stewards to maintain health and safety, help people with queries and act in case of an emergency. NVQs are available in spectator safety, where you’ll learn skills such as conﬂict management, ﬁrst aid and dealing with emergencies.

www.careersworld.co.uk

OPERATIONS

The operations section of Sport and Fitness is important; it’s all about the day to day running of a centre, gym or facility. Whether that’s maintaining the equipment, keeping everything clean and hygienic, taking bookings and sorting memberships or managing the whole place, this sector wouldn’t run without responsible, organised people behind the scenes.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO EARN?

Salaries start out between £12,000 and can rise to £25,000 as you gain experience. Gym Managers can earn upwards of £35,000.

51,500

PEOPLE WORK IN THE HEALTH & FITNESS INDUSTRY THERE ARE OVER 3,100 PRIVATE FITNESS FACILITIES IN THE UK WITH 4.4 MILLION MEMBERS THERE ARE JUST UNDER

2,600

PUBLIC HEALTH & FITNESS FACILITIES

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

APPRENTICESHIPS

With over 48,000 diﬀerent companies in this sector, an Apprenticeship might be the easier route to take to get into a very tough sector. Competition for places in this industry is super high, so having one foot in the door and earning as you learn could be a great way to go. Here are the frameworks you can expect to see in this industry and all Apprenticeships result in a Level 2 BTEC, Diploma or NVQ. Leisure Operations • Coaching • Instructing Exercise and Fitness • Activity Leadership

A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the most popular gateway into university and are sought after by employers. Here are some of the relevant A-Levels for this sector: P.E. • Sports Studies • Biology

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A Foundation Degree combines university lifestyle with practical, hands on work. It’s sort of like a cross between an Apprenticeship and an Honours Degree. They are often used as gateway qualifications to a full time Degree as they count towards the first two years of an Honours Degree. They usually take two years to complete and you’ll be ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS These are the equivalent to A-Levels and both in the work place and on the university Example degrees include can usually be joined after completing the campus. associated Intermediate Apprenticeship. Physiology, Nutrition and Sports Studies. They are ideal for people who want a practical role as they learn while gaining COLLEGE COURSES valuable employment experience. Here are College courses are also a great way to some of the Apprenticeship Frameworks get into this sector and many colleges do for this sector and all of these will result in Creative courses. To check which colleges a Level 3 qualification such as a BTEC, a do these courses, head to Diploma or an NVQ. www.careersworld.co.uk. Sporting Excellence • Sports Development • Leisure Management www.careersworld.co.uk

Sport & Fitness

REGIONAL FOCUS Sport is big business in the West Midlands, with some of the country’s biggest football teams coming from the region, namely Aston Villa, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion. There is a big call for other sports in the region, with Birmingham Speedway being home to a variety of motorsports. Darts, cricket and boxing are prevalent in the area too. In 2014 Birmingham University has been ranked the number one uni for Sport Science in the UK.

Open Evening School Leavers and Higher Education enquiries welcome

Wednesday 22nd January 2014, 5.30 - 8pm

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit our campus and take a tour of the amazing facilities, receive advice and guidance about your future studies and meet our tutors and current students. Come along and find out more about: • Apprenticeships • A/AS Levels • BTEC Entry Level courses • BTEC Level 2 or 3 Diplomas • NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) • Higher Education

See you there Find us on

Talk. 0121 477 1300 | Write. info@bournville.ac.uk | See. bournville.ac.uk Visit. 1 Longbridge Lane, Longbridge, Birmingham B31 2AJ | Sat Nav Ref. B31 2TW

THE REAL WORLD Bournville College Styles Hair for Miss Universe UK Final 2013 Students and apprentices at Urban Elegance, the hairdressing salon at Bournville College, were selected as the official styling team for one of the largest pageants in the world – Miss Universe UK. On the day of the event, nine students and apprentices delivered professional hair styling services to the twenty-five contestants from across England, Scotland and Wales, including the UK winner Amy Willerton who also recently starred on the popular ITV show ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here’. Natasha Small, the Urban Elegance Manager who also presented the award for Best Hair, reflected on the event and what it meant for all involved. She said: ‘This was an amazing opportunity for the College as it gave our apprentices and students the chance to experience what it is like to be part of a style team for a high profile event, and showed them a unique career path which is different to conventional hairdressing.’

Hair & Beauty From mullets to Mohawks, hair and beauty is something that we as people take very seriously. Everybody enjoys looking and feeling good and this sector is all about doing just that…

You ask us... WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THE HAIR AND BEAUTY SECTOR?

Plenty of old ladies wanting perms. No, only joking, there’s so much more to this career path and when you get conﬁdent enough to create your own styles and treatments it’s very rewarding to see them elsewhere.

National director of Miss Universe Great Britain, Paula Abbandonato, said: ‘I’d like to congratulate all the young women who took part in the ﬁnal this weekend - they all did themselves proud.’ If you would like to ﬁnd out more about the hairdressing courses and Apprenticeships available at Bournville College, visit the College at its upcoming Open Evening on Wednesday 22nd January 2014, 5.30 – 8pm or the Apprenticeships Event on Tuesday 11th March 2014, 6-8pm.

WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD I BE WORKING IN?

Unsurprisingly, this job is favoured more by women. I haven’t seen many men giving me advice on which eye shadow would compliment my complexion (not that I’ve asked…), however the number of male hairdressers is increasing. Whatever your you’ll be working with customers WHAT KIND OF SALARY CAN I EXPECT gender, on a day to day basis so make sure your TO EARN? customer service skills are top notch. For The starting salaries in this sector are therapists, the environment could be a nice relatively low, starting somewhere between relaxing spa area or if you go down the £10,000 and £12,000 a year, but you will makeup line, you could ﬁnd yourself in a earn more as you gain experience. department store or even in a TV studio!

Web: www.bournville.ac.uk Tel: 0121 477 1300

WHERE WOULD I FIND THIS LINE OF WORK IN MY AREA?

Hair salons usually have link ups with local colleges and training providers and nearly all towns have at least two or three hairdressers, while high street employers such as Toni & Guy tend to be found in the bigger cities. www.careersworld.co.uk

Hair & Beauty

135,640

PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED IN THE HAIRDRESSING & BEAUTY TREATMENT INDUSTRY

THIS INDUSTRY HAS AN ANNUAL REVENUE OF AROUND

£4 BILLION

HAIRDRESSING SALONS MAKE UP

75%

OF TOTAL REVENUE IN THE SECTOR

Careers Choices Here are the main careers in this job sector; obviously you can specialise but the four main Hair and Beauty areas are as follows:

HAIRDRESSING

It’s all about the hair here; you’ll be cutting, styling, colouring, washing, perming and making people’s hair look exactly how they want it to. You will begin as an apprentice working in a salon before gradually taking on more and more responsibility as you complete your training. Many professionals move on to setting up their own businesses or even go into the ﬁlm and television industry as part of the make-up department – the ambitious will always be rewarded in this role. Salaries begin at around £10,000, but rise to £16,000 with experience and qualiﬁcations.

SPA THERAPY

“Ahhh that’s better” – a phrase you’ll hear constantly in this career. Spa tourism contributes £1.4 billion a year to the UK economy and is growing all the time (everybody is so stressed these days). Spa Therapists oﬀer a range of treatments that help improve somebody’s well being, such as facials, massages, aromatherapy and saunas. You can specialize in a particular area, such as holistic treatment, or have a general knowledge of all areas. Starting salary is between £12,000 and £14,000 a year.

NAIL TECHNICIAN

Manicures and pedicures are the order of the day in this career; you will be focusing on improving and maintaining the skin and nails on both hands and feet. This might be through treatments such as hot wax therapy and foot wraps, or more artistic work such as airbrushing designs onto nails. This is for those who like to combine art and practicality, as you will have to have an eye for the creative and a steady hand to make those designs look good. You can expect to earn between £12,000 and £17,000 a year in this ﬁeld, which is dependent on qualiﬁcations and experience.

BEAUTY THERAPY

Like Spa therapy, you will be tasked with enhancing the well-being of clients through a range of different methods, such as various different types of makeup (that’s mascara, lipstick, eye-shadow etc to you lads) or electronic treatments and hair removal methods. The salaries vary depending on whether you work for a department store or a private firm, but the average starting salary is between £12,000 and £17,000 a year.

www.careersworld.co.uk

Where to begin If beautifying and energising is your part of your dream career, then consider the following courses...

APPRENTICESHIPS

The majority of people aged 18-30 in this sector have an apprenticeship, so it’s always a good place to start. Half your learning will be on the job and half in the classroom and you can do them in a range of subjects from barbering to spa therapy. Here are some of the Apprenticeship frameworks relevant to this sector with the careers you will see and they will result in a level 2 qualiﬁcation such as an NVQ, BTEC or Diploma. Hairdressing • Beauty Therapy • Beauty Therapy (Make-up) • Nail Services

A-LEVELS

Unfortunately, there isn’t an A-level course in Hair and Beauty, but this sector is all about your customer service and personality rather than your academic qualiﬁcations. However, if you were interested in progressing into management or even taking on your own business, these courses may help you onto the right path: Business Studies • Economics • ICT

FOUNDATION DEGREES

A foundation degree is a great way to gain a higher education qualification while learning practical skills. They are designed by ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPS Like an apprenticeship, these are great universities and employers to give you both for people who prefer to work while they a qualification and the experience to carry learn. Many people find that it’s a natural into the working world. progression to go onto Level 3 because of the experience they get from doing so. A Level They are the equivalent to the first two years 3 qualification is yours for upon completion, of an honours degree and many people such as an NVQ, BTEC or Diploma. Here take them having worked in the sector for are the relevant Apprenticeship Frameworks some time. There are various courses available, such as Salon and Business for your sector: Management. Hairdressing/Barbering • Beauty Therapy • Nail Services

Hair & Beauty

REGIONAL FOCUS Solihull is one of the most well-oﬀ areas of the country, so there are plenty of people willing to splash a little cash on some beauty treatment. Birmingham has dozens of salons and colleges where you can ﬁnd courses, including Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy being available at University College Birmingham. Walsall College has become known for its Graduate Academy, where students and graduates work with real customers in a salon environment (and get paid!).

COLLEGE COURSES

Colleges are also a good way to get into this sector; it is more learning based, but there is a fairly heavy practical element as well. To ﬁnd out which colleges have courses relevant to the Hair and Beauty sector, visit www.careersworld.co.uk. Alternatively, check your local council to see which colleges provide courses. www.careersworld.co.uk

Your Career,

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

AGRICULTURE & ANIMAL CARE

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

BUSINESS & CUSTOMER SERVICE

If you’ve got a good eye for making a bit of dough, then you might be a natural business guru! Business is all about the money; how to invest it wisely, how to hang onto the money you already have and of course, how to make more of it. Good customer service ensures that customers become regular users of the business and that new clients can be attracted. It’s not just answering the phone; there are jobs in areas such as public relations, networking and social media. If you’ve got a friendly demeanour, a nice smile and good conversational skills, you’d be well suited to a job in customer service!

Example Job Roles: PR Officer • Business Consultant • Personal Assistant • Human Resources Officer • Management/Team Leader Salaries: Starting salaries in business are generally quite high, usually starting around £17,000. Customer service salaries start at around £12,000. Qualifications: Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3) • College Courses • Foundation Degrees • A-Levels (Business Studies and IT are useful)

CONSTRUCTION

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

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

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!

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

EDUCATION & EARLY YEARS

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

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

ENERGY & RENEWABLES

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

ENGINEERING

Engineering is a vast sector which can be choose to work in, you can be sure that your broken down into seven main categories; work will be challenging and varied. chemicals, mechanical, metals, electrical, aerospace, marine and defence. Chemical Example Job Roles: Systems Engineer • engineers manufacture everyday products from Aerospace Engineer • Electrical Technician • raw materials such as crude oil. Mechanical Lab Technician engineers work with high-tech machinery, Salaries: Salaries start at around £14,000. while the metal engineering industry covers Qualiﬁcations: Apprenticeships (Levels 2 the creation of steel and other alloys. Electrical and 3) • A-Levels (Technology and Maths are engineers work with, you guessed it, electrical helpful here) • College Courses • Foundation systems and aerospace is all about creating and Degrees 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.

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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

HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE

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

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

IT, DIGITAL & TELECOMS

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

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

MANUFACTURING & PROCESSING

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

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

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

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

TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY

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

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

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

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

WELBECK DEFENCE SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

WHERE LEARNING MEETS ADVENTURE.

AND ENGINEERS MEET THEIR FUTURE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CV’S

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

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

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

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

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Careers Hub EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

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

CONTACT INFO

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

CV Builder PERSONAL PROFILE

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

EDUCATION

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

HOBBIES & INTERESTS

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

REFERENCES

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

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Careers Hub

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

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

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

SHOULD I STAY AT SIXTH FORM OR GO TO COLLEGE?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Careers Hub

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

LEVEL

5 GCSEs

LEVEL

SKILLS FOR LIFE

LEVEL

BTEC

LEVEL

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS

LEVEL

OCR NATIONALS

AWARDS, CERTIFICATES & DIPLOMAS

LEVEL

NVQs

FOUNDATION LEARNING

LEVEL

ENTRY LEVEL

CERTIFICATES

(GRADES D-G) 1

5 GCSEs

LEVEL

(GRADES A*-C) 2

INTERMEDIATE

BTEC 2 NATIONALS

LEVEL

DIPLOMA OF

LEVEL

NVQs

LEVEL

NVQs

ADVANCED DIPLOMAS

LEVEL

BTEC HIGHER NATIONALS (HND, HNC)

OCR NATIONALS

LEVEL

BTEC FIRSTS

LEVEL

NVQs

LEVEL

FOUNDATION LEVEL 3 DEGREES 4+

LEVEL

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS

APPRENTICESHIPS

FOUNDATIONS 1

A LEVELS

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

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIPs

GCE IN APPLIED

SUBJECTS

LEVEL

3 3 3

HIGHER EDUCATION

LEVEL

4+ LEVEL

SPECIALIST LEVEL 4+ 3 AWARDS

LEVEL

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

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The Coleshill School Welcomes You To Our

THE

Coleshill

SIXTH FORM

Sixth Form Open Evening

Wednesday 22nd January 6.30pm—8pm

Learning & Achieving Together

Scholarships available of up to £500 for academic excellence, sporting commitment and community involvement.

“The courses really work for you. The Coleshill Sixth Form really prepares you well for University and the world of work”

“Engaging lessons taught in a really fun way”

“As an external student I settled very quickly and was fully supported”

Welcome talk and introduction by Headteacher, at 6.30pm. Subject Information sessions and an opportunity to talk to teachers and the Post 16 Team. Senior Assistant Headteacher, Head of Sixth Form: Mr S Tait Address: Coventry Road, Coleshill B46 3EX. Tel: 01675 462435 Email: enquiries@thecoleshillschool.org.uk Website: www.thecoleshillschool.org.uk

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

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

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

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

HOW CAN I BECOME AN APPRENTICE?

HOW CAN I MAKE MY APPLICATION STAND OUT?

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

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

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

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

• • •

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

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

CASE STUDY JAMES GEE CAPGEMINI INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AN APPRENTICESHIP HAS ENABLED JAMES GEE TO DEVELOP HIS IT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, INSTILL AN EXCELLENT WORK ETHIC AND LAY SOLID FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE While many of his friends were considering university, James Gee, from Redditch, decided to look into doing an Apprenticeship after completing A-Levels in Physics, Maths, IT and Geology. “I have always wanted to work in the IT industry,” says James, who is now 20 years old. “I chose an Apprenticeship as this would give me invaluable work experience while learning skills and earning money.” James found out about an Apprenticeship at Capgemini through the free, NAS vacancies website. After attending an assessment day, James began a Higher Apprenticeship in Information and Communication Technology with the company in December 2011, working as an IT Applications Specialist. While he works towards a Level 4 City & Guilds Diploma in IT Systems & Principles and Professional Competence, and a degree in IT & Computing, James is busy developing bespoke IT solutions for businesses.

BECOMING AN IT SPECIALIST

“After three months of intensive training, I moved on to projects working alongside industry professionals, providing me with a deeper understanding,” James says. “Now, I am able to program systems eﬀectively, while sharing my skills with others.” Through playing an active role in many projects, James has been recognised for exceeding the normal expectations of an apprentice.

James hopes to continue his degree in IT & computing which will be sponsored by Capgemini. He has aspirations to become a lead developer. “This past year has been one of the best experiences of my life and I am very grateful for the opportunity and investment in my development that Capgemini has given me,” James says.

As an ambassador for Apprenticeships, James proactively seeks out opportunities to “My Apprenticeship has taught me encourage others into considering an Apprenticeship. the importance of working as part of a team and has encouraged me “I strive to promote to take responsibility for the tasks Apprenticeships and recently I am asked to undertake,” James says. “I have achieved above 80% showed a work experience on all Open University assignments student what being an apprentice and gained a promotion in the first involved,” James says. “I have also represented Capgemini at careers year of the Apprenticeship as a events in schools to help spread software engineer.” the word about the benefits of Apprenticeships.” James has also been crowned West Midlands Higher Apprentice To find out more about of the Year at the National Apprenticeship opportunities, Apprenticeship Awards 2013. please contact the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 INSPIRING OTHERS 150 600 or visit the website When he finishes his Apprenticeship in December 2013, apprenticeships.org.uk

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UNIVERSITIES Aston University www.aston.ac.uk 0121 204 3000 Birmingham City University www.bcu.ac.uk 0121 3315000 The University of Birmingham www.birmingham.ac.uk 0121 414 3344

The University of Warwick www.warwick.ac.uk 024 7652 3523

UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGES

University of Wolverhampton www.wlv.ac.uk 01902 321000

Aston University Engineering Academy www.auea.co.uk 0121 3800 570

University of Worcester www.worcester.ac.uk 01905 855111

Black Country UTC www.blackcountryutc. co.uk 01922 470763 JCB Academy www.jcbacademy.com 01889 506 100

Coventry University www.coventry.ac.uk 024 7688 7688

WMG Academy for Young Engineers www.utcolleges.org 0207 960 1555

Harper Adams University www.harper-adams.ac.uk 01952 820280

West Midlands Construction UTC www.westmidlands constructionutc.co.uk

Keele University www.keele.ac.uk 01782 732000 Newman University www.newman.ac.uk 0121 4761 181

COLLEGES SHROPSHIRE Derwen College www.derwen.ac.uk 01691 661234 Ludlow College www.ludlow-college.ac.uk 01584 872846 New College Telford www.nct.ac.uk 01952 641892

HEREFORDSHIRE Hereford College of Arts www.hca.ac.uk 01432 273359 Hereford Sixth Form College www.hereford.ac.uk 01432 355166 Herefordshire and Ludlow College www.hlcollege.ac.uk 0800 032 1986

Shrewsbury Sixth Form College www.ssfc.ac.uk 01743 235491 Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology www.shrewsbury.ac.uk 01743 342342 Telford College of Arts and Technology www.tcat.ac.uk 01952 642200 Walford and North Shropshire College www.wnsc.ac.uk 01691 688000

Staﬀordshire University www.staﬀs.ac.uk 01782 294 000

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

Careersworld advert - autumn 2013 v1IC.indd 1

www.careersworld.co.uk

STAFFORDSHIRE

BLACK COUNTRY

BIRMINGHAM

Burton and South Derbyshire College www.burton-college.ac.uk 01283 494400

City of Wolverhampton College www.wolvcoll.ac.uk 01902 836000

Birmingham Metropolitan College www.bmetc.ac.uk 0845 155 0101

City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College www.stokesfc.ac.uk 01782 848736

Dudley College www.dudleycol.ac.uk 01384 363000

Bournville College of Further Education www.bournville.ac.uk 0121 477 1300

Newcastle-under-Lyme College www.nulc.ac.uk 01782 715111 South Staffordshire College www.southstaffs.ac.uk 0300 456 2424 Stafford College www.staffordcoll.ac.uk 01785 223 800

Sandwell College www.sandwell.ac.uk 0121 667 5000 Stourbridge College www.stourbridge.ac.uk 01384 344344 Walsall College www.walsallcollege.ac.uk 01922 657 7000

Stoke-on-Trent College www.stokecoll.ac.uk 01782 208208

Fircroft College of Adult Education www.ﬁrcroft.ac.uk 0121 472 0116 Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College www.jcc.ac.uk 0121 466 2200 Queen Alexandra College www.qac.ac.uk 0121 428 5050 Solihull College www.solihull.ac.uk 0121 678 7000

City College Coventry www.covcollege.ac.uk 024 7679 1000 Henley College Coventry www.henley-cov.ac.uk 024 7662 6300 Hereward College of Further Education www.hereward.ac.uk 02476 461231 King Edward VI College Nuneaton www.kinged6nun.ac.uk 024 7632 8231 North Warwickshire and Hinckley College www.nwhc.ac.uk 024 7624 3000 Stratford-upon-Avon College www.stratford.ac.uk 01789 266 245

WORCESTERSHIRE Kidderminster College www.kidderminster.ac.uk 01562 820811 North East Worcestershire (NEW) College www.ne-worcs.ac.uk 01527 570020 South Worcestershire College www.sworcs.ac.uk 01386 712600 Worcester College of Technology www.wortech.ac.uk 01905 743456 Worcester Sixth Form College www.wsfc.ac.uk 01905 362600

Solihull Sixth Form College www.solihullsfc.ac.uk 0121 704 2581

“

Cadbury Sixth Form College www.cadcol.ac.uk 0121 458 3839

WARWICKSHIRE

Warwickshire College – Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby and Moreton Morrell www.warkscol.ac.uk 01926 318000

“

Leek College www.leek.ac.uk 01538 398866

King Edward VI College Stourbridge www.kedst.ac.uk 01384 398100

South and City College Birmingham www.sccb.ac.uk 0800 111 6311

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

“

Harry Day, Solihull College

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

0207 471 0520

info@pjea.org

29/08/2013 14:43:50

www.careersworld.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

RIGHT BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN COLLEGE MAKE THE BRIGHT CHOICE

OPEN EVENTS FOR 2013-14 Wednesday 5 March 2014

5.30pm-8.00pm

Saturday 5 April 2014

10.00am-1.00pm

Open events are at a range of locations across Birmingham, The Black Country and The Wyre Forest. Check our website for details.

t: 0845 155 0101 e: ask@bmetc.ac.uk w: www.bmetc.ac.uk

Aged 14–18?

Do you have a passion for Creating. Doing. Designing? If you live in Coventry, Warwickshire or Solihull, you could become part of the brand new WMG Academy for Young Engineers.

The WMG Academy is part of an education revolution,

led by a partnership between

the University of Warwick and a host of local and national

employers, including Jaguar

Land Rover and National Grid.

The school, based in Coventry, will open in September 2014 for 14–18 year olds.

Students will study GCSEs, A’ Levels and an Engineering qualification, whilst developing additional skills identified and valued by employers. Join the education revolution, find out more about us at: www.wmgacademy.org.uk email: info@wmgacademy.org.uk or call us on 02476 574357.

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