Career inspiration. April 2015.
Discover Your Future
WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THOSE WHO HAVE MADE IT
the big story
Words of wisdom:
Exam advice from those who have made it Celebrities and business talents have all taken exams at some point. Now they’re here to tell you their best exam survival tips‌ and wish you luck.
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Sir Ian Mckellen (Gandalf)
If you don’t work hard, if you don’t do your revision… you know what Gandalf’s gonna say, right? The clue’s in the video…
Over 30 music and sports celebs say “good luck”
Everyone from Amir Kahn and Grand Prix driver Mark Webber to music stars like Olly Murs, Dizzee Rascal and Diana Vickers share their exam tips, support and messages of luck. Could this be the ultimate pep talk? Things may be tough right now, but these guys have got your back. A big well done to Leeds City Council for making this happen, too.
WATCH THE VIDEO: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=sHAIMjVfp2E
WATCH THE VIDEO: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=T5LIMI9Ur94
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Richard Branson (Mr. Virgin & ENTREPRENEUR)
“Forget exam results (everybody else does sooner or later!) If you have the desire to succeed, not having a piece of paper with A, B or C written on it isn’t going to hold you back.”
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Olly Murs (singer)
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Gordon Ramsay (occasionally quite grumpy chef)
“Put your head down and work hard. Never wait for things to happen, make them happen for yourself through hard graft and not giving up.”
“I just want to wish you all good luck with your exams that are coming up. My top tip for revision is to read your book from start to finish then do it again... because that’s what I didn’t do, and I didn’t do very well at school. I want you guys to do better than I did!”
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A.M.E. (singer)
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“Revise and stay focused! Go to bed on time or early(-ish)!”
“My top exams revision tip is highlight – highlight EVERYTHING!”
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Neon Jungle (girl band)
Amir Khan (boxer)
“Put your head down and work hard. Never wait for things to happen, make them happen for yourself through hard graft and not giving up.”
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Charlie Brown (singer)
Diana Vickers (singer)
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just breathe and do your best and try hard and don’t beat yourself up. Just do the best you can possibly do.”
“I wish someone had told me this when I was still at school... drink plenty of water and eat plenty of brain food before the exam! Also, ALWAYS remember hay fever tablets. Hayfever during an exam is not a good look... I’m just saying.”
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Chris Johnson (CBBC presenter)
“Keep reading, keep revising, but don’t overdo it! Keep taking little breaks. Make yourself a cuppa tea...”
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Katie Thisleton (CBBC presenter)
“If you can’t remember certain facts for your exams, sing them along to one of your favourite songs that’s in the charts. It’ll ruin the song for your forever, but it’ll help you remember!”
A final word from Dizzee Rascal…
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Dizzee Rascal (rapper & musical rascal)
“This is Dizzee Rascal wishing everybody good luck for their exams, yeah? Good luck for the future.”
Discover and explore careers you’ll love! Play the Plotr Game, explore careers matched to you and Plotr will guide you to what you love…
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CAREER SPARKS
THE SECRET DIARY OF A TFL APPRENTICE Meet TfL apprentices Hoda, Omer and Daniel. Discover what their experience was REALLY like, with cherry-picked entries from their online diary!
Meet the TfL apprentice bloggers…
Transport for London Start your future at Transport for London! It takes more than 25,000 staff to keep the city moving, so TfL invest as much in their people as they do in London’s infrastructure. Their apprenticeships scheme will give you the opportunity to see the impact your work has on the capital. No matter which scheme you apply for, you’ll gain not only new skills but specific qualifications as well. If you want to earn as you learn and use your own ideas and skills to make a real difference to Londoners, TfL apprenticeships are a great foundation for your career.
Omer Omer LU engineering apprentice
Hoda Al-Halfi Project manager apprentice
Transport for London’s employer profile Pictures and videos What the TfL team says
Daniel Clifford Civil engineering apprentice
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OMER My first day Anxious and excited are just two of the emotions I’m feeling on my first day of the apprenticeship; I’m not sure what to expect. I’ve met some other engineering apprentices, and I’m happy there’s a range of people from different ages and different backgrounds here – it makes me feel more comfortable about being an older learner.
Enrolling in college The trainers and coordinators are very welcoming, insisting we always ask questions if we’re unsure, and that no question is a silly question. That makes settling in feel smooth. I feel like I can speak to them at any time.
Learning about the project We get to meet all the new apprentices and understand more about the different roles available in the organisation. We also get to meet some of the senior managers. It’s nice to see how much effort and time they’re investing in us and that makes me feel important to the future of TfL. This is a big opportunity, and it’s important to make the most of it.
Becoming a part of the team Feeling settled in, now. I’m just looking forward to getting properly started now and making the most of this opportunity. I for one am ready to grab it with both hands…
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HODA My first day First day! I’m excited more than anything to meet the other apprentices and take the first steps towards a successful career….
Enrolling in college This is one of three induction days for all the apprentices across 12 schemes. It’s great to meet different people and hear why people have chosen an apprenticeship over anything else (£9,000 a year university tuition fees was up there on the list!).
Learning about the project I am working on the New Tube for London Programme, which involves the upgrade of the Piccadilly, Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City lines. The new stock is looking to be rolled out in the 2020s (not too long left). I was assigned a mini project which involved conducting a trial to test the new flooring design proposed for the future tubes. Allow me to ask you a question: Did you know why there are two colours on the flooring in most of the trains? Most of you may not have even realised! But the reason is simply to aid visually impaired users in locating the different areas of the tube car!
Becoming a part of the team The placement is going great and I honestly feel like a project manager, in fact I AM the project manager for one of the trials! All in all, it’s going great and I’m glad I stuck by my decision of not going to university despite it being the next step after sixth form/college.
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DANIEL My first day My first day as an apprentice is very much like being back in school. I’ve worn casual clothes, because the assessment process is over and all the hard work has been done. I want to wear comfortable clothes for induction week…
Enrolling in college My first impressions are that the induction is very professional and informative, with a good breakdown of exactly how the year will be structured and what we will be doing! We’re getting lots of team building exercises so the apprentices can get to know each other, and we’re also getting sized up for our work equipment.
Learning about the project After enrolling in college we’re given a brief tour of the workshop, and trainers introduce us to each of the sections we’ll be doing. We’ve also been given the names and contact information of our line managers who’ll be responsible for us throughout the apprenticeship.
Becoming a part of the team Now that I’m studying civil engineering, I’m attending college one day a week and spending the other four in the workshop, working my way through the various mechanical and electrical sections – I’ll be heading out on placement soon. The teamwork and team structure is brilliant. If you’re up for the challenge and willing to learn then you will be provided with all the necessary support you require with regular feedback and help when requested. I have discovered that I’m always keen to keep learning and even subjects I already have knowledge on can only be improved and furthered by paying attention and keep working hard.
Now you’ve met the TfL apprentices! Want to see more about how they all got on? They’ll be talking about their experience in a regular series, so head to the Plotr articles zone, have a browse for the TfL diary and discover the full story...
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TACTICAL INFO
The ultimate exam plan: Don’t forget to be awesome It’s tough to stay cool during the summer exam season but with our six simple steps, you’ll cruise all the way through the exam chaos.
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Recognising the problem is half the battle. Remember that exams are important so it’s perfectly natural to feel a bit stressed – actually, everyone taking their exams feels stress just like you. The best thing you can do is chat with someone who knows the pressure you’re under. Talking about it can help you get some perspective.
Try not to talk to your friends about their studying. Everyone lies! Your friends want to look good so they’ll say they’ve studied everything 1,000 times which makes you feel under pressure. Don’t listen. Just make your own schedule, plan your revision well and stick to it.
STRESS ALERT
COMPARING NOTES
It’s probably best not to talk about your exam afterwards, either. It’s too late to change anything.
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REVISION TAKES TIME When you’re revising it’s easy to get stressed about not remembering everything straight away. Time is your best friend during your revision season, so don’t leave it to the last minute. Make sure you have plenty of time and you’ll be able to relax.
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SLEEP WELL Once you’ve done your revision for the day, it’s time to wind down. If you’ve filled your brain with useful information for your exams, it needs time to process… so make sure you get your eight hours. No sneaky revision underneath the sheets, you guys. It’s time to rest.
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BRAIN FOOD Try to eat healthily during your exams. We know you have a lot on your mind but a good diet is just as important as revision. Think about it… would an athlete eat unhealthily while training for the Olympics? Nope. Eat your fruit ‘n’ veg and try to avoid coffee and sugar, because they can help stress you out. Make sure you drink lots of water, too.
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GET OUT Try to make room in your life for some exercise. Anything from walking the dog to a jog around the park will help get your blood flowing, oxygen in your brain and help you blow off some steam. It will also help you focus on your revision better when you get back. Sitting still for too long makes it more difficult to concentrate.
Need help deciding what to with your life? Know where you want to go but not how to get there? Plotr has a library of helpful articles to help you overcome any difficulty you might be having. Take a look at our exciting resources, updated daily.
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CAREER SPARKS
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Exam study tips: ways to get the most out of studying These tips will help you get the most out of your time spent cramming for exams. You’ll feel great when you’ve got some studying under your belt!
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Sun, sea and sand weather may seem like an incredibly long way away, but a bit of exercise outside will break up those long periods of sitting around studying. Be the first to offer to pop to the shops when the house has run out of biccies and milk.
Do you find yourself reaching for your phone to check Facebook when you should have your mind on your study notes? Fear not, friends and family CAN help you study, after all!
Get your sun and exercise – even if it’s miserable weather
Sunlight (even when it’s cloudy) can positively affect the brain’s chemicals and hormones. Feeling stressed or unmotivated? Make sure you get outside for a bit every day to make the most of the daylight.
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Create a revision timetable You’ve probably heard that doing just 20-30 minutes of revision at a time works well, because your concentration is still high. You’ll know best whether you prefer to study in little chunks or over a twohour binge. The important thing, though, is to create a revision timetable that works for you. Your revision timetable needs to clearly mark out your study periods, but it also needs to include the fun things you’ve planned for yourself – like the TV show you can’t miss, or the meet-up with friends. A timetable gives you a chance to say you’ll do something and stick to it. It also shows you the nice things you’ve got to look forward to!
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Make your revision notes as bright as you can! Did you know that colourful notes are easier to remember than black and white ones? It’s a science fact. Make your notes colourful, and not only will you enjoy the revision process more, you’ll find your hard work easier to memorise, too.
A new way to get social: swap Facebook for revision flash cards
With a pen and paper, make some flash cards with questions and answers for the topics you’re revising. Ask friends or family members to test you. This technique helps you turn revising into a social game… it’ll help you boost your knowledge and you’ll also feel like you’ve had some company. Your friends and family might even get to learn something, too. Everybody wins!
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Find a quiet place to study To get into your revision, you really need some time to yourself. There’s nothing worse than picking up a book just as someone tells you they need you to do the household chores. Make a ‘revising - do not disturb’ sign for your bedroom and ask people to respect it when it’s up, so they have to text you if they want something – they can’t just barge in. Of course, that means you have to respect the sign, too. If the sign is up, that means you really are revising! Look at your sleeping habits compared to other people – do you work best at night, or in the morning? Can you get some work in while other people are having baths or going to the shops? Look at the routines of other people in the house and see if you can find study time here and there where you know you’ll be left alone. Remember, a twentyminute study period can make a huge difference!
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Turn big study notes into little ones into tiny ones… Repetition is one of the keys to memorising your notes. First, you rewrite your notes that you did during lessons and lectures. It’s already coming back to you! Next, make summary notes based on the longer notes. In the end you’ll get it down to brief, colourful notes that sum up whole book chapters in a couple of sentences. If you forget the details, you’ve always got your big notes to go back to… And yes, of course you can draw doodles down the sides.
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Reward yourself! You deserve it… You’re much more likely to get something done if there’s a reward at the end of it. As the Easter Bunny will tell you, the carrot works better than the stick! Whatever your reward is – whether it’s a piece of chocolate or meeting up with a friend – make sure you treat yourself after a good revision period to let off steam. Studying for exams doesn’t mean you have to give your whole life up! Plan your treats the same way you plan your revision periods, and make sure you do both. That way, your success in exams will be all the sweeter.
Still feel like procrastinating? You’ll be getting back to your revision really soon, but never fear! If you still need inspiration, mega YouTuber Fleur DeForce has shared her exam revision tips with you:
WATCH THE VIDEO: www.youtube.com/ watch?feature=player_ embedded&v=xUDNG063ZxA
It’s very natural to worry about exams. You might like to read about other people who got through their exams to end up with a job they loved on Plotr.
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CAREER SPARKS
4 ways your phone can help you ace exams Maybe you can’t take a phone into exams, but you can still use one to revise for them! Here are some of our favourite free apps and mobile tools to help your revision go smoothly.
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Take handwritten notes with Penultimate app Evernote lets you take notes, and it’s a handy way to store all kinds of info, from actual handwritten text notes to webpages or webpage excerpts. It’s also got a neat search and tagging function, so you can find your notes quickly when you need to. But what we really want to talk about is Penultimate. It’s one of the most popular handwriting apps for iPhone/iPad around and it’s made by the folks behind Evernote. It’ll give you the feel of writing on paper, and lets you take notes, keep sketches and doodles, and share content with fellow revising students. Device: iPhone/iPad App Publisher: Evernote Price: FREE. Add 69p per upgrade.
Apps for Good Spend more time on your mobile than a computer? See apps as the future? Tell your school about Apps for Good. Their goal is to change the way technology is taught in schools, empowering students of all backgrounds to create solutions to the problems they care about using technology.
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Revision app This one’s bigger than big and it does what it says on the tin! You can use it to create your own flash revision cards with video, text or audio. However, it comes with over 1 million revision notes and study tools covering GCSE, A-level and Uni subjects. Device: iPhone/iPad App Publisher: App Giant Ltd Price: FREE. Add 69p for revision notes, flash cards and info for the subjects you’re studying.
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Remember the milk Everyone needs a great app that handles to-do lists. This one has the best name, and it’s also really popular because it’s so flexible. You can make, organise and order lists, revision periods and task reminders however you want. You can also view, change and bookmark tasks between your mobile, web, Twitter, Gmail and Google Calendar setup. Device: iPhone/iPad, Android App Publisher: Remember the milk Price: FREE.
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iMindMap Many students find visual learning a helpful revision tactic – it can often be of great benefit to dyslexic students, for example. The iMindMap lets you connect ideas in an easy, visual way – great for condensing huge essays into little bite-sized chunks. Device: iPhone/iPad, Android App Publisher: ThinkBuzan Price: FREE. If you immediately think of apps when planning your exam study, maybe phone design is your future! Look up how you’d become a mobile app developer on Plotr. To explore careers directly related to app building, visit the Plotr Software, Games and Internet careers world. To learn how science and technology could boost your career, visit the Your Life careers world..
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GET UP, STAND UP
Exam pick me up: 15 ways you’re awesome without realising it It may be exam time, but remember you’re awesome! Whatever happens when it comes to results time, you’ve got skills employers want – trust us.
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Always telling people what do?
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Always hanging out with your mates?
Love getting your mates together to go to gigs and stuff? Sounds like you’re a natural leader with strong leadership skills. You can explain this to employers in interviews – talk about how you’re great at organising people. Being bossy has its positives. Speaking of which – like Beyonce says in her ‘Ban Bossy’ campaign – it’s not about being bossy, it’s about being a boss! See more about the world according to Beyonce on Plotr, and if your leadership skills are really strong, you might even want to find out more about being self-employed.
Bit of a social butterfly? If you like meeting new people you’re probably a great networker. Lots of employers want people with good networking skills because it helps promote their business and bring interesting people into the organisation.
HOT TIP
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Okay, this is a terrible pun but you can’t get a more ‘networking’ job than one at Network Rail. Seriously, though, railway staff often say their job is a very social one. On the flip side, the worlds of sales and HR (human resources) both crave people with networking skills.
... and busting out dance moves?
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Judge people by the TV they watch?
Throwing shapes on the dance floor takes guts and bags of confidence – which employers love. Walk tall, make eye-contact and knock ’em dead in the interview room. And once you get the job you can do your victory dance. (At home.)
No, you’re not a snob. You’re using your refined analytical skills. Honestly.
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Make up elaborate stories to get out of Sunday dinner?
Would you rather eat your own hat than sit down to Sunday dinner with the folks? If you’re good at getting ‘creative’ with the truth, you might have the creative skills that lots of employers look for. Keep an eye out for careers in the creative arts, media or sales…
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Can’t shut your mouth?
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Love the Xbox like a brother?
Those video games are great for polishing your problem solving skills – something all employers are after. Problem solving comes in handy in almost any job you can think of. But if you really, REALLY love video games? You’re practically halfway to making them. It’s worth noting that video game tester is a great entry-level job in the games industry, too (it’s a highly competitive one, though).
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Managed to sell on eBay that dodgy top your nan bought you last Christmas?
If you’re a chatterbox who loves nothing better than a good chinwag, then you’re a great communicator with top communication skills. Employers in PR, media and retail love people like you. Interested? See 7 jobs for chatterboxes you can do now!
You’re an Alan Sugar in the making. With entrepreneurial skills and business skills. You should totally be an entrepreneur with your own business and you know it.
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Come home with change from a night out?
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Love playing sports and doing activities?
cowabungaaaaa Way’d a go! That’s where you get those teamwork skills from – and this is great stuff to talk about in an interview. You’re not tight – that’s a great example of finance management! Knowing how to budget, save money and shop around for the best deal is gold to employers, gold. Check out the many finance employers on Plotr offering a variety of career opportunities to young people. Do your research to see if they might fit the bill for what you’re looking for in life.
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Perform well in exams?
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Glued to Instagram and Twitter?
Then you’re great at working under pressure! High-pressured jobs like journalists, paramedics and traders need to focus extra harder when the pressure’s on. If you’re unfazed by exams than you work well under pressure – a quality that tonnes of employers look for. Check out those amazing social media skills you have. Employers are desperate to get their brands out on social media – and who better to help them do that than a social media whizz kid like yourself? Let’s face it, you’re totally ready to become a social media executive and tweet for a living.
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That’s a great example of your amazing organisational skills. What employer in the world doesn’t want to hire somebody who is organised?
Then you’re motivated and energetic. Again, what employer doesn’t want somebody who’s motivated?!
Keep your room mega tidy?
Keep fit and go to the gym regularly?
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Do your homework right away?
That’s a great example of your time management skills. Employers are looking for keen employees who won’t miss deadlines and know how to manage their workloads. Step forward your fine self.
You’ve been reading all about teamwork, motivation and time-management… these are all soft skills. What exactly are soft skills and do you have any? Find out here.
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CAREER SPARKS
Study tips: Which of these 3 learning styles are you? Do you prefer to learn new things visually (making lots of pretty charts), through physically doing stuff (pacing around in your room), or through talking and listening (getting your friends to test you out loud)? Discover which learning type you are‌ then see which study techniques will match your style!
We all use sight, sound and touch to learn new things – but each of us prefers one way more than the other! With these following tips, you can figure out which learning method suits you best, and try some study tips to match it.
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VISUAL (SIGHT) How can you tell if you have a VISUAL learning style? You might have a visual learning style if you: • Spend most of your free time watching television • Watch what the teacher is doing in class • Read the reviews when buying something expensive • Write a letter to complain when something doesn’t work • Follow the recipe when cooking something new • Imagine what the food will look like when ordering in a restaurant.
Study tips for VISUAL learners: • Use bright coloured highlighter pens to mark your revision notes • Identify and underline (or otherwise mark) key words • Learn to MindMap • Experiment with the layout of your revision notes – try flow charts or sketch visual diagrams • Use the ‘Roman Room’ memory system.
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AUDITORY (SOUND) How can you tell if you have an AUDITORY learning style? You might have an auditory learning style if you: • Spend most of your free time talking to friends • Talk tasks through with the teacher in class ts • Discuss your choice with ! Scientis ing music th o o friends when buying s te a n r e v elps gene Maybe e minute, h u revise. something expensive r o e y p s a ts a ic e s u ily. A fast 60 b • Play m more eas , around y ic • Phone the company to s d u tu s m g u in h help yo say sooth complain if a product ugh. aves whic -w in a r b t you, tho c a ed x tr ourself, la is e d r doesn’t work over to y ics can r m e ly g th n y o ts and pla beat or str • Call a friend to ask for ision poin v e r . ong. y e k g to sleep e, rap or s in m o help when cooking y g • Record h e r r a fo to y just be points in especiall something new revision y e ber. k r u o m r to re em ing y r n r ie s tu a parents o e y r • Talk through options in T m • ke the arned to a le m e ’v lp r u e e o h ett ! at y your head when ordering This will it even b plain wh g x in e n o r s a , s le g help it, you’re in a restaurant. • Speakin e you say m ti y r e v friends. E
:
ORY learners IT D U A for s Study tip
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KINAESTHETIC (TOUCH) How can you tell if you have a KINAESTHETIC learning style? You might have a kinaesthetic learning style if you: • Spend most of your free time doing physical activities and making things • Try and work it out for yourself as you’re doing it in class • Always test something expensive before buying it • Take the product back to the store when it doesn’t work • Follow your instincts when cooking something new • Imagine what food will taste like when ordering in a restaurant.
Study tips for KIN
AESTHETIC learners
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• Go for regu lar walks wh ere you repea learned, either t what you’ve to yourself or a friend. The Greeks used to ancient walk and talk in their academ because they ies believed you learned more using your m if you were uscles at the sa me time! • Learn key p oints with th e ‘body pegs’ technique. memory • Learn key p oints with th e ‘sticky notes technique. Pre ’ memory pare some hel pful revision then write ea keywords, ch keyword on a sticky note with a drawin – maybe g, if you like. Stick these ro room. Now w u n d your alk around you r room, pausi of each sticky n g in front note and read ing the key w do this a few or d. If you times you’ll fi nd it easy to re what’s on each m ember of the sticky n otes without walking roun ac tually d the room!
Everyone learns differently, so take the revision approach that works best for you when studying for exams. Everyone works differently, too. You might want to experience the world of work directly, study your way to success, or take an employment route that’s a combination of the two. Whatever your style, whatever you want to be, Plotr can help.
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CAREER SPARKS
Oh NO, it’s exam day! 10 ways to keep calm & carry on You’re walking into your exam with a head crammed full of facts and figures… but have you left your mobile phone in your pocket?! What you need is Plotr’s handy little guide to 10 ways to keep calm and carry on.
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Expect the unexpected: Sickness & bad weather
You can plan for your exams, but not life’s curveballs. If you’re properly sick on the day of your exam, don’t delay – phone your school or college to let them know straight away (remember, you’ll need a medical certificate to prove it!). As for bad weather, it has to be pretty bad before that exam isn’t happening. If your school or college can open, those exams are going ahead. Keep the number for your school or college handy and phone if you’re not sure, but aim to go in and allow yourself extra travel time.
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Repeat these five words: IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY
Treat yourself in a positive way – cheer yourself on, and use positive language. You are going to give this your best shot. If you’ve been practising relaxation techniques prior to the exam, you might find them helpful now. If friends are getting stressed about their exams or want to talk about it lots, you might find it easier to stay calm and focused and not stress yourself with negativity. You can always find your own space until exams start, then talk to your mates afterwards.
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read & LISTEN TO any instructions carefully
Listen to any instructions given by teachers and exam invigilators. Listening to their instructions will help you feel calm and well prepared for what’s expected of you. Read the entire question paper before making a start. Too many times, you’ll hear students saying they didn’t check both sides of the paper, or they didn’t even realise there was a question right at the back. 1. Give yourself a chance to read things through. 2. Check whether you’re being asked to choose one question or another, or to do them both. 3. Make sure you understand if a question has several parts to it that all need answering. 4. Read the questions REALLY carefully to see which ones you’re most able to answer.
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Remember to bring…
• A black pen (plus spares) • Clear pencil case (a food freezer bag should do the trick) • Normal wrist watch (smart watches aren’t allowed, sorry) Check with your teacher if there’s extra stuff you need to bring, like a calculator for maths. You might want to ask your teacher if you can bring a water bottle into the exam – it’s horrible being dehydrated, and a sip of water in exams can really clear your head.
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Remember you’re not allowed…
• A MOBILE PHONE!!! • (… or anything else that’s a bit like clever and portable, like an iPad or smart watch) Not having a mobile phone on you may seem a bit like cutting off your favourite arm, but for the duration of the exam it’s 100% necessary. The easiest way to deal with the situation is to just leave it at home. It’s what you’ll almost certainly be asked to do. What if you do bring your mobile phone to an exam – say, because you forgot? For starters, you’ll probably have to leave it in a cloakroom. It’ll be your responsibility if it gets lost or damaged. If you’re for any reason permitted to bring it into the exam hall, you’ll probably be made to switch it off and place it in an envelope or similar container on your desk. If you bring a mobile phone to the exam and, for whatever reason, it makes a sound or is found in your belongings, it’ll be confiscated – and whatever happens next (such as people checking to see if your phone holds information that could have helped you in your exam – like, er, the whole of the internet) could have a bad effect on your exam results. And the end of this long but important story is: Please don’t bring your mobile phone to exams.
You have definitely got enough time to do this! Reading the paper right through at least once before making a start is a total life-saver in exams.
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Do rough workings in your answer book – and cross them out
It can be quite a good idea to look for the key words in a question, and make little mind maps, flow charts or bullet point lists in your answer book to see how you’d answer the question fully. Do be sure to cross out any rough work you don’t want marked, though! It’s also a good idea to leave spaces between answers so you can come back and add some more to your answer later, if you need to.
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You’ve got plenty of time – use the time you have
All you need to do is as much as you can. If you’re stuck on a question, set it aside for a bit and move on to a different one. You can come back to that tricky question later. Take a little time to check which questions you feel most comfortable about answering. If you finish early, you might as well spend that extra time reading through your answers – and reading through the paper, too! It’s always worth another read, just to check you’ve answered all the relevant questions on the paper. Use the marks given for each answer as a guide to how much time you’re meant to spend on it.
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Start with the question you feel most confident about
Start with the question you most like the look of. It doesn’t have to be the first question on the paper. Starting with the question you feel most confident about answering will boost your confidence about the rest of the exam.
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Keep calm & follow the rules of exam etiquette
Don’t worry what everyone else is up to – you can just block them out. If someone thinks you’re trying to communicate with someone who isn’t a teacher or invigilator, you could get a penalty. If you need to speak to someone or leave the room, just raise your hand and an invigilator will come and speak with you. Speaking of which… bathroom breaks are perfectly natural, but it’s always an idea to take a bathroom break before you go into the exam hall!
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High five yourself – you’ve earned it!
Finishing your first exam is a great feeling – but a really weird one, too! It’s amazing to know you can sit through a whole exam and do your best and the world won’t end. Okay, there’ll always be some things you wish you did slightly differently, but you’re not alone – everyone feels the same way about their own exams. You’ve got your revision timetable, you’ve got your friends, and you’ve got your own awesome self… so give yourself a high five, because you did your best and you’re going to keep doing that!
Discover and explore careers you’ll love! Play the Plotr Game, explore careers matched to you and Plotr will guide you to what you love…
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GET UP, STAND UP
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THINGS TO DO ONCE EXAMS ARE OVER Exam revision has been a flurry of timetables, checklists, flash cards and heartache. Here is one more checklist for when exams are done and dusted. Because you deserve it!
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Victory dance
You did it! You really did it! It’s all over, baby. You’ve held it together for so long, and now it’s time to let it ALL hang out. Jump up and down, hug everyone in sight, then break out your wildest dance moves and show the world what you’ve got. Backing music: optional.
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Take a nostalgia tour
Remember the library, otherwise affectionately known as the prison? Remember all the good times you had (or rather, didn’t have) there, revising? Now, you can go back to the library and instead of feeling the prickling sweat of fear, inhale the sweet scent of freedom! Laugh (silently, obviously) at everyone who’s still stuck in the library, revising. Their time of freedom is yet to come.
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Play TV catch-up
There must be a million TV shows you haven’t caught up with yet, because of revision. Now you can binge-watch them all. Even those marathon 24-episode US TV seasons. It doesn’t matter! Those hot shows are like Pokémon… gotta watch em all!
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Reclaim your personal space
It’s time to give your bedroom a bit of a shake-up and makeover. Rip the study timetable off the wall. See how many notes you can shred all at once. Erase the painful memory of all that studying with some redecorating to make your bedroom feel like a place you’d actually want to hang out in again.
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Remind yourself what outside looks like
What… what’s that big round yellow ball in the sky? Is it what the ancients used to call… the sun? Yep, it’s definitely time to go outside again and remember what the sky looks like and what fresh air feels like! Grab some tunes and go running round the park, or grab some mates and hit the leisure centre for some exercise (even if the weather’s bad, you can pretend it’s proper summer in a heated swimming pool!)
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Have an end-of-exams closing ceremony
Tearful Oscar-worthy speeches to your longsuffering pet, burning your geography notes, lap of honour round the living room… have a closing ceremony that puts the Olympics to shame!
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Sleep is not your master
You can now sleep when you want, for how long you want. You can salute the rising sun before you collapse in bed. You can stay in your duvet cave and only come up for air in the afternoon. Sleep is now your friend, not your enemy.
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Get your style game on
Maybe you wore the same clothes for days in a row when you were revising, and maybe your hair forgot what a brush felt like. Now it’s time to take control of the situation. New look? Whatever it takes to make you feel great, you do just that!
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Make a fun summer checklist
This is not a drill, repeat, this is not a drill… summer is coming! You want to be ready for it, so make a fun checklist of all the things you’re looking forward to doing… from the obvious stuff to the cool stuff to the silly stuff. Do it all! Make a checklist so you can cross off everything on the list like a pro.
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Remind yourself what your friends look like when they’re not wearing their panic-face
It’s been a non-stop nightmare, but now it’s over! It’s time for you and your mates to celebrate the way only you can. Have a pillow fight! Plan a flash mob! Ask for ‘one with everything’ and four spoons at the local ice cream parlour! Do whatever it takes to put a smile on your faces – you deserve it!
Summer beckons, with 12 glorious weeks of freedom. Celebrate to the max once your exams finish, but you’ll still have plenty of time to look for summer jobs, work experience or volunteering opportunities. Summer’s got plenty of time to have fun, chill out and still make some smart career moves while you’re at it!
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CAREER SPARKS
Only. Thinking. About. GCSEs...
but what happens next?! It makes sense to focus on the big thing right in front of you… and that’s GCSEs! But knowing how many options you’ve got after your GCSEs will help you feel good about your next career steps…
What to do after your GCSEs? Can I leave school after my GCSEs? Good question. YES! (Kind of). You might be desperate to leave school, and maybe you plan to do so straight after your GCSEs. Whether you can or not is all down to your age, so let’s look at your options.
THEN: In the old days, you could leave school when you turned 16. NOW: You need to be in some kind of education (or training) until the end of the school year that you turn 17.
THE FUTURE: In 2015, the rules will change again, and you’ll have to stay on in education (or training) until your 18th birthday. Being in further education or training DOES NOT mean you have to stay in the same school, or even in school at all. There are lots of options for you, from a vocational qualification at a uni technical college to an Access to Apprenticeship scheme with an employer like EDF Energy. Let’s explore your post-GCSE options further…
Sixth form Does your school have a sixth form? If so, you might want to stick around and study with students and teachers you already know. If it doesn’t, you may be able to go to sixth form in a different local school. What do I get to study in sixth form? You can take A-levels, or many sixth forms offer AS and A2 levels in academic subjects like science or English. Sometimes you’ll be offered vocational qualifications which help you gain the knowledge and experience for a particular kind of career.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE? • See when there’s an open day at the school where you want to go to sixth form, and go and check it out! • Talk to teachers – especially those teaching the courses you’re interested in • Talk to someone you trust, like your parents, your teachers, a career advisor or a friend • Research online: The GOV.UK website can help you see more info about courses offered by schools and colleges in your area if you’re between 14-19.
Further education college Further education colleges are for people aged 16+, so you might be studying with people who are a different age to you! They offer a much wider range of courses, both academic (think A-levels) and job or career-related (these are called vocational qualifications, and they help you build the skills and knowledge for a particular industry as well as getting you a qualification). Is a further education college just like school? Yes and no! You’ll still need to go to lessons and stick to a timetable. However, in some ways it’s quite relaxed and you’ll be quite independent. You might not have to stay in college when you’ve got free periods between lessons. You’ll be able to wear your own clothes, and you may even be asked to call your tutors by their first names. Another difference might be that, if you want to move away from home to study at a particular further education college, you’ll need to think about where to live (and how you’ll be paying for your living expenses). This is something to discuss with people you trust, like your parents, and you can see the GOV.UK website for info about funding available for FE courses.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE? • Go to an open day. Everyone is different, so you need to find out if the atmosphere and wide range of courses at a further education college is right for you • Talk to current students about the college and their subjects of study • Talk to lecturers about the courses you’re interested in • Visit the Student Room forum to see college students share their experiences. Their stories will help you get a feel for what FE (further education) is like!
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Apprenticeships
Traineeships
Okay, so you’re 16 years or older and you’ve passed your core GCSEs (or the equivalent). Do you want to earn a wage while you do a job and study for a recognised qualification at the same time? If so, an apprenticeship could be the answer!
Maybe you like the idea of an apprenticeship but you’re not ready to take one on, yet? That’ fine. You can become a trainee and improve your maths and English skills while getting work experience too!
Tell me more… • Apprenticeships last between 1 and 4 years, depending on what level you’re doing • Your training is provided for free if you’re under 24 • You’ll be paid at the very least a minimum wage of £2.68 an hour, but many employers pay more and the average is £170 a week
Tell me more… • A traineeship lasts from six weeks to six months • A traineeship means you’ll get awesome work placements with local employers. It looks great on your CV, plus you’ll build real experience and learn what’s expected of you in the workplace. • You’ll get training in things like time management, working in a team and job hunting skills like updating your CV, acing an interview or searching for jobs. These are really useful work and life skills. • You’ll also get to study English and maths, if it’s appropriate. Employers really value these skills, so it’s good to know you can build them up even if you’re no longer at school. • It could be a really great option if you’re finding it hard to get an apprenticeship, or maybe you’re not sure you’ve got the skills for one yet. • It won’t cost you anything to do a traineeship, and most of them pay travel and meal costs. Depending on your situation, the Government’s 16-19 Bursary Fund might help.
Who can do an Apprenticeship? • You need to be 16 or over • You need to be leaving school/college and out of work, ideally with some work experience under your belt (summer jobs and Saturday jobs count) • You normally need to have passed your core GCSEs to take on an Intermediate Apprenticeship (but there are still options to you if you didn’t pass your core GCSEs… we’ll be talking about the joy of Access to Apprenticeships very soon!) Which apprenticeship you do really depends on your qualifications. You can do an Intermediate Apprenticeship, and that lets you learn towards level 2. Then you can do an Advanced Apprenticeship, which lets you learn towards level 3. Finally, you can do a Higher Apprenticeship which lets you learn towards level 4 or higher.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE? Visit the National Apprenticeship Service employer profile on Plotr. They’ll help you discover all kinds of apprenticeships across the UK!
Who can do a Traineeship? • 16-18 and qualified below level 3 • 19-23 and qualified below level 2 • 16-25 with learning difficulties
HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE? Visit the National Apprenticeship Service employer profile on Plotr. They’ll help you discover all kinds of traineeships (because yes, they cover traineeships as well as apprenticeships.)
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What if I don’t pass my core GCSEs? Sometimes, exams don’t work out for all sorts of reasons. As a result, you might not achieve the ‘5 passing grades’ that a lot of employers and earn while you learn schemes look for. Don’t worry! There are still plenty of opportunities for you.
Resit your GCSEs Resitting your exams (known as retakes) is an option. If you were close to the grade you needed to achieve a set goal, like taking an A-level or getting on a particular work-learning scheme, you might be able to resit in November or January. If your GCSEs are modular, you can resit units without retaking the whole thing, so long as you resit at least 40% of the qualification. It’s really important to know that if you do worse in the resit you can’t use the grades from your first try!
Challenging your GCSE results You may have heard that you can challenge your exam results if you feel very strongly that your grades don’t match how well you performed. This is known as ‘remarking’. It can only be done through your school or college, and you’ll be charged a fee to do this – the money will be returned, but only if your grade does get changed as a result.
Look for the words… ‘ACCESS TO APPRENTICESHIPS’ Access to apprenticeships schemes make sure your interests, abilities and enthusiasm can still be seen and valued by employers even if you didn’t get the passing grades you wanted. An increasing number of employers (like EDF Energy) are offering Access to Apprenticeship schemes.
If you’re resitting a few different subjects or you need to improve your results a lot to take the next steps you wanted, schools and colleges will probably suggest you wait until next June. You can see more information about what to do if you are unhappy with your results at the AQA site, and do be sure to speak to a teacher about your options.
What you do after your exams is a very big decision – but it doesn’t have to be a scary one. Whatever happens next will be an adventure! Visit a world of career advice on Plotr. We’re here to help.
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CAREER SPARKS
It’s all gone Absolutely A-levels (and their epic equivalents) – but what happens once they’re over?! Once you’ve got that A-level, BTEC or similar, what happens next? Let’s have a look at all the options open to you!
What to do after your A-levels? FIND A JOB
Sponsored Degrees
One option after your A-levels (or their equivalents, such as a BTEC) is to leave school and get a job if you are 17 or older. Plotr has all kinds of clever ways to help you expand your job hunting toolkit (and you can find jobs and opportunities on the site, too!)
You’ll go to university as part of a sponsored degree programme, but you’ll also have guaranteed work placements with the sponsoring employer during the course of your studies. You’ll also have the potential of being employed on graduation.
How can Plotr help me find a job? • Play the Game – see what jobs would suit your abilities, interests and personality • Hunt for jobs, apprenticeships and work experience opportunities – use the Plotr jobs tool to find a great opportunity near you! • See which youth-friendly employers are hiring (and what they can offer you)
Capgemini cover a whole range of career roles, from banking to IT. If you’ve finished your A-levels and you’re determined to become a top IT professional, they offer a five year sponsored degree that combines study for a BSc in computing and IT practice, one-the-job training on live client software development projects and the chance to gain a level 4 diplolma in professional IT practice.
BE YOUR OWN BOSS
Further education colleges
Got a great business idea and think you could be a success with your own business? Sometimes it’s better to get some work and life experience under your belt first, so you’re more prepared for business pitfalls. Having said that, there are plenty of young entrepreneurs out there who have made a success of their idea – maybe you can, too! The Prince’s Trust have clever ways to help you start your own business, and are worth checking out.
I’ve got A-levels. Can I still do an Apprenticeship?
Yes, you can – it’s called a higher apprenticeship, and you can discover more via the National Apprenticeship Service. If you have level 3 vocational qualifications or A-levels and you’re not going to university, you can do either an apprenticeship or a higher apprenticeship which would take you from level 4 study right through to getting a full degree while you’re working. If you’ve finished your A-levels and are looking for an opportunity to start a career in finance or engineering, Siemens have got some higher apprenticeships worth exploring.
Whether it’s your GCSEs you’ve passed or your A-levels, a further education college is an open option for you. You’ll be studying with students aged 16 or over, so you can find yourself learning alongside people of all ages!
University Think university’s the best option for you after all? One of the very best places to research what to study (and where) is the UCAS website. It’s about to become your new best friend – at least until you become a uni fresher and make new ones! Lots of employers offer fantastic graduate programmes to fast-track uni graduates into a rewarding career in all kinds of business areas. Knowing about grad schemes in advance can help when choosing a university and thinking about what kind of degree you want to do. You could look into doing a degree which includes work experience in the form of a year in industry, also known as a work placement (or it could just be a summer placement). These types of degrees are often known as sandwich degrees. Learn more. Retail employers like Asda and Waitrose have some very varied grad schemes available. Whether you’re interested in finance, IT or boosting your management or leadership skills, a retail grad scheme can be a useful way to do it.
What you do after your exams is a very big decision – but it doesn’t have to be a scary one. Whatever happens next will be an adventure! Search our jobs and work experience finder for opportunities!
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THE BIG STORY
Cool jobs you can do if you leave school after your GCSEs
If you choose to leave school after your GCSEs, you have all kinds of options open to you – from further learning – in the form of BTECs or vocational qualifications – through to apprenticeship opportunities. However, you might choose to head straight into the world of work. In which case, your GCSEs can take you a long way. Maybe a bit of paper can’t guarantee success (unless it’s a winning lottery ticket, obviously) but your GCSE qualifications are still massively helpful. Here are 10 jobs you can do straight off the bat if you start looking for work after you finish your GCSEs!
TRAIN DRIVER
SALES EXECUTIVE
Average earnings: £30,000 GCSE requirements: 5 GCSEs (including English and maths) not essential, but very useful
Average earnings: £18,000 GCSE requirements: Flexible, but usually 5 GCSEs at pass grades including English and maths
OK, maybe you haven’t thought about being a train driver before... but the pay is really good, and there are lots of opportunities for shift work and overtime. The catch is you have to be at least 21 years old to work as a train driver on the national rail network. If you’ve just done your GCSEs and want to start a career in trains though, there are apprenticeship options available with Network Rail.
Actually, for an entry-level sales position, some companies won’t ask for academic qualifications at all. Usually, though, employers will want proof you’ve got basic maths and English skills – after all, sales is a lot to do with communicating and has a bit to do with numbers, too. You’ll fast-track your career progression if you have A-levels and even a higher national diploma (HND) or degree, but for a start in sales, 5 GCSEs are all you need.
Find out more: Train driver
Find out more: Sales exec
AIR CABIN CREW / FLIGHT ATTENDANT
PR EXECUTIVE
Average earnings: £24,000 GCSE requirements: GCSEs at pass grades including English and maths
Average earnings: £15,000 - £20,000 GCSE requirements: 5 GCSEs at pass grades including English and maths
Entry requirements for airlines differ, though they’ll tend to ask for GCSE passes in English and maths. The real catch is that airlines have a mix of other requirements, too! For example, an airline may need you to be over 18, able to swim 25 metres without any help, in possession of a valid passport and meet minimum height requirements.
Fancy telling everyone why your company is a great brand? That’s what a PR executive does, working in a team under a PR manager. There are no set entrylevel requirements for PR executives. Many graduates take a PR-related degree and aim to become PR officers (the next role up, usually earning £20,000 a year). If you’re aiming to get into this profession with GCSEs, try to get as much PR experience as possible on your CV, even if it’s after-school experience like doing the PR for a friend’s band.
Find out more: Flight attendant
HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT Average earnings: £12,000 - £16,000 (up to £21,000 with experience) GCSE requirements: Experience is more relevant that specific GCSEs You don’t need to be a doctor with a degree to get into healthcare. As a healthcare assistant, you’d be right where the action is – helping to look after patients in their homes or in hospital. If you successfully apply for a job, your employer will train you up with the specific skills you need. You’ll need to get some experience on your CV but you can get this through volunteering – check out the NHS volunteering pages for ideas of what you could do. Find out more: Healthcare assistant
Find out more: PR Officer
TRANSPORT CLERK Average earnings: £13,000 - £16,000 (and £50,000 once you become a supply chain manager) GCSE requirements: Variable Transport and logistics keep the world moving. Ever wondered how you’d get fresh bananas from South America to Manchester? Now you can get paid to think about it. One of the many entry level jobs in this area is becoming a transport clerk – passes in English and maths are usually required, and any previous experience with admin or reception work will be useful, too. You can also explore apprenticeships in this field. As an example of where a job like this could take you, you could progress to become a supply chain manager, calling all the shots and earning a cool £50,000 a year! Find out more: Transport clerk/supply chain manager
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COMMIS-CHEF
ESTATE AGENT
Average earnings: £14,000+ GCSE requirements: Qualifications not required
Average earnings: £12,000 - £30,000 (or lots more!) GCSE requirements: GCSEs with pass grades in English and maths
Did you know that famous celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay left school straight after their GCSEs? A commis-chef is a trainee chef who learns cooking from the ground up (yes, that includes washing up!). Becoming a commis-chef is a great way to get into an industry which tends to value experience, hard work and talent more than any qualification. Find out more: Commis-chef/chef
Plumber / electrician Average earnings: £10,000 - £35,000+ GCSE requirements: Qualifications not required You know what they say – we’re always going to need working water and electricity in our homes, so if you take this route you’ve got a job for life – plus the chance to set up your own business once you get pretty good at doing your thing! You can start your training as a plumber or electrician straight from school. Depending on your area, different apprenticeships will be available for trainee roles – these will usually involve a combination of work and training, and will continue until you’ve passed an industry-recognised Level 3 qualification. If you can’t do an apprenticeship straight away, talk to your careers advisor about other options like the Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme. Find out more: Plumber/electrician
It’s all about location, location, location! With GCSEs under your belt you can start in a junior position (look out for trainee estate agent jobs). A good way with people and a passion to make a sale are important for this role, so consider tweaking your CV to demonstrate where you’ve shown these qualities and skills. A junior position will help you build your skills and local knowledge, and there are lots of further training opportunities available, too. This career could be both personally satisfying and very well-paid for someone with natural selling skills. Find out more: Estate agent
Engineering apprentice Average earnings: £15,000 - £20,000+ (up to £30,000 with experience) GCSE requirements: GCSEs (grades A-E or equivalent) in subjects like English, maths, science and technology As an engineering apprentice, you could be working in manufacturing, transport… even aerospace! It could be a great way into the energy industry, with apprenticeships available through EDF Energy and UK Power Networks. Your GCSEs will enable you to qualify for an apprenticeship that lets you earn wages while you train. Find out more: EDF Energy/UK Power Networks
If you leave school after your GCSEs, you can head straight into work if you’re 17+. You can also explore a host of further learning options. Check out a whole range of first job, apprenticeship and earn-while-you-learn opportunities on Plotr. Turn that first job into a rewarding career!
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CAREER SPARKS
BBC Academy: Balance work and study as a BBC apprentice Being on a BBC apprenticeship means taking on both work and study, which can be a tricky balance. Find out how it’s done from two local apprentices – Yasmin Ojo and Aileen Elder – and read their 10 top tips on making the most of being an apprentice. You’ll find more advice, tips and personal stories from BBC apprentices on the BBC Academy website.
Yasmin Ojo – BBC London 94.9 The most exciting part about working and studying at the same time is getting to experience all the different areas of your chosen field. If I decided to study first and then get a job at the BBC I would have had to pick a specific position that I wanted. Having joined as an apprentice I get to experience a wide range of roles, which helps me decide what I actually want to do afterwards.
“As an apprentice I experience a wide range of roles, which helps me decide what I want to do”
I focus on the work I’m being asked to do first, and whenever I have a spare bit of time or I’ve completed the work I’ve been asked to do I get on with typing up notes. I then look through my apprenticeship modules, and think about what I need to do at work in order to pass them. I start to pull together examples of what I’ve done so far, and if there’s something I haven’t achieved yet I work out the best way I could possibly do it.
I also complete a daily diary for my assessor to read, which can be challenging because I can’t always remember everything I did during the day. However, I save all the work that I do, and look back to when I saved it to know what I did on which days. That comes in very handy.
Aileen Elder – BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal Being an apprentice isn’t easy. But what student life is? My life is far from quiet, I am 20 years old and have an 18 month old son but I’ve never shied away from a bit of hard graft. My apprenticeship gives me the time to work during the day and focus on my son at night.
BBC The BBC’s aim is simple – to enrich people’s lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain by being the most creative organisation in the world. Discover a world of BBC careers from TV producer roles to web development, junior sales jobs and marketing executive roles! Visit the BBC world on Plotr BBC Academy
Studying is a must, so it’s important to get yourself into a routine where you can set a designated time aside for it. One of the biggest things I noticed about my apprenticeship is that it’s okay to make mistakes. No one expects you to walk into your placement knowing everything there is to know about the job. As my gran used to say to me when I was younger: “the man who never made a mistake, never made anything – that’s why man put rubbers at the end of pencils.” I think that coming to terms with making mistakes is very important for any kind of apprenticeship. It is also important to know that everyone was new at some point, and that those around you are always willing to lend a hand when needed.
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Yasmin & Aileen’s BBC apprenticeship top tips 1 KEEP RECORDS My first day as an apprentice is very much like being back in school. I’ve worn casual clothes, because the assessment process is over and all the hard woready have knowledge on can only be improved and furthered by paying attention and keep working hard.
2 Always ask if there is anything more you can do to help. People like to hear that you’re enthusiastic, it will keep you busy and more than likely it will help you fulfil some of your apprenticeship criteria.
3 Try your best to keep up with study as well as work – getting the balance right is very important.
4 Make friends! Always be friendly with other colleagues, as you never know when you might need their help.
5 Work out a time plan and stick to it from the start. Set time aside from your working day to catch up on studying and practicing what is needed for any exams.
6 Work as hard as you can. It doesn’t matter that you don’t have a secure job just yet – prove yourself and show your colleagues why you are there and why you got this far over everyone else.
7 Don’t get too big headed – you have done fab up to this point but you don’t rub folk up the wrong way.
8 Make mistakes and enjoy learning from them. Remember that mistakes are better shared.
9 Enjoy it. Apprenticeships only really last a few years, you can blink and it will all be over so enjoy every minute of it.
10 And the most important advice of all: don’t forget to have fun!
Whether you want a career in TV and film, consumer media, software and the internet or even (throwing a curveball here) HR and finance, Plotr has built a careers world just for you. Any of these career paths could one day lead to a job at the BBC!
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CAREER SPARKS
Laura missed school exams through anxiety... and aced her Deloitte
internship!
Civil engineering student Laura, 22, had her heart set on doing Deloitte’s Summer Vacation Scheme but feared her anxiety might hold her back. Here’s her story…
GET INVOLVED AND NEVER TURN DOWN AN OPPORTUNITY! Civil engineering student, Laura, 22, had her heart set on doing Deloitte’s paid work placement – known as the Summer Vacation Scheme – but feared the problems she’d had with anxiety in the past might hold her back. Her anxiety was so strong that she missed lessons and had to retake an A-level exam because of it… Tell us about your placement... I worked in Deloitte’s central London office and spent most of my time with the sustainability team. I usually worked from 9am to 6pm – but I often arrived early because the commute was more pleasant on the earlier trains! When I did my placement most of the senior staff were out of the office, so I was supervised by senior consultants or second-year graduates. Why were you worried about getting on to your placement? At school I suffered from anxiety which meant I missed a fair amount of lessons in my final year – and this affected my exam performance and A-level results. I had to retake one of my A-level exams the following January to bring up the grade. I worried that this would prevent me from getting into a good university. When I started looking at internships I was concerned that the anxiety problem I had when I was 17 was going to prevent me from getting into the career I wanted. But most companies give you a chance to explain any extenuating circumstances on their application form – and it turned out not to be a problem! During my gap year before uni, I learnt to better handle my anxiety and since being at university I’ve learnt how to overcome exam pressure so it no longer affects me. How did education providers help you with anxiety and exams? I still had problems in my first two years at uni, so my tutors made allowances for me over exam periods. I wanted to not be stressed in the first place, rather than make allowances for it. After all, you don’t always get allowances in the real world, so I figured I had to learn to deal with it and now was a good time! What did you do to deal with your anxiety? In my third year I began making more time for the things that relaxed me, not just during the exam
period but throughout the year as well. I started horse-riding again – something I had done and loved as a teenager. When I go riding I can’t afford to be stressed because the horse can feel it and would become stressed too. It was a great outlet where I had to forget about anything that was bothering me. Did it help? Yes, I actually study much less during the exam period now! I also make sure I get enough sleep, eat properly and make time to fit in proper exercise – without doing this I’d be less productive. If it’s late at night and I’m still studying, I just go to bed because I know there’s little point carrying on – I won’t remember what I’m studying and the work won’t be high enough quality. It’s much better to do a few hours of good work than 12 hours when you’re tired and distracted! Obviously I still get stressed about things occasionally, but the degree and frequency is considerably less now that I know how to look after myself. Tell us more about Deloitte – what did you enjoy most about your placement? The main thing I enjoyed was the working environment – everybody was so friendly and helpful. I was even invited to somebody’s birthday party at the end of my first week! Within the work itself I enjoyed putting into practice stuff I’d learnt at university. Coming from an engineering background, I was worried that I might be out of my depth – but even the senior partners took the time to explain how the industry worked and why the work I was carrying out was necessary. Did you always want to do this placement? Deloitte was the first application I made, so yes. Both my parents are certified accountants and have always recommended an accountancy background to start any career. I’ve always been interested in sustainability, so when I saw I could do my placement in that department it seemed like the perfect fit!
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What subjects did you love at school? I particularly enjoyed maths and geography – which I studied at A-level along with French. I’ve always loved sport, too, and I find it a great way to relieve stress. Did you have a part-time job at school?
Deloitte Deloitte ranks second in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, and is ranked consistently high in the Times’ list of ‘Best Big Companies to Work For’. They’ve got more than 150 offices in the world – from the sunny Bahamas to freezing Iceland. What do they do? Well, they’re a professional services firm, and that means you could work anywhere from audit, tax, consulting, corporate finance and technology through to real estate.
How are they youth-friendly? Apart from entry-level jobs, Deloitte have a wide variety of graduate opportunities, summer vacation schemes, work placements and custom schemes like the Scholar scheme and the BrightStart scheme Deloitte’s employer profile Pictures and videos Deloitte career opportunities for young people Visit Deloitte careers world
I’ve had a part-time job since I was 15. I liked having responsibility outside of my school work and being self-reliant. I had loads of different jobs – from working with children and lifeguarding to being a sales assistant! I worked for a lady who owned a franchise of French Connection, as well as her own independent clothes stores. She taught me a lot about running small businesses as well as professionalism, and the importance of high standards of customer service – things I would never have learnt within a school environment. What advice would you give someone who wants to do your placement? Get involved and never turn down an opportunity! In my part-time jobs – as well as in my involvement with university societies and sports – I always put myself forward for leadership roles within group work. This means that I’ve got something to talk about on application forms and in interviews, but I also have a better idea about what interests me too.
What exactly IS a work placement? Just so you know, a work placement is a period of supervised work experience with an employer. Why is it good to do one? • Learn the ropes in a business – what’s it really like in the world of work? You get to find out! • Build incredibly useful life skills (e.g. time-keeping) • You can put it on your CV – which is great, because more and more employers are looking for young people with work experience, so a work placement is exactly the sort of valuable experience they want to see.
It’s very natural to worry about exams. You might like to read about other people who got through their exams to end up with a job they loved on Plotr.
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(you)th voice
Exams and your future! MY PERSONAL JOURNEY... By Shanon Pattenden (YEUK Youth Ambassador)
After her A-levels, YEUK Youth Ambassador Shanon Pattenden applied for not just a uni place but also for apprenticeships – because it never hurts to have a plan B!
Two years ago, my overly studious nature had paid off by being reflected in my GCSE results. I went on to study at my local college and I sat my final A-level exams in mathematics, psychology and communication and culture. I knew that on Thursday 14th August I, along with so many others, would be collecting these results. I see these exam results as the piece of paper that determines the next step in our education, not something to force anybody into ever changing their dream job. It wasn’t until I had to write a personal statement for my university application that I really considered getting career advice based on skills that I actually have – also known as “the sensible thing to do.” The advisor at my college recommended that I complete a free Skills Health Check, available online through the National Careers Service. This service highlights sectors that would suit your skills and interests, while providing information on entry requirements to these jobs. It was recommended that I apply to university, due to the risk of not being in education or training (NEET) upon finishing college. I applied and secured a conditional place at Canterbury Christ Church University to study marketing and advertising because the subject interested me and I enjoyed displaying the skills that the course required. At the same time I also applied for apprenticeships, because it never hurt anybody to have a plan B on results day. Doing an apprenticeship may
“It never hurt anybody to have a plan B on results day” - Shanon Pattenden
“I will never let an exam result determine my fate” - Suli Breaks take a few more years on the career ladder but university isn’t always the only path available. Plus, all apprenticeships provide either UCAS points or a qualification that is equivalent to a foundation degree, with only a few GCSEs needed in order to do this. In five years, I see myself having graduated, with or without using an apprenticeship as a gap year (remember that you can still ask your chosen university to withhold your application at this stage!) By this time I hope to be a PR Accounts Executive, before starting my dream job as a music promotions manager. All of us have doubted our potential when results day is looming. With the help of existing schemes and YEUK’s Youth Friendly Badge, training and employment opportunities for young people are increasing. For those with their heart set on going to university, UCAS Clearing opens in early July, with plenty of places at great universities. Why not use this summer to go and explore those towns and cities? You may find somewhere even more perfect for you! On a final note, I once heard the phrase ‘I will never let an exam result determine my fate’ and I think that is especially important to remember at this stage. I wish you all the best of luck and, no matter what happens, do not be disheartened and never lose sight of your goal. This piece was first published on YEUK.
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Youth Employment UK YEUK (Youth Employment UK) is the leading campaigning and membership organisation dedicated to tackling youth unemployment in the UK. YEUK website The YEUK Ambassadors are young volunteers working together all around the country to secure a better careers future for UK youth. They network together, support each other and do it for the sheer love of it. They’re working with MPs and local businesses to improve employment prospects for young people in the UK. YOU CAN JOIN THEM. Find out how to become a YEUK Youth Ambassador “Being an ambassador allows you to share your passion with others, it provides fantastic training and networking opportunities. Being a YEUK ambassador has opened up many opportunities for me to grow, learn and develop and it’s a privilege to represent such a passionate devoted youth organisation.”
About the author As Youth Ambassador at YEUK, Shanon’s main mission was to raise awareness of issues regarding unemployment and encourage those aged 16-25 to engage in further education, work experience and training to decrease NEET rates. She wrote for Youth Employment UK’s monthly e-magazine and was appointed head of marketing; her responsibilities included creating marketing strategy for before, during and after the publication’s launch. Shanon Pattenden is now a marketing and advertising undergraduate student, events promoter, online content coordinator and writer – always finding ways to display her enthusiasm for digital and content marketing at every opportunity.
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TACTICAL INFO
Ask a careers advisor anything Get your careers advice questions answered every month by a friendly careers advisor. See this month’s crop of answers below.
Meet Susan Burke, this month’s advisor! Susan, an ambassador for National Careers Week, says: “I love helping people. I am a qualified careers advisor, featured in the Telegraph and The Guardian. Think of me as a best friend but with a bit of tough love thrown in, helping you get to where you want to be by giving you frank, honest and uncomplicated advice.” www.susanburkecareers.co.uk
COLLEGE What will happen to my college application if I don’t get the GCSE results I’m aiming for? Don’t panic too much if you don’t get the grades you need. My advice would be to call the college ASAP! Most people don’t do this, because of that “head in the sand” mentality, but I don’t want you to make this mistake as there WILL be options. The sooner you call, the more options you may have, so to speak. So, for example, the college are very likely to suggest a different course at a lower entry requirement, but still related to the field you want. In special circumstances you may even get entry onto the original course you applied for. As soon as you get your grades, call the college. Don’t worry, they’ll be open (even if you get your grades in August). The thing is, once a course has reached full capacity, you’ll reduce your options, so you do need to work fast. Another thing I should mention is it pays to be persistent – if they don’t call you right back, call them again! This is your future, after all. You need to take ownership of the situation.
EMPLOYMENT If I leave school after my GCSEs and try and get a job, can I still get qualifications another time? You can learn at any age. Let’s say you left school and got a job… it doesn’t matter if you work until you’re 19, 40 or 55 years old, you can have a change of mind at any point, and there are a good few options available to you. What if, for example, you were working after leaving school with GCSEs and wanted to go to
university? Well, you could – and you don’t even have to study A-levels! You can study something called an access course, which is offered at your local college. A number of these courses are offered as evening courses, allowing you to continue to work at the same time. It’s also worth remembering that further learning doesn’t need to lead to university. It could be doing something you enjoy, like maybe photography or event management!
GRADUATE Will universities like me having A-levels more than other qualifications? Generally speaking, it doesn’t matter as long as you have studied a Level 3 course. However, you MUST check the entry requirements for the course you want to study as there will always be exceptions. Ask yourself this: What way do you prefer to learn? Are you more hands-on – that is, you prefer to learn by doing? If so, you may prefer to learn via something like a BTEC qualification as it’s coursework-based. However, if you struggle with exams and then do something like A-levels, your grades on this course may suffer… meaning you may not even get the entry requirements anyway! Finally… remember how I was saying there’ll always be exceptions to the entry requirements for a course you’d want to study? Some courses may ask you to study certain subjects, and this is why it’s always important to speak to a qualified careers advisor (like me, for example).
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VOLUNTEERING Are there types of work experience that could boost my business skills? I’m 17 and still at school but want to get ready for a career in the city. Gaining any work experience is great, and doing voluntary work will always strengthen your CV and application for employment. You mention you’re looking for careers in the city? My advice would be to try to get experience related to this particular niche. Keep on doing this from 17 onwards, and start building your professional network so you can use this to your advantage – you never know, the connections you make now could be your employer in the future. Check out Barclays LifeSkills on ways you could gain work experience.
Barclays LifeSkills LifeSkills is a major programme designed to give young people access to the advice, support and opportunities they need to get ready for the world of work. It aims to improve the employment prospects for young people through education resources, online content, workshops, events and work experience. www.plotr.co.uk/barclays-lifeskills/
Got a careers question for Plotr? Just email your question to info@plotr.co.uk in complete confidence (please put CAREERS ADVICE in the subject header). No question is too big or small. By asking a question you’ll be helping other readers find an answer as well as yourself!
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