Study & Careers Magazine - July 2020

STUDY & CAREERS

MAGAZINE

TRANSITIONING FROM STUDYING TO WORKING

UCAS Clearing

Getting ready for results day

How to secure an apprenticeship role

Personality Tests

GSCE & A LEVEL RESULTS

GCSE & A LEVEL GRADES

STUDENT CONCERNS OVER THAT 40% GRADES TO BE MODERATED DOWNWARDS

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APPRENTICESHIPS

Apprenticeships combine practical job training with study. You’ll be employed to do a real job whilst studying for a formal qualification.

The study part is usually for one day a week either at a college or a training centre, and the rest of the time you will be working full-time like a normal employee. To apply for an apprenticeship, you need to be 16 or over, living in the United Kingdom and not in full-time education.

Why choose an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship offers the chance to gain skills, qualifications and experience whilst earning a wage. It’s a great compromise between entering the workforce straight after school and earning a qualification to set you up in your chosen industry. It’s also a great opportunity to see whether this is the industry you want to pursue. As an apprentice, you’ll avoid student loans, as the government and your employer cover the entire cost of your training! Despite the low minimum wage for apprentices, you may find yourself financially better off than your friends who went to uni as you’ll be able to start putting money away without worrying about student debt.

Working hours and pay:

Apprenticeships are paid, and you are entitled to the National Minimum Wage which the government can decide to change as and when they see fit. Apprenticeships hourly rate is a lot lower than a regular full time job. This is to help your employer cover the costs of your training. This rate applies to all apprentices in their first year, and apprentices aged 19 or over are paid a higher minimum wage after their first year. You’ll work full-time and your study time is usually part of your paid hours.

Length of apprenticeships:

Apprenticeships usually take between one and four years to complete. The length of the apprenticeship depends on a number of factors, such as the level of education, your chosen sector, employer requirements and your individual ability.

Qualifications

What you’ll learn will depend on the role that you will be training for. Apprentices in every role follow an approved study curriculum, which means you’ll gain a nationally-recognised qualification at the end of your apprenticeship. These qualifications are available from the equivalent to GCSE-level all the way up to degree level.

The qualifications can include: Functional skills - GCSE-level qualifications in English, Maths and IT

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) - from Level 2 (comparable to five GCSEs) up to Level 5 (similar to a postgraduate degree)

Technical certificates - such as BTEC, City and Guild Progression Award etc

Academic qualifications - including a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) foundation degree or the equivalent of a full master’s degree.

Type of Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are available in a wide range of different industries. Most job sectors offer apprenticeship opportunities in the UK, with a wide range of specific roles on offer within each.

These include:

Business apprenticeships in roles such as accounting, marketing, people/HR administration, recruitment and sales. A lot of these will also be available in other sectors as everything from the NHS to engineering firms need the skills business apprenticeships offer.

Law apprenticeships offered at legal executive or solicitor level.

IT apprenticeships in roles such as software development and cyber security

Healthcare apprenticeships in roles such as dental, nursing and youth work, in addition to NHS apprenticeships that can fall under other sectors, such as accounting and administration.

Engineering apprenticeships in roles such as civil engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering

Construction apprenticeships in roles such as building, plumbing and quantity surveying.

Media apprenticeships in roles such as journalism, live events and costume design.

‘89% of employers say they’d do an apprenticeship if they were starting their career again.’

Highest paid apprenticeships:

Apprentices in the Legal sector can expect the highest pay, an average salary of £23,904. Engineering placements follow close behind, with an average salary of £22,512 on offer for apprenticeship schemes. The Accounting and Finance is a popular sector in apprenticeships, with advertised salaries starting from £17,988.

Benefits of an apprenticeship

Apprenticeships are designed to enhance your competency and confidence by developing your practical skills and knowledge.

By doing an apprenticeship, you benefit from the following:

• Working alongside experienced staff

• Gaining a nationally recognised qualification and experience, both of which are highly attractive to employers

• Taking a fast route into your career

• Getting paid holidays (including bank holidays)

• Learning how to behave in a professional environment

• Developing your independence in a supported environment

• Earning while you’re learning

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Transitioning from Studying to Working

The term “welcome to the real world” has never been truer than in this case. It can come as quite a shock after having left the comfort of school/collegew to go into the working world. Going from writing essays, partying, taking exams and attending lessons/classes to a 9-5 job can be very hard to adjust to. But don’t worry, here are 5 tips and tricks to give you some guidance on how to transition from school/ college to work.

Punctuality equals professionalism!

Being professional is part and parcel of any new job that you will have over the years. Unlike school or university, punctuality is expected and something you will not be praised for. Being late so many times could end up with you being spoken to by HR or management and a decision will have to be made on what to do about it. If you know that you have a partiality for being late, then make a schedule: A time for going to bed, a time for getting up in the morning and a time for leaving the house. If you know that you are not a morning person and struggle to get up, then try going to bed a bit earlier. It’s recommended that you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

Don’t second guess yourself!

You’ve finished your studies, started your new job and now the overwhelming sensation starts to set in. It won’t be like this for everybody, but some people are going to find it hard to

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transfer the knowledge and skills they have learnt from university and apply it to their job. The trick is don’t doubt yourself; you were hired for a reason. The manager believes that you have the skills to efficiently do your job better than the other people that were interviewed. So be confident and stick with it. Besides, no one ever stops learning in life: everyone makes progress.

College/School may not fully not prepare you for everything!

Education only tends to educate you with knowledge of the subjects you are learning or degrees you are studying. Unfortunately, it does not outright teach you about issues that you may find happen in your day to day work life.

Sometimes, you may have to negotiate a salary before you start a job. Having the right communication skills along

Being professional is part and parcel of any new job that you will have over the years.

with patience is key to negotiating. You don’t want to ask for a starting salary that is completely ridiculous and would get you laughed out of the building.

Instead, find out what they are offering you and start with a higher but reasonable counteroffer. From there, you will need to work with the negotiator until you reach a sum that you are both happy with.

However, it’s not just negotiation that you will be unprepared for. Critical thinking, money management, etiquette, protecting yourself and managing failure are all things that university don’t teach you.

Colleagues or friends?

Depending on the size of the company you work for, you’re going to have many colleagues. Some of whom you will get on better with than others and that is totally fine. You’re allowed to be friends with your colleagues inside or outside of work but remember that they are still your colleagues in work.

Whilst the friendships you make with colleagues will make your day more enjoyable, it is vital to take note of the foundations and basis of which these friendships are formed. Not all colleagues are going to be friendly, some may even be a little competitive. But it is wise to remember that you will be in a place of work, so you must remain professional around others, even if they are your friends.

Networking is key!

If you haven’t started networking already, start now. Networking is great for talking to industry professionals that have been in the game for many years. Start by going to networking conventions such as Glug. This way you will be able to meet people that have gone down the same career path that you intend to go down as well.

If you are not one for going to meet people in person, then LinkedIn is great for getting in touch with other professionals via social media. You can post your information about what work experience you have, where you have studied and anything else you think industry professionals would benefit from knowing about you. Not only does LinkedIn allow you to message other professionals, but for professionals to message you as well. Some of them may even be offering interviews or jobs!

For those of you that are reading this and will still be attending university next year, it will be a good idea to start networking now. It is never too early to engage with professionals and build up relationships with the people that could potentially be your next boss.

It’s going to feel strange at first but once you get into the swing of things, it will start to become easier and less overwhelming. There are many changes that you will have to make to your lifestyle to help you kick the university mindset and for some, this may take a while. But don’t worry, as time goes by the transition will start to feel smoother and you will adapt to the weight of the working world.

NETWORKING IS KEY

START NETWORKING

Include any outstanding extracurricular performance including athletic achievements or club leadership.

PREPARE A TOP NOTCH CV

Expand your network by connecting with recruiters at campus recruitment fairs and investment banking clubs.

BE PUNCTUAL

Being professional is part and parcel of any new job that you will have over the years.

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How to

UNIVERS

Survive first days

When you head off to Uni/College, it’s important you make yourself aware of what the city is like for crime. One-third of students are likely to fall victim to some form of crime so you should clue up on what precautions you should put in place to help prevent anything happening to you!

Safety First!

To ensure that you’re safe on and around campus, make sure you can check out this list of tips can make your University/College experience a lot safer.

• Make a list of contact numbers should you lose your phone

Safety First

• Familiarise yourself with the bus routes and the location of your accommodation

• Invest in USB/Hard drive for backups of your Uni work

• Always let a housemate or a friend know if you’re leaving the house

Familiarise Yourself

• Make sure your phone is always charged and on-hand

• Buy a bike chain if you are going to be cycling

• Consider purchasing a personal alarm to carry around with you

• Always be aware of how much you drink

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ITY/COLLEGE

Protect Your Valuables

Making sure you have contents insurance before you move to Uni/College is really beneficial. It’s common for student houses to be the target of burglaries- especially during the winter and Easter breaks as thieves know that there will be nobody in the house.

Hide your valuable items!

Some student accommodation and housing will offer free contents insurance, but you should definitely double check in your contract before skimping out on it. That extra twenty-odd pounds a year can be a real game changer in the case of a burglary.

Have a look around for the best price and don’t leave it too late to purchase insurance. You can even see if you can be added onto your parent’s insurance plan to make things a little cheaper. Also!

• Always make sure you lock your door! Including the door on your bedroom if you are leaving the house- even if it’s just for a moment.

• Register your expensive items such as laptops, tablets and phones.

• Hide things like laptops and TVs away from the windows, where people can look in.

• Avoid leaving notes and tell-tale signs that you have left the house - if anyone needs to know, send them a text.

• Make sure your windows are locked and shut, even if you’re not on the ground floor.

• Ask your landlord to install a CCTV or burglar alarm.

• Use timers when you are away for your lights to give the impression that there is still someone in the house.

Register your expensive items such as laptops, tablets and phones.

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