This blog is designed to keep you up-to-date with Careers Education, Information and Guidance (CEIAG) available locally, nationally and through the school. I’ll be posting information about employment and training opportunities available locally as well as details of open days and useful websites. The world of education, employment and training opportunities is changing rapidly so keep checking in for the latest information.

Mr Cross


Monday 2 December 2013

Apprenticeship Guide 2014

The 2014 Apprenticeship Guide has just been published and is available in the Reference section of the school's Careers Library.  The guide contains lots of advice about how to apply to an Apprenticeship as well as information about the range of training courses available.  Anyone considering alternatives to Further and Higher Education would be well advised to look through this guide ...

Sunday 1 December 2013

Higher Education: Face the Stats!

Going to university is a typical aim for 16-18 year olds:  49.3% of young people entered Higher Education last year (BIS, 2012) and with good reason.  More than a quarter of UK jobs are 'graduate only', up from around one in ten in the mid 1980s [ The Institute of Education Skills & Employment survey, 2012 ].  But university is expensive. According to a survey by the National Union of Students this year, the average cost of a student room has gone up by 25% over the past three years.
 
What about after university?  Currently, 22% of male graduates and 15% of female graduates move back home after completing university.  According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), there were 3.2 million 20-34 year-olds living with their parents in 2011.  This is a 20% increase on the number in 1997.  Returning "home" is often the choice of graduates entering internships.  Becoming an intern is now seen as a shortcut to employment and 60% of paid internships lead to at least one job offer ( compared to 37% of unpaid internships ).
 
According to an ONS survey, having a degree can add £12 000 to your potential salary.  However, the same organisation has recently published data showing that half of graduates are in non-graduate jobs.
 
Suffice it to say, staying in education and training is essential to maximise your choices and flexibility in employment.  Just make sure you weigh up the facts and seek out informed and impartial advice in making your choices.  The quick links top left might be a useful start ...

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Interested in a career in Arts management?

The Inspire to Aspire Academy (ITA) is running an ambassador programme for 16-19 year olds for the Heart of Flame Festival 2014.  The application process has just opened and will close on the 10th December 2013. The programme will start in January/February and will run through until July. The ITA describes the benefits of being part of the ambassador team for 2014 as 'enormous'; all ambassadors will receive an emergency first aid at work qualification along with either a Bronze, Silver or Gold Arts Award (Gold Awards are worth 35 UCAS Points).  In addition ambassadors, get 'an amazing work experience opportunity of running their own event, making their own promotion video/documentary and work on professional events'.
Ambassador opportunities are as follows:   

· Producing - Film and/or Events

· Event Management

· Stage Management

· Marketing

· Film Production

Ambassadors will meet on a weekly basis either on a Saturday or Monday Evening at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, to complete the Arts Award along with other courses, in addition to workshops on their chosen job area.  All skills developed look great on UCAS applications as well as CVs. 'The best way to learn is to do in the arts industry, ITA try to make this possible wherever we can'.

Click here for further information.

Friday 8 November 2013

'Moving On' Careers Day: 12.11.13

All Year 11 students will be attending the Moving On Curriculum Enrichment Day on Tuesday 12th November which includes a "Careers Fair" in the Assembly Hall.  This will last from 8.30 - 11.00 a.m.  Sixth Form students who are available are also welcome to attend as the organisations involved include representatives from universities, employers in areas such as engineering, broadcasting and marketing and professions such as medicine, accountancy and law.  For a full list, click here.

Monday 4 November 2013

New funding announced for Traineeships

An extra £20m is being made available to the Government’s new Traineeships programme to support even more young people into Apprenticeships and other jobs.  Traineeships, which began in August, provide 16 to 23-year-olds with the skills, experience and confidence to compete in the labour market  –  helping them secure Apprenticeships or other jobs.  More than 500 providers have pledged to take on trainees this year and so far 150 companies, both large and small, have all expressed an interest in offering placements to young people. They include household names such as BAE Systems, Siemens and Virgin Media. 
 
Traineeships last a maximum of 6 months and provide:
  • work preparation training such as interview preparation and CV writing
  • support to improve English and maths skills
  • a high-quality work experience placement (between 6 weeks and 5 months)
  • training from providers who are rated ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ by Ofsted

Apprenticeships are on the increase

More people than ever before are taking part in an Apprenticeship, according to figures released by the Government last month.  Nearly 860,000 people were on an Apprenticeship in 2012-13 with the "gold standard" of Higher and Advanced levels attracting record levels of apprentices.  The data also shows that there were over 1.5 million apprenticeship starts since 2010.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said:

'These figures show that a record 858,900 people participated in apprenticeships last year, which is almost 370,000 more than in 2009-10.  This is good news for the economy and good news for those getting the skills they need to prosper.  There are now more options than ever before with a focus on the quality and rigour that people and employers want from apprenticeships.'

Higher Apprenticeships  are now at the highest level they have ever been, while the participation in Advanced Level apprenticeships has increased by more than 50,000.
 
[ Source: gov.co.uk ]

Friday 25 October 2013

Oaklands College Open Evenings

Oaklands College has two Open Evenings next month to which students and their parents are invited to talk to Tutors and view what courses are on offer.  Both evenings run from 5.00 - 8.00 p.m.  St Albans Campus is open on Tuesday 12th November and the Welwyn Garden City Campus is open on Wednesday 13th November.  For information about what courses are on offer and the campus where they are based, click here.

Tuesday 22 October 2013

Year 11 'Moving On' Evening

As promised, here are the presentations from the evening:
All the websites mentioned, and several other useful ones, are listed at the top left of this blog.
As always, any questions, please contact me at school.
Mr Cross

Tune in to UCAS TV

As the name suggests, UCAS.tv is a website offering a range of video clips which can help students in a range of areas, such as Personal Statements, how to apply to a particular college or university and how to choose a course.  There are also "vox pop" films made my students to give you the inside track, for example, on how to survive "freshers' week"...

Wednesday 16 October 2013

"What's happening in the Jobs Market?"

  • There are approximately one million young people in the UK ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET). 
  • A CBI survey in 2012 revealed that 51% of businesses are not confident they will find recruits of a sufficient quality to fill their vacancies.
  • 23% of businesses report that they face difficulty in getting experienced staff with expertise in Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths.
  • Recent studies have highlighted that there is a significant mismatch between the career aspirations of young people and the reality of the job market. For example, in a survey of 11000 teenagers, 36.3% were found to be chasing employment in just 10 highly competitive occupations.
  • An OECD report has found that ‘skills mismatch is a very real phenomenon impacting on people’s earning prospects and their productivity. Knowing which skills are needed in the labour market and which educational pathways will get young people to where they want to be is essential’.

Thanks to the hard work of Jackie Duffy, our Youth Connexions PA, Beaumont has repeated its success this year in ensuring that no students leaving Year 11 were NEET.  Our curriculum is designed to provide our students with the maximum opportunities to gain the qualifications universities, FE colleges and employers seek, supplemented by a Curriculum Enrichment programme which includes Careers and Work-Related Education(CWRE).  Last month, all Year 11 students participated in a day's activities developing their confidence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths; next month a 'Careers Fair' will form part of the 'Moving On' CED.  This learning is supplemented by CWRE experiences such as Year 7 'Work-Shadowing' and Year 10 Work Experience as well as provision within the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHCEE) and Sixth Form pastoral programmes.
 
Parents and students are encouraged to use the links on this blog to explore a range of sources of Impartial Advice and Guidance, such as ChannelMogo, Careers Box and the National Careers Service.
 
If you need more information about any aspects of Beaumont's Careers Education, Information and Guidance, please contact me at school.
 
Mr Cross
 

Friday 4 October 2013

Sunday Times University Guide 2014 published

The Sunday Times has published its guide to UK universities.  Click here for the web version.  There are plenty of other useful sources of impartial advice and guidance on higher education opportunities, including the Which University website so take the time to get as much useful information as you can before making your choices.

Thursday 3 October 2013

Careers Library updates

The school regularly receives prospectuses from UK universities and FE colleges as well as information about Apprenticeships and Open Days.  These are kept in the Careers Library which is in the main school Library, next to the Reference Section.  Please ask the Librarians if you need help in locating specific course information.  The 2013-14 university prospectuses are starting to come in, most recently, information about Engineering courses at Loughborough University and careers in Hotels and Catering.  Take a look ...

Thursday 26 September 2013

Still uncertain about Apprenticeships?

Earlier this Autumn, the Daily Telegraph printed a feature article about the benefits of Higher Apprenticeships  -  ones you start after taking 'A' levels.  The article featured the story of a local student who took up an Apprenticeship at John Lewis in Welwyn Garden City.  Read his story here ...

Work Experience opportunities in Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery

East and North Herts NHS Trust is offering work experience, based at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage.  The student programme has been designed for students aged 16-18 who are working towards a career in medicine or adult nursing; and for people over 16 who are considering a career in midwifery.  Click here for more information.

Friday 20 September 2013

Calling all potential High Flyers

If you are interested in becoming a pilot, there's a Professional Flight Training Exhibition taking place at Sofitel T5, London Heathrow on Saturday 26th October.  It promises to 'inform and advise on what it takes to become an airline pilot including the costs, selection process, types of training and career prospects.  Leading pilot training companies and experts from the UK, US and Europe will be present, including several universities to explain how to combine a university degree with pilot training.'  For more information, click here.

"So you want to be a Doctor?"

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust is offering a one day course for students, Year 10 and above, who are interested in a career in Medicine titled Introduction to Life as a Medical Student, Junior Doctor, Career in Medicine and Clinical Skills in Simulation Day.  This will take place from 9.00a.m. to 5.00p.m. in Watford Saturday 30th November.  The cost of the course is £50.00 and you can get a booking form from Mr Cross.  Alternatively, contact Carolyn Evans, Deputy Education Manager on 01923 217984 or Carolyn.evans@whht.nhs.uk

Advice for your UCAS Personal Statement

Year 13 students should be working on their Personal Statements.  There's plenty of good advice available  -  most importantly from the Sixth Form pastoral team  -  but click here for some additional guidance.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Year 11 Information Evening Presentation

Click here for the slides shown in the Careers Education, Impartial Advice & Guidance section of the Year 11 Parents Information Evening ( 17th September 2013 ).  If you have any queries about the Impartial Advice and Guidance available in school ( including Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 Options ), please contact Mr Cross.

Friday 13 September 2013

Vets on Tour

The RVC on Tour is a perfect opportunity for students who are interested in a career improving animal health and welfare.  Each RVC on Tour event will focus on our three undergraduate programmes: Bioveterinary Sciences (UK Top 10 for Biosciences/Society of Biology Recognised), Veterinary Medicine (UK/EU/US Accredited) & Veterinary Nursing (UK Accredited), to demonstrate that becoming a Veterinarian is just one of the many opportunities within the Veterinary Profession.

All guests attending will have the opportunity to take part in interactive practical activities from our state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Centre such as; bandaging, gowning, gloving, attempting a one-handed surgical tie and demonstrating your sense of touch on our state-of-the-art haptic laptop.  It's also a terrific opportunity for prospective students/parents/teachers to talk with RVC staff/students/Graduates to gain a realistic overview of life in the veterinary world and what life is like as a student at the Royal Veterinary College.

The nearest event on the tour is at Dame Alice Owen School, Potters Bar;
 
3.00 - 6.00p.m. Friday 20th September 2013

Each session is open to secondary school students, parents/guardians, teachers and careers advisors. www.rvc.ac.uk/rvcontour.

NB: These events are run free of charge.  Due to certain areas of the presentation containing admissions information these events are primarily aimed at students from Year 10 and upwards.

Criminology Taster Day

The Law School at Lancaster University is offering taster Sessions in Law & Criminology on Saturday 19th October 2013.  The ‘Taste of a Law School’ is designed to give students from Years 11 onwards the opportunity to get a closer look at what is involved in a university law or criminology degree and also to get a glimpse of life on a campus university.  The day will begin at 12.15p.m. with a welcome session in the Faraday building and is due to close with refreshments and an opportunity to talk informally with staff and students at 4.30pm.  The day will include a range of mini-lectures and seminars in law and in criminology. These include:

 • Press Regulation

• Proving Crime: The Law of Evidence

• A Death Lottery? US and European Views on Capital Punishment

• Anti-Social Behaviour 

• ‘So kill me now – why not?’ Should assisted dying be lawful?

• Hate Crime

The Taster Day is also open to any individuals and guests who wish to attend.  There will also be campus tours, a careers talk and general information about the law degrees and criminology degrees at Lancaster.

To register for this event please contact:  Wendy Doggett  Undergraduate Co-ordinator  on 01524 592465 or at w.doggett@lancaster.ac.uk

Thursday 5 September 2013

Impartial subject choice guidance for Year 11s

Subject choices made in Year 11 can have a major impact on the course options available at university.  Each Autumn, the University of Cambridge runs practical and informative Saturday afternoon sessions for Year 11 students.  The events, called The Subject Matters, highlight the importance of suitable 'A' Level (or equivalent) subject choices when making an application to a top research-led university and helps students access information to make informed 'A' Level choices.

The Subject Matters sessions for 2013 will take place in Cambridge on Saturday 5th October, Saturday 19th October, and Saturday 23rd November.  The sessions run from 1.30pm until 4.30pm, with registration from 12.45pm.  Further information about these events and booking forms are available here.

University workloads are not all the same ...

The Times Higher Education Supplement has analysed the data produced by the Which report ‘The academic experience of students in English universities’ and found huge differences in workload between university sectors and within courses.  In broad terms, the post 1992 universities have significantly lower workloads than the traditional universities and Oxbridge comes top in nearly all cases.  The average amount of study for architecture, planning and building courses was 40 hours per week, compared to 23 for mass communication and documentation.   [ source GTA Careers newsletter ]  For a table of comparisons, click here.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Need a 'Plan B'?

If your GCSE results are not what you expected and you need to re-think your options, DON'T PANIC, help is at hand!  Here are things you can do ...
  • Talk to a member of staff in school on results day.
  • Talk to Mrs Duffy, our Youth Connexions Personal Adviser.  She will be in school on results day and you can also contact her through the St Albans Youth Connexions website or directly at Jackie.Duffy@hertscc.gov.uk  She can work with you on a late application to College or help you with other pathways such as entering employment or an Apprenticeship.
  • Think about applying to Oaklands College.  They have Open Days this month for late applications.  You can find the details here as well as on the Oaklands website.
  • Check out ChannelMogo for general information and advice.
  • Use the 'search' tool on this blog to explore further options.
Keep calm and talk to someone to get the impartial advice and guidance you need ...  Good luck!

Thinking about re-choosing your Sixth Form options?

If your GCSE results are different from what you were expecting, you might want to re-consider your choice of 'A' level courses.  The first thing to do is discuss this with Miss McCrorie.  She will be available for 1:1 discussions in the school Library between 9.00 and 12.00 on Friday 23rd.  Here is some further advice you may wish to consider ...    The three rules for choosing your 'A' level subjects are: Ability, Interest and Utility. 
1) You need to have the ablity to study the subject and achieve in it at the level you require for university or employment.  This is typically a grade B in the subject at GCSE but you'll probably need this in English and Maths too;
2) You need to have an interest in what you're studying to sustain your effort over two years;
3) If you have a particular course or career in mind, you'll need the necessary 'A' level subjects to meet the entry criteria.  If you're not sure what these are, you can get additional guidance from The Russell Group's Informed Choices booklet and from the Search UCAS website.

Friday 2 August 2013

Get the "inside track" on UCAS Clearing

Each year, UCAS publishes a series of briefings on the Confirmation and Clearing processes for university applications.  Click here for the latest information.  The article contains links to the main UCAS website as well as two briefings released earlier this year.

More universities to charge maximum fees ...

Almost three-quarters of universities in England are planning to charge the maximum £9,000 tuition fee for some or all of their courses, according to Office for Fair Access (OfFA) figures.  The average fee level for 2014-15 will rise by about £150 to about £8,650.  However, the total amount to be spent on supporting poorer students will also rise to £708m, up from £672m.  OfFA's report says that 26% of this higher fee income will be spent on protecting fair access to university.  More money will be spent on outreach projects, where universities build links with schools and young people to encourage them to think about applying to university.  Further information and analysis by the BBC can be found here.

 

Almost 10% unemployment in university graduates

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has found that nearly one in ten students were believed to be unemployed six months after graduating from UK universities in 2012. Nearly 11% of men were unemployed, compared with 7% of new female graduates, but men's average pay was higher. According to HESA nearly two-thirds of those working in the UK were in professional roles, while the remaining third were working in sectors that did not require a degree. More than 9,500 people were working in "elementary occupations", including roles such as office juniors, hospital porters, waiters and shelf-stackers.  Click here for further information and analysis from the BBC.

BUT ... Graduate vacancies at major employers are at their highest since 2008, with the UK's 100 ‘leading employers’ having 4.6% more graduate jobs than in 2012, [ source High Fliers Research ]. However, there were still an average 46 applicants for each position. The report, The Graduate Market in 2013, acknowledged that in spite of this year's increase in recruitment, 'vacancies for university leavers at the UK's best known and most popular employers remain below the pre-recession intake seen in 2007'.

Plans for "Tech-levels" unveiled

The Government has announced a new technical qualification called 'tech-level', which will be in place from 2014.  The new tech-level is set to gain the same status as A-levels but only if they attract university or business support.  The new tech-level qualification is aimed at raising the status of vocational qualifications in England.  For comment and analysis published in The Independent, click here.

Tuesday 16 July 2013

YouTube Apprenticeship channel

There is now a channel on YouTube which is devoted to promoting Apprenticeships, subtitled 'The sky's the limit'.  As you would expect, it contains a wide range of short films, made by Apprentices, Apprenticeship providers and other organisations.  For an introduction to Apprenticeships, click here.

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Vets' "taster day" at Cambridge Uni

Cambridge University is inviting would-be vets in Year 13 ( next academic year ) to a Veterinary Medicine Taster Day on Wednesday 18th September, 2013.  Students attending will have the opportunity to attend a series of short talks on different aspects of the Veterinary Medicine course and the admissions process as well as visiting the Veterinary School.  The day will also include a tour of College, lunch with current students and plenty of opportunity to ask questions about the Veterinary Medicine course, or any other aspect of life at Cambridge.  A sample programme for the day can be found here.  The deadline for applications is Friday 23rd August.

Wednesday 26 June 2013

Apprenticeship TV

Apprenticeship TV is just what it says  -  it's a collection of short videos which explain all you need to know about Apprenticeships.  They tell you what Apprenticeships are, how to apply for one and there are lots of personal videos from Apprentices describing their work and training.

Tuesday 18 June 2013

National Careers Service update

Last April, the National Careers Service was launched.  In the year up to March 2013 it received 33,560 phone calls, 5,384 e-mails, 1,647 text messages and took part in 26,792 web chats.  While this is impressive, there are approximately 4.5 million young people aged 13 to 18 in the UK and so there remains considerable scope for growth in this service.  The NCS website has a wide range of careers tools and advice for you to explore.  Also, Advisers are available to offer careers information, advice and support to 13-19 year olds between 8am and 10pm, seven days a week.  You can contact them by phone ( 0800 number ), text and e-mail or take part in a 1:1 web-chat.  Click 10pm, here for the contact options.

Monday 17 June 2013

Shift towards graduate jobs in the labour market

A Skills and Employment survey by the Institute of Education has shown that the number of jobs available to graduates is at a record high, while the number of unskilled jobs on offer is at a record low.  The IoE research, funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, surveyed 3,000 adults across the jobs market and found that 26 per cent of jobs are at a graduate level while 23 per cent are classed as unskilled.  These results show a significant shift in the UK labour market, while in the mid-1980s, more than three times as many unskilled jobs were available for school-leavers without any qualifications than graduate-level jobs: the shift towards skilled jobs is now at its fastest ever rate.   [ source Youth Connexions ]

High demand for Apprenticeships

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has published details of Apprenticeship applications and vacancies, revealing that it receives an average of 11 applications for each Apprenticeship.  Between February and April of this year, there were almost 370,000 applications for 32,600 Apprenticeship vacancies.  Demand rose for Apprenticeships in the arts, media and ICT with up to 17 applicants per position. NAS figures show this is a 32 per cent increase in demand since last year  –  but demand continues to outstrip availability with the number of Apprenticeships available rising by only 15 per cent over the same period.  However, NAS confirmed that at the end of April 17,700 live vacancies were available online  –  the highest number recorded. NAS revealed the Apprenticeship with the highest number of applications is Business and Administration, while the most competitive individual subjects to apply for were Plumbing and Heating, Bus and Coach engineering / Maintenance, Animal Care, Health Pharmacy Services and Construction Specialist.  The findings also found some interesting regional differences with London seeing the most significant increase in availability of Apprenticeships:  29 per cent more vacancies than the previous year.  [ source Youth Connexions ]

Thursday 13 June 2013

Apprenticeship opportunities at Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook is currently offering an Apprenticeship in Travel Services. Applicants need five GCSE grades A* - C or equivalents, preferably including Maths and English.  The company says that, through their scheme 'you'll be gaining invaluable knowledge and experience every day, learning  about the business and how it all comes together as you put your outgoing, friendly and results-focused personality to the test. This is an amazing opportunity for those with a passion for travel and commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction to a business that will recognise and reward your hard work and contribution with incredible career progress opportunities.'  Apprentices will also receive an extensive range of discounts and travel deals, such as access to cheap late deals, employee reductions on holidays and great discounts on all the travel essentials.  Follow these links for useful information, answers to FAQs and on-line application details.

 

Wednesday 12 June 2013

What is RPA?

RPA stands for 'Raising the Participation Age'.  The Government is increasing the age to which all young people in England must continue in education or training, requiring them to continue until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17 from 2013 and until their 18th birthday from 2015.  Young people currently in Year 11 and below are affected.  RPA does not mean young people must stay in school; they will able to choose one of the following options post-16:
  • full-time education, such as school, college or home education
  • an apprenticeship
  • part-time education or training if they are employed, self-employed or volunteering full-time (which is defined as 20 hours or more a week).
Guides for young people and their parents have been published by the Government as well as an RPA "myth-buster" which can be found here.

Friday 7 June 2013

What's a degree worth?

Research by the London School of Economics shows that students who gained a first-class degree earned £1,000 a year (3%) more than classmates who secured a 2:1. Yet while men with first-class degrees gained an income premium, women with firsts gained no extra income, the research suggested. Also, students who gained a 2:1 earned 7% more than those with a 2:2.  This premium was worth an extra £81,000 in wages over a graduate's working life, the study said.

Andy Feng and Georg Graetz analysed exam marks of 2,649 LSE undergraduates between 2005 and 2010 for their paper A Question of Degree: the effects of degree class on labour market outcomes. They state: ‘Our study is probably the best evidence available that exam results matter, but there's a lot more work to be done in understanding what drives the gender split and figuring out if the differences in pay-offs by degree result eventually go away.’

Against that rosy picture for the highly qualified, human resources magazine People Management last month stated that more than half of current graduates (52%) are either unemployed or in non-graduate jobs. A report commissioned by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) found that this is set to increase to 55% for the class of 2011, who will graduate this summer. The unemployment rate for new graduates is 20%, double the UK average of 7.8%, while 42% of graduates are in a role that does not require a degree, up from 32% in 2006.  [ Source: SSAT Policy Radar ]

Entrepreneurship on the increase?

Thirty percent of young people believe they will be self-employed in the future, according to a study by the Prince's Trust and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Indeed, 25% expect to be their own boss within the next five years.

Tellingly, a similar proportion of unemployed young people would rather try to set up their own business than continue to job-seek in today’s competitive market, the survey of 1600 16-30 year olds found. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the number of self-employed young people has already risen by 71,000 since the start of the economic crisis, although the actual proportion of self-employed 16-34 year olds is just over 5%.

‘This research reveals an increasingly entrepreneurial mood among young people,’ said Martina Milburn, chief executive of The Prince’s Trust. The survey also found that a third of the young people would be more likely to consider self-employment if they had a mentor.  [ source: SSAT Policy Radar ]

Is University too expensive?

A recent report from the Sutton Trust shows that two thirds of a poll of over 2500 11-16 year olds were concerned about the costs of going to university. Nearly one in five gave cost as the most important consideration when deciding whether or not to go to university (although 67% said the main factor was exam grades).  For the full report, click here.

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Discover 'plotr'

The plotr web-based platform has been developed by the Government, industry and social enterprises.  It provides tailored information and advice for 11 to 24 year-olds based on their interests, needs, age and location.  Major employers, including Barclays, Waitrose and McDonalds have sponsored this initiative and the website includes a wide range of video and interactive resources, linked with current social media.

Celebrating VQ Day

Today marks National Vocational Qualification Day.  A VQ means a recognised qualification at any level relating to a particular line of work or specific job role. These qualifications have an emphasis on the assessment of practical skills and knowledge.  Examples include BTECs, City & Guilds, NVQ/SVQ, OCR Nationals, Apprenticeships, HNC/HNDs, degrees with a largely vocational content and professional qualifications awarded through a recognised professional body. They cover subjects that range from agriculture to accountancy, business to beauty therapy, care work to construction and many more. Rather than just being based on theory, VQs are focused on helping you learn skills that will give you a head start in your career. They can give you a foot in the door to the industry you want to work in, or prepare you for further vocational study or university.  For examples of how VQ qualifications have helped young people enter the world of work, click here.  For a video about VQs from the Skills Minister, click here.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Is university value for money?

The BBC is reporting a study in which 'almost one in three first year students at UK universities say their courses are not good value'. 'Of 17,000 students polled across the UK earlier this year, 29% said their courses were not good value for money, compared with only 16% the last time the study was carried out in 2006 when fees were just over £1,000 a year.' For the full article, click here.

Monday 13 May 2013

Which university has the best nightlife?

The Which University website uses feedback from students currently studying across the UK to build up profiles and rankings of universities.  You can search for courses by subject, location and entry requirements; find out how individual universities are rated, for example by average salary of their graduates and there's even a section providing advice on how to achieve an A* grade at 'A' level.  So which university has the best nightlife?  Newcastle comes in third, Liverpool is in second place and the winner is ... Northumbria university.  So head North!

Thinking of entering the Civil Service?

The Opportunity is a Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship Scheme.  It is an 18 month programme which offers a real alternative to university. Completing the Fast Track Apprenticeship scheme will provide significant work experience, a Level 4 qualification ( recognising your specialist learning ) and can be the springboard to a career in the Civil Service.  For details of eligibility, click here.

Thursday 25 April 2013

Apprenticeships at Kwik Fit

Kwik Fit is offering a two year Apprenticeship scheme, leading to an NVQ qualification and employment within the company. In the words of Kwik Fit: 'Our Apprenticeships are the gold standard for work-based learning within our sector. Our programme allows us to select enthusiastic, committed people and offer them development in a way that meets the needs of both the business and the apprentice. A high number of our apprentice graduates progress to managerial positions and enjoy a successful career within the company.' You can start an Apprenticeship in April, August or October. The deadline for applying for entry in August is the end of June. For more information about careers at Kwik Fit , click here.

Monday 22 April 2013

Jobs for school leavers

The Channel Mogo website lists a range of career opportunities for young people leaving education at 16 or 18.  They include areas such as the retail sector, construction and engineering, business and management, I.T. and Finance.  For more information, click here.

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Get on the piste!

EA Ski & Snowboard are offering a scholarship opportunity which is open to school leavers with beginner through advanced ski and/or snowboard ability. EA offer Ski and Snowboard Instructor Programs at top ski resorts around the world. The program offers everything required to become a new instructor, including training, accommodation, certification and an opportunity to obtain paid employment at a top resort (if eligible). This is the second year EA Ski & Snowboard have offered a scholarship place and winner will receive a free place on an EA Instructor Program for the coming 2013/14 Winter season in Canada. For more information, click here.

Monday 15 April 2013

Oaklands College Open Evenings

Oaklands College is hosting Open Evenings at its three sites next week: 
  • Welwyn Garden City campus, Tuesday 23rd April;
  • St Albans Campus, Wednesday 24th April;
  • Alban Park Campus, Thursday 25th April.
If you're not sure about entering the Sixth Form or employment next year or you are considering a "back up" application, why not find out what opportunities are available.  For more information about Further Education courses, search this blog, book an appointment with Mrs Duffy (from Youth Connexions) or visit the Oaklands website.

Studying abroad

Did you know that there are 3.6 million students currently studying in a different country to the one where they were born?  However, fewer than 1% of these are from the U.K. 
The Student World website aims to change this.  It has details of degree opportunities where the teaching language is English across Europe and the world.  You can search for degree courses from across the globe, find out about costs and funding opportunities as well as read student blogs and their interactive magazine.  You might also find this list of websites useful in your research. 

Apprenticeships at John Lewis

The John Lewis Partnership ( which includes Waitrose ) is offering an Apprenticeship scheme for school leavers aged 18 and under.  No qualifications will be required and there are opportunities both locally as well as nation wide within the company.  John Lewis has described their programme as a 'long-term sustainable route for young people to secure employment with the retailer. As a key point of difference, the programme, which focuses on young people, has guaranteed that all secure employment when their training is complete.'  For further information, click here.

Tuesday 19 March 2013

Teenagers are aiming for the wrong jobs ...

An article in the Financial Times reports that many teenagers' job ambitions are misguided.  The survey of over 11,000 13-16 year-olds revealed a mismatch between the careers young people hope to follow and the projected job prospects in these areas.  For example, one fifth of 15-16 year-olds surveyed were hoping to enter careers which are expected to comprise only 2.4% of new and replacement jobs available over the next 10 years.  Whereas growth areas such as jobs in administration and care work proved to be less popular in the young people's ambitions.  For the full article, click here.