1

What are your options after you leave school/college ?

What next? Life after year 13

2

What is my job?

• I link people to information• I use graphics and

animation to create a visual impact

• I need to understand the target audience

• I have a degree• I constantly need to update

my skills• I can earn a good salary• My company employs 40

people 

• I enjoy the flexible working atmosphere

• Problem solving is part of my job

• I need to be organised• I passed A levels and then

trained on the job• I have a good salary• Part of the job is managing

the tills for our restaurants and hotels 

• I work in the football business

Lesson starter

3

Lisa - Website Designer Project Manager for a web development team of 5 men

Answers to lesson starter

Elaine – IT Manager for Chelsea Football Club and Chelsea Village (a number of companies involved in hotels, travel merchandising, conferences and banqueting and a training ground)

Do you have to have a degree to get the job you want?

Use this lesson to start thinking about your future

4

What is a “Career”

Family, Community & Voluntary Activities

Work / Job

Education

Training

A Pathway through Life

5

Job or Career? Some definitions for the 21st century world of work are:

 • Occupation: a group of jobs with common characteristics

requiring similar skills, e.g. hairdresser, teacher, project manager.• Job: a distinct position with specific duties in a particular place,

e.g. maths teacher at Sometown High School. Jobs can be full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary, paid or voluntary, and some people have more than one job at the same time.

• Career: a person’s lifelong pathway through learning and work.

It is possible to manage work/education/community/voluntary work in a variety of ways to improve your career prospects

6

Help is available !

Application forms and CVs

Making decisions

Information about

work and jobs

Information about courses

Interview preparatio

n

Teachers, parents, careers advisers, friends and family

7

What are the options ?

YOU

University Training Gap Year Employment

8

Discuss and make notesWhy are you For or Against these options?

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Employment

For• Start earning a full time

wage• Practical• Opportunities to learn on

the job• No university debt• Can study part time• Can go to university later

on

Consider• More and more careers may

ask for degrees e.g.– Accountancy– Social work– Law– Journalism

• Long term prospects• Competition

10

Employment

Traditionally, where are the jobs after A levels?Banking Retail Local AuthoritiesArmed Forces Catering Technical design jobs

Health – auxiliary nursing, ambulanceTravel – travel agency, air cabin crewPublic services – police, fire officers

CREDIT CRUNCH Warning 2009there are fewer jobs available at the moment, but keep an eye on future

trends – there will be skills shortages in some of these areas and the ageing workforce will need to be replaced.

11

Training / Apprenticeships

For• Leading to recognised

qualifications- e.g.NVQs• Practical way of learning• Possible in some cases to go

onto Higher Education• Block or day release to college• Advantage over 16 year old

school leaver, more mature, focussed

Consider

• Must be focussed – 3-4year commitment

• Average £160-180 week wage to start

• Very competitive

• Must be willing to follow opportunities e.g moving around

CREDIT CRUNCH Warning 2009 - fewer apprenticeships available

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GAP Year before university

For• Must be well planned and

researched• Check with university

whether it’s advised• Opportunity to work and

save for university• Fantastic travel experience

Consider• Disorganised – gap on CV and

university application• Can be expensive – need to plan• Some courses may not like

students taking gap years CHECK

CREDIT CRUNCH Warning 2009 Currently finding work for a Gap year is particularly challenging

13

Higher Education - University

• 40% of all students now go to university

• Opens more doors – twice as likely to be unemployed without a degree than with a degree

• People with degrees on average earn £150,000 more over a lifetime than people without

• More and more jobs require graduates

– Social work, Nursing, Accountancy

CREDIT CRUNCH Warning 2009 – More students are applying therefore there will be more competition for places

14

Higher Education - University

Qualifications through Higher Education

Doctorate (PhD)

Masters Degree (MSc, MA, MBA)

Undergraduate Degree (BA, BSc, LLB)

Foundation Degree

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Why are we thinking about this now ?

• Year 12 - Summer term – start thinking about your future and start researching

• Year 13 - September – some GAP year schemes take a year to arrange

• October 15th – Deadlines for applying to Oxford / Cambridge/ Medicine / Vet Science / Dentistry

• October half term – Teachers need notice for writing references

• January 15th – Deadline for all applications• January – apprenticeships / trainee schemes /jobs

advertised for Summer start

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Deadlines

• Add your own dates

17

Decision making – again!

• Define the decision • Establish the options • Collect information

about the options• Investigate the pros

and cons• Decide the best option• Execute your decision

• What do you want to do after year 13 ?

• What are your choices ?• Research UCAS.com, university

websites, prospectuses, job opportunities, apprenticeships and finance

• Look at both sides of your options

• What do you really want to do- you may change your mind while researching

• Start your application

Reflect on your thinkingHave you learned anything to change your mind?