BEYOND SIXTH FORMA GUIDE TUESDAY 29TH APRIL

AIMS

• Possible routes – employment, apprenticeship, HE or GAP

• Timeline for Higher Education

• How do students select courses?

• How do universities select students?

• An intro to fees/loans

• Gaining qualifications while working

• Apprenticeships

• Employment

• Questions

CAREERS AT GORDANO

http://prezi.com/aeddffz4mmje/me-myself-and-i/

PROGRESSION ROUTES

• Universities & Colleges Application Service

• A post office and information service – NOT a decision maker

• Charges students £21 to process their application

AN 18 MONTH PROCESS

JAN – MAY ’14

All Year 12 Students have a careers interview

UCAS Course Search for ‘Apply 2014’ NOW availableUCAS Fair UWE

JUNE – JULY ‘14

Begin UCAS form.

Gain experience: work shadowing / open days

Mid-July: Fees information available on UCAS website

AUGUST ‘14

Think, read, research

AS results/A2 choices

SEP - OCT ‘14

complete UCAS form and submit to tutor. (Oxbridge/medics/music by end of Sept; all others by end of Oct). Allow 2 weeks for adding reference & checking.

AN 18TH MONTH PROCESS

NOV ‘14-MAR ’15

attend interviews, receive offers (and/or rejections) or use ‘UCAS EXTRA’

BY MAY 15th 2015

accept a 1st choice and reserve offer

DEC ’14 - JUNE ’15

August ‘15September ‘15 or ‘16

- apply for accommodation and fees/loans/grants

- Receive A Level results, confirm 1st choice or reserve place, or Clearing!

- Finally start course!

HOW DO STUDENTS CHOOSE THE COURSES THEY WANT TO STUDY?

• Graduate recruitment rates• The course of study• Guardian/Times course tables• www.unistats.com• Location• Campus/Non-campus/Collegiate• Financial considerations (esp tuition fees)• University websites• UCAS site• Widening participation initiatives

HOW DO STUDENTS APPLY?

• Via an internet application on UCAS site

• Personal details, exam results and a personal statement

• Can select up to 5 different courses – each receives a ‘blind copy.

• School adds reference and sends to UCAS

HOW DO UNIVERSITIES CHOOSE THEIR STUDENTS?

• GCSE grades

• AS subjects and results

• The range of AS/A2 courses studies

• Predicted final A Level grades

• Enthusiasm for subject

• Relevant experience and skills

PERSONAL STATEMENTS• 47 lines to ‘sell yourself’

• Increased competition increases the search for differences between candidates

• For many universities the statement is the ‘interview’

• Beware ‘copying’; it must be ‘personal – plagiarism software

IF A UNIVERSITY LIKES YOU…

They make either:

• An unconditional offer

• A conditional offer (most commonly)…

• Conditional offers can include

• Specific A Level grades

• Specific Subject grades

• UCAS points

• Or combinations of the above.

ONCE OFFERS ARE RECEIVED…

Do nothing until you’ve heard from all 5

Then you must choose…

a) a first choice

b) a reserve (with lower offer!)

and you reject all the others

This completed by end of April/ May of Yr 13

CHOOSING MY YEAR 13 CURRICULUM2 full A-levels is usually the absolute minimum entry requirement for universities

Most competitive universities expect at least 3 full A-levels (ideally with an extra AS)

Check on each course’s subject preferences (email/ring them up!)

4 high-grade A-levels can sometimes be helpful at the most competitive universities

The advantages of Critical Thinking AS…….

ACTIVITIES WEEK(30TH JUNE -4TH JULY 2014)

Monday HE Day

Tuesday World of Work

Wednesday: Specialist Day

Thursday – Volunteering/EPQ trip/Research

Supervising Lower School Activities

Wider reading, research, evidence of ‘intellectual enthusiasm’ in the area.

APPRENTICESHIPS & JOBS FOR LEVEL 3 SCHOOL LEAVERS

•WHERE TO FIND APPRENTICESHIPS

•HOW TO APPLY

•HOW TO SECURE THE BEST APPRENTICESHIPS!

THINKING THROUGH APPRENTICESHIPS…There are many providers of really excellent progressive and progression focused apprenticeships – many are still advertising vacancies unfilled for this year’s school leavers…Are parents and students concerned about the value of apprenticeship training and education compared with degree level training?Is it because a degree is seen as the only route to a white collar job?We aim to make sure students don’t miss out on the very best debt free career opportunities.

WHERE CAN STUDENTS FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT APPRENTICESHIPS?

Company Websites

http://www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk

http://www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk

http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk

http://www.thebigchoice.com

http://www.weston.ac.uk

http://www.cityofbristol.ac.uk

http://www.notgoingtouni.org

http://www.cityofbristol.ac.uk/school-leavers/apprenticeships-/apprenticeship-vacancies.html

Connexions advisors/Weston College Business Enterprise Centre/City of Bristol College Personal Advisor Service/Careers guidance advisors/Tutors!

WHO OFFERS APPRENTICESHIPS?Deloitte

BDO

PWC

GCHQ

National Grid

Babcock

Carillion

Royal Mail

MoD

Airbus

Triumph

NHS

Bristol & North Somerset Council

Spec Savers

EDT

Aviva

• 1125 employers currently advertising

apprenticeships on the national scheme website • Many more employers

advertising with recruitment agencies and

through colleges

LOOKING AT SPECIFIC EXAMPLES:

http://mycareer.deloitte.com/uk/en/schools/brightstart

http://www.nationalgridcareers.com/Development-Opportunities/Apprenticeship/The-Programme/

http://www.bt4me.co.uk/

...Most of the top 100 British Employers are recruiting graduates and the best school leavers and have parallel schemes.

EMPLOYMENT

Careers Advisor

Business Breakfasts

Work Experience

Electives

Interval Sessions

A Year in Industry

Networking

NEETS

GETTING PREPARED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtDrASzLzxg

HOW AM I IMPROVING MY EMPLOYABILITY?

What has a student done during their time in Sixth Form outside of lessons?

• Intervals

• Work experience

• Networking

• Work visits

• Specialist lectures

• Reading

• Visits

• Charity/trips/extra-curricular

NEXT STEPS