This section of the guide looks at the choices to be made
and the opportunities open to you when you reach school-leaving
age. It also gives you pointers on where to go for advice
and information to make decisions about your future, and
looks
at the different options available.
The
main choices available to 16 and 18 are:
EDUCATION
Stay
on at school and enter the 6th form, if your school has one;
go to another school’s sixth form; go to college.
Education Maintenance Allowance – If you:
•
Live in the Bradford Metropolitan district
•
Are aged 16-19.
•
Want to study full time next year at college or school to
gain further qualifications.
You may be entitled to an Education Maintenance Allowance
(EMA).Until Sept 2004, you would qualify if your family income
is less than £25,000 and you may receive up to £30
per week. (Also see the section on Studying & Money).
Contact: Student Support Service, 9 Charles Street, Bradford,
BD1 1DT. Tel: 01274 434838
From September 2004, the entitlement conditions and the
amount you receive are due to change.... Look out for details
in local newspapers or ask at your school, college, or nearest
Connexions Access Point / Centre. (see 'education' local
addresses drop down menu at the top of this page) .
These are advanced or foundation level programmes linked to
specific jobs. You gain work experience plus NVQ qualifications
and earn money at the same time.
EMPLOYMENT
Get a job with or without training, full time or part
time.
When can you leave school?
Friday 25th June 2004
You cannot legally work full-time until the end of year
11. If you work full-time before this date, you are not covered
by insurance if you have an accident.
Planning your Future
There are lots of different choices
to be made and options to be considered when you reach school
leaving age. Do you stay at school? Go to college? Leave
education
and look at what Modern Apprenticeships and training have
to offer? Whatever you choose, it is likely that you will
need
to do some further training, as most employers now require
skilled, better trained people – and may offer young
people the chance to gain additional skills and qualifications
whilst working for them. Support and advice is available
to help you with career planning and to guide you through
the
options.
Getting Advice
A good starting point is to see
a Personal Adviser at school or at the local Connexions Centre
or Connexions Access Point (see 'education'
local addresses drop down menu at the
top of this page). This service is free.
Personal Advisers can help you by offering:
Careers guidance and information on different jobs
Job and training vacancies
Independent advice & information on training, employment
and school and college courses
Help with decision-making
Help to look for jobs
You may also think about getting advice from parents and
other people you trust. Work experience, or talking to someone
who already does whatever you are interested in, can also
help you to make your decision. If you face serious difficulties
or obstacles in life, you can be put in touch with a Personal
Adviser, who can help you through them.
If you have a disability, most Connexions Services have
a special needs specialist Personal Adviser who can offer
specific
support and advice. You may also like to talk to someone
from the Disability Service Team at your local Job Centre
(see 'money'
local addresses drop down menu at the top of this page).
They also specialise in giving advice and support to disabled
people and their employers.
Don’t
panic if you feel you have made a mistake and don’t
like what you are doing after you leave school! Go and
see your Personal Adviser again.
Careersdirect provides information and advice on any aspect
of careers and also has a wide range of vacancies and other
opportunities available for young people aged 16-19 in
the Bradford Metropolitan area - tel 01274 829429, email:
careersdirect@careersb.co.uk or www.careersdirect.org.uk
The Community Team provides intensive
support for young people who are facing problems that need
to be sorted out,
before learning and/or employment can become a realistic
aim. Issues vary from poor attendance at school, to personal
difficulties such as: homelessness, family breakdowns,
criminal convictions, drug/alcohol addiction.
Each client joining the Community Team, is allocated their
own Personal Advisor. The Personal Advisor initially gains
an overview of the young person’s
needs and often works with other agencies that can provide specialist help for
their client eg housing issues, benefit claims, counselling etc. Once immediate
problems have been dealt with, the Personal Advisor then assists their client
to secure suitable employment/training or further education.
If you feel you could benefit from the Community Team– Personal
Advisors are on hand to listen, give flexible practical
help, advice and lots of encouragement!
Telephone: 01274 829569.
Learn Direct is a national telephone helpline for
all who are interested in education and training opportunities - phone 0800
100 900
www.worktrain.gov.uk includes information on national and local education and
training opportunities and careers
information.
Learndirect is a national telephone helpline for
all who are interested in education and training opportunities.
- phone 0800 100 900
Your Options
This section looks at the different sorts of course you
can choose from.
Vocational & Non-Vocational Qualifications
National Vocational qualifications
These allow
you to qualify for a particular job or jobs. They may be
awarded by organisations such as EDEXCEL (formerly BTEC),
AQA (The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) and OCR
(Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations).
They
cover diffferent occupations, such as caring, business
administration, catering, tourism, hairdressing, sport,
motor vehicle work, building, engineering, ICT – and
dozens more. Often these are taken part time, alongside
a job or through a Modern Apprenticeship.
A Levels (AS and A2) are available in lots of different
subjects and can be an advanced level gateway either to employment
or to higher education.
u AVCEs (or vocational A levels) provide broad, advanced
level knowledge of occupational areas such as business, health
and social care, leisure etc. and they too are a recognised
route to either employment or higher education.
AVCEs (or vocational A levels) provide broad, advanced level
knowledge of occupational areas such as business, health
and social care, leisure etc. and they too are a recognised
route to either employment or higher education.
General
National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) help you develop
a broad knowledge of an occupational area. Choose from
a range, including Art & Design,
Business, Leisure & Tourism, Science, ICT etc. They
are available at foundation or intermediate level and usually
include a period of work experience.
GCSEs and vocational GCSEs can also be studied after
year 11, usually combined with other courses.
Ways of Studying
Full-time Study Includes every course that you do
for more than 16 hours a week.
Part-time Study Every course under 16 hours a week.
Day release and evening classes are part-time study.
If
you decide that you would like to continue in full-time education
beyond year 11, you need to think carefully about the options.
The main options are:
Stay on at school – this can be your original
school or 6th form.
Go to college.
You may have a very specific course
or subject combination in mind and this may dictate where
you study. Do your research. Talk to your Personal Adviser
or contact Careersdirect on 01274 829429, www.careersdirect.org.uk
about local further education provision, read the college
prospectuses (course information booklets) and visit the
colleges – most have open evenings, or will allow visits
for individuals to look around. For local colleges (see 'education'
local addresses drop down menu at the
top of this page).
Sixth Forms and Sixth Form Colleges Courses on offer include: A’ Levels, AS Levels,
GCSEs, GNVQs, AVCEs.
Colleges of Further Education (sometimes called tertiary colleges or technical colleges),
offer A levels and GCSEs, GNVQs, AVCEs and numerous full-
time and part-time vocational courses.
Higher Education This is generally entered at 18 or older. The vast majority
of people who go in to higher education at a university or
college of higher education have done some further education.
Training
Why is training important?
Training is important because it gives you the
qualifications and skills that you will need to get, and
keep, a job. Having work experience and qualifications
improves the chances of getting promotion or a better job.
Remember! In the future there will be fewer jobs for people
who do not have the right training and qualifications.
It is a fact of life that more and more jobs need people
with training and qualifications.
What if training isn’t available?
All 16 -18 year olds are guaranteed some form of training.
Whether or not you get a job - training is available for
all 16 and 17 year olds who have left full-time education.
Remember to ask at your local Connexions Centre/Access
Point. (see 'education'
local addresses drop down menu at the
top of this page).
Modern Apprenticeships
Take a closer look . . .
With Modern Apprenticeships
(MAs), candidates who are 16 years or older will get ‘on-the-job’ training
in any one of many industry sectors, from animal care to
security.
Most offer full-time employment,
and you can expect to be paid a wage.
While undertaking
MAs, you will also be learning
Key Skills, such as using new technology, working in teams,
problem solving, numeracy and communications – in fact,
all the things you will need to succeed in today’s
workplace.
MAs will help you develop a wide range of skills
for your chosen career, as well as gain important vocational
qualifications (NVQs) *See page 95 for more information
on NVQs.
They also offer a wide range of career options,
as MAs now cover over 80 sectors – from telecommunications
and museums, to accountancy and insurance.
In West Yorkshire,
you can work towards an NVQ as part of your job. You
will either be given a training allowance
or receive a wage from your employer, and will be given
time during the normal working week to carry on learning – sometimes
at your place of work, sometimes at a college, and sometimes
with a local training provider.
What’s more, Modern
Apprenticeships are now accepted as a recognised career
route across many sectors
of industry and commerce.
There is no time limit, so you
can take as long as you need to get qualified, providing
you can complete
your training before you turn 25.
There is also scope for
advancement. Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, which focus
on NVQ level 2 (qualifications
that show you are able to work as an operative or in semi-skilled
jobs) can lead to Advanced Modern Apprenticeships, which
focus on *NVQ level 3 (qualifications which mean that you
should be able to work as a technician, or in skilled and
supervisory roles).
Where to find out more . . .
Visit your local Connexions Centre/ Access Point (see 'education' local
addresses drop down menu at the top of this page) and
talk to a Personal Adviser about which training organisations
would suit you best, and then fill in your
application form. You can fill in several application forms
to keep your options open.
If you have difficulty filling in application forms,
then someone from the Connexions Centre/ Access Point or
Information Shop for Young People will help you through
the process.
Ask at your local Connexions Centre/ Access Point
about NVQs and Modern Apprenticeships.
Modern Apprenticeships
The modern approach to fulfilling
your ambitions!
Who actually provides the training?
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) West Yorkshire, uses
a range of professional organisations to provide high-quality
training for young people who live in the West Yorkshire
area. Organisations such as:
Colleges of Further Education
National and Local Employers
Companies that specialise in training
Local Authorities and Voluntary Organisations
All these qualifications
sound good, but what exactly are they?
Vocational Training
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)
are directly linked to work. They are divided into five levels.
Qualifications at each of these five levels closely relate
to types of work and occupations.
Level 1 qualifications show that you have the foundation
skills for an occupation.
Level 2 qualifications show that you are able to work as
an operative or in semi-skilled jobs.
Level 3 qualifications should mean that you are able to
work as a technician, or in skilled and supervisory jobs.
Level 4 qualifications can lead to more technical roles
and junior management occupations.
Level 5 qualifications are right for chartered,
professional and senior management occupations.
All NVQs are work-related and are based on the ability
to do actual tasks and know why you do them. They are divided
into units, each covering a particular part of your job.
NVQs are available to anyone at any age or stage of their
career, and you can start at whatever level suits you.
There are no formal entry requirements preventing you
from
starting - although the higher levels need more experience.
There are no strict time limits.
General Vocational Education
These qualifications can be worked for
in many schools and most colleges. General National Vocational
Qualifications (GNVQs) are all related to the work and jobs.
The courses are designed to give you the general skills you
need for jobs within broad areas of work - such as art and
design, hospitality and catering, or engineering.
There are three levels to GNVQs: foundation, intermediate
and the ‘vocational A level’ (otherwise known
as the advanced GNVQ). All courses involve coursework and
exams. This means you build up the qualification in units,
and can retake parts if you need to. Each GNVQ has compulsory
units that you have to take, together with some optional
units to choose from.
GNVQs also help you gain general experience and knowledge
in some key areas that will help when you get a job. Working
towards a GNVQ will develop your skills in communication,
information technology and the application of numbers.
Advanced GNVQs (or vocational A levels) are now available.
These are qualifications that are taken as either 12 units
(leading to a qualification about the same as two A levels),
or as 6 units (leading to a qualification about the same
as one A level). There are also awards in business, engineering,
health & social care and IT. These are 3 unit awards
- they are called vocational AS levels.
What is available at Vocational A level?
Art & Design, Business, Construction
and the Built Environment, Engineering, Health and Social
Care, Catering and Hospitality, Information Technology, Land
and
Environment, Leisure and Recreation, Manufacturing, Media:
Communications and Production, Performing Arts, Retail and
Distributive Services, Science, Travel and Tourism and many
more.
I have a job, but no qualifications.
Can I get time off for studying or training?
If you’ve got a job; you’re aged 16 or 17; you
are not at school or college full time; and you have not already
got a qualification at ‘level 2’, then this could
be your chance to get a qualification that will help you in
your future career - and it doesn’t have to be directly
connected with the job you’re doing now.
Level 2 here means:
5 GCSEs grades A* to C, or
an NVQ level 2, or
an Intermediate GNVQ, or
another specified qualification,
such as a BTEC First.
You may be legally entitled to paid time off during normal
working hours to study or train for a qualification.
To find out more about the right to time off for study or
training, contact Careersdirect on 01274 829429 or your local
Connexions Centre/ Access Point (see 'education' local
addresses drop down menu at the top of this page).
If your employer refuses to let you have time off, you are
entitled to complain to an employment tribunal. You can get
advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau, Law Centre,
a solicitor, or your Trade Union.
Connexions Centre / Access Point (see 'education' local
addresses drop down menu at the top of this page)
(especially for vacancies for under 20 year olds). Some Connexions
Centres also offer job-club type activities to help with
letters
of application and CVs .
Jobcentres (see 'money' local addresses
drop down menu at the top of this page).
Tend to specialise in jobs for people over 18, but may have
vacancies for people of any age.
Local and National Newspapers
Tend to advertise every day, but may have a special day, when
they have more job vacancies than others.
Other things that are well worth doing are:
Calling into firms and leaving a CV
Call in to companies you are interested in working for.
Even if a vacancy has not been advertised, some firms
will keep your name on file and call you in for an interview
if a vacancy arises.
Writing a ‘Speculative Letter’ (See
letters of application).
This means writing to a place you would consider working
for, even if a job has not been advertised. Again, they
may keep your letter
on file and contact you later.
Ask around
Let friends, family and neighbours know what you are looking
for. Ask them to tell you if they hear of anything, or
if vacancies crop up at their firms.
Keep your eyes peeled
Sometimes firms will simply put a card in their window
or a local shop window to advertise vacancies.
CVs are basically up to date information about you and your
experience. A number of job vacancies ask applicants to ‘send
a CV in order to apply’. Try to keep your CV to one
side of A4 paper – 2 sides at the very most. This is
because employers are more likely to read a brief to-the-point
CV than one which is too wordy.
If possible, get your CV typed or word-processed, and several
copies made (keep the original so that you can make more
copies if needed).
You can type a CV out for free or have one typed at the
Information Shop for Young People - See Introduction. www.bradford.gov.uk/infoshop
EXAMPLE CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME:
Full name
DATE OF BIRTH:
Date Month Year
ADDRESS:
Full address including your postcode
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Local code and number
EDUCATION: Arrange the information in columns like
this:
High school or college attended / Date started / Date
finished
QUALIFICATIONS: Again, use the following columns:
Name of the Exam
Subject taken
Date taken
Result
Eg. GCSE
Mathematics
June 2000
C
Include both full and part time
courses
Tip -
if you did not take any exams, make this a ‘subjects
studied’ section instead and list the subjects that you
took at school. Write ‘awaiting results’ if your
results have not yet arrived.
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING: Columns again!
Name of Company
date started
Date finished
What your job was
Eg. Woolworths
August 2001
May 2001
Saturday Sales Assistant
Include any
part-time
work, holiday jobs, voluntary work and work experience
that you have done in this section if it looks a bit thin!
INTERESTS AND HOBBIES:
Write a few sentences about
what you do in your free time eg. clubs that you belong to,
hobbies - reading, going to the cinema, swimming etc. You
could include any particular awards - such as The Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award.
REFERENCES:
Put the names, addresses and telephone
numbers of two people who could give you a reference. This
could be a former teacher, employer, training provider,
or
a family friend. It should not be a relative.
Letters of Application
Some jobs want applicants to write a letter of application.
Points to note here are:
Your address and the date - top right hand
side of the letter.
Address of the person you are writing to
on the left hand side, starting on the line below the
date.
If
you know the name of the person you are writing to, use
it (i.e. ‘Dear Ms Bloggs’). If you don’t
know their name, write ‘Dear Sir / Madam’.
Make it clear which job you are applying
for and where you saw the advert or how you heard about
it.
Write a few sentences about why you are interested
in the job.
Enclose a CV if you have one
If you do not have
a CV, give some basic facts about yourself, such as
what
subjects you studied at school, or what exams you have
taken or passed; and any relevant work experience you
have done.
Say when you would be able to attend for
an interview.
Finish the letter ‘Yours sincerely’ if
you used the person’s name; ‘Yours faithfully’
if you wrote ‘Dear Sir or Madam’
Speculative letter: write something like, ‘I
am writing to enquire whether you have any
vacancies for sales assistants’
You can type out letters of application for free at the
Information Shop for Young People - See www.bradford.gov.uk/infoshop
Most firms have a clear procedure on what to do if you are
sick. If in doubt, the best thing to do is to telephone as
soon as possible (or ask someone else to do it for you) to
explain why you will not be in and let them know when you
hope to get back to work.
An increasing number of jobs are available part-time, or
as job-shares (where you literally share your job with someone
else - where you finish, they take up the tasks you were doing).
This can be a useful way of working if you have other commitments
to meet, or are unable to work full-time.
However, you obviously
don’t earn as much as you would fulltime.
Check with a local Welfare Benefits Advice Agency, CAB or
Benefits Agency (DSS) (see 'you and your rights'
local addresses drop down menu at the top of this page)
if you will be able to claim any benefits to supplement
your
income.
Self Employment
One option you have is to work for yourself, either now
or in the future after completing further education or training.
In general, there are more agencies that offer business support,
grants, money and loans to people aged over 18. It’s
worth considering this when timing your entry to the world
of small business!
One Agency which offers support to people
aged 16-25 is Livewire. Write to them at:
They offer information and link you with a local advisor
to
help you develop a Business Plan.
A major source of support for
18-25 year olds (up to aged 30 for business support) is
The Prince’s Trust, a charity which
offers advice and finance. Contact The Trust at:
The Prince’s Trust
First Floor,
King Charles II House,
Headlands Rd,
Pontefract
WF8 1DD
Tel: 01977 698000
Other starting points that
can give you help are your local Business Link Enterprise
Agency, local Connexions Centres, (see 'money' local
addresses drop down menu at the top of this page) who
can help you identify other appropriate sources of finance
and business advice. The Inland Revenue Business Support
Team offer a range of free beginners courses for new and
small employers on all aspects of tax and national insurance.
Tel: 01422 262 679.
There are more opportunities now to work in countries in
the European Union, as UK nationals have the right to work
in these countries without the need for a work permit. It
is easier for those over 18 and for those who can speak the
language of the country they would like to work in. However,
it may be possible to find summer jobs, even if you do not
speak another language.
Useful publications:
"Working Holidays" and "Summer
Jobs Abroad"
available at the local libraries, Connexions Centres and
bookshops.
"Euro Facts", "Global
Facts", and
the Exodus database all give information about working, studying
and
training in Europe and further afield. Produced by Careers
Europe, this information is available in your local Connexions
Centre or from the Information Shops for Young People. You
can also get information on working/studying in Europe and
abroad in general, together with advice about your best options.
It is also possible to look for work in Europe through the
Job Centre Network, ask about the EURES network and staff
should be able to provide lists of jobs in other European
countries. Alternatively, you could check the websites;
Working Holiday Visas may be available to spend time in
countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Japan for those
between the ages of 18 and 30. Work USA and Work Canada visas
are also available but these are only generally available
for full time students or those who will be full time students.
Contact the Information Shop for Young People - www.bradford.gov.uk/infoshop for
further information.
The Prince’s Trust offers grants of up to £450
to 18-25 year olds (not students or graduates) to take part
in European volunteer activities or to develop their own. (See
also 'go
and see' grants). Write to:
The
Prince’s Trust
18 Park Square East,
London,
NW1 4LH.
Tel: 020 7543 1234 or 0800 842 842 for free
advice and
information.
Alternatives
Taking a Year Out
A ‘year out’ is a period of time
when you can take time away from formal work, education or
training. People spend it in different ways, such as going
on expeditions, doing voluntary work in the UK or abroad,
or working to earn money.
It is most common to take a year out between further education
and going to university, at the age of 18, but it’s perfectly
possible to do it at other times too. It’s worth checking
what university admissions tutors think if you are thinking
of taking a year out before university.
Plan your year out. A year of staying in bed or watching
telly won’t be regarded well. Also, you need to apply
early for some opportunities.
Another useful contact is:
The British Council Education & Training Group
10 Spring Gardens,
London,
SW1A 2BN.
Voluntary Work at Home &
Abroad (see also Leisure)
For
information on voluntary work in general, ask at your local
Volunteer Bureau , or Community Service
Volunteers (CSV) (see 'leisure' local addresses
drop down menu at the top of this page).
Volunteering isn’t just working for nothing, it’s
a way of getting valuable experience that could help you
get a job or college place. You gain in lots of other ways
- new skills, training, the satisfaction that you’ve
helped someone else, the chance to make new friends and basically
HAVE FUN!!. There are lots of ways to get involved from traditional
placements with voluntary organisations to campaigning, community
action and overseas work. There is also the opportunity to
develop your own project in a group or individually and grants
are available to help you develop and implement your own
ideas.
A number of opportunities exist for volunteering, both
at home and further afield. The local Volunteer Bureau can
offer
information, advice and support. (see 'leisure'
local addresses drop down menu at the top of this page)
You
may want to volunteer full-time or part-time. Many full-
time opportunities include ‘pocket money’ and accommodation.
The choice of activities is very varied
including: child care; youth and community work; teaching
English; supporting people with disabilities; conservation
and environmental projects; sports/outdoor activities and
catering/hotel work. The list goes on and on and your local
volunteer bureau can help you decide.
or contact: Volunteer Development England
New Oxford House, 16 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5UG.
Tel: 0121 633 4555 www.vde.org.uk
MILLENNIUM VOLUNTEERS – GET MV ON YOUR CV!!
Millennium Volunteers (MV) offers support to 16-24 years
who want to become involved in voluntary work in their local
community. MV can provide contacts and support for all types
of voluntary opportunities which can lead to a nationally
recognised award.
MV works with individuals and local youth led projects
across Bradford.
International Voluntary Service North
Castle House,
21
Otley Road, Leeds LS6 3AA. Tel: 0113 230 4600 www.ivs-gb.org.uk
The European voluntary service programme offers
grants to 15 to 25 year olds to undertake voluntary
work
placements in Europe. Further information is
available from:
Connect Youth International
The British Council, 10, Spring
Gardens, London, SW1A 2BN. Tel: 020 7389 4030 www.connectyouthinternational.com
Not Working
How much of an ‘alternative’ this
is depends on individual circumstances. It may be that you
want to work, but can’t because of a lack of jobs,
other responsibilities, illness or disability; or it could
be that
you have made a positive choice to have some “time out”.
If you are 16 or 17 it is important to register for work
with the Connexions Centre, for two reasons:
Job vacancies and help with job search.
To get any benefits you may be entitled to.
For general
Social Security advice, contact a local Welfare Benefits
Agency or a CAB (see 'you
and your rights' local addresses drop
down menu at
the top of this page).
If you are thinking about leaving
a job or training place, look before you leap! Find
out from the Connexions Centre if you can get any benefit
before
you leave. You can register at the Connexions Centre
even if you are in a job or training place, which could
enable
you to get fixed up with something else before leaving.
The
main choices available to 16 and 18 are: 
There are lots of different choices
to be made and options to be considered when you reach school
leaving age. Do you stay at school? Go to college? Leave
education
and look at what Modern Apprenticeships and training have
to offer? Whatever you choose, it is likely that you will
need
to do some further training, as most employers now require
skilled, better trained people – and may offer young
people the chance to gain additional skills and qualifications
whilst working for them. Support and advice is available
to help you with career planning and to guide you through
the
options.
These allow
you to qualify for a particular job or jobs. They may be
awarded by organisations such as EDEXCEL (formerly BTEC),
AQA (The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) and OCR
(Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations). 
If
you decide that you would like to continue in full-time education
beyond year 11, you need to think carefully about the options.
The main options are:
For
information on voluntary work in general, ask at your local
Volunteer Bureau , or Community Service
Volunteers (CSV) (see 'leisure'