At the end of Year 11 you will be completing your final GCSE exams but that doesn’t mean it is the end of your educational journey. Young people now need to stay in some form of education or training until they are at least 18. The good news is you have options available to you. 

 

Option 1:  School Sixth Form 

Most of our Year 11 students stay on for sixth form at Greenford High School to study a range of A levels and BTEC qualifications, but there are also many other local sixth forms you can consider. When choosing your options think about the following:

• Your grades: what do you need at GCSE to get onto the course? If you’re unsure, speak to your subject teacher in Year 11!
• Your interests: what do you really like doing? Post-16 is a great time to study a subject in more depth including lots of reading around the subject so choose wisely!
• Your future plans: thinking of going to university or have a career in mind?  Look now at the entry requirements for the course/ career you want to have

Interested in this? 

• Speak to your subject teachers
• Attend the Year 11 subject fair and come armed with questions
• If applicable start researching other sixth forms to see what courses they offer and what their entry requirements are.

Option 2: College

Colleges are not attached to schools, and some prefer the fresh start they offer. Colleges usually offer A levels, NVQs, Diplomas and Foundation Learning. Some colleges are specialist eg. you might have a catering college that specialises in cookery courses.

Interested in this? 

• From the beginning of the year start researching colleges to see what courses they offer and what their entry requirements are
• Make an appointment with the careers advisor or speak to Miss Westcott about local colleges 

Option 3: Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship allows you to work for an employer, earning a wage and studying for a qualification (eg an NVQ) at the same time. You would be linked with a college or training provider  to help you complete your course

Interested in this? 

• From the beginning of the year start researching apprenticeships to see what is available and what  the entry requirements are
• Make an appointment with the careers advisor or speak to Miss Westcott about local colleges 

More information

When am I doing all of this? Check out this handy Year 11 timeline!

Want more info? Check out the following links:

• Government apprenticeships site 
• Amazing Apprenticeships  

...Or watch the following videos:

Apprenticeships in a nutshell:

Apprenticeship case study:

 

Everyone knows what a doctor, fireman and teacher are but do you have any idea what a Political risk underwriter or an ethical trade manager does all day?! The world of work is huge! But luckily there are also a huge amount of resources out there to help you choose the kind of job that might be right for you. 

Where to start?

Think about your personality - what do you like doing? Personality quizzes might be a good place to start if you’re unsure of what you want to do. Try this easy one as a starting point!

Research

This one is huge! There are lots of places to look. There are some great sources of information online - look at our Careers links and resources page for inspiration. 

Ask around

Research doesn’t have to be online: talk to those around you: parents, extended family and friends could all have valuable information about different jobs to share with you!

Get some experience

if you’re old enough get a part time job or do some volunteering (schemes like NCS or Duke of Edinburgh help you with this). Alternatively, ask a friend or family member if you can shadow them at work for a day during the school holidays.  See some more tips for finding work experience below!

Still unsure?

Speak to your teachers, Year team, the school careers advisor or Miss Westcott.

As the name suggests, work experience is all about gaining some insight into different workplaces and careers. It can take many forms but usually consists of  a student going to a workplace for a period of time, and carrying out typical duties to get a feel for what that sector or job is like. 

Finding work experience can seem daunting but there are many different routes you can go down

Speak to parents, carers, friends and family members

You may be lucky enough to already know someone who works in the sector you are interested in. If so, approach them and ask if you can come in to “shadow” (observe) them at work or to get a work experience placement with them. If you are unsure about what you want to do, but want to get a range of experience in different fields, your personal network (friends, family etc.) are a good place to start. Don’t forget to ensure that the workplace you are going to has the correct insurance and health and safety measures in place. If you are unsure about this, speak to Miss Westcott.

Volunteer

You may not realise it, but volunteering can be a form of work experience and actually help you develop lots of employability skills.  Eg. If you are interested in a sales job, see if you can volunteer at your local charity shop.

Common places  you could volunteer include:

• Places of worship (Mosques, Churches, Gurudwaras etc.)
• Charity shops
• Animal shelters
• Kids’ clubs
• Environmental organisations
• At school 

For more information about volunteering  visit Target Careers' page on volunteering for teens.

Look for opportunities advertised in school

Large companies often run work experience placements for students. Often these can be competitive and you will need to submit an application. To get access to these opportunities listen out for them advertised in form time, check the VLE, check the GHS Careers Twitter @GHS Futures (Careers), check the careers noticeboard located outside DS07, or speak to Miss Westcott.

Try a virtual work experience programme

Many companies now offer virtual work experience and e-learning programmes which allow you to gain employability skills and an understanding of what a certain job might be like. These programmes are often free and inclusive so are a great option if  you are unsure about what to do.  

For more information on work experience, check out the following:

• Success at school work experience ideas
• Prospects: Work experience and internships 
• Get My First Job: Work experience
• My World of Work: Work experience

Important disclaimer: If you are doing experience at a workplace, the employer may need to have certain insurance or legal protocols in place to take you on for a placement. If you are unsure of this please speak to Miss Westcott before you begin your placement. 

If you are applying for a job or a work experience programme, the chances are you will have to submit a CV and/or a covering letter. These are different documents which aim to convince an employer that you are the right person for the job or programme. 

CV

This stands for curriculum vitae and  is a document which lays out your relevant skills, qualifications and interests. Look at the Student Job website to see an example and start building your own CV.

Covering letter

This is a letter that  you submit along with your CV. In this letter you must explain why you want the job or programme offer, and why you would be good for the role. Eg. if the job description mentions that the job requires organisation skills, your covering letter should demonstrate that you have these. 

For more information on CVs and Covering letters, look at this BBC Bitesize feature. 

To find out about the latest opportunities for your year group:

• Listen out for careers bulletins and updates in form time and on your form google classroom
• Follow GHS Futures (Careers) on twitter 
• Speak to our Careers Leader Miss Westcott