2018 Cycle FUTURES DAY - The Thomas Hardye School Professional Pathways

2018 Cycle

              FUTURES DAY
The Thomas Hardye School
     Professional Pathways

Contents
Apprenticeships…………………………………………………………………………………………3

Employability…………………………………………………………………………………………….6

Employment……………………………………………………………………………………………..8

Work experience………………………………………………………………………………………..9

Introduction
Welcome to THS Futures: Professional Pathways

The aim of these sessions is to make you aw are of your option after THS. This booklet is
concerned with Professional Pathways and routes into the w orld of w ork and provides
essential guidance for those of you interested in w anting to ‘earn and learn’ through an
apprenticeship, apply for a job or if you are planning to study a more v ocational subject at
univ ersity, this booklet will give you an insight to some of the employability skills and
experience that w ill equip you for your future degree (e.g. medicine, architecture,
accounting, healthcare, engineering, law, teaching etc.) Ultimately, however, there should
be something here for ev eryone, as most of you w ill be going into the w orld of work at
some point!

We encourage you participate fully in the sessions, read carefully through the booklet and
begin researching the different pathw ays yourself as there are some exciting changes
afoot, particularly as the gov ernment plans to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020 and
are introducing a new apprenticeship levy to fund this inv estment. With all this backing, it
has got to be an option w orth exploring and w e wish you the v ery best of luck in finding a
path that is right for you and your future.

Best w ishes

Mrs V Needham

Professional Pathways Coordinator

v needham@thomas-hardye.net

                                                                                        1|Page

Apprenticeships

What is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a real job w ith training w hich would allow you to earn while you learn,
w hilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification.

Ov er 150,000 employers are currently offering apprenticeships in more than 200,000
locations, covering more than 170 industries across the UK including aerospace,
accountancy, adv ertising, business management, construction, engineering, finance,
human resources, law, manufacturing, public relations and much, much more.

Apprenticeships take between one and six years to complete and are now available up to
degree level and beyond. Apprenticeships therefore offer a credible alternative to
university, w ith the qualifications to match.

The gov ernment see apprenticeships as the future and plan to create 3 million
apprenticeships by 2020 and are introducing a new apprenticeship levy to fund this
inv estment.

What are the benefits of doing an apprenticeship?

    Earning a salary w ith paid holiday
    Training in the skills employers w ant
    Excellent progression opportunities, whether looking to study further or climb the
       ranks w ithin the w orkplace
    Job security, 90% of apprentices stay in employment w ith 7 in 10 staying w ith the
       same employer
    I ncreased future earning potential – apprentices enjoy marked salary increases
       w hen they complete their training, and those completing a higher apprenticeship
       could see increased earnings of an estimated £150,000 ov er their lifetime
    Learning at a pace suited to the indiv idual w ith the support of a mentor
    No univ ersity debts: if you choose a degree apprenticeship you’ll be earning for the
       duration of your apprenticeship and in most instances, there are no tuition fees to
       pay as these are paid by the employer and gov ernment.

                                                                                    2|Page

What are the different types of apprenticeship?

There are v arious levels of apprenticeship you can undertake depending on your current
skills and qualifications:

What are the new degree apprenticeships?

They are similar to higher apprenticeships, but differ in that they prov ide an opportunity to
gain a full bachelor’s (Lev el 6) or master’s degree (Lev el 7). The courses are designed in
partnership w ith employers, w ith part-time study taking place at a univ ersity. They can take
betw een three to six years to complete, depending on the lev el of the course. At the
moment, the scheme only operates across England and Wales, although applications may
be made from all parts of the UK.

Competition for apprenticeships can be tough — partly because there are often only a
limited number of v acancies available, particularly on higher and the new degree level
apprenticeships, but also because school/college leavers and adults already in
employment w ill be able to apply to them too. Employers may also be considering
applications from existing employees, w ho may be applying for apprenticeships for the
career progression opportunities they can offer.

For a list of degree apprenticeships that are currently available, go to
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/apprenticeships-uk/degree-
and-professional-apprenticeships

                                                                                    3|Page

How and w hen w ill I study?

   Learning is completed on a day-release basis, one day a w eek or in a block-release of
    sev eral days at a univ ersity, college or training provider. There are also opportunities for
    distance learning through online modules.
   Training could be classroom-based or in the w orkplace.
   This enables you to dev elop the knowledge and skills you need, w hile the employer
    prov ides the practical experience to put those skills to the test.

What qualifications w ill I gain?

Apprenticeships are at least 12 months long — they lead to a national, recognised
qualification and follow a 'framework' developed by Sector Skills Councils. Most include:

   national vocational qualification (NVQ) — e.g. Lev el 2 for intermediate level
    apprenticeships, Level 3 for adv anced level apprenticeships
   knowledge-based qualification — such as a higher national certificate (HNC), higher
    national diploma (HND), or foundation degree
   technical certificate — such as a BTEC or City & Guilds progression award
   From September 2015, some univ ersities started offering degree
    apprenticeships — these are new and enable apprentices to achieve a full bachelor's
    or master's degree.

What could I do after an apprenticeship?

After completing an apprenticeship, you could continue to train for an advanced, higher,
or degree level apprenticeship, or a related v ocational qualification. Alternatively, you
could go on to univ ersity, or take a professional qualification that leads to a specific job
role.

A City & Guilds report found that almost 20% of employers have former apprentices
working in board level positions, w ith long term career progression not the reserve of those
w ho hav e attended university. Indeed, the report stated that half (51%) of companies
stated that it takes an apprentice approximately five years to reach management level.
According to the same report, almost 9 in 10 (87%) apprentices ‘strongly agree’ that they
feel more confident in their own abilities as a result of undertaking their apprenticeship.

                                                                                      4|Page

So how do I apply?

Many apprenticeships are advertised on the National
Apprenticeship Service website.

There are 3 easy steps to applying for an apprenticeship.

   1. Search for an apprenticeship.
   2. Sign in or create an account.
   3. Complete and submit your application.

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch

You can also search for current apprenticeship vacancies on the
UCAS career finder website:

https://careerfinder.ucas.com/jobs/apprenticeship/#browsing

Or alternatively, search on the notgoingtouni website:

http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/apprenticeships-223

For the top 10 apprenticeship employers in 2015 (listed by sector):

http://www.apprenticeshipcareers.co.uk/top-apprenticeship-employers-2015.html

Also search on individual websites to find out if they are offering apprenticeships:

Colleges: Kingston Maurward/ Weymouth/ Poole/ Bournemouth/ Yeov il

Businesses: JP Morgan, Dyson, Mercedes, Barclays, Royal Mail, IBM, BT, Wessex Water,
Sunseeker, Agusta Westland, Marks and Spencer, BAE Systems, John Lew is, Greene King

Public sector: NHS, local gov ernment

School and media: check the Futures page on the school portal, local and national
new spapers, and use your personal network to ask around

                                                                                   5|Page

For more adv ice on how to apply:

A Guide to Apprenticeships

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-guide-to-apprenticeships

Get In, Go Far - Apprenticeships: how to get your career going

https://www.getingofar.gov.uk/

Amazing Apprenticeships

http://www.amazingapprenticeships.com/apprenticeship-films/

UCAS, How to find the right apprenticeship for you

https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/apprenticeships-uk/how-find-
and-apply-apprenticeships/how-find

Employability
What are employability skills?

These are the skills, attributes and strengths that w ill help you get on in the w orld of work.
Whether you are looking for an apprenticeship, full time employment after Sixth Form, a
summer job w hilst at univ ersity, a graduate scheme or ev en applying for a more v ocational
course at univ ersity, you w ill be expected to have at least some of the skills, or the potential
to acquire the skills needed to do the job.

 Read through the top 10 employability skills on the next page:

        Which are your areas of strength?
        Which areas do you need to dev elop? How might you do this?

        What w ould you say in your 30 second elev ator pitch?

                                                                                        6|Page

7|Page

Employment

You may w ish to leav e education entirely at the end of Year13 and go into employment.
Go to the National Careers Service website for adv ice on doing this – particularly useful
tools include the ‘skills health check’, guidance on how to search and apply for jobs, the
excellent CV builder tool and also tips on how to succeed at interviews.

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/youngpeople/Pages/Youngpeople.aspx

But w hat jobs are there in Dorset?

Dorset is home to a fantastic range of employers from big household names to exciting
emerging brands – names like LV, J.P. Morgan, Barclays, Balfour Beatty, Sunseeker, RNLI
Lifeboats, Dorset Cereals, Lush, Olives et Al to name just a few . To find out more, pick up a
copy of ‘Decisions, Decisions’ magazine from the Sixth Form Centre w hich is full of
guidance and support on how to search and apply for jobs, The top 10 employment
sectors in Dorset in 2015 w ere:

   1. Health (including care) 47,900
   2. Retail 36,500
   3. Manufacturing 31,200
   4. Education 30,000
   5. Accommodation and food services 29,900
   6. Professional, scientific and technical 17,900
   7. Business administration and support services 17,000
   8. Construction 15,700
   9. Finance and insurance 14,900
   10. Public administration and defence 14,600

To search for employment, there are hundreds w ebsites and agencies available. A good
starting point might be the Dorset Echo http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/ but also look at:

Jobsite http://www.jobsite.co.uk/jobs/dorset

Indeed http://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs-in-Dorset

Universal Jobmatch https://www.gov.uk/jobsearch.

                                                                                    8|Page

Work experience
What is w ork experience?

I t is the opportunity to learn from and w ork alongside experienced people as they go
about their daily tasks. You’ll dev elop skills, make contacts, and learn more about the kind
of jobs you’d like to do. Find out more about the different types of work experience on the
Prospects website:

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/work-experience-and-internships

What w ill I gain from w ork experience?

Whatev er type of w ork experience you get, you’ll learn a lot and it will help improve your
CV. Employers sometimes see people w ith no w ork experience as a risk, so it's your chance
to show them that you hav e w hat it takes in the w orkplace, and get a reference to support
future applications.

Work experience can also be particularly valuable if you are applying to study more
vocational courses at university such as medicine, v eterinary medicine, dentistry,
healthcare, architecture, accounting, engineering, law and teaching as these can be
highly competitiv e and it is a good w ay of setting yourself apart from other students as w ell
as finding out more about the course you about to embark upon!

How do I arrange work experience?

All placements need to be arranged v ia Mrs Weir (DASP work experience coordinator)
w hose office is based in the library. You w ill need to complete a form outlining your
interests, then meet w ith Mrs Weir to discuss your placement options before searching
through the database. Once you hav e chosen where you would like to do your w ork
experience, she w ill make the necessary arrangements and you w ill need to complete a
leav e of absence form (av ailable from the Sixth Form office) w ell in adv ance of the days
you w ill be out of school. Please also ensure you collect any class/homework so you don’t
get behind in your studies. You are strongly encouraged to keep a w ork experience diary
to record and reflect on w hat you have learnt from your placement as this can be a really
useful resource to draw upon when applying for jobs or courses at a later date.

                                                                                     9|Page

Support and additional links

How can I get more indiv idual support?

For one-to-one adv ice and guidance on any aspect of your future career, education or
training post-Year 13, you can make an appointment with our Ansbury careers advisor
Clare Hymas. Appointment slips are av ailable outside the Connexions room (dow nstairs in
the H block next to the I T technicians room) so pick up a form and take a step closer to
defining your future.

Additional links:

For more information on apprenticeships and employment, use the links listed in this
booklet and accompanying Powerpoint to research your options. There is a w hole wealth
of information and opportunities out there! You may also w ish to explore the following:

I f univ ersity isn’t for you, there are lots of other routes you may
w ish to consider on this w ebsite http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/

For the latest opportunities for college leavers and 6th
formers, information on higher education and careers, check
out Loud magazine. Once you’v e signed up you w ill receive
4 issues per year for free http://www.loudmag.co.uk/

For information on school leav er jobs,
apprenticeships, internships, placements, student
jobs, graduate careers and more, check out
http://www.thebigchoice.com/

                                                                                 10 | P a g e