CAREERS SERVICE - A YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE - NIDirect
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CAREERS SERVICE
I WANT TO
WHAT CAN BE MY
I WANT I STUDY AT OWN BOSS
HOW DO I TO BE AN
COLLEGE?
APPLY FOR ENGINEER CAN I DO AN
UNIVERSITY? APPRENTICESHIP?
A YOUNG PERSON’S GUIDEINDEX
The Careers Service 3
Careers Guidance Interview 4
Subject Choices at Year 10 6
Options after Year 12 7
Understanding the Different Options after Year 14 10
Skills In Demand 13
Employment 14
Work Experience 15
Transferable Skills 16
Voluntary Work 21
2THE CAREERS SERVICE
The Department for the •b ecome aware of the skills
Economy’s Careers Service required to achieve your career
provides professional and goals and be better prepared
impartial careers advice and to achieve them;
guidance to help you make • feel more confident about making
informed choices about your decisions regarding your career;
future career. and
•u nderstand the importance of
Our service is delivered by considering current and future
professionally qualified careers job opportunities in career
advisers based in Careers Resource decision making.
Centres, JobCentres and Jobs
& Benefits Offices throughout How do I contact a careers
Northern Ireland and you can adviser?
also find information online at •A sk your careers teacher to
www.nidirect.gov.uk/careers arrange an interview for you
with a careers adviser
Careers advisers can help you (if you are still at school).
with the following: • L og on to www.nidirect.gov.uk/
• c hoosing subjects for study services/chat-with-a-careers-
at school, college or university adviser to webchat with a careers
• c urrent and future job trends adviser (Monday to Friday,
• job search techniques 9.30am to 4.30pm) or ask
•C Vs questions online.
•a pplication forms •P hone 0300 200 7820 to
• interview preparation speak with an adviser (Monday
•w orking overseas / gap years to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm).
• s easonal / voluntary work • Go to www.nidirect.gov.uk/
contacts/careers-services
Careers guidance can help for details of your nearest
you to: careers office.
• k now more about your career
options;
3CAREERS GUIDANCE INTERVIEW
A careers guidance interview •e xplore current and future job
is a one-to-one meeting with opportunities;
a professionally qualified •u nderstand the processes of
careers adviser and can last job search, writing a CV and
approximately 20 - 45 minutes. going for interviews;
The interview is not like a job •e xplore your interests, likes
interview – there are no right and dislikes, family influences,
or wrong answers. barriers and work experience; and
• think about how study, work
Where will it take place? experience, home-life etc can all
If you are a student your interview contribute to your employability.
will most likely take place in your
school or college, however, if you The careers adviser can provide
are no longer in education you can you with:
meet with an adviser in your local •a ccurate and up-to-date
careers office. information;
• the opportunity, if appropriate,
What will be discussed? to complete a personality-based
During a guidance interview the assessment;
careers adviser can help you to: •a lternative sources of information
•b roaden and challenge your and help if required; and
career ideas; •a n action plan to help you move
• identify your personal qualities forward.
and skills;
• identify the skills you would like
to develop;
• identify occupations, academic
courses and training opportunities;
•e xplore alternative career paths or
educational options;
4CAREERS GUIDANCE INTERVIEW
Preparing for your interview Career Matching Tools
Think about: If you do not have any career ideas
•h ow much control you feel you before your interview you can work
have in making choices; through one of the career matching
•w hat is important to you e.g. tools on www.nidirect.gov.uk/
helping others, making money...; articles/careers-online-support.
•a nything you would like to change; Completing this will provide you with
•q ualifications or additional a personalised list of
qualifications and experience career suggestions and up-to-date
required for the career you are information on over 1,800
interested in; and career titles.
• the ideas you already have and
how you might achieve them.
5SUBJECT CHOICES AT YEAR 10
During Year 10 you will be asked To help decide, think about:
to make a choice about some of • s ubjects you enjoy;
the subjects or courses you will • s ubjects you are good at or find
study in Years 11 and 12. The challenging;
process of choosing subjects will • s ubjects that can link into
be organised by your school. careers ideas;
•h ow you like to learn (through
In addition to the help from your coursework, exams or a
careers teacher in school, the combination of both);
Department for the Economy’s •h obbies / interests you enjoy;
careers adviser can also provide • the type of job you would like
you with careers information, to do;
advice and guidance when • researching jobs through the
making subject choices. Careers Service website;
• talking to the careers adviser; and
When choosing subjects it is • talking to your subject teachers.
important to be aware that some
courses require specific subjects, Information on subject choices
e.g. Science is required to study at Year 10 can be found at
nursing. www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
subject-choices-year-10
6OPTIONS AFTER YEAR 12
There are a number of options •e
xplore careers you are
available to you at the end of interested in and what subjects
Year 12. The following gives a are required for these careers.
brief overview of each option. Check out www.nidirect.gov.uk/
articles/options-after-year-12.
Staying at school From this site you can choose to
If you are thinking about staying on visit “Careers A-Z List and
at school or transferring to another Subject Links”. This section
school for further study, you will allows you to browse a range of
need to decide which subjects to jobs and match the subjects you
choose and also what grades you study to the careers for which
will require to get into a particular they can be useful. You can also
sixth form. go to “Career Discovery” for
career suggestions which match
To help with your research your likes and interests.
you could:
• s tart in your school careers library You may be entitled to financial
which will have a range of support. For more information visit
relevant books; www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-
• look into what schools are in and-services/financial-support-
your area and what courses school-or-college/money-learn-
they offer which best suit your education-maintenance-
needs; allowance
• s peak to teachers and other
students for additional
information on subjects and
the workload involved. This will
help you to decide whether the
subject and topics covered
interest you and if the learning
style / method of assessment
will suit you;
7OPTIONS AFTER YEAR 12
Going to College Training and Apprenticeships
If you are thinking about going If you are thinking about training
to a further education college, for a specific job or completing an
you will need to decide which apprenticeship, you may need to
course to choose. choose an occupational area in
which to train or work.
To find out more about the colleges
in Northern Ireland and what they Training Skills for Life and Work
offer visit: www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
•w ww.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/ skills-life-and-work
further-education-fe-colleges
•C ollege of Agriculture, Food Skills for Life and Work is a
and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE): programme for young people who
www.cafre.ac.uk need experience of work along with
qualifications at Level 1 or Entry Level.
You can visit college open days The programme involves a significant
(usually in February and March of amount of time spent in a workplace
each year) where you will be able as well as training with a training
to speak to tutors for additional organisation for the rest of the time.
information on courses and the Young people aged 16-17 years can
workload involved. This will help join Skills for Life and Work and if you
you to choose a course which will have a disability you can join up to 22
be of interest to you and that you years of age or up to 24 years of age
will enjoy studying. if you have an in-care background.
While taking part in Skills for Life and
It is important to get your application Work you will qualify for an Education
in early as some courses are very Maintenance Allowance (EMA) of £40
popular. If you have not fully decided per week (depending on attendance).
on doing a further education course, You will need a Training Credit to join
it is advisable to apply as a back up the programme and the Careers
plan. You can always withdraw at a Service can provide full details on
later date. these and other eligibility
requirements.
Information on support available,
including funding, can be found at
www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
further-education
8OPTIONS AFTER YEAR 12
Traineeship For information on the National
www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ Minimum Wage and rates of pay for
traineeships-explained apprentices, visit www.nidirect.gov.
uk/articles/national-minimum-
A traineeship gives you the wage-and-living-wage
opportunity to gain a L2 qualification
whilst providing you with the skills Finding a job
and qualifications necessary to If you are considering looking for
secure employment or to progress work see the section on Employment
on to further learning or an on page 14.
apprenticeship. A range of subjects
are available and delivered in Further Action Points
Education Colleges throughout NI. •R esearch your options
•S peak to your teacher for
Apprenticeships information on subjects and exams
www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ •V isit local college / school / training
apprenticeships-explained provider open days
• Identify where the jobs are now
Apprenticeships offer offers and where they are likely to be
opportunities in many occupational in the future
areas. For some apprenticeships •A ttend talks given by employers
you will have to meet entry •D iscuss your plans at home, with
requirements e.g. some require teachers and your careers adviser
you to have GCSEs. •C onsider applying for more than
one option
To complete an apprenticeship •A lways have a back up plan
you need to be employed or be
about to take up paid employment Remember
as an apprentice with a Northern •C onsider your options early.
Ireland based company. To find a As most colleges open for
job, check local and national applications in February, you should
newspapers. Investigate any check for courses in January
contacts through family or friends, •K eep your options open as there
contact employers directly, visit the are many paths available to you
JobCentre / Jobs & Benefits Office or •Y ou could change your mind when
visit www.jobcentreonline.com you get your GCSE results
to check for vacancies. • If you need additional help you can
contact your careers adviser.
9UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AFTER YEAR 14
After Year 14 there are lots of CAO is the central organisation
different routes and options to through which applications are
move forward in your personal processed for entry to higher
career journey. education institutions in the
Republic of Ireland.
Options include:
•w
ww.open.ac.uk – Open
Going to University University
If you are thinking about going
to a university it is important to The Open University’s distance
understand the application process learning enables you to study in
and research fully the range of your own time, at home or wherever
universities, courses and methods you choose – reading, watching
of study / assessment. or listening to material supplied,
doing course activities and
For more information check out: assignments with regular
support from your teacher.
•w
ww.ucas.com – Universities
and Colleges Admissions Service
(UCAS)
UCAS is the central organisation
through which applications are
processed for entry to higher
education in the UK.
•w
ww.cao.ie – Central Applications
Office (CAO)
10UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AFTER YEAR 14
Further Education (FE) Colleges Foundation Degrees
Both higher and further education Foundation degrees are higher
courses are available at FE colleges. education qualifications which mix
For more information on the colleges academic and work related learning
throughout Northern Ireland check and offer a route into employment
out the following websites: or university and a way to better
•w ww.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/ yourself in your job.
further-education-fe-colleges
•C ollege of Agriculture, Food Further information is available at
and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE): www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
www.cafre.ac.uk foundation-degrees
Higher Level Apprenticeships Funding
A Higher Level Apprenticeship is For a guide to the various types
an apprenticeship with a targeted of student finance you may be
qualification between Level 4 entitled to when in Higher Education,
(HNC equivalent) to Level 8 how to apply for them and how to
(PhD equivalent). A Higher Level repay a student finance loan, visit
Apprenticeship can help you develop www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-
professional and technical skills, and-services/student-finance/
as well as gaining recognised types-student-finance-available
higher qualifications while in
paid employment. Details of support available to those
in Further Education can be found at
Find out more at www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ further-education
higher-level-apprenticeships
11UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AFTER YEAR 14
Finding a job For more information check:
If you are considering looking for •w ww.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
work see the section on planning-gap-year
Employment on page 14.
Gap Year
You may choose to take a gap year
after leaving school and before you
start university or college.
Universities, colleges and future
employers support gap years as they
see the value when students grow in
confidence, have a more mature
outlook and greater focus when they
return to their studies.
A gap year does take planning and
for this reason it is important that
you have a goal, rather than just
taking a year off without any real
direction or purpose.
12SKILLS IN DEMAND
When you are just starting out or The following areas are extremely
taking a change in direction, it is important to the Northern Ireland
important you make informed economy:
career choices. To fully explore all • ICT
your possible options you should • c reative and digital media
know where the jobs are now and •a gri food sector
where they are likely to be in the •b usiness and financial services
future. •a dvanced manufacturing and
engineering
Future job opportunities in • renewable energies and recycling
Northern Ireland •h ealth and life sciences
There are job opportunities across
all occupational areas in Northern Further information
Ireland but there is higher demand To find out more about any of
in occupations relating to Science, these job areas and the skills
Technology, Engineering and Maths and qualifications needed,
(STEM). use the Careers A-Z tool
at the web address below.
As the world becomes increasingly www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
technology dependent it is careers-online-support
anticipated that the range of
businesses emerging around the For more information go to:
STEM areas will grow significantly. •w ww.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
This will require people to get a good skills-demand
education in STEM subjects. •w ww.economy-ni.gov.uk/topics/
employment-and-skills-
programmes-including-
apprenticeships/careers-
occupational-information
•w ww.economy-ni.gov.uk/articles/
monthly-online-job-posting-
factsheets
•w ww.economy-ni.gov.uk/
publications/northern-ireland-
skills-barometer-2019-update
13EMPLOYMENT
If you are thinking about going Registering with a recruitment
into employment some agency may assist you in finding a
preparation will be required. job. For information on the benefits
of recruitment agencies and how
To prepare: to get the most out of them, visit
• think about your skills and www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
interests and consider how these recruitment-agencies
will affect the type of career path
you will follow; If you are finding it difficult to get a
• c onsider voluntary work as an job, further education and training
opportunity to develop your skills may enhance your future prospects.
and gain experience;
•a ttend mock interviews; Self Employment
• c omplete mock application forms If you have a good idea for a
and CVs; business and thinking of self
• c heck local and national employment, the following
newspapers for advertised jobs; organisations provide support
• investigate any contacts through to help young people turn their
family or friends; business idea into a reality:
• c ontact employers directly. •w ww.goforitni.com
•w ww.princes-trust.org.uk
You could also check the following •w ww.nibusinessinfo.co.uk
websites:
•w ww.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
finding-job
•w ww.jobcentreonline.com
14WORK EXPERIENCE
Work experience involves going Finding an employer
on a short term placement with Once you have decided what you
an employer, to observe and work would like to do for work experience,
alongside people as they go your next challenge is to find an
about their daily tasks. You will employer. Below are some ways
develop skills, make contacts and to find an employer.
learn more about the kind of •O n the Internet
career you would like to follow. •C ontact organisations
•S peak to your school
Benefits of work experience •A sk your family and friends
Work experience can support your
career planning in a number of ways. For more information on
Some of the benefits of work work experience check out
experience are: www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
• it gives you a valuable insight work-experience
into the skills needed for a
particular job;
• it is an opportunity to test out a
job that you are interested in
to see if you really like it;
• it can broaden your knowledge
of jobs that you had never
considered;
• it will increase your awareness of
your own skills and strengths;
• it helps you understand how the
subjects you study in school
link to certain jobs; and
• it gives you an insight into what
the world of work is really like.
15TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
These are abilities, aptitudes • s olving problems - thinking
and qualities that can be things through in a logical way
transferred from one job or • flexibility - being able to adapt
activity to another and are •b eing self aware - knowing your
gained in a range of ways strengths and skills
e.g. through work, interests, • c ommitment and motivation
volunteering, hobbies, sports. - having energy and enthusiasm
when carrying out projects
In the current economic climate, • interpersonal skills - relating
job hunters face increasing well to others
competition for every vacancy. •n umeracy - understanding and
To be successful, you need to using information such as
demonstrate to an employer you numbers, statistics and graphs
hold relevant qualifications and
that you have the skills for the job. Identifying your current skills
A good way to start is by recognising You probably have many of these
your transferable skills. skills already. The next step is to
become aware of them. Start by
Transferable skills include: considering all your jobs, activities
• c ommunication - being able and experience to date.
to communicate by speaking
or in writing Write down the tasks relevant to
• teamwork - being a constructive each of the activities in the
team member worksheet provided. Once you have
• leadership - motivating and compiled this list of skills it can help
leading others create a personal profile which can
• initiative - seeing opportunities be referred to when applying for jobs
and achieving goals or changing careers.
•w illingness to learn - being open
to new ideas
16TRANSFERABLE SKILLS WORKSHEET
Experience to date and related skills
Jobs/Activities Tasks (List each of Skills (List the skills
(Interests, Voluntary your job duties or used to complete the
Work etc.) e.g. sales activity) e.g. serving task) e.g. listening
assistant customers skills, managing money
17TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
The worksheet can also be used to Providing evidence of your
rate your skills level (e.g. 1-5) and transferable skills
show areas you need to improve. Once you are clear about your skills,
You can also highlight the skills you ensure you include them in your CV
enjoy using. To develop skills in a and application forms. Interviews will
variety of ways, you may want to give you the opportunity to make
consider: employers aware of them. Some
•d oing some voluntary work; suggestions are given below.
• taking part in a hobby,
committee or group; Ability to work under pressure
•d oing some part-time /
temporary work; •M
eeting deadlines in school / work
• g oing on a training course. •C
ompleting tasks within a set
time frame
The “Career Discovery”
software programme will help Communication skills
you consider your skills and
match them to certain careers. •M
aking presentations to peers
To access this programme visit / colleagues
www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ •C
ontributing articles to the school
careers-online-support / community magazine
Remember that developing your
skills helps you to find work, stay in
work and get further in your career.
18TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Flexibility Numeracy
•C
ombining study with work • T reasurer of a committee
commitments •P roducing statistics
•A
ble to make changes to when,
where and how you work Teamwork
Initiative • T aking part in team sports
•V oluntary work
•C
oping well with the unexpected
•O
rganising fundraising activities
•S
tarting your own business
Leadership
•C
oaching younger members
of a football team
•B
eing a representative
on a committee
19TRANSFERABLE SKILLS CHECKLIST
KEY TRANSFERABLE SKILLS PRACTICAL SKILLS USING WORDS AND IDEAS
Ability to delegate Assemble / build Accurate
Ability to plan things Articulate
Accept responsibility Construct or repair Create new ideas
Computer skills Drive or operate Design skills
Communicate in writing vehicles Editing
Efficiency Follow instructions Innovative
Instruct others Good time Logical
Manage money management Remember information
Manage people Good with my hands Research
Meet deadlines Operate tools / Understanding
Results orientated machinery the bigger picture
Solve problems Safety conscious
Supervise others Use equipment
PEOPLE SKILLS DATA SKILLS LEADERSHIP
Adaptable Analyse data or facts Arrange social functions
Caring Audit records Decisive
Counselling Balance money Delegate
Demonstration skills Calculate Direct projects
Diplomatic Classify data Empowering others
Energetic Compare or record facts Explaining things
Helping others Counting or compiling to others
Interview skills Research Mediation
Listening skills Stock taking Motivate people
Open minded Working with detail Negotiation
Patient Plan
Persuasive CREATIVE, ARTISTIC Run meetings
Pleasant Artistic Share leadership
Supportive Dance, body movement Solve problems
Tactful Draw Take risks
Understanding Expressive Think of others
Music appreciation
Perform
Play instruments
Present artistic ideas
20VOLUNTARY WORK
Volunteering can be personally •N etworking: Voluntary work can
rewarding and helps you help you network with others who
contribute to your community. might be in a position to turn your
It can also give you a better voluntary work into a paid career.
chance of getting paid work, It may be an opportunity to get
improving your career prospects the work experience you need
or getting a place at university. to get a job.
• T ake on a challenge: It can
Benefits of volunteering be a real challenge to take on
•D ecision making: Voluntary work something new. Volunteering
is an excellent opportunity to help can help you achieve your
you decide the type of career you personal goals.
wish to follow, no matter what •M aking a difference: Many
your circumstances are. people get great satisfaction from
•M aking friends: It is a great being able to help others who are
way of meeting new people less fortunate than themselves.
whilst in a working environment. • T here are even health benefits
•C onfidence building: too: It can give you an increased
Volunteering work can be quite sense of physical and mental
challenging and a useful way of well-being.
developing skills, which in turn can
increase confidence and self Voluntary work is not something to
esteem. take on lightly and you should ask
• Improving your CV: Employers yourself a number of questions
recognise the value of voluntary before you decide to go ahead
work experience. It can and make a commitment.
demonstrate initiative,
commitment, motivation
and the ability to work well
as part of a team.
21VOLUNTARY WORK
• T ime commitments: Consider Further Information
how much time you can give, Useful information on
taking into account your other volunteering can be found at
responsibilities such as work, www.nidirect.gov.uk/volunteering
study, sport or family. Can you
make a regular commitment? For details on becoming a volunteer,
Volunteering can vary from a few including types of volunteering and
hours to a full time commitment. links to the Volunteer Now websites
Be realistic about how much time go to www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
you can spare. becoming-volunteer. Volunteer
•C onsider your skills: Assess Now has more information on Youth
your skills and find out which Volunteer Programmes.
organisations could make good
use of them while giving you For information on volunteering
experience which will help your opportunities abroad, visit
career aspirations. There are many www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/
voluntary positions which require voluntary-work-abroad
no special skills or talents and
many more where training would
be provided.
• T ravel and costs: If the location
of the organisation is not on your
doorstep, think about how you are
going to get there and how much
it is going to cost.
22NOTES
23My Careers Adviser is: and is based in: Telephone: Email: August 2021
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