Year 9
Your future starts in Year 9. You will begin studying your options and in addition to these qualifications you will need to start practicing how to develop your soft skills. Examples of important soft skills are communication, teamwork and problem solving. Soft skills relate to your attitude and employers seek these skills in addition to your qualifications. The more soft skills you are able to demonstrate and evidence the more marketable you become.
Throughout Year 9 you will also have the opportunity to:
- Learn about a new career each week during “Form Period News” – Career of the week section.
- Explore and develop your skills during PSHE (spring term).
- Learn more about the jobs available within the West Midlands.
- Explore the changing sectors of industry and work.
- Experience an assembly with an employer from industry during National Careers Week
- Access to the school website and careers notice board located outside the careers office (F41).
- Open door access to discuss any career options, or future related concerns with our careers team.
- For an overview of the pre-planned events for your year group see the Careers Activity Schedule
Year 10
Year 10 is another important year for careers education. Although work experience is cancelled this year the careers department is exploring other ways you can develop your employability skills. Make sure you look out for the opportunities.
Throughout Year 10 you will have access to all the same opportunities as in Year 9.
Year 11
At the beginning of Year 11 you will complete a careers questionnaire. Based on the results you may be selected to take part in an Apprenticeship workshop hosted by an external provider called ASK. This will take place at the beggining of Year 11. During Year 11 you will also be given support creating your CV. A CV is a written overview of a person’s experience and other qualifications and is mainly used when applying for job opportunities. A CV is typically the first item an employer encounters regarding the job seeker and is used to screen applicants, often followed by an interview. Once your CV is complete it is important that you keep it up to date with any relevant experiences, qualification or skills you acquire.
Throughout Year 11 you will also have the opportunity to:
- Take part in practice interviews (cancelled for 2020-2021).
- Have a compulsory one to one interview with the external Careers Advisor, Mrs Jo Rasmin.
- Learn about a new career each week during “Form Period News” – Career of the week section.
- Explore and develop your skills during PSHE (spring term).
- Learn more about the jobs available within the West Midlands.
- Explore the changing sectors of industry and work.
- Experience an assembly with an employer from industry during National Careers Week
- Access to the school website and careers notice board located outside the careers office (F41).
- Open door access to discuss any career options, or future related concerns with our careers team.
- For an overview of the pre-planned events for your year group see the Careers Activity Schedule
Options after Year 11
There are a number of options available to you post 16 and it is important that you explore them all. Begin your research early, this way you can focus and plan for where you want to be next academic year. The most popular choices available to you post 16 are summarised below.
What to study?
A Levels are academic qualifications which you can study in a number of different subjects and are mainly examination based.
Vocational qualifications (e.g. BTECs and Cambridge Technicals) are assessed using both examinations and coursework. As an alternative to traditional A levels vocational subjects allow applied learning and the opportunity to study a practical, work related curriculum. At Level 3 the qualification is equivalent to an A Level.
Apprenticeships are available through both colleges and employer led schemes. They allow you to combine work and study by mixing on-the-job training with classroom learning. You’ll be employed to do a real job while studying for a formal qualification.
Where to study?
You will also need to decide where to study. Sixth Form, College, or training provider? When deciding it is important to be realistic and to think about what course and environment will suit your learning style, ambitions and academic ability best.
Labour Market trends?
The ultimate aim of education is help you access the labour market. Therefore, when deciding what to study it is also important to think about which industries are growing in the local area and which are not.
Please see our Labour Market Trends page for more information.
More help and support?
In Year 11 every student will have the opportunity to meet with an impartial Careers Advisor to discuss future options in more detail.
For more detailed information on your options after school see the following websites:
Apprenticeships
https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
https://www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk/
Decisions after school
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
Related downloads
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Printable list of online resources for careers and local market information.