Careers’ Master Class

1. Careers’ Master Class Jon Ryder – Assistant Headteacher Starter task – look at the grid on your tables. What does this mean to you?

2. Outcomes • To understand the range of qualifications available to young people after year 11 • To make connections between qualifications and careers • To identify strategies for supporting your children in their careers choices

3. AFTER Y11

4. Year 13 – degree chosen. Choose your passion. Think career Year 11 – A levels chosen. Choose the ones you’re good at. Think degree. Year 9 – GCSEs chosen. Choose the ones you love!

5. What is your young person’s next step? • A levels • BTEC • Apprenticeship • Work • Other (please state)

6. And then…? • Work • Degree • Further other study? • Gap year?

7. What are … A levels? • Academic route • Level 3 qualification • Split into 2 – AS and A2 • AS sat in y12, A2 in y13 (normally) • Very academic – even for practical subjects like DT and Art

8. SKHS entry requirements for A levels • 5 A*-C including English and Maths • B grades in subjects your young person wants to study at A level • A grade in Maths • To study 2 Sciences students require 2 As at GCSE in Science • To study further Maths students require A* in Maths • Subjects not studied at GCSE (e.g. Economics, Psychology) normally require a B in English GCSE • Other colleges are available!

9. Your homework • Which A levels are you considering? • Why have you chosen those ones? • What job are you thinking about? • How well do your A levels fit in with those aspirations? • Do you plan to study 4 A levels? • Which one would you consider dropping in year 13? • Is Seven Kings the best place for you?

10. What are … BTECs? • Vocational route • Less academic, more practical – linked to work • BTECs can be studied at Entry Level (pre-GCSE) right through to Level 7 (post-graduate) • There are different types of BTECs…

11. BTEC Firsts • Level 2 – the same as a GCSE • Normally taken alongside other qualifications like GCSEs • Equivalent to 1 or 2 GCSE passes at C grade

12. BTEC Nationals • Level 3 – the same as A Levels • Recommended for young people with a strong inclination towards a specific vocational route • Can be used to get access to university and attracts UCAS points in the same way as A level • More traditionally used as a route into employment • These are currently not offered at SKHS

13. Qualifications compared

14. BTEC at SKHS Sixth Form • SKHS offers a limited range of level 2BTEC in the Sixth Form • These are normally taken alongside GCSE Maths and/or English retakes • Some students also take one or two A levels as well, but only if they meet the entry requirements • They are only taken in year 12 – BTEC students have to leave at the end of year 12 • Currently we are offering STEM and Business at BTEC Level 2

15. Your homework • Why do you want to study BTEC? • Have you got a specific job in mind? • Why this job? • Is this job going to be around in 15 years? • Where is the best place to study this BTEC? • If SKHS, why SKHS? • Do you want to go to university? • Which one? • How will BTEC impact on this?

16. What are … Apprenticeships? • Work-based training programmes • Trainees receive a NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) at Level 2 or Level 3 • Normally trainees spend most of their time in work and are released to do training in college or another setting • There are 250 different types of apprenticeship • This is a massive growth area – the government LOVE work-based training • Trainees get paid a minimum of £2.60 an hour

17. And there’s more! • Entry requirements vary – normally employers want at least 5 A*-Cs including English and Maths but this is not a requirement • Trainees must find their own employer • There is a website that can help with this

18. Apprenticeships at Seven Kings • We have a link with a local organisation that is funded to match students to apprenticeships • Students in year 11 and 12 can go onto this programme – we will run it after Christmas in school • You can email me if you’re interested -j.ryder@skhs.net • The only rule: your young person MUST want to do an apprenticeship INSTEAD of coming to our Sixth Form

19. Your homework • Why an apprenticeship? • Where will you study? • How are you going to find a job? • Is this job going to exist in 15 years? • Why not college then university?

20. Into University? • For society • For individuals Achievement matters • Increased lifetime salary (13% for a degree) • Improved health (half the number of disabled years) • Longer life (1.7 years of life per extra year of schooling) • Lower criminal justice costs • Lower health-care costs • Increased economic growth • (Hanushek & Wößman, 2010)

21. Into university? Achievement matters

22. The Russell Group • This is the group of best universities in the UK • It includes Oxford, Cambridge, and UCL • Over 37% of our students went to Russell Group universities last year • 47% of our students got offers from Russell Group universities

23. Russell Group – Facilitating Subjects • Maths and Further Maths • English Literature • Biology, Chemistry, Physics • History • Geography • Languages (modern and ancient) • For Music and Art most Russell Group Universities require these courses • Lots of Russell Group universities require Art for Architecture

24. Choosing the right A Levels • Universities will want to see A Levels that make sense for the degree course chosen • History degree – History, English, MfL, Social Science, etc • Maths degree – Maths, Further Maths, Science, English • Science degree – two Sciences, Maths, English • Design degree – Design, Art, English, Maths • Remember: most students drop one A Level in year 13 • All students receive advice and guidance from a senior member of staff about their A Level choices on two occasions in year 11

25. Did you know? • Universities can charge up to £9k a year for degree courses – 14 universities in the top 20 charge the full £9k • One university (Buckingham) charges £11,250! • 40% of jobs available to graduates do not require a specific degree • You do not need a Law degree to be a lawyer (50% of lawyers studied History) • ‘Soft skills’ are often as important to recruiters as the degree studied • You have to have at least a 2:2 to study to become a teacher

26. Financial help for going to university Maintenance grant

27. Maintenance loan – available to all Anyone can get a loan to pay for tuition fees

28. Your homework • Are you planning to go to university? • Do you have any ideas about which university? • Which course are you thinking of studying? • How does this impact on you’re A level choices? • How does this link with your career pathway? • What do you know about the entry requirements for the course you want to do? • What do you understand about the funding arrangements for university?

29. Top 5 Growth Industries • Engineering • Mechanical • Chemical • Automotive • Health and Social Care • Medicine • Nursing • Pharmaceuticals

30. Top 5 Growth Industries - continued • IT • Design • Programming • Business analysts and data experts • Finance and accountancy • Credit control • Auditing • Purchasing • Energy • Electricity, gas and oil • Green, environmental

31. Conclusions • University education matters, despite £27,000 tuition fees • Change is afoot, though • Best degrees are vocational • Sciences • Engineering • Business, accountancy, economics • To be successful you have to be savvy, streetwise and switched on!