Choices Year 9

In Year 9 you will have the chance to choose your subject options for Years 10 and 11.

Choices Year 11

At the end of Year 11 you will be able to choose from a variety of options: college, sixth form, employment, training, work with training and voluntary work.

Apprenticeships Online allows you to apply for apprenticeships online.

Choices Post 16

What are your options? And most importantly, what's the best route to getting your dream job?

Useful links

• Public sector careers
• Environmental and land based careers

Preparation

Before getting a job you will need to get yourself prepared by writing a CV and learning some interview skills.  

Use our CV creator tool to create a CV and see example CVs and cover letters.

Download Interview Tips  53kb submitted by a Personal Adviser.

Skill - National Bureau for Students with Disabilities gives job-hunting information to people with disabilities.

If you're aged 20 and over NextStep will be able to help you with preparing CV's, covering letters and application forms as well as job search advice, redundancy, new skills for work and interview techniques.

Visit

, you will need the postcode of your school, college or Connexions provider to log in.

Find work

How do you choose, and find, the right job for you? We have lots of links to help you to find out what types of job are available, where and how to find them, and most importantly, how to get one!

If you’re an ex-offender you can also check out Apex Trust which promotes employment opportunities for ex-offenders.

Thinking of working for yourself? Visit the Prince’s Trust website.

The RNIB offers a free employment service for blind or partially sighted people.

Jobs links

• Agency Central
• Alec.co.uk
• Army Jobs (south)
• BBC Jobs
• Caterer.com
• Charity Recruitment
• Council for Industry and Higher Education
• Fish 4 Jobs
• Guardian Jobs
• Hampshire Jobs
• iVillage
• Jobsite
• Jobserve UK
• Jobs Go Public
• Just Jobs 4 Students
• Local Government Jobs
• Monster
• NHS job shop
• Reed
• Secs in the City
• Total Jobs
• Workthing

Work experience

Work experience gives you a chance to try out jobs before reaching a long term decision. You get an insight into the pace and pressures of a typical work day, and an understanding of the range of skills and qualities needed.

Read a case study about work experience in Hampshire County Council.

If you are under 16 and want to work, find out more about your rights. A guide to Child Employment can be found on the Children's Services web pages.

Ask at school about the work experience programme offered in Year 10, or chat to a Personal Adviser if you think you'd benefit from longer term work experience whilst you are at school.

Placement Survival Guide is a Health & Safety website designed to raise students' awareness before starting work experience whilst allowing teachers to track the progress of their students.

STEP offers work experience for undergraduates.

Apex Trust offers work experience opportunities for ex-offenders.

Disability Toolkits gives information on work experience for students with a disability.

Hampshire County Council offers a variety of work experience placements and graduate schemes.

Part-time jobs

As well as giving you the chance to earn some money they can also give you the chance to develop the key skills required by employers. Check out the 'Looking for work' tab for hints and tips on finding a part-time job. Remember that skills you develop in a part time job can be included on your CV.

Work with training

If you would prefer not to study full-time but to earn and learn then think about work-based learning. This gives you the chance to gain a qualification while working.

What is an Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships Online

Apprentices learn through both on and off-the-job education and training to build up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money at the same time.

The employer will pay your wages and give on-the-job training. You will also spend time with a learning provider studying key skills, team working, communication, IT, numeric skills and problem-solving.

Levels

Apprenticeships are increasingly recognised as the gold standard for work-based training. There are over 100,000 employers offering Apprenticeships in more than 160,000 locations; there are more than 200 different types of Apprenticeships available offering over 1,200 job roles. There are three levels of Apprenticeship available:

1 - Intermediate Level Apprenticeships

• Apprentices work towards work-based learning qualifications such as a Level 2 Competence Qualification, Functional Skills and, in most cases, a relevant knowledge-based qualification.

2 - Advanced Level Apprenticeships

• Apprentices work towards work-based learning such as a Level 3 Competence Qualification, Functional Skills and, in most cases, a relevant knowledge based qualification.

3 - Higher Apprenticeships

• Apprentices work towards work-based learning qualifications such as a Level 4 Competence Qualification, Functional Skills and, in some cases, a knowledge-based qualification such as a Foundation Degree.

Foundation Learning Programmes

If you do not feel ready to move into further full-time study, work-based learning or a job with training, may be the best option for you. It gives you the chance to gain basic and key skills and can prepare you for an Apprenticeship, employment or further learning opportunities.

Links to Foundation Learning Programmes  providers across our region are listed below:

• HTP – (Hospitality Training Partnership – IOW)
• Fareport
• PETA
• Southampton City Training
• Junction at Totton College
• FCOT – (Farnborough college of Technology)
• Enham in Southampton
• Motivational Preparation College Training in Southampton, Portsmouth, Farnborough and Basingstoke

Day release

Some employers offer the opportunity to study one day a week at college to get a qualification relevant to the job. If you are working and are interested in day release, ask your employer if they would consider this option.

Logica offer a degree sponsorship programme in partnership with the University of Winchester.

New Deal for Young People

This scheme is for 18-24 year olds on Jobseekers Allowance. It gives the help and support needed to look for work, including training and job preparation. For more details, visit your local Jobcentre Plus or check out the website.

Start a business

If you want to work for yourself, it is never too early to find out more about starting your own business.

What you can do

Spend some time and research all the information you need about:

• Employing people
• Financing and grants
• Health and safety
• IT and Ecommerce
• Payroll
• Premises
• Sales and Marketing
• Start up costs
• Taxes

Who can help?

Looking for encouragement to get your ideas working then visit Enterprise UK for practical advice and a few tests to see what your strengths are.

Shell Livewire helps 16-30 year olds to start and develop their own business. On this website you can also create your own personal action plan.

Young Enterprise is a national education charity with a mission: to inspire and equip young people to learn and succeed through enterprise.

Gap year

Find out how to plan your year out and choose a gap year or career break programme which best suits your needs and aspirations. Choose from voluntary projects in teaching or conservation, to structured work experience placements, educational courses or expeditions.

World Wide Volunteering has a search and match database with nearly 1000 volunteer organisations, 300,000 placements throughout the UK and in 214 countries worldwide.

For more information on Gap Years, take a look at the Enjoying Life section.

Working abroad

Seasonal work, eg. summer or winter sports season, may be part of a gap year or to help to fund travelling. This experience can also be included on your CV, especially any skills such as communicating in a foreign language.

Work with young people

If you would like to gain experience of working with young people through volunteering or employment please contact the Youth Support Services Manager for the area that you are interested in.