Careers - Useful Links
Article Index
Other Useful Websites
TRANSITION SUPPORT
Local council support for students with SEND
APPRENTICESHIPS
Apprenticeship Assessment Centres
Apprenticeship Interview Questions
T-LEVELS
UNIVERSITY AND UCAS ADVICE
Clearing for the Confused Parents start here
Degree Courses: Academic v. Vocational
How to Write an Effective UCAS Personal Statement
University and Your Future: Career Planning and Making the Most of Your Degree
DEGREE APPRENTICESHIPS
What is a degree apprenticeship?
Degree apprenticeship information and vacancies
Degree apprenticeship vacancies
CAREERS ADVICE
Student resource: Spring into success careers roadmap
USEFUL LINKS FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS
Protection against extremism
http://educateagainsthate.com/parents/
Department for Education Website
Compare Schools Performance Tables
Local Authority Website
ONLINE SAFETY
http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics
http://www.parentalguidance.org.uk/
FURTHER EDUCATION
LOCAL UNIVERSITIES
Liverpool John Moores University
LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION
Liverpool Enterprise Partnership
Parental Guidance
Parental Guidance is another useful website written by members of the Careers Writers Association. The Association consists of highly experienced careers writers of articles, books and web-based materials for the 14-25 age group. Many are also experienced and qualified careers advisers who have worked in schools, colleges and universities in the UK as well as overseas. Do visit the Find a careers writer pages for more details including special writing interests, and the wide range organisations who have commissioned our work.
General Advice
The most important thing you can offer is the knowledge of where to find the right information, so you can do the research into their options together.
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To begin with, it’s important your child knows what are their strengths, their skills and abilities. You will undoubtedly know what they are good at but it’s difficult to recognise your own skills and strengths. You can use the Skills Health Check test on the National Careers website to help your child become more aware of their strengths, weakness and career sectors they may be suited to.
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The Skills Health Check is a great starting point and can help your child with researching specific career sectors and understanding more about themselves as an individual. It’s important to remember that any careers related test you take is purely meant as a guide.
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The career choices which the test may offer up can be researched further on the ‘Job Profile’ pages. The National Careers Service have over 800 different types of career options, from gardener to graphic designer and everything in between! Each one explains which skills and qualifications you need to get into that job. You can also read about what the work would be like, the average salary you could expect and what the career prospects might be.
One of the most popular search methods for the Job profiles is through the ‘Job Families’ list. This groups similar jobs into one area so you can browse all the different jobs within this field. For example, if your child knows they want to work with animals but isn’t sure what jobs are available, you can look through the profiles for a vet, a kennel worker, a Police dog handler, a farm worker or even a beekeeper!
Benefits of Parental Involvement
Children have better self-esteem, are more self-disciplined, and show higher aspirations and motivation toward school. Children tend to achieve more, regardless of ethnic or racial background, socioeconomic status, or parents' education level. Children generally achieve better grades, test scores, and have better attendance. Research indicates that when students feel supported and loved by their parents, they have more confidence in their own ability to research careers and to choose a career that would be interesting and exciting.
Choices after GCSEs
The choices, which your child makes after completing their GCSEs, are dependent on a number of different factors including their own ambitions, the opportunities offered locally (see Local Labour Market Information link below) and the grades they have achieved.
These choices will really allow your child to tailor their own education and study towards subjects they feel passionate about and allow them to gain the knowledge and experience needed to progress onto their desired career path.
When thinking about steps after compulsory education, it’s important to keep in mind that there is no one size fits all style of education and that everyone learns in different ways. There is no right or wrong or better or worse but with the raising of the participation age coming into effect, this now means your child needs to stay in some form of education or training until their 18th birthday.
Education until their 18th birthday isn’t quite what it sounds; in-fact school leavers have a range of choices:
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1. To stay in full time education working towards, A-levels, BTEC, NVQ or an alternative level 1/2/3 qualification at a local college or sixth form.
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2. An apprenticeship.
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3. A traineeship with the idea of progressing onto an apprenticeship or education.
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4. Employment or Volunteering of 20 hours a week whilst working towards an accredited qualification part time with the study hours adding up to 280 guided learning hours over the course of a year.
Links
Apprenticeships - a parents' guide
NCS Parents Guide - Apprenticeships
NCS Parents Guide - University and Finances
Labour Market Information - Liverpool, Cumbria and Lancashire.pdf