OPTIONS AFTER COLLEGEAlternatives to University

WHAT DID STUDENTS DO IN 2013?

Destination % of students

Change from 2012

HIGHER EDUCATION 64 -3%

FURTHER EDUCATION 13 -2%

FOUND EMPLOYMENT 7 No change

UNKNOWN 7 +3%

GAP YEAR 6 +2%

SEEKING EMPLOYMENT 2 -1

OTHER 1 =1Unknown – students who did not respond to the college enquiries and no other information was available from UCAS etc. Could be working so difficult to contact, travelling or doing nothing at all!

FURTHER EDUCATION 13%

Art Foundation Courses – essential to do this before some very prestigious art degree courses and also a chance to experience and build on different areas of art before specialising in a degree

A few students returned to college for a third year. This is only agreed in exceptional circumstances. Most students who ask to are not allowed to return for a third year. This is due to Government Funding restrictions.

GAP YEAR – 6%

Planning to go to university in the following year Reapplying to a new subject/ the same subject

as before/ may not have applied while at college Some students apply for deferred entry during

year 13 Make use of a gap year! eg gain experience

through voluntary work, travel, take external resits, travel etc Most work part time or full time at some point in a gap year

EMPLOYMENT – LAST 3 YEARS

Destination 2011 2012 2013 2014

Seeking Employment

3% 2% 2% Not avail yet

Found Employment

7% 7% 7% Not avail yet

How does this compare to the doom and gloom headlines we see for Youth Unemployment?

JOB DESTINATIONS 2013

EMPLOYERS - RETAIL

• Some students increase the hours of the part time work they have been doing while at college

• There can be opportunities for career progression in retail Eg Arcadia (Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins etc) with experience and training, sales staff can become branch managers as well having graduate programmes for their senior staff

• Use as a stepping stone to demonstrate face to face people skills, flexible hours, working under pressure, trustworthy (money and stock), teamwork or specific interest in fashion etc. Good skills for many jobs including the Police.

EMPLOYERS - OTHER Difficult to tell exactly what they are doing! ‘Foot in the door’ jobs – I’ll get experience

working at a low level for this employer and hope to be able to progress

Jobs with a set career path eg Royal Navy, apprenticeships

Good for experience jobs – eg working in care and support work to gain experience to progress into a specific NHS career later on

Any job has value in terms of income and skills gained.

GROWING NUMBER OF HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS

Higher Apprenticeships are aimed at students with A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications

They include vocational university level qualifications – this could mean going to university part time while working and being paid with no tuition fees or gaining other professional qualifications.

There are limited options but this is growing For options see http://

www.apprenticeships.org.uk/ - vacancies and search for apprenticeship type ‘ Higher Apprenticeships’

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS EG 1

Accounting ( Audit) Apprentice with Baker Tilly

Carrying out risk analysis, reviewing an organisation’s systems and ensuring accounting processes work efficiently.

Duration 24 months Need 280 UCAS points and 5 A-C GCSEs

including Bs in English and Maths Pay £192 per week for 37.5hr week

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS EG 2

National Grid Engineer ‘ A technical problem solver in

engineering and management.’ Duration 2 – 3 years. Need at least 2 A Levels including

maths or physics. Wage £451.00 per week for 37 hour

week

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS EG 3

Insurance Apprenticeship with Aon Supporting the broking and client

management of senior team members while working towards AC11 professional qualifications

Need 5 A-C at GCSE including English and Maths and 280 UCAS points from 3 A Levels or equivalent.

Duration 12 – 15 months Pay £307.69 for 37.5 hour week

WHAT IS GOOD PAY?National Minimum Wage compared to these examples – fill in the gapsIn 2014 21 and

over18 to 20 Under 18 Apprentice

(usual)

Hourly £6.50 £5.13 £3.79 £2.73

Weekly based on 37 hr week

Higher Apprenticeship eg

Engineering/ management

Accounting (audit)

Insurance

Hourly pay

Weekly pay £451.00 per week for 37 hour week

£192 per week for 37.5hr week

£307.69 for 37.5 hour week

COMPARED TO SOME GRADUATE JOBS AFTER A DEGREE

Job Primary Teacher

Nurse Trainee Solicitor

Trainee Accountant

Annual Salary

Starting salary£22,023 working 37+ hours per week

Starting salary£21,388 per year working 37.5 hrs per week

Starting salary£16,650 - £37,000 per year for 37 hour week

£19,501-£22,000 for 37 + hour week

Weekly Salary

Hourly Salary

FIND OUT MORE…