It seems that more & more schools are going down the route of choosing options in Year 8 which gives the students more time to work towards good grades. However, it does mean that they are committing themselves earlier to certain paths, especially as GCSEs are often required as a precursor for A level subjects. It is certainly something that has caused a lot of discussion on Mumsnet talk threads recently! Parents want to know where they can get information and advice. The answer to this will depend a great deal on where you are in the UK, and what public services provide.


Online, there are 2 general careers websites where you can find information on choosing options and careers:

• National Careers Service
  
• Careers Wales which I think is better

The important principle is to keep as many career routes open as possible, so choose a balanced range of subjects. If capable of coping with it, I would advise choosing triple science, as separate subjects. This means that if a  decision  to study a science subject at A level is made, the step up from GCSE won't be quite as difficult.

There is still some snob value about certain subjects being valued more than others, which becomes more prevalent at A level. The A level subjects which the elite Russell Group of universities value as being "facilitating" subjects are:

• Mathematics and Further Mathematics
  
• English Literature
  
• Physics
  
• Biology
  
• Chemistry
  
• Geography
  
• History
  
• Languages (Classical and Modern)  
  

To see the full "Informed Choices" document which gives details on which A levels to choose for different university courses, as well as info on GCSE choices, see here.

As a Careers Adviser, I strongly advise allowing students to choose subjects that they enjoy, which fortunately are often the ones that they're best at. This would include allowing really academic students to choose subjects for pure pleasure - like Art, Graphics, Design and Technology (e.g. Resistant Materials, Graphic Design, Textiles, and Food Technology), Media Studies etc. Yes, the Russell Group may not value these subjects at A level, but at GCSE, it really isn't a big deal so long as they also have a strong range of traditional subjects alongside.
Sometimes the discussion is concerned about the amount of homework that would be involved in choosing more practical subjects, and whether this would be to the detriment of their other subjects. Personally, I think that education is about developing the whole person and if a student is interested in something, then it should be pursued. It may even develop a talent that they want to use later on.

I'm conscious that a lot of MumsNet discussions focus on the very academic and high aspiring pupils. For those who aren't, the same principle applies - they should go with the subjects that they enjoy and that they're best at. The subjects which are essential are English & Maths, with Science coming a close third. As for the rest, they could all lead on to Level 3 qualifications, either at school, college or in the workplace, and even on to Higher Education at university. Lots of graduates from red-brick or ex-poly universities go on to graduate jobs - not least because many of the degrees offered there are vocational and highly valued by many employers.

As an alternative to GCSEs, BTEC First Certificates have been offered in some schools. These are often very attractive to pupils with a wide range of abilities. They have interesting titles like, "Animal Care", "Child Care", "Engineering" and so on. They are all practical subjects, primarily assessed via coursework (although I believe that the new courses have an exam too), with hopefully some work experience as a part of the course. Although the recommendation is that these courses are for all pupils, not just those deemed "non academic", there is a health warning that I would give them. In my experience, the courses are often timetabled in school such that they may not fit with academic streams. In general, I think that the same comments apply as those I give (above) regarding choosing subjects for pleasure. A balance should be kept regarding the proportion of a timetable allotted to BTEC courses. If it is only equivalent to the time allotted to 1 GCSE in a students timetable, then even the most academic student could choose it as an option without it narrowing their options. If it is equivalent to 4 GCSEs in the student's timetable then there is less room for academic subjects.

If students or their parents would like advice on which would be good subjects for them, ask to see your school's Careers Adviser.
In Wales, Careers Wales will have a presence in most schools, although face-to-face guidance is only offered to those in most need. 
In England, responsibility for providing impartial careers guidance has fallen to the schools where, hopefully they will have employed a qualified professional.

If you're not satisfied with the service provided by the school, it is possible to see a Careers Adviser privately. Look at the professional register of the Career Development Institute (CDI) to find a qualified professional in your area. Even better, if you're in the South Wales/ South West, contact us!

There's generally a lot of confusion about apprenticeships amongst young people and their parents....... What exactly is an apprenticeship these days?  How does one find out about them? When do they start appearing? What are the entry requirements? Are the qualifications studied actually worth anything?

To make these questions even more perplexing, the terminology used to describe apprenticeships in England and in Wales is different. For those of us living on the borders, it is a good idea to know about both!

In general, apprenticeships are a formalised training contract that combine on the job training along with studying for work related qualifications. They are available in many career areas, not just the traditional craft/technical areas that have always been known about. Increasingly, new career areas are being added - e.g. there is a new apprenticeship route to qualify as a solicitor rather than via the usual Law Degree.

The qualification level studied varies from NVQ Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE level) to NVQ Level 3 (equivalent to A level standard) and on even higher to the equivalent of Higher Education qualifications. The minimum entry requirements to go on a Level 2 apprenticeship also varies, depending on the academic difficulty level of that particular career area, as well as the competition level likely to access that career, or employer. Hence to get a Level 2 Hairdressing Apprenticeship, it is possible that only a couple of GCSEs at grade C+ may be asked for; whereas to get into a Level 2 Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship, it is more likely that up to 5 GCSEs at grades C+ may be required, to also include specific subjects (such as English, Maths, Science preferably Physics, and sometimes Design & Technology - Resistant Materials). The specified subjects are usually required because they form the basis of knowledge to progress within that vocational area, and to cope with the NVQ or other vocational qualifications. The qualifications that are studied on an apprenticeship are those required by the employer, so by definition they are valued and are very transferable, both to other employers and to colleges. It is possible to transfer back into full time study afterwards, if a student has second thoughts for example about university study.

When and where are apprenticeships advertised?  
The larger companies with HR departments usually advertise early - between December and April. But smaller companies advertise when they know their requirements & budget, which could be any time of the year. Don't wait until you have taken your exams, or have your results to apply for apprenticeships - companies ask for "expected grades". Don't only apply for one apprenticeship - no matter how much you may want to work for a particular company, I have known great apprenticeship candidates lose out because they banked on one job.
IN WALES:
Apprenticeships are explained and advertised via the Careers Wales website; www.careerswales.com - see the Apprenticeship Matching Service. There are 3 different levels in Wales: 
                                        Foundation Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship, and Higher Apprenticeship.
IN ENGLAND:
Apprenticeships are explained via www.apprenticeships.org.uk. Once registered on the site, you can search & apply for vacancies. The website also allows you to save your searches & will email you when new vacancies that match your criteria are notified to the site. There are 3 levels of Apprenticeship in England: 
                                         Intermediate, Advanced, and Higher Apprenticeships.

Career Dragon's Top Tips:

• Register with the relevant English/ Wales website (or both if you're on the border!) as soon as possible.
• Apply for any apprenticeships that interest you, taking extreme care over the application form. This is the employers first impression of you: spelling mistakes and bad grammar will not get you an interview.
• Prepare a CV that can be posted or left with potential employers. It has been estimated that over half of all vacancies are never advertised at all. Use any contacts you and your family/ friends have to network and put the word out for you.
• Make sure that you know what you're applying for; about careers in that area, and as much as you can about the firm. Try and show that you have done this research in your application form/CV - it shows enthusiasm, commitment, and intelligence.
• Have a back-up plan. Apprenticeships are VERY hard to get, so apply for a full-time course at college, or at school in case you're not lucky this year. You can continue to apply for apprenticeships whilst studying, or after your course next year.