Choices at 16

Once you reach the end of Year 12, you're suddenly faced with a whole world of new choices. it's much more than just choosing between staying in education or going to work. You now have to decide what's the best choice for you.

There are many different qualifications and ways of learning - the range of courses and subjects is extensive. If you'd rather be earning while you learn, that opens up another set of options

You can use the information on this site to help you sort out where you're heading, and how you're going to get there.

It gives you the main options, and some pointers to where you can find out more,

There's plenty of other help on offer too. You can get help and advice from your careers teacher at school or careers adviser in your local Careers Office.

Careers Offices

You can also talk to your parents, friends and relatives. Whatever you choose, remember that in today's world it is important to keep on learning - throughout your whole life.

What are your choices?

There are three main choices facing you

are you going to stay on at school or go to FE college?
are you going to go into training?
are you going to go into employment?

Action points

Ask yourself what sort of career you'd like, or dislike?

Working through these questions won't pinpoint an ideal career for you, but they should help you make more informed career decisions

what do you enjoy doing? - whether it's interests, hobbies or school subjects
what are you good at? - don't just rely on your own opinion - ask around
are you interested in travel, or working abroad? - increasingly an option these days so it could be worth carrying on studying a foreign language. Write down some of the places or countries where you'd like to study or work.
who or what do you enjoy working with? - people or animals, technology or machines - maybe words or ideas are more your style?
what kinds of things motivateo you? - perhaps it's helping people
write down some of the jobs you think you'd like - ask yourself what is it about them that appeals to you?
write down some of the jobs you think you'd dislike - what puts you off them?

You need to be realistic too, as some professions are really tough to get into. Modelling, sports, the arts and finance are all professions where only the most talented hit the big time. Before setting your heart on one of these careers, be absolutely sure you have the talent and determination to make it. And always have a few back-up ideas, in case it doesn't work out.

What career suits you best?

Options

Why not have a good look through your school's careers literature to see what range of careers there are out there. Don't just stick with the obvious ones. For example, if you're interested in architecture, what about being a town planner or an architectural technologist?

If you can think of three different jobs you might like, do a bit of research, then for each one write down three other related ones that also sound interesting.

Continue in full time education

If studying full-time is for you, choose between staying on at school in the sixth form, or going to further education college. It's well worth attending open nights to get information and a feel for the place before making any decisions.

Training

The Department for Employment and Learning offers a range of training opportunities through a series of programmes and funding.

Employment

Some of you will be keen to earn your own money straight away. For a few, this could even mean becoming self employed. The one thing to remember is that it's important to keep learning in order to improve you long term careers prospects as there is likely to be fewer jobs in the future for people without qualifications.