Skip to content ↓

To help you assess your personal skills and begin considering your personal careers journey please use the link to the ‘Skillsometer’ and ‘Careerometer’

The Skillsometer can help you discover what jobs you might like to do in the future. You will be presented with a series of statements. Select the emoji that shows how you feel about each statement. You will be given suggestions of jobs linked to what you most enjoy doing.

The Careerometer can be used to explore and compare key information about occupations, help you learn about different occupations and identify potential careers. It provides access to a selection of UK headline data relating to pay, weekly hours of work and future employment prospects for different occupations, as well as description of the occupation. Simply type in the title of the job you are interested in and the widget provides a series of options from which you can select the most relevant to you. You can then look up another two occupations and compare. You can also select ‘display the UK average’ and compare the information with the occupation you have selected.

Also attached below are posters (as displayed in school) summarising the different options you can explore at Post-16 (after GCSEs) and Post-18 (leaving school).

Please also have a look through the websites listed below for guidance on your options when choosing GCSEs, making post-16 choices and making post-18 choices.

Options at 14+

In Year 9 you need to choose your future study options at GCSE.

The following websites provides advice, help and information on how your choices can help you decide what your future career will be:

Options at 16+

Choosing your A Levels

Apprenticeships

School Leavers

  • Pure Potential - Information and a video about options for school leavers
  • BDO - School leaver programmes in a variety of areas in accountancy, including audit, tax and financial services
  • Ernst & Young - School leaver programmes in a variety of areas of business
  • Grant Thornton - School Leaver Programmes in a variety of areas in accountancy, including audit, tax and financial services
  • ICAEW - School Leaver Programmes to become a chartered accountant
  • Mazars - School Leaver Programmes in a variety of areas in accountancy, including audit, tax and financial services
  • PWC - Jobs and opportunities for School Leavers interested in accountancy
  • Works For Me - Traineeships to develop skills for the workplace, and to help find employment in 12 weeks
  • Deloitte - Opportunities for School Leavers to get involved with a global company
  • The Guardian: 10 Things Parents Need To Know About School Leavers - Want to explain School Leaver programmes to your parents?
  • Student Ladder: School Leavers - Information and advice on school leaver programmes in different sectors
  • Step Forward - A full-time 12-month school leaver programme in London

Colleges

There are also local colleges who offer a variety of courses and apprenticeships. 

Study Skills

Free Courses

Whatever you decide to do when you leave school, there is always opportunities for further learning.  Many are free or low cost, and often online.

  • EDX - Free courses in a range of subjects, learn at your own pace and connect with other learners
  • Coursera - Courses in a wide range of subjects offered by institutions worldwide, and learn at your own pace
  • Mooc List - A directory of Massive Open Online Courses, where free courses are offered in a variety of subjects from around the world
  • iTunesU - Access to audio courses in a range of subjects from leading universities - only through iTunes, iPad and iPhones
  • Future Learn - Free courses in a wide range of subjects

Options at 18+

University Information
  • UCAS - Central organisation through which applications are processed for entry to higher education
  • HEAP - HEAP online is a good starting point to research university degree courses
  • Unistats - Official website for comparing UK higher education course data
  • University Compare - Compare the best ranked degree courses in the subject of your choice
  • What Uni? - Compare aspects of degree courses
  • The Student Room - Large online community of students where you can discuss universities, health, relationships, lifestyles and more
  • bestcourse4me.com - Explore the links to subjects you are studying to potential careers that may lead from them
  • The Complete University Guide - A guide to UK universities
  • Higher Education Careers Service Unit - Detailed research about higher education and graduate careers
  • Which? University - An independent website to explore universities and higher education courses
  • UK University Search - Information about open days
  • Careers Gateway - Links to information about careers and higher education
  • Bright Knowledge - Guide to careers, education and student life

Higher Apprenticeships

For more information about Higher Apprenticeships and Degree Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships

General information about apprenticeships.

Foundation Degrees

Alternatives to university include foundation degrees.

Overseas Study

If you are interested in studying abroad, the following websites provide information:

Choosing your Degree

If you are thinking of going to university, the choice of degree subjects and universities might be overwhelming.  The following websites provides information and advice on what subject you study at university might help you get the career you want.

Study Skills

School Leavers

  • Pure Potential - Information and a video about options for school leavers
  • BDO - School leaver programmes in a variety of areas in accountancy, including audit, tax and financial services
  • Ernst & Young - School leaver programmes in a variety of areas of business
  • Grant Thornton - School Leaver Programmes in a variety of areas in accountancy, including audit, tax and financial services
  • ICAEW - School Leaver Programmes to become a chartered accountant
  • Mazars - School Leaver Programmes in a variety of areas in accountancy, including audit, tax and financial services
  • PWC - Jobs and opportunities for School Leavers interested in accountancy
  • Works For Me - Traineeships to develop skills for the workplace, and to help find employment in 12 weeks
  • Deloitte - Opportunities for School Leavers to get involved with a global company
  • The Guardian - 10 things parents need to know about school leavers - Want to explain School Leaver programmes to your parents?
  • Student Ladder School Leavers - Information and advice on school leaver programmes in different sectors
  • Step Forward - A full-time 12-month school leaver programme in London

Free Courses

Whatever you decide to do when you leave school, there is always opportunities for further learning.  Many are free or low cost, and often online.

  • EDX - Free courses in a range of subjects, learn at your own pace and connect with other learners
  • Coursera - Courses in a wide range of subjects offered by institutions worldwide, and learn at your own pace
  • Mooc List - A directory of Massive Open Online Courses, where free courses are offered in a variety of subjects from around the world
  • iTunesU - Access to audio courses in a range of subjects from leading universities - only through iTunes, iPad and iPhones
  • Future Learn - Free courses in a wide range of subjects