What are the options for school leavers in Birmingham?

July 28, 2016 by Brendan

Features

Leaving school is an exciting time for students, although it may also present concerns about further education or finding work. There are so many options that it can be a confusing and worrying time for students and their parents.

Some school leavers may have decided previously that they want to continue to study at college or university. Birmingham has five universities and is home to more than 65,000 students in further education. A student may have a specific career in mind, so will know what the right path will be.

Other students, meanwhile, want to find employment immediately, and will commence the search for a career they know they will find interesting. Very often, a student will find employment but may then decide they want to specialise in a specific area, or may want to retrain to apply for something else. There are still many options available, including apprenticeships. A person may also find that some roles require a specific qualification to be able to fulfil the duties. For instance, if a person wants to become a mortgage adviser, they will have to enrol on a CeMAP training course.

If a student doesn’t achieve the desired qualifications, they still have options available. Some people will decide to return to education, perhaps in college. Others may decide to carry out vocational training but combine this with gaining their desired qualification. Although some careers may traditionally require a degree, there may be an alternative path that involves study whilst working, like a higher level apprenticeship or gaining a professional qualification.