STUDENT INFORMATION
Career Planning
What career would I like to have?
This may seem like the wrong way to go about things and perhaps even a bit daunting to think about a ‘career’ when you’re in your teens. But considering how long you could be working for, it’s really important to think about a job you will enjoy and that will suit your skills and interests.
Just like planning any journey, it’s only by knowing where you’d like to end up can you think about how you’re going to get there.
The sections below will help you to think about what job might be right for you as well as the different ways you could achieve your dream role. Feel free to explore all of the sections or just jump straight to the one that sounds most like how you’re feeling about careers at the moment.
If you’re interested in general careers advice for school leavers, we think this independent resource is really valuable. Click here for the latest CareerMag for School Leavers.
I have no idea what job I want to do!
Knowing where to start your career planning is difficult if you don’t know what job might be right for you. If this is you, don’t worry – lots of people feel the same but there are some great tools that can help you work out what roles could suit you.
Career Test | The World’s Most Powerful Career Test – CareerExplorer
Home | Discover your skills and careers | National Careers Service
Where could my favourite subject take me?
If there’s a subject you have a passion for, it makes sense to explore how you could follow this into your career. These websites use courses as a starting point for your career journey:
I know the industry I want to work in but am unsure what job I could do
So, you know you want to work in Care, Construction or Catering but aren’t sure what jobs are out there – we can help! Have a look at the following links to learn more about the different types of roles as well as salaries and opportunities to progress.
Explore different careers – WorldSkills UK
Start – Explore Industries (startprofile.com)
Explore careers by job sectors – BBC Bitesize
Other useful links:
Browse Army Roles – Find Your Perfect Fit – British Army Jobs (mod.uk)
Job Profiles articles and careers information on hairandbeautyjobs.com
I know what job I want to do but don’t know what I need to study for it
It’s great that you know what you want to do in your career and just need help planning your journey there.
Search for your dream job on the page below and it will let you know the different routes you can take to get there. Once you know what skills, knowledge and experience you need, you can take your next steps with confidence.
I am ready to start earning a wage
Everyone has to be in some sort of training or education until they’re 18 years old – apprenticeships are one of the options open to you after your GCSE’s as you’ll study alongside earning a wage for doing a job.
To find out more about applying for an apprenticeship, what to expect at interview as well as a list of apprenticeships available through Milton Keynes College, follow this link.
To view apprenticeships available with other training providers, check out these websites:
Not Going To Uni: Apprenticeships & Work Experience in the UK
I want to go to university
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to study at university or you know that this is the only route to get into your chosen career. Whatever your reasons for wanting to take the uni route, it’s worth checking out these sites to help you with your next steps:
Which University and Course to Choose | UCAS
Eight questions to help decide if university is your next step (icould.com)
Should I go to university? | reed.co.uk
You might also be interested to learn that you can study a university-level course right here in Milton Keynes! Milton Keynes College offer courses that are equivalent to the first two years of university, which you can top up to get your full degree.
Help with your CV and interview advice
Wherever you are in your career journey and whatever you are planning to do next, you will need to apply for your course, apprenticeship or job.
That means you’ll probably need a CV and some tips on preparing for and doing your best at interview.
School leaver CV template | reed.co.uk
First job: Sample CV and guide | Totaljobs
Finally…
Doing some research to find out more about the different career options open to you is always a good thing and will help you with whatever you decide to do next. It’s highly likely that you’ll have more than one job over your life so as long as you’re happy with your decision now, you can always change career paths later. You will develop skills such as working as a team, problem solving and communication in whatever job or studying you do and these are transferable to all jobs.
Good luck and have fun along your career journey!