Post 18 options

1. Post 18 options Ian Cooper Connexions Personal Adviser Ian.cooper@prospects.co.uk

2. Post 18 options • University • Not Going to Uni • Advanced & Higher Apprenticeships • I.A.G (Information Advice & Guidance) • I.A.G events • UCAS • Personal Statements

3. University • Increase your job prospects • Increase your employability potential • Increase your knowledge and skills • Move on to “high-status” careers that you wouldn’t have without a degree • There are some careers which require you to possess a specific degree so that if you intend to become a social worker it helps to take a social work course, but other careers do not require you to take a degree in any specific subject; but do require you to possess a degree. If you are hoping to become a civil servant you tend to find that higher level jobs are restricted to those possessing degrees, which is often the case in private companies as well. Going to university therefore can help you get a better paid job that you are actually interested in pursuing, rather than being stuck in a “dead-end” job. • There are other advantages of going to university, which are also influencing more and more people to pursue a university education. At university you get to meet an incredibly diverse bunch of people, whether through your studies or by joining various university societies. There are lots of clubs, societies, and activities you can get involved in, so that university is not only about improving your knowledge of a subject and obtaining a degree, but can actually be a lot of fun, as well

4. University (2) • You will find yourself making lots of new friends at university, and you can find yourself open to new ideas that had previously never entered your mind. There are often lectures open to all and various campaigns on campus, and thus you can find yourself participating in trying to make the world a better place. • Going to university also gives you the chance to live away from home and learn to manage by yourself. Without parents to tell you what to do you have the freedom to do what you want, when you want. You therefore start to feel like a 'proper' adult. • There are many advantages associated with going to university, especially in relation to your job prospects. The fact that you get to meet people, experience new things and fend for yourself shouldn't be overlooked, though, as most people enjoy their university experience immensely.

5. Apprenticeship vacancies Not Going To University • Apprenticeships • Higher Ed College • College • Sponsored Degrees • Distance Learning • Work Experience • Volunteering • Employment & Training • Gap Year • Traineeship

6. Apprenticeships

7. Apprenticeship components

8. Advanced & Higher Apprenticeships – Current Vacancies • Advanced • Construction & Engineering w/Vinci PLC. £240 per week, applicants needing 5 x A-C GCSE’s and also welcomes applications with AS/A Levels. Opportunity includes supported travel and accommodation • Higher • Finance Apprentice (Accounting) w/Compass Group PLC. £250 per week needing A Levels at grade B (including Maths) x2 vacancies • I.T Apprentice w/Cap Gemini. £307.88 per week needing 7 x GSCE’s (C and above, including Maths and English).To have or expect, three 'A' levels, grades C or above, or their equivalent (e.g. a BTEC National Diploma, likely to include IT, Maths and Science) x5 vacancies

9. Information Advice and Guidance (I.A.G) • Students should take the opportunity to explore their options with qualified professionals • Ian Cooper is the Connexions Personal Adviser in AUEA who students can see to discuss their Personal Statements for University or to do some Action Planning to see if they are making the right choices and to explore non-university options. • From September Ian will be in AUEA every Monday and available for appointments with students and parents, as well as advertising vacancies and opportunities. • Teachers, non teaching staff in school, parents can also add value and more perspective

10. I.A.G events 2014 - 2015 • JTL Apprenticeships Open Evening 9th July 13:00pm-19:00pm Birmingham, B6 4BS • The Job Show – Birmingham 23rd October 10:30am-16:00pm @ Birmingham City Football Club • World Skills Show 13-16th November 2014 @ Birmingham NEC • Compass Jobs Fair (Birmingham City Council) 18th March 2015 @ Think Tank, Millennium Point

11. UCAS • Central organisation through which applications are processed for entry to full-time higher education (HE) courses in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland • UCAS operate on behalf of all full-time courses at member institutions • Number of institutions • Number of courses 372 35,000+

12. The competition for university places Applicants 653,637 6.9% Acceptances 464,910 5.5% Source: UCAS End of Cycle report 2012

13. The applicant journey

14. The new ucas.com

15. Choosing a university or college • Universities and colleges are not all the same, nor is it easy to put them into simple categories • University v college • Large v small • Old v new • Taught v research • Selective v recruiting • Campus v city v rural • Near v far

16. Choosing a university or college • There are different guides and league tables that can help, but check the source as the data may be skewed • Some universities post league tables on their websites which show their courses at number one • Assess what is the most important data criteria for you

17. // www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk • University league tables • University profiles • Student crime statistics • Careers • By subject • By graduate v non-graduate salary • Student finance and fees calculator

18. Choosing a course

19. Choosing a course

20. Key features of the application process • You can only make 1 application per cycle • Maximum of 5 choices • Primarily realistic, but also aspiration and backup • Some choice restrictions: • Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry – max 4 • Oxford or Cambridge • Simultaneous consideration • ‘Invisibility’ • A single personal statement

21. Apply available for student registration First date for receipt of Apply applications Early ‘on-time’ deadline: Medicine, Veterinary and Dentistry Oxford or Cambridge Deadline for all other ‘on-time’ applications Some Art and Design courses Last date for submission prior to Clearing Mid-June Mid-September 15 October 15 January 24 March 30 June The UCAS calendar – key application dates

22. The UCAS points calculator A Level and VCE A* - 140 A – 120 B – 100 C – 80 D – 60 E – 40 AS and AS VCE A – 60 B – 50 C – 40 D – 30 E - 20 BTEC National Diploma DDD – 360 DDM – 320 DMM – 280 MMM – 280 MMP – 200 MPP – 160 PPP – 120 University League tables: http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings

23. Top Engineering Universities (UK) • University of Cambridge • University of Oxford • Imperial College London • University of Manchester • University College London (UCL) • University of Edinburgh • University of Nottingham • University of Southampton • University of Bristol • Brunel University • University of Leeds • University Of Birmingham • University of Sheffield • Staffordshire University

24. Top Engineering Universities (UK, 2) • The full list of Engineering & Technology subjects used to create this ranking is: • Acoustics • Aerospace Engineering • Automation & Control Systems • Biomedical Engineering • Chemical Engineering • Civil Engineering • Computer & Information Science • Construction & Building Technology • Earth & Environmental Engineering • Electrical & Electronic Engineering • Energy & Fuels • Imaging Science & Photographic Technology • Imaging Science & Photographic Technology • Industrial Engineering • Instruments & Instrumentation • Marine Engineering • Materials Science • Mechanical Engineering • Mechanics • Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering • Mining & Mineral Processing • Nuclear Science & Technology • Operations Research & Management Science • Robotics • Telecommunications • Transportation • Engineering & Technology - Other topics

25. Making a UCAS application Personal details Personal statement Additional information Employment Student finance Education Choices • Referee responsible for final section: • ReferenceUCAS Universities / colleges

30. Transparent selection process • Qualifications • Past, present and future • Predicted grades for ‘pending’ qualifications • Personal statement • Reference • Interview • Piece of written work • Portfolio • Audition • Admissions tests

31. What are admissions tutors looking for? bility enefit ommitment iscernment • Evidence of... • Potential to... • Evidence of... • Depth of... (QUEST)

32. From the admissions tutors... STRONG personal statements are ones that have been well-researched, carefully prepared and worked upon to eliminate errors and maximise effect. They demonstrate reflective thinking, showing that the applicant has spent time working out what information is most relevant and important to include. They use concrete supporting evidence to demonstrate assertions rather than simply state or tell.

33. Personal statement Content • Motivation, aspirations, commitment • Subject • Career • Insight into current studies • Unit information? • Hobbies, pastimes, interests • Work experience or voluntary work • Reasons for deferred application

34. Personal statement (2) Structure • Skills, qualities, experiences – reflective and insightful • What you have done • What you have learnt • Why this is relevant to chosen subject / career • Structured, clear, concise, precise • Avoid waffle, slang and inappropriate language • Check GRAMMAR and SPELLING GRAMMAR SPELLING

35. Redrafting a ‘reasonable’ personal statement How many experiences or key points have been included? • Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme • Voluntary work • Year 7 Friends Scheme • Drama club technician • Seen ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘Les Miserables’ • Young Enterprise Scheme • Working with staff to redesign school website • Keen hockey player • Member of Venture Scouts

36. Personal statement extracts • “A strong sense of duty, teachable, trustworthy and reliable, strong sense of leadership and flexibility. Articulate and highly motivated scholar with great enthusiasm towards law, confident communicator with good technical, written and oral presentation skills.” • “A good dentist is like a good cake decorator – always aware of the customer's needs, a steady hand, and a keen attention to detail. Dentistry draws on the skills of one of my favourite hobbies – cake decorating.” • “I am a responsible, caring, and sympathetic person with good comunication skills, aspiring to a career in teaching.”

37. The reference – supporting the application • Essential part of the UCAS application process • Each reference is read and considered • Close relationship between personal statement and reference • Potential to discuss / negotiate who covers what • Direct repetition undesirable • Purpose of both is to: • Highlight potential • Progress application • Supplement or replacement for interview

38. What does a reference add to the application? • If you were an admissions tutor, what would you be looking for in the reference? “Selection is based overwhelmingly on academic potential.” University of Cambridge “The most important part of your reference is your assessment of the applicant’s suitability for the higher education course they have chosen.” University of Liverpool

39. ‘Standard’ reference process model • Centre encourages applicants to • Register on UCAS Apply before the summer break • Research their application in the break • Mindful of early 15 October deadline • Subject teachers • Record evidence throughout Year 12 study • Write subject reports, using the above plus • Previous school reports • Course profiles • Supplementary data? • Referee compiles a reference using the above plus • Own knowledge of student • Contextual information

40. An illustrative format model for a UCAS reference • Information on school /college • Could include school type / size, year group size, class size, numbers usually progressing to HE, information on qualifications available and school policies or opportunities that might affect learning, environment or contextual information • Special circumstances • Including explaining discrepancies between past academic performance, profile of performance and predicted grades • Subject by subject report • Most relevant subject first and in most detail • Allow each a separate paragraph, starting with subject e.g. “In English...” • Profile of performance and potential • Suitability for chosen course • Preparedness for HE experience • Personal qualities, experience, transferable skills Endorsement

41. Main points • Focus on the course / career – skills, qualities • Professionalism – understand the demands • Research (preparation) – what does the course/career entail? • Relevance – experiences, hobbies, employment • Adaptability • Structure – enthusiasm throughout • Visual – spelling, grammar, space

42. Qualities we look for… Academic Skills: Ability to handle information, research, analyse, interpret, ability to defend your opinion Core Skills: Numeracy, Literacy, ICT, communication Personal Characteristics: Motivation, self-organisation, creativity, flexibility, honesty, integrity Social Skills: Teamwork, negotiation skills, helping and supporting others

43. Thank you Ian Cooper Connexions Personal Adviser Ian.cooper@prospects.co.uk 07876 745552