Choices at 17. Norfolk County Council. What are your choices after this year? Are you doing a one-year course at college or sixth form?

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1 Norfolk County Council Choices at 17 Are you doing a one-year course at college or sixth form? On a BTEC First Diploma or Certificate? Resitting GCSEs? On a one year apprenticeship that is about to finish? Training for a job? If so, the following information will help you with making choices about what to do next. What are your choices after this year? You can:- Continue on to a higher level course such as a BTEC National Diploma, A levels or a more advanced or specialist vocational course Switch to a completely different course Find an apprenticeship or other job with training Remember! You have to stay in some form of training or education until you are at least 18 - at sixth form, college, with an employer or on an apprenticeship. So plan carefully what you are going to do next year. Developing Norfolk s Future Workforce

2 Your education options If you are thinking of staying on at college, sixth form or sixth form college, you need to think about three things: What sort of course or qualification fits your career plans How you learn best Which level is most suitable for you Moving up a level of study It is important to understand the level of the qualification or course you are currently taking as this will help you when considering your next steps. The diagram below shows how qualifications fit into the different levels. For instance if you are currently taking a BTEC Level 2 you could progress on to a BTEC Level 3, an Intermediate Apprenticeship or possibly A levels Learning Options Key: Entry Level Entry Level certificates Foundation Learning General qualifications Foundation Learning Level 1 GCSEs and igcses (D-G or 3-1) BTEC Level 1 Foundation Learning Cambridge Nationals Level 1 NVQ 1 Vocational qualifications Higher Education Level 2 the higher the level, the greater the knowledge and skills required GCSEs and igcses (A*-C or 9-4) BTEC Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship Cambridge Nationals/ Technicals Level 2 NVQ 2 Traineeships & Apprenticeships Level 3 A Levels BTEC Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship Cambridge Technicals Level 3 NVQ 3 International Baccalaureate Level 4+ Degree HNC or HND Degree Apprenticeship Higher Apprenticeship Foundation Degree NVQ 4/5 To enter this level young people need to be really interested in the course they are applying for. They may or may not be asked for some qualifications. To enter this level young people usually need some GCSEs at either D or C, or 4-3 grades. To enter this level young people usually need four or five GCSEs at grades A*-C or 9-4 or another Level 2 qualification. To enter this level young people usually need Level 3 qualifications and may need to have achieved specific grades in certain subjects to progress further. Employment options after Entry Level or Level 1 Employment options after Level 2 Employment options after Level 3 Employment options after Level 4+ Jobs involving basic tasks, usually with more supervision than higher-level jobs. They can be hard to find and usually are low paid. Jobs involving varied tasks with some guidance or supervision. Jobs involving working independently, and possibly supervising and training. Specialist, professional and knowledge-based jobs, and professional management.

3 Entry requirements In general to start a Level 2 course you may be asked for GCSEs at grades C, D or E. You may also need to have achieved certain grades in certain subjects such as maths and English. To start a Level 3 course you will usually need at least 4 GCSEs at grade C or above which may include English and maths and possibly a B grade in any subjects that you wish to study further. If you ve completed a BTEC or other vocational qualification at Level 2 you may be asked for at least a Merit to continue studying at Level 3. If you are currently taking GCSE English and/or maths that will be graded from 9-1 you need to check with the college or sixth form as to what grades they require for the course(s) you are interested in. If you are staying on at the same sixth form or college they may ask for a high level of success in your current course as well as a report showing good attendance and behaviour. Carefully check entry requirements for any course that you are interested in as not only do they vary between courses, they can also vary between different sixth forms and colleges. Finding and applying for courses Contact the college or sixth form to get their prospectus or course leaflets or speak to admissions staff or Student Services for information and advice. Use Help You Choose, Norfolk s careers information, advice and opportunities website for young people. HelpYou Choose Your future, your choice You can find courses in the 6th Form & College Courses tab and use the Info & Advice tab to find out more about different qualifications. You can apply for courses using Help You Choose. If you had a Help You Choose account set up in Year 10 or 11 at school you can log back in and use your account up until your 20th birthday. If you re unable to login or didn t have an account in school please contact the Help You Choose helpdesk on or helpdesk@helpyouchoose.org who can give you details on how to register. Progression from a Level 3 qualification If you go on to take a Level 3 qualification such as A levels or a BTEC National Diploma, this could lead onto: A foundation or honours degree An Advanced, Higher or Degree Apprenticeship A job that includes further training with an employer Taking a gap year If you are thinking about taking a degree at university or at a college of higher education you should carefully check what subjects and grades you need for any course that you are interested in. Go to to search for courses and check entry requirements. To find out more about these choices ask your sixth form or college for a copy of Norfolk County Council s publication Choices at 18 or use the Info & Advice pages on Help You Choose.

4 Student money matters Providing you start a full-time course before you turn 19, all your tuition and course fees will be paid, unless the course is at a private, fee-paying school or college. 16 to 19 Bursary Fund If you re struggling with the costs for education or for training you may be able to get a bursary. If you re in care or a care leaver, claiming Income Support (or Universal Credit) in your own name or are disabled and receive both Disability Living Allowance (or the new Personal Independent Payments) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) (or Universal Credit as a replacement for ESA) you could receive a bursary of up to 1,200 a year. Even if you aren t in one of the above groups, you may get a bursary if you need help with the costs of transport, food and equipment. Contact your sixth form, college or training provider to see if you are eligible. Free meals If you received free school meals when you were at school, speak to Student Services at your sixth form or college to find out if you qualify for a free meal on the days that you are required to attend your study programme. Other financial support You may also get help if: You have to live away from home to study because the course isn t available locally You are a teenage parent and want to continue in education You want to study at one of the leading private dance and drama colleges in England For more information about any of the above go to the Education and learning pages of You can also speak to Student Services at the college or sixth form you are currently attending, or plan to attend, who will be able to help you with financial advice.

5 Your work with training options Apprenticeships An apprenticeship is a job. You work for an employer and learn skills and knowledge while you are completing your apprenticeship. In Norfolk there are many types of apprenticeship available from engineering through to care and hospitality. There are four levels of apprenticeship available: Intermediate Level Apprenticeships (Level 2) to start you may need some GCSEs at A*-C grades, or similar. This can lead to an Advanced Level Apprenticeship. Advanced Level Apprenticeships (Level 3) you will be expected to have achieved GCSEs at A*- C grades in relevant subjects. On completion you might be able to progress to a Higher or Degree Apprenticeship or higher education. Higher Apprenticeships and Degree Apprenticeships (Level 4 or above) you may progress on to a Higher or Degree Apprenticeship at 18 if you ve taken A Levels or equivalent qualifications or are an existing apprentice. Apprenticeship basics You work for an employer doing a real job You get recognised training from a training provider You gain qualifications and experience You are paid You develop the skills that employers really want including communication, team work and problem solving Traineeships If you re not quite ready for an apprenticeship, a traineeship can help you develop the skills that you need to be successful in work and on an apprenticeship. A traineeship can last up to six months. You will go on work experience and get help to prepare and apply for jobs and apprenticeships, as well as support to improve your English and maths. Jobs If you are looking for a job don t forget that you must carry on with some form of parttime education or training until you are at least 18. For any job you are interested in, check out what training is included. Some companies train their staff through apprenticeships, others may run their own training programmes which might include day release to college leading to qualifications in their business. Remember that in the long run, the more you learn the more you earn.

6 Where to look for apprenticeships, traineeships and jobs Apprenticeships and traineeships across Norfolk are all advertised on Help You Choose at You can register for Jobmatching in My Account. In My Jobsearch select what job sectors you are interested in and where to receive an of any apprenticeships or jobs matching your criteria that you may wish to apply for. You can also find apprenticeship vacancies in Norfolk at Your sixth form or college may have a noticeboard displaying vacancies. Register at or to receive alerts about suitable apprenticeship and traineeship vacancies. You can also search for vacancies and apply online. Approach companies and employers directly. Look online at companies websites and use social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Use job finding websites such as Indeed, Jobs24, Monster and Universal Jobmatch. Look in newspapers such as the job pages in the EDP on a Thursday. Contact private employment agencies. Ask friends and family. Apprenticeship opportunities for young people in Norfolk are increasing. To find out more go to or call TOP TIP If you re looking for an apprenticeship you can also contact training providers. They work alongside companies offering apprenticeships so they often know which companies will be looking for apprentices. To find a list of Norfolk s training providers go to click on Apprenticeships, Jobs & Training and then Training provider. Discounts for Apprentices! With the NUS Apprentice extra card you can get loads of discounts both in-store and online on food, clothes, entertainment and transport. Take a look at for more information and to apply. Target your applications don t just apply for everything and anything. It s important to put in a good application targeted at the job or apprenticeship you re interested in. TOP TIP National Minimum Wage (NMW) If you are working you are legally entitled to be paid at least the NMW. The rate you receive depends on your age and whether you are an apprentice. Current rates are: per hour per hour per hour paid to 18 to 20 year olds the rate paid to anyone above school leaving age but under 18 the apprentice rate, for apprentices under 19 or for anyone in their first year of training

7 Working for yourself If you ve got a good business idea you might want to look at setting up your own business. This is a big step and will require a lot of hard work. There is help out there with free advice from experts. Try the following:- The New Anglia Growth Hub at Enterprise agency Nwes at Shell LiveWIRE at The Princes Trust at The future for jobs in Norfolk Understanding the current and future job market is important when planning your future so that you understand what types of career opportunities exist, particularly in your local area. Norfolk has over 35,000 employers from small businesses to global companies offering exciting and interesting opportunities from which to build a career. Over the next 10 years particular key sectors in Norfolk are expected to grow significantly and provide a strong supply of jobs. These are:- Energy (including renewables) the East of England is the second largest centre for energy in the UK which includes oil and gas, onshore and offshore wind energy, nuclear and biomass fired power generation. Advanced manufacturing and engineering over 1,000 engineering companies in Norfolk employ a highly-skilled workforce of around 10,000 people across all areas of engineering. Life sciences Norwich Research Park is one of the largest clusters of food, health, plant and environmental science organisations in the world! Over 12,000 people work on the site. Financial and insurance with over 180 companies, we have one of the largest clusters of finance and insurance businesses outside of London. Norwich is also one of the largest general insurance centres in Europe. ICT and digital creative Norfolk is a major centre for the creative industries, arts and culture with Norwich being a Tech City supporting new digital creative companies. Construction and the built environment between 2016 and 2020 it s predicted there will be 3,910 new jobs each year in the East of England and over 46,000 new construction jobs each year across the UK. Agriculture, food and drink Norfolk is home to well-known food and drink producers; innovators and leaders in food processing, packing and agricultural machinery and is a major centre for agriculture. Tourism and culture Norfolk is developing as a year-round visitor destination. The sector provides 15% of total employment and supports over 54,000 jobs in the county. Health and social care in the next 10 years there will be huge demand for people to work in adult social care. Skill shortages include midwives, care assistants, social workers, orthoptists and radiographers. Retail Norwich is one of the top shopping destinations in the UK. Retail employs just under 41,000 people across the whole of Norfolk. To find out more about these industries in Norfolk go to and

8 Information and Advice If you need help to decide what you want to do there is plenty of information and advice available, including the following:- Student Services at your sixth form or college who can provide information and advice on a wide range of subjects including careers, education and training options, finance, transport, accommodation, childcare and additional support. The National Careers Service provides confidential information, advice and support. You can get in touch with an adviser by webchat, phone, , callback or text. Advisers are available every day, from 8am to 10pm: Phone Text Calls are free from landlines and most mobile numbers. Or you can tell them your number and an adviser will call you back. To find out more, or use the online services go to nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk The website also includes job profiles where you can find out what a job involves and if it s right for you. The Info & Advice pages on Help You Choose where you can find out more about all your available and future options. You can watch videos and download leaflets to help you with finding and applying for apprenticeships and jobs and also find links to websites to help you with your research. Keeping in touch with you Norfolk County Council is required to keep in regular contact with you until you are 19 to offer you support to help you get into education, training or work. This means that from time to time you will be called by our Help You Choose Keeping In Touch Team just to check things are going well. If you do need support, we are here to help! If you are undecided about your future and have no plans in place, call us on If you need this information in large print, audio, Braille, alternative format or in a different language please contact us on and we will do our best to help. Produced December 2016 by the IAG Strategy Team, Children s Services, Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2DH Tel: CB