What are your teen’s options after school or college?

Wondering what your child can do after school or college? There are many different paths for them to take. There is no right or wrong pathway, it’s all about doing what is best for your teen! Check out the different options below:

A Levels

A Levels come after GCSEs and are more academic focused compared to vocational qualifications, which are more practical.

Are A Levels right for my child? Does your child prefer more theory and academic learning and would like to cover a broad range of subjects? If so, then A Levels could be the right choice for them. They might need A Levels to achieve a specific career goal or to be accepted onto a particular university course so make sure your teen checks the entry requirements beforehand.

T Levels

T Levels are a relatively new pathway, launched in 2020 and follow GCSEs. They are equivalent to 3 A Levels. They help prepare young people for work, further training and study.

Are T Levels right for my child? If your teen is looking to combine classroom learning with on-the-job experience through an industry placement then T Levels could be the right fit. UCAS tariff points are allocated to T Levels and they provide an entry route into higher education and employment.

Apprenticeship

An apprenticeship combines off the job learning with paid employment so young people can gain real experience and work towards a nationally recognised qualification. They can be done at various levels from intermediate to degree. This means your child can get a degree qualification, at no cost to them!

Is an apprenticeship right for my child? Does your teen prefer practical, hands on learning and is eager to enter the world of work? If so, then an apprenticeship could be right up their street.. They’ll have a full time job with 20% off working hours spent doing off the job training while studying towards a qualification.

University

Going to university enables students to study towards a degree at a particular higher education institution. They’ll combine learning through a mixture of independent study, lectures, group projects and seminars.

Is university right for my child? If your teen enjoys academic learning or needs a specific degree to achieve their career goals then university might be right for them. In most cases a degree will take 3 years to complete. They will need to check the entry requirements on the university website for particular courses.

Other options include: supported internships, technical and vocational qualifications, applied qualifications, exam retakes, traineeships, school leaver schemes, internships, kickstart jobs, a gap year.