Alternatives to Higher Education

June 2015Helen Cole

Choices previously: University, Employment, Gap Year

Globalisation + Vocational Need + Rise in tuition fees

= Many more options available!!!

Session Outline

Range of Post 18 Options

• Apprenticeships /Advanced Apprenticeships

• Higher Level Apprenticeships

• Sponsored degrees

• Where to find them?

Work Experience• Importance of work experience

• Work placements at university

• Work experience in school holidays

• Internships

• Volunteering

• Work shadowing

• Year in Industry (if you are going to university)

Our Traditional View of Apprenticeships.......

The Reality……..

Apprenticeships – Different Levels

• Apprenticeships – Level 1+ 2

• Advanced Apprenticeships – Level 3

• Higher Level Apprenticeships- Level 4 / 5

• Undergraduate Apprenticeships – Level 4/5

Sponsored Degrees - Level 4/5

ApprenticeshipsYou are employed by the companyYou are paid a salaryYou study for qualifications (Worth considering Level 3 in a large/ prestigious company)BUT• Fierce competition for places

What is a Sponsored Degree?

• Full time job and study towards a Degree Level qualification

• 3-6 year programme• Linked to a University or College• Paid a salary• Tuition fees paid by employer• Industry Experience

Things to Consider!

• Some careers require degree qualifications – Medicine, Vet Science, Physiotherapy

• Art based careers

• Do you want the full university experience ?

• Expect competition when applying for sponsored degrees / higher level apprenticeships.

• Be prepared to give up some of your free time in order to study for qualifications alongside work.

The Tech PartnershipCompanies in the technology industry are working together to create new degree apprenticeships

• Employed by the company• Paid a salary (approx. £16,000 p.a.)• Study part time for a degree• Degree will be technology based – at least some

of the content will be IT• Companies: Accenture, Barclays, Fujitsu, CGI,

Ford, John Lewis, Cap Gemini, BT, Lloyds, Newtork Rail, GlaxoSmithKline, Intel.

• www.thetechpartnership.com

Where To Find an Apprenticeship / Higher Level Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship information and vacancies at:

www.apprenticeships.gov.uk www.notgoingtouni.co.uk

www.gov.uk/jobsearch

www.studentladder.co.uk

www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk

www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk

www.milkround.com (Schoolleavers)

www.directions.org.uk/careers

CVs…….• Take time to prepare a really good CV

SpellingGrammar

• Applying for apprenticeships……very time consuming• DON’T email lots of companies together…..They

won’t feel loved…..• Inform yourself on the companies for which you are

applying• If you are not getting interviews. Need to look at the

quality of your application. Scale back and refocus……..

Notgoingtouni.co.uk

Excellent website providing details on many alternatives to university:

• Apprenticeships• Advanced apprenticeships• Foundation degrees• Sponsored degrees• College course• Jobs• Gap Year opportunitiesRegister with them – they will send you

regular update emails!

Company Websites

• Companies will have their own apprenticeship application details on their websites

KPMG, BAA, NHS, John Lewis, BMW, the banks – HSBC, Barclays, Nat West, Nationwide, BBC, Sky and many more!

Also………• Social Media

Twitter and Facebook LinkedIn Blogs

(80% of jobs are filled by networking / contacts through family / friends / acquaintances)

Examples of Employers offering Apprenticeships/

Higher Level Apprenticeships /

Sponsored Degrees

KPMG Degree Programme• 6 year degree with Birmingham, Durham or

Exeter• Leads to an accountancy degree• University fees & accommodation paid and

starting salary of £20,000• ABB required

KPMG also offers: Internships Vacation Programmes

Business

• CGI Logica Sponsored Degree Programme – BBB at A’ Level, Day release over 3 years for BA (Hons) Management, £13,000

• Siemens – Financial and Commercial Academy. Degrees in finance and business management.

280 UCAS points required.

• Aviva – IT Database Analyst – A levels 300 UCAS points required. Microsoft & Java professional qualifications.

Accountancy & Finance• PWC – Higher Level Apprenticeship (e g Tax /

Assurance / Consulting ) 280 UCAS Points required

• Deloitte (Bright Start School Leavers’ Scheme) 300-320 points

• Lloyds, Nat West, RBS – Apprenticeships – rotational programmes 180-200 UCAS points

• Barclays Sponsored Degree – 320 UCAS points required

• Aviva Insurance Underwriting Apprenticeship – A levels required 300 UCAS points.

School Leaver Apprenticeships/ Traineeships

in Finance

• HSBC

• Barclays• J.P. Morgan• Nationwide• RBS Group• Santander• Bank of America

Merrill Lynch• BDO

• Baker Tilly• Aon• Lloyds Banking

Group• PWC• Deloite• KPMG• Ernst and Young

IT Advanced / Higher Level Apprenticeships

• MI5• IBM • Cisco• Microsoft• British Airways• Avco Systems• Capgemini• CA Technologies• 02• Virgin Media• GlaxoSmmithKline• Fujitsu• QA – Training Provider – Apprenticeships in

systems and networking, software and web development

Construction/Engineering/Surveying

• BAM Nutall Civil Engineering & Surveying – Advanced and Higher Level Apprenticeships

• Balfour Beatty Construction – Apprenticeships and Higher Level Apprenticeships

• Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) – Engineering Apprenticeships and Higher Level Apprenticeships

• National Grid – Engineering Higher Level Apprenticeships A levels / BTEC required

• Thames Water – Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Apprenticeships / Higher Level Apprenticeships

• Network Rail• AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment)• Costain• Amey• Amec Foster Wheeler• Defence Engineering and Science Group• Virgin Media• EDF Energy• Laing O’Rourke• E.ON• Airbus• British Airways• BAE Systems

Construction/Engineering/Surveying

Sponsored Degrees

Balfour Beatty Construction Sponsored Degree

• 5-6 years with day release• BSc with CIOB/RICS• Construction Management,

Design, Engineering or Quantity Surveying

• 260 UCAS points

• BP Engineering – Maritime and Nautical Services BSc/BEng

• Transport for London – Traffic Maintenance Engineering

Environment Agency – University of West of England, Flood Risk Foundation Degree. A2 Maths needed and £15,000

Atkins - Higher Level Apprenticeship

Property Changing The Face of Property10 major property firms are collaborating to offer opportunities to train in property in areas of : surveying, planning, lettings, valuation, finance, human resources.

Knight Frank JLLSavills Colliers InternationalCBRE DTZStrutt and Parker GVA Gerald Eve Cushman and Wakefield

Advanced apprenticeships and sponsored degreeswww.propertyneedsyou.com

Retail

• John Lewis Partnership – training to manage a store – visual merchandising, marketing, managing a team (A’ Level entry)

• Marks and Spencer – Higher Level Apprenticeship

• Tesco – A’ Level fast track management programme.

• BAA Retail Academy – Retail & Customer service, hospitality, warehousing etc.

Travel and Leisure

• Thomson/Tui , Thomas Cook offer training programmes in customer service/tourism (overseas)

• Leisure/Sports Centres – can offer leisure management apprenticeships

• Hotels – can offer hospitality and catering training opportunities (Holiday Inn, Hilton, Jury’s Inn) (HIT Training)

Sport

Advanced Apprenticeships and Higher Level Apprenticeships with:• Leisure Centre and Sports Centres• Gyms• Outdoor Activity Centres• Local councils

Apprenticeships in the sports industry include: fitness instructor, sports coach, activity leader, sports centre manager, personal trainer.

Mark Warner / PGL / Sports Xtra, David Lloyd Leisure GCSEs / A levels / BTEC Sport

Media

• BBC 2015 Digital Journalism Apprenticeship Radio Journalism Apprenticeship Technology Apprenticeships Production Apprenticeship

• ITV Apprenticeships – Opportunities in Creative Media & Business Administration

• Sky Apprenticeships

British Airways Apprenticeships

• Engineering• Cabin Crew• Aviation operations on the ground.• Customer Service• IT & Telecoms• Business & Administration• Warehouse & Storage Qualification• Project Management. • www.britishairwaysjobs.com

• Keep your options open – if applying for university, consider sponsored degrees / higher level apprenticeships

• Research companies.• Register on the national apprenticeship

website and the Notgoingtouni website.• Prepare a CV carefully.• Use social media.• You will need to devote time……..!• Apply for companies as well as universities

– see what results you have.• Ask for help!!!

To conclude.......