Choices at 16
What can you do after Year 11?
There are 4 main options open to you:
- Continue your education at school or college
- Become an Apprentice (earn while you learn)
- Take an e2e programme that prepares you for a job or course
- Get a job
Read on to find out more about all 4 options:
Option 1: Continue your education at school or college
How about studying motor mechanics, art and design or psychology? With hundreds of different courses and subjects to choose from - there’s something to suit everyone.
Here are the 3 main types of course you can choose:
- Academic or general courses – where you learn more about a particular subject (Eg Maths, Biology, Economics, Art)
- Applied or general vocational courses – where you learn more about a broad area of work (Eg, Engineering, Health and Social Care, Business Studies)
- Work-related or occupational courses – where you learn the skills you need to do a specific job (Eg Motor vehicle repair, Childcare, Painting and Decorating)
Click on the links below to find out about the different types of qualification you can do. Remember - it may be possible to do a mix of qualification types:
A Level / AS Level / A2 Level
Advanced Extension Award (AEA)
BTEC
Diploma
Extended Project
Free Standing Maths Qualification (FSMQ)
GCSE
International Baccalaureate
Key Skills
NVQ
OCR National
To find out what different qualification levels mean in terms of learning and employment, click here.
Option 2: Become an Apprentice
If you’d like to get work experience and qualifications at the same time as getting a wage or training allowance, an Apprenticeship could be for you.
Apprenticeships are good if you know what job you want to do. You need to be very committed - you’ll be doing a real job working alongside experienced people in the work place – and you’ll also receive extra training at a college or specialist training centre, usually on day release.
Apprenticeships are available in hundreds of different areas of work.
There are two levels
Both lead to NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications), Key Skills qualifications and Technical Certificates.
For more information on both kinds of Apprenticeship click here
To find out what it’s like being an Apprentice, click here
Option 3: Take an e2e programme that prepares you for a job or course
e2e stands for ’Entry to Employment’. An e2e programme can help you if you're not sure about career choices or you don't have the experience, skills or qualifications to start a college course, Apprenticeship, or job.
The programme is built around your individual needs. It usually involves developing the skills you need at work - key skills such as IT, communication skills and working with others. You’ll also get the chance to brush up on your reading, writing and number skills and take on short-term work placements to give you experience of different kinds of work.
e2e can help you develop your confidence and your skills. After e2e you could go to college and continue your studies, progress on to an Apprenticeship or get a job.
Pre e2e programmes are also available for those who are not ready or able to commit to a full e2e course straight away.
If you think e2e or Pre-e2e might be for you, talk to your Personal Adviser to find out more.
Option 4: Get a job
If you’re thinking about leaving full-time learning after year 11, it’s extremely important that you look for a job that guarantees you can study for more qualifications while you’re earning a wage. Look at it this way - If you lose your job, for whatever reason, it will be easier to prove to another employer that you’ve got the skills they’re looking for, if you’ve got work-related qualifications. It will also be easier to go back into education if you want to.
Some employers run their own training programmes that lead to nationally recognised qualifications. Some employers even support trainees through to degree level. But take care. Some employers claim to offer training, but it may not lead to nationally recognised qualifications and it may not help you make progress in your chosen career.
Always ask the company to let you have details of their training programme and talk to your Connexions Personal Adviser before accepting the job.
