Elizabeth Holmes - What Next After School?: All You Need to Know About Work, Travel and Study

What next after school?

All you need to know about work, travel and study

9th edition

Elizabeth Holmes

This book is dedicated to Jessica Greatwood.

Publishers note

Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate at the time of going to press, and the publisher and author cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the editor, the publisher or the author.

The views expressed in this book are those of the author, and are not necessarily the same as those of Times Newspapers Ltd.

First published in Great Britain in 1996 as The School-leavers Handbook

Second edition 1999

First published as What Next? in 2001

Second edition 2003

Third edition entitled What Next after School? 2004

Fourth edition 2006

Fifth edition 2007

Sixth edition 2008

Seventh edition 2009

Eighth edition 2009

Ninth edition 2010

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licences issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address:

Kogan Page Limited

120 Pentonville Road

London N1 9JN

United Kingdom

www.koganpage.com

Joanna Grigg, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2003

Elizabeth Holmes, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

The right of Elizabeth Holmes to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 0 7494 5972 7

E-ISBN 978 0 7494 5973 4

Typeset by Saxon Graphics Ltd, Derby

Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall

eBook by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong

Contents

At a time when the world is changing rapidly, when words like recession and even depression are regularly in the news and job losses are widely reported on, the decisions that young people take when facing a new phase of life certainly have an added significance. Yes, there are many new possibilities to consider, but there are costs associated too, and being able to plan for an uncertain future using solid knowledge of the options open to you is a skill that all adults need.

For this reason, this latest edition of What Next After School? includes plenty of advice on how to make great decisions that will support you most effectively, how to plan for times ahead, how to navigate disappointment and how to give yourself the best chance of turning dreams into reality. Theres also all the usual up-to-date information on the many options facing 16- and 18-year-old school leavers.

Throughout the course of writing this book I visited many schools and colleges to get ideas about the kind of information and advice that school leavers really need. Although they are too numerous to mention individually by name, I would like to thank all of the teachers, lecturers, students and careers advisers who willingly gave their time and thoughts; your help was very much appreciated. In particular, thanks must go to Callum Stannard, whose thoughtful insights have contributed greatly to this book.

I would also like to thank Charlotte Howard of the Fox & Howard Literary Agency, Jon Finch, Ian Hallsworth and the Kogan Page team.

The information in this book is correct at the time of going to print, but be aware that some of the detail will be subject to change on a regular basis. Where this might be an issue, relevant website addresses have been included so that you can find updated information if necessary.

It doesnt matter how much you may be looking forward to leaving school and moving on to your next challenge, this can still be a nerve-racking time. Many people of your age find themselves thinking: How do I know what I want to do? What options are open to me? Have I made the right decision? What should I do next?

On top of any uncertainty you might be feeling, you are probably really pushed for time. If you are in the middle of your GCSEs, you will be up to your eyes in coursework, studying, revising and exams, and finding time even to start thinking about your next steps in life can be impossible.

Its tough that so much seems to happen all at once. Just as you are ploughing through the most demanding period of your school life so far, you are expected to search out new courses that you would like to take, think about where you want to work, even consider leaving home. This means gathering information and application forms, writing CVs and creating personal statements that reveal who you are and why you would be great for the course/job/voluntary position (delete as appropriate). It also means thinking just as much about the past as about the future. What have you done so far in your life that you have enjoyed? What have you learned from the experiences you have had? What have part-time jobs you have had taught you?

Thats where this book comes in to help you out. Packed with information on the kinds of choices that you face right now, as well as information on options you may not even have thought of, this book helps you to take a good look at where you have been, where you are now, where you want to be in the future and how you can get there. It helps you to take a good look at yourself, to see yourself as clearly as possible and to think about life goals that you know will give you that kick.

This book will not tell you what will earn you the most money, or what qualifications you need to do certain jobs. There are other sources for this information that your school or local library can help you find out. Instead, when you have gone through all that this book has to offer, you can expect to know where it is you want to head for in life and what you might find when you get there.

You may not always feel totally in control of your life; growing up and being at school has to be like that. But with the help of this book, you will see what opportunities lie ahead of you and can start to direct the next scenes of your life. Good luck!

Who this book is for

If you are looking ahead to when you leave school, then this book has been written for you. However, it will also be invaluable for teachers and parents who are supporting teenagers through the decision-making processes linked to leaving school at either 16 or 18 years old.

How to use this book

Now that you have picked this book up and started reading it, dont feel that you have to continue from this point and plough your way through to the very end. What Next After School? has been written in a way that allows you to dip in for specific chunks of information or, alternatively, treat it like a cover-to-cover read. Either way, I hope you get what you need from it.