Enabling students to make the right decision, at the right me, for the right career

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W e at Bright Futures do a lot of things to help students just like

you to make the right decisions for your future and your career. We help you to explore your choices, become aware of all the opportuni es available, meet with poten al employers and find out right from the horses mouth what they look for in their employees. But it’s not only about knowledge, it’s also about those essen al key skills. We help you to grow, develop and expand your horizons. But ul mately it’s you that needs to take the steps.

In this very first edi on of our Bright Futures School Society e‐magazine we talk to you about what the Bright Futures School Society is all about and why we have decided to start it! We take you over to our very first President, Miles , who tells you why he got involved in Bright Futures. And we also look into the things you need to consider when choosing a degree. If travel is on the agenda, we talk through how you can develop your skills whilst on the other side of the globe. Don’t forget our Gap year Quiz! Our Sector Spotlight focuses on careers in STEM as well as Sport, Leisure and Tourism.

We have some great ps from students themselves about the best job advice they’ve been given and we also share with you our top four apps for being in the know. And if that wasn't enough, we also feature two top recruiters, Na onal Grid and PwC, both offering a range of opportuni es for students at various stages in their career. That’s enough of an introduc on from us! We will leave you to get reading—ENJOY! P.S. If you need any further advice or assistance we can help, check us out below and drop us a line on 01242 236 415!

Editor’s Letter

Jackie

Bright Futures Editor & Society Manager

Expand your horizons with Bright Futures...

Ruth

Bright Futures School Society Manager

Jo

Bright Futures School Society Consultant

CONTENTS

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>02 EDITOR’S LETTER—Expand your horizons with Bright Futures We help you explore your choices and make the right decisions for you

>04 The Bright Futures School Society—Why have we launched them now? The simple truth about careers and the job market.

>05 Can’t wait for the summer? Then you’d be er make the most of it... What’s the first thing that springs to mind when planning your summer holiday?

>06 What Degree should I do? AllAboutCareers.com focus on the things to consider when choosing your degree.

>07 Passionate about Bright Futures Our first School President talks about his big plans and why he’s decided to get involved.

>08 What’s the best job advice you’ve been given? Students share the best advice they’ve been given when job hun ng.

>09 The Review Room We give you our top four news and informa on apps to inspire you to keep you up to date on the here and now.

>10 RECRUITER NEWS: Na onal Grid Recrui ng people from their local communi es is important to us.

>11 RECRUITER NEWS: PwC Join our new Higher Appren ceship programme.

>12 Taking Time Out to Travel If you are in it for the long haul, it’s important to have some objec ves.

>13 Gap Year Quiz We’ve got a great quiz to get you thinking about your travels and if it really is the right move.

>14 Don’t fancy going down the university track? University isn’t right for everyone and it isn’t the only way to a bright future.

>16 SECTOR SPOTLIGHT: STEM It stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths” and there are lots of exci ng careers out there for you to explore!

>17 SECTOR SPOTLIGHT: Sports, Leisure and Tourism In 2010, the number of people employed in Leisure, Sport and Tourism amounted to 7% of the UK workforce, which is over 2 million people!!

>18 Did you know? We look at a few sta s cs taken from the Trendence Graduate Barometer 2012 on what students are thinking beyond university.

CAREER ADVICE

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Front Cover by: JetSharkLambo image: Morg.6

The simple truth about careers and the job market: There are all kinds of routes to a successful career, but what is important in building such a career quickly is making the right decision about what to do and having the skills & a tude needed; or put simply ‘employability’ is key. The job market at all levels is highly compe ve and to successfully compete for jobs you need to stand out – which means being more employable than others! Key Fact 1: The latest CBI / Pearson Educa on & Skills survey of 542 organisa ons, employing around 1.6 million people, reports that 61% of firms say school and college leavers have not developed the self‐management skills they need for work while at school. Over the next three to five years, employers expect to need more people with leadership and management skills and other higher skills. John Cridland was a member of the Society when he was at University and is now the CBI Director‐General. He said: “There is nothing more important to the future economic success of our country, and the lives of young people, than educa on. The founda ons for the development of higher‐level skills and the essen als for working life, that employers require, are laid at school. With the right start at school our young people can go on to have successful and fulfilling careers and have a strong base from which to learn more at college, university, or in the

workplace…so in the UK we must ensure that our educa on and skills system can con nue to compete at the cu ng edge.” In short, students in schools, regardless if they will go into work or con nued educa on need to be developing skills now. Key Fact 2: Tui on fees at University mean more and more students are asking the ques on as to whether University is right for them and what other op ons there are to build a successful career. The reality is ,University is a great op on but not the only op on. Organisa ons are increasing the number of school leavers they are recrui ng on to great training programmes, some of which include doing a degree part me. Key Fact 3: The government are championing appren ceships and higher appren ceships, with lots of such opportuni es being created. What the School Socie es offer: A student driven Society within the School championing employability.

Events run by the students for the students and with our network of employers.

A pla orm to enable independent advice and insight into a range of careers, by hearing from the employers themselves, plus, the all important skills development, including confidence in communica on & commercial awareness.

Training and support for each commi ee of students to run their Society and events.

Strong leadership development for the commi ee members

What results we deliver: We are replica ng the success of our Bright Futures Socie es in close to 50 Universi es across the UK, where: We have helped thousands of students to become more employable.

Last year 60% of our student commi ee members, who run the Socie es on campus, had secured a job before the end of the academic year.

The Higher Educa on Academy cited Bright Futures as an example of best prac ce when it comes to student engagement in employability

The Bright Futures Society wants to empower students (with support) to take responsibility for their career. This means each student can make the right decision for them, at the right me, for the right career. We make a difference for students at University and now we want to do the same for students in schools.

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Wri en by Simon Reichwald, Director

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Back

W hat’s the first thing that springs to mind when you think about planning your summer holidays? Sunbathing, chilling out, listening

to music, hanging out with your friends, going on holiday and generally just taking some me out a er a busy year at school... As well as all that, why not try and really make the most of your holidays by doing some work experience, work shadowing, voluntary work or taking up a new interest? All these things will really make a difference when it comes to applying to university, looking for a job, gaining an appren ceship or hun ng for a part me job to bring in a li le bit of cash. Even if you aren't really thinking about your career, star ng to build on your skills and experience early will make a big different when making applica ons to uni, for an appren ceship or straight into employment. Employers and admissions tutors are looking for people who are prepared to go the extra mile to make them

stand out from the crowd. Imagine being an employer who’s got 10 applica ons for a job they have adver sed and everyone has got the qualifica ons they are asking for... They need to find a way of iden fying from the 10 who can offer them more skills and experience and who would be best for the job. The most obvious way for them to be able to single out the best candidates is to look at what skills and experience they have beyond their academic qualifica ons.

Can’t wait for the Summer? Then you’d be er make the most it...

Why not try… Work experience for a few weeks to help you decide what career you would like and get to know what a par cular

industry would be like to work in. You can also get the chance to prove you can be professional, reliable, punctual, good at following instruc ons and can get on well with others.

Work shadowing for a couple of days so you can observe different roles within an organisa on and ask ques ons about the different entry routes into a job.

Voluntary work, such as a local community project, which can help demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment towards trying something new and challenging. This can be a one off, or on a regular basis throughout the summer.

Take up a new interest such as playing a new sport, learning a language or joining a club which shows you are a posi ve and outgoing person who seeks out new experiences and opportuni es to learn.

Filling your me with experiences that teach you new skills as well as challenge you (in a good way!) will help to make you stand out from others and therefore more employable. If you’re not sure about how to go about looking for new things to do in the holidays, speak to your teacher or careers advisor who will be able to help you. Tell them about your current level of experience, talk to them about the things you enjoy and what you’re good at, then you can discuss what opportuni es might be worth you looking into.

Alterna vely, you can call us at Bright Futures on 01242 236415.

Careers Advice & News Su

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When you’re at that tricky stage of deciding where to go to university, it’s all too temp ng to base your decision on the looks, reputa on and the party atmosphere of the university. Really, the most important factor in choosing a university is the course, not the fact that the Students’ Union has 50p drinks on a Wednesday. A good place to start when you’re looking at university courses is our courses sec on. You can search for courses by industry as well as subject, which makes it easier for you to look for career‐related courses, as well as more academic ones.

How do I know which degree to choose? You’ll want to find a course that matches your interests and abili es. A solid interest in the subject is vital, as it’s all you’ll be studying for the next few years (unless you change courses). It should also be a good match for your abili es, as you’ll want to get a good grade.

Your degree choice might be determined by your career aims; for example, you might want to choose a

par cular degree so you can pursue a certain career. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that some careers have conversion courses, which you can take a er you’ve finished your degree, so you don’t necessarily have to study a voca onal subject at undergraduate level. Otherwise, you might want to choose a degree which, although not mandatory for a career, will put you at an advantage.

Once you’ve got a sense of the degree subject you’re interested in, you’ll need to scru nise individual course syllabuses as well. There might be a par cular area of your subject that you’re interested in and other parts that you’re not that fussed about, so you’ll need to find the degree courses with the right focus.

If you’re looking for a course which is more voca onal, find out about the placement opportuni es on offer and where exis ng students have done their placements.

Next look at the teaching: How much me do you spend in lectures? Do you get any tutorial me? How big are the seminars? Find out how the course is

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assessed, e.g. how much of the assessment is from coursework, how much is assessed through exams and which assessment method best suits your strengths?

Is your final grade based on your performance in the final year or over three years? Find out if there’s an opportunity to do in‐depth independent study and research. Will you get to write a disserta on? How much do you get to work with other people? Other things to consider… If you’re planning on taking an Erasmus year, you’ll need to check that you can do Erasmus with that course and what exis ng Erasmus partnerships the department has with other universi es. It’s also well worth asking around and seeing if you can find someone who has already done the course, so they can give you their insight into it. Go to open days armed with ques ons and grill (not literally) an admissions tutor or student about the course. Alterna vely, you can always get in contact with the course leader via email if you have any queries about the course.

Finally, employability is a hot topic and you’ll probably want to get a graduate job a er your degree, so always check out the employability rates for the subject and find out from the university what recent graduates did a er the course.

Wri en by AllAboutCareers.com

Back

Hi, my name is Miles Thompson and I’m a Year 12 student at The Castle School Thornbury, South Gloucestershire. Mrs. Warnes, our Head Teacher, is passionate about bringing Bright Futures into schools, rather than beginning at college/university level, so we are privileged to be the first school taking part in the scheme.

We are a commi ee of nine individuals, all hard working and passionate about everything that we take part in. We were selected for the commi ee based on the leadership and communica on skills that we had displayed throughout the year. We are studying a wide range of subjects that would relate to all. Our Head Teacher and Sixth Form staff ini ally chose four students to make up the pioneering school society. A er some preliminary mee ngs, we decided who should take the various roles and I was proud to be selected as President! Our primary goal is to organise a skills development event which will be open to year 12 students. We want to invite some “Blue Chip” companies to the event and deliver a variety of workshops to promote employability skills and create a chance for students to explore the op ons available to them a er Sixth Form. This might be entry into employment, taking up an appren ceship, or going on to university with a view to a career with one of these companies. Following this hopefully successful event, we then wish to hold a summer networking event, something that has proven to be a success at university level. We’d like to a ract companies who could offer students work experience placements or even a chance to get involved in work based “insight days”. Our main aim is to make sure that everyone at the Castle school has a Bright Future.

Photo: Flickr LJMU Gradua on 2011

8 Careers Advice & News

Mayuresh, Coventry: “Struggle now, enjoy the rest of your life. Enjoy life now, struggle the rest of your life."

Islam, Lancaster: "Be calm, ge ng nervous is not going to take you any further on the applica on."

Alexander, Lancaster: "Be yourself in interviews

and applica ons, they can usually see right

through you when you don't.”

What’s the best job advice you’ve been given?

Paul, London: "Decisions during job interviews are o en made within the first couple minutes, so make first impressions count."

James, Staffordshire: "The harder you work the luckier you get, and if your not ge ng lucky then start working harder."

Rachel, Gloucestershire: “Network Network

Network!! Helped me get my job!"

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BackImages: TED, pulse, Stumble Upon, Twi er.

Here we would like to offer you a range of news and informa on apps that will enable you to keep up to date on things happening around the world as well as inspire your way of thinking and stumble‐upon some interes ng

stuff... Which may come in handy when it comes to that all important interview or deciding what you want to do with your life! Here are our top four totally free apps:

Title: TED Type: Android and iPhone Review: TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design (although it now covers so much more) presents talks from some of the world's most fascina ng people. They cover a whole host of

subjects and include educa on radicals, tech geniuses, medical mavericks, business gurus and music legends. There are over 1,000 videos available and their slogan sums it up: “ideas worth spreading”, so get the app and be inspired!

Tile: pulse Type: Android and iPhone Review: Pulse is a really simple and efficient way of bringing all your favourite news together. They have stories from thousands of top news sources, as well as blogs and social networks, that you can select

and tailor your own personal news room. Tabs help you categorise and there is a simple search facility for you to find your favs! You also have the ability to share ar cles you love with people in your networks. So ditch the million and one other apps for this one that houses them all!

Tile: Stumble Upon Type: Android and iPhone Review: I stumbled upon this randomly one day and saw the hours slip by as I was engulfed by the exci ng discoveries that might come next! It may range from a photo or a video, a web page and more, all

recommended by people sharing your Interests. Again, you can share anything you like with your friends and if you like something it’ll help them profile you to ensure they send you the most relevant pages! You there! Go download the app! You never know where the next Stumble might take you...

Tile: Twi er Type: Android and iPhone Review: You follow your interests. You have access to real‐ me search which reveals breaking news and trending topics enable you to find out what’s going on in the world RIGHT NOW! You can be the

news, share the news, read the news, comment on the news, and hear people’s views on the news. Just remember to follow us @BrightFuturesNT !!

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Focusing on your career op ons early

stays with you

Join our new Higher Appren ceship programme in Tax star ng this August with PwC – or join our School and College leaver programme in Assurance star ng this September. We work alongside our clients – from public and private companies to governments and chari es – to measure, protect and enhance the things that ma er most to them. We have big ambi ons to grow, and if you're serious about a career in business, we don't think anyone else can give you a be er start. Get your career off to a brilliant start without going to university by joining our programmes in Tax or Assurance. Earn while working towards a professional accoun ng qualifica on.

As well as great technical skills, you’ll develop in‐depth business knowledge thanks to formal study, on‐the‐job experience and coaching from colleagues. You’ll need at least a 240 UCAS tariff or equivalent. Find out more at www.pwc.com/uk/careers/schools Find us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/PwCCareersUK

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T ravelling a er school is a popular op on, with many wandering across the oceans exploring new con nents and cultures. The length of me you decide to go away for will

determine the how much effort you should put in to shaping your career plans around your trip. If it’s a short holiday purely for relaxa on, then you can focus on ge ng that perfect tan, however, if you are in it for the long haul, it’s important to have some objec ves. So if you’re thinking along the lines of what many like to call a “Gap Year”, there are a few op ons you can do alongside your travels to boost your employability, all whilst having fun! Check them out and see if you think they might be worth looking up in more detail:

Travel, work or volunteer (or a combina on of these) in another country or in the UK;

Do a year in industry that is related to your degree. Into Science? Check out www.yini.org.uk;

Work part me to fund your way around the globe and develop your transferable skills. Real Gap Experience provide a list of transferable skills that can be gained from gap year experiences, such as organisa on and communica on;

Learn a new language if you head off to a foreign speaking country. You could even do a TEFL qualifica on so you can teach English abroad (www.onlinetefl.com);

Get a few weeks work experience or an internship with a company that will prepare you well for your studies or future career. Even seasonal work, like crop picking, will also help develop your skills and give you something to talk about at interview.

Use your gap year to build up your ‘por olio’ by doing some voluntary or even freelance work. You don’t need to be pursuing a career in Arts and Media to require an extensive por olio as evidence of your skills. All companies require evidence, that’s what your CV and applica on form is for!

Think about any exis ng qualifica ons or skills you have and how you could use them, e.g. languages, computer skills, spor ng qualifica ons, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, First Aid Cer ficate, childcare or catering skills.

We want you to have the best experience possible, and that means mixing fun mes with focus. Developing your skills doesn’t need to be dull and

Careers Advice & News

Image: Design Context of Pirate Maps and Old Maps

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boring, it just requires a li le planning and forethought that’s all! Having a ny bit of focus on developing your skills and gaining valuable experience during your Gap Year can go a long way. And don’t forget! Absolutely all your planning and organising, from start to finish, will demonstrate to employers the skills you have developed. This includes things like sor ng out your jabs and travel arrangements, to dealing with foreign currency, culture and languages. But before you jet off! Be mindful of just a few things: There are many gap year companies out there so do your research. Check out a range of different tour and ac vity guides to get the best price balanced with the best service and ethical standards – check out the reviews!

A gap year can be expensive. So make sure you have budgeted accordingly, check the small print for any hidden costs and make sure you have adequate insurance in case something goes wrong. You don’t want a huge debt before you’ve even started university!

Travelling aboard may mean Visas, immunisa ons, different cultural laws and a whole different currency system. Do your research before you book anything.

A great place to start is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They have a whole host of up to date key informa on about travel and living abroad. h p://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel‐and‐living‐abroad/. You can also get some great independent advice

Gap Year Quiz!

Answers: 1. c) 2. a)

3. b) 4. b) 5. d)

6. a) 7. c)

1. What does the average gap year traveller, aged between 18 and 24, spend on his or her trip according to Mintel market researchers?

a) £1,000‐£2,000 b) £2,000‐£3,000

c) £3,000‐£4,000 d) £4,000‐£5,000

2. According to gapyear.com what percentage of their volunteers in 2010 were from state schools?

a) 80% b) 50% c) 30% d) 90%

3. Do you have to go abroad to do a gap year?

a) Yes b) No

4. How long is a gap 'year' defined as, according to the Department for Educa on and Skills (DfES)?

a) 1‐3 months b) 3‐24 month c) 24 months +

5. What is the top gap year des na on?

a) America b) Asia c) Africa d) Australia

6. How many young people who seriously consider taking a gap year actually go through with it?

a) 1 in 5 b) 1 in 3 c) 1 in 10 d) 1 in 50

7. Are universi es happy for you to take a gap year a er school/college?

a) Yes, all are happy about it

b) No, they don't like it

c) It depends on the university and course you choose to study

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14 Careers Advice & News

U niversity has long been prescribed as the tradi onal choice a er school and the only way to make a good

career for yourself, but it isn’t right for everyone and it isn’t the only way to a bright future. There are more op ons than you think beyond school, all of which can lead on to fantas c opportuni es and offer great prospects, it’s just a case of finding out which route is best for you. Here, we will help dispel some of the common myths around university and help you open your eyes to a whole range of new possibili es... “Everyone goes to uni” FALSE. Just because you know someone else going to uni doesn’t mean you have to go as well. According to HEFCE, the reality is only 36% of young people go to university. Equally, if you are feeling the pressure from your family, you must do what’s best for you, not them. Every student is different; all with a mul tude of ideas and aspira ons of where they want to be and how they want to get there, but your journey should be your choice and should be the right choice for you, not because someone else says so. FAST FACT: Almost 1 in 4 students that go to university drop out before they manage to obtain their degree.

“A degree is the only way to get a good career” FALSE. There are really only a small percentage of careers that specifically require a degree before you can even consider working in the field, these include the likes of medicine for instance. But try to Google careers that DO require a degree, it’s actually tough! Most of it will be everything you can do WITHOUT a degree!

Image by: JetShark

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“You need a degree to earn loads of money” So the latest figures published by the Office for Na onal Sta s cs (ONS) say that with a degree you are likely to earn 85% more than those only educated to GCSE A*‐C level. But how do appren ceships stack up? Well, with a level 2 appren ceship (equivalent to GCSE) you can earn more than £73,000 more over your life me than those with other level 2 qualifica ons. The gap only gets bigger the more advanced the appren ceship. So a degree isn’t the only way to rack up the pennies in the bank. FAST FACT: The average predicted debt on leaving university for UK students is £26,100 for those star ng in 2011, rising to £53,400 for 2012 entrants according to a Push Survey [Guardian, 2012]. “You are more employable with a degree” Relevant experience is the biggest challenge any student faces when entering the work force no ma er what their level of qualifica on. There has been much research into a tude and personality VS qualifica ons recently and the vast majority of employers would actually prefer to hire someone with a be er a tude for the job, but not necessarily the right qualifica ons, over the person with all the qualifica ons but a poor a tude to the job and limited personality. “Voca onal courses are for School dropouts” FALSE: ‘Voca onal’ means: “providing, or undergoing training in a special skill to be pursued in a trade”. You are learning on the job instead of in a classroom. Although some mes misconstrued, it is NOT an easy way out as many people may see it. Each scheme provides high quality training, as well as the skills and qualifica ons required by employers in their specific industries. It is a great way of fast tracking your career by learning on the job, it is hard work as you have to balance employment

with learning but you can see your career progress very quickly. But with university fees on the rise, this could be a great op on for those keen to earn rather than get into debt. ‘Employers are now seeing the real economic benefits of appren ceships. Young people who have completed appren ceships are ahead of the game when it comes to developing a wider skill set, formal workplace training and an understanding of business,’ says Pauline Tambling, joint chief execu ve of Crea ve & Cultural Skills [Prospects].

FAST FACT: Career progression is excellent for appren ces, and over the course of their careers, those with an Appren ceship earn, on average, £100,000 more than those without. [A Cost‐Benefit Analysis of Appren ceships and Other Voca onal Qualifica ons, University of Sheffield, 2007]

“You have to go to university to get a degree” FALSE. If you don’t fancy uni but s ll want a degree, then distance learning could be the one for you. There are many providers, all enabling you to study when you want, how you want, and where you want. Some may have regular sessions ‘on site’ at an educa onal facility or university, but these may not be compulsory and are there to provide assistance if you need it. There are usually lots of online resources for you to log in as you wish and work through at your own pace. Many even get you to do your exams online too! So, there are a few op ons for you if you don’t think that university it right for you. If you want to find out more about the things we have discussed, get online and give your browser a workout. But here are a few sites to get you going: www.notgoingtouni.co.uk h p://www.appren ceships.org.uk/

Lambo Morg.6

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STEM

S ome of you may have heard your teachers talk about something called “STEM” but what does it mean? It stands

for “Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths” and there are lots of exci ng careers out there for you to explore! If you’re studying or thinking of studying subjects like Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Electronics, Engineering and Technology you could be opening the door to a whole host of opportuni es to gain employment! These are very sought a er subjects so it’s likely you’ll be in demand! Students who go on to study a STEM subject at university stand a much be er chance of earning more money than other graduates. The average salary over a life me across all degree subjects is £129,000 compared to someone with a maths

degree for example who could earn £220,000 (Research from Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP 2005). There are 191,000 people employed in sciences in Great Britain and there are 6490 companies which are science based, plus it tends to be made up of quite a young work force. A lot of the jobs are concentrated in the South East and East of England who have the largest science industry employment in the UK (Source: Semta LMI March 2010) for more informa on see: h p://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/ngrf/stem/ What’s more, the stereotypical view of science is changing. People are beginning to see that a career in STEM can be fun, exci ng and very rewarding. Professor Brian Cox, who you may have seen on TV, has started to make science more appealing to lots more people – and he started out

as a pop singer! Below are just some of the different jobs you could think about doing that are related to subjects you might take at school – and believe us when we say it’s far more than the stereotypical vision of geeks in white coats! Games Designer, Landscape Architect, Energy Engineer, Robo cs Technician, Aerospace Engineer, Nutri onist, Physiotherapist, Marine Architect, Wildlife Biologist, Science Writer, Food Chemist, Economist, Meteorologist. If you don’t know what some of these are, why not try doing some research into them? There will be lots of other jobs you may not have heard of before and these two websites are a good star ng point for you to start looking into a career in STEM: www.planet‐science.com and www.futuremorph.org

There are 191,000 people employed in Sciences in Great

Britain.

Professor Brian Cox used to be a pop

singer!

7% of people work in Leisure sport and tourism of the UK

workforce.

82% of the engineering

workforce is male.

There are approximately 5,000 volunteers working

in the leisure industry

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Leisure, Sport & Tourism

I magine having a job that involves doing something you love, or helping other people to do something they enjoy! You could be a professional sports person, or help people decide on their holiday plans, or organise fun ac vi es for people in their spare me.

Having the right personality is one of the most important things when it comes to working in these industries, but you also need certain qualifica ons for some jobs, such as being a Sports Coach. If you want to leave school straight away to get a job or go onto an appren ceship, there are lots of opportuni es that will enable you to work your way up to posi ons of responsibility and gain qualifica ons on the way. If going to uni is more your thing, then there are courses you can do at degree level such as Leisure Management or Interna onal Travel and Tourism. This would mean you may be able to start off in a higher level job a er gradua ng. In 2010, the number of people employed in Leisure, Sport and Tourism amounted to 7% of the UK workforce, which according to Skills Ac ve and Tourism Alliance, is over 2 million people!! These industries are vastly growing as people are seeking more diverse ways to balance their increasingly complex lifestyles. Just think about all the things people do in their spare me... from rock climbing to going on a city excursion as part of a holiday, or heading to Go Ape or even visi ng your local gym! Now you have all these exci ng ac vi es in mind, think about all the people that are needed to be able to make these things happen…. that’s where you could come in! Look at the list of skills and quali es below to see if it sounds like you:

1. I am good at communica ng and explaining things to all kinds of people. 2. I have plenty of energy, enthusiasm and the ability to mo vate other

people. 3. I would like to work with the general public and have the pa ence and

politeness to deal with people even if they are complaining! 4. I wouldn’t mind some mes having to work when others are enjoying their

me off. 5. I like working in a team but also don’t mind working by myself at mes

So if that does sound like you, now try researching some of the jobs you could do, such as being a Holiday rep, Tourist Informa on Centre Assistant, Outdoor Pursuits Instructor, Travel Sales Consultant, Pool Lifeguard, Entertainment Manage and Sports Coach to see what qualifica ons you might need. www.skillsac ve.com and www.goskills.org are good star ng places for your

search! GOOD LUCK!

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The trendence Graduate Barometer is an annual online survey about the expecta ons and preferences of students in their first professional posi on a er

gradua on. Students are asked which companies they find a rac ve, how they look for their first professional

posi on and what factors are important for them in this posi on.