University, apprenticeships, gap year or travel?! How do you choose!
As exams are getting closer, I’m sure that your whole focus is on revising and getting through the next few months.
Cast your mind forward, it’s the end of July. You did it, you made it through your exams, but now what?!
You have a number of options and having a plan will help ease the transition into the adult world. There is a few ideas below that can help:
Go to University
Hopefully this isn’t something you have decided to do on a whim, it is usually a year long process that does require thought.
It’s a big decision deciding to go to University and has to be a decision that is right for you. You can find out more about the process here.
If you get to July and decide maybe University is for you, don’t worry it’s not too late! You can actually still apply to University as late as the end of September.
However, be aware some of the more prestigious courses will be full and will not accept applications. It’s usually to check through the clearing list to see what is on offer. You can check my key dates page for when clearing starts.
Apply for an apprenticeship
This is a great idea if you still want to pursue a career but aren’t quite sure about University and everything it has to offer.
An apprenticeship is perfect if you’re looking to earn some money straight away and gain skills or qualifications.
Applications are open all year round with all sorts of deadlines. There are several different levels of apprenticeships that you can go for and you can find out more here.
Remember – apprenticeships aren’t just for plumbers! Take a look here for more information about your apprenticeship options.
Get a job
Now that you have finished your A-Levels you might have had enough of school life: studying, assignments and exams might not be for you.
You can get any type of job and the good news is there are plenty of offer. All with different entry requirements, salary ranges and employment opportunities.
A good place to start would be here. It would also be a good idea to brush up on your CV to make sure it’s up to date, especially after your A-Level results come in.
Go Travelling
With a bit of planning and maybe a bit of saving up, this is the perfect time to go travelling around the world.
There are many travelling programs that you can apply for. These organise your travel, accommodation and volunteering opportunities however they of course come with a hefty price tag! If this is something you are interested in UCAS recommended some interesting programs.
Deciding who to travel with is a massive decision. You will be spending a lot of time with whomever you choose, so choose wisely! The benefits of going along with someone is avoiding feeling lonely, but other people could also hold back your decisions a long the way. All of this is worth considering.
It is important to raise funds for your travel, it could cost you anywhere above £2500, all depending on where and when you decide to go. You need to raise more than just your travel spends. Remember to save money for buying a passport, visas and vaccinations!
Get work experience
Before launching into a career or further education you might want to spend some time doing work experience, not only to improve your employability but also to find out whether certain fields are for you.
Remember you don’t need to choose that career just because you have done a week’s worth of work experience – if the weeks experience puts you off.. Great! This means you have learnt from your experience and you can now spend time looking into other careers.
There are many work experience programs you can apply for online, but all of these can be highly competitive.
One of the easiest ways to get work experience, is to just ask! Contact companies with a well thought out, polite email and see what happens. The worst they can say is no, you have nothing to lose. This does however take some time to organise and would be worth sorting before your gap years just so you aren’t wasting anytime.