*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** VII ALTERNATIVE PATHS TO SUCCESS telegraph.co.uk Opportunity knocks University isnt by any means the be all and end all of life after school, the world is full of successful non-graduates, says Fiona Donald O kay, so were not all the next Kate Moss, but, with a bit of get-up-and- go the world can be your oyster. Its easy to become obsessed by grades at school so those who dont leave with a clutch of As can feel disheartened. If thats you, dont despair, instead take inspiration from those who left school with few, if any, qualifications and yet have all made it to the big time. Sarah Beeny, super- successful property developer and TV presenter, left school after disastrous O-levels; Kate Moss, supermodel and designer, is worth an estimated 40 million not bad for someone who failed all her GCSEs except science. And Sir John Major, prime minister from 1990 to 1997, famously failed the entry test to become a bus conductor. Meanwhile, poet Benjamin Zephaniah, unable to read and write due to dyslexia, left school at 13, and spent time in and out of borstal and prison. His 13-year-old self would be stunned to learn he had been listed in 2008 as one of the UKs top 50 post-war writers. And Lord Alan Sugar, who left school at 16, started his multi- million empire selling electrical items out of the back of a van. So dont mope instead focus on what you are good at, and get out there. STUDYOPTIONS ust put yourself in an employers shoes for a minute. Who would you rather take on? Someone who has stacked shelves at Tesco? Or someone who has stacked shelves at Tesco and also got an IT qualification? Exactly. A course of study, even if it is only part-time, will not only stand you in good stead with employers, but bring a sense of structure and direction to your life. And there is no shortage of institutions offering such courses, from old-style further education colleges to bodies specialising in particular skills training. Some courses are strictly practical: the acquiring of the skills needed to be a plumber, say, or a hairdresser. But others, such as IT training, have a far more general application. They will help build your confidence in a wide range of working environments and provide some of the building blocks of a long-term career. Shop around the many different institutions to find a course that suits you. For Missed out on university? Feeling condemned to a lifetime of dead-end jobs? Well, dont. Its all about brushing up your skills, says Max Davidson J FURTHER STUDIES Further Education Colleges offer a range of courses (GSCEs, A-Levels, NVQs), geared to the workplace. www.direct.gov.uk BTECs are vocational qualifications. Areas of learning range from art and design to health and social care. www.edexcel.org.uk The National Skills Academy is an employer-led body offering practical training in sectors ranging from construction to hospitality. www.nationalskillsacade The Open University offers the ultimate in educational flexibility. Courses range from diplomas to degrees. www.open.ac.uk Advent Training is the largest UK provider of IT training courses. www.adventtraining.co.u Take inspiration: none of these well-known faces needed A-levels or a university degree to become successful, clockwise from left, Sarah Beeny, Benjamin Zephaniah, Sir John Major, Kate Moss, Lord Sugar some courses, the college will expect a minimum qualification, such as five GCSEs; for other courses, there is no formal entry threshold, although the colleges will want to feel satisfied that you are organised and motivated. If further education colleges can be seen as an informal extension of school, the National Skills Academy, which covers many different sectors of the economy, is a new, industry-led concept teaching students the specific skills which businesses expect but which a mainstream English education has not always provided. The Academy is not housed in a single physical location, but dispersed across the country, so if you know the type of career you want to pursue, and want to acquire the kind of practical, hands- on knowledge about the industry that employers will appreciate, this could be a useful option. You will not be treading water while your friends are up at university, but taking your first steps on the professional ladder. heres a recession, its true, but make no mistake there are still jobs out there. But, as your grandad may have remarked once or twice, the world doesnt owe you a living. Its down to you to earn one. That means lots of pro-activity, especially if you are a non- graduate school leaver. As befits a nation of shopkeepers, there are some good apprenticeship opportunities in retailing now. Sainsburys, for example, will train you on-the- T CAN I FIND A JOB? GETTY Yes you can, says Susan Elkin, as long as you take the initiative and get yourself noticed those now) and there is actually a shortage of skilled people. The Royal Shakespeare Company, for instance, offers three craft apprenticeships a year with a salary of 14,000. There are now 180 different apprenticeships in 80 different sectors up for grabs with a minimum wage of 80 per week. In some fields, as a non- graduate, it can seem difficult to get yourself noticed. Jessica Williams, 23, who works for an American asset management firm as a senior associate and is the only non-graduate in her project team, has some sage advice: Take the initiative and phone companies you would like to work for. She tried university for one term before deciding that she preferred working. Shed worked full time for a City headhunting company during her gap year, and really enjoyed it. Why spend three years at university when I already had a job I loved? she asks, adding that she stayed with the headhunting company for two years before moving to her present job. Jessica now has nearly five years of invaluable work experience streets ahead of most of her graduate friends. Andy Shovel, Managing Director of Recruitment Squared, agrees that openings exist for determined non- graduates although they are not that plentiful at the moment. You have to have something on your CV to distinguish you from the rest, such as a successful fund-raising activity to highlight your reliability and determination, he says. So what are the growth areas? Anything to do with energy efficiency and jobs in the public sector, says Shovel. Consult Connexions the careers advisory service but remember that it is overstretched and may not always have the information you need. And get rid of your unrealistic expectations. You will have to start at the bottom on a modest salary and work up. In the real world businesses do not run like Dragons Den and you will not work with the CEO on your first day, says Jessica. job to become a baker, butcher or fishmonger with an NVQ Level 3 qualification. M&S has a trainee management scheme (you need 2 A-levels) for people who want to get on with life rather than going to university, too. Dont overlook the performing arts either. Actors may have a tough time finding work but backstage theres plenty of opportunity for stage managers, scenery makers, make-up artists, and many more. Its a growth area (and there arent many of www.connexions-direct.c www.apprenticeships.org www.sainsburys.co.uk/ab corporate.marksandspenc www.ccskills.org.uk www.nsa-ccskills.co.uk www.thestage.co.uk/eboo www.recruitment2.com ADDRESS BOOK
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** A-LEVELS & BEYOND Facing your future J udgment day is here at last, which means two years of hard work are reduced to one small envelope and a few vital letters of the alphabet. But while the contents of that envelope will determine what
*** II *** *** THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** CLEARING telegraph.co.uk DECISIONS , DECISIONS In the current economic climate, should you be thinking about doing a course directly related to your future career, asks Dorothy Lepkowska, or is it still okay to follow your heart? hoos
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** III CLEARING telegraph.co.uk significant shortfall in the number of vacancies likely to be available through clearing. But things have improved slightly since then, with a further 10,000 places now to be made available in maths, science
*** IV *** *** THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *** UNDERGRADUATE LIFE telegraph.co.uk WAYS TO SURVIVE UNI BY CHRIS ALDEN 3 Dont leave home without... Jamie Oliver (and if you cant persuade him, make do with one of his books). Enough staple food rice, pasta and tinned stuff to surviv
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** VII ALTERNATIVE PATHS TO SUCCESS telegraph.co.uk Opportunity knocks University isnt by any means the be all and end all of life after school, the world is full of successful non-graduates, says Fiona Donald O kay, so were not all the nex
*** VIII *** *** THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ***
*** *** THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 *** *** V STUDENT FINANCE telegraph.co.uk MONEYMATTERS helps to ensure you dont overspend and then find yourself with nothing left to live on, McGrath adds. Once you have sorted out your finances and found a bank account, its time to start plann
