What to do when you leave school

Leaving school is tough, really tough. Waving goodbye to your friends and teachers and entering a world full of uncertainty is no easy task and should never be taken lightly. This is only made worse by not knowing what you want to do after you get your GCSE – so what can you actually do?

Well it isn’t quite as straightforward as you might think. Sure, you might follow the wisdom of people who have been through it before and either stay on to go to college, or simply try and get a job.

But there are other options available and with the high costs of going to university giving some 16-year-olds doubts about going to sixth form, as well as the tough job market, more and more school leavers are choosing to take on apprenticeships.

So what are the benefits of taking this approach?

Get paid

With the rising cost of living and parents increasingly not having enough money to cover the cost of skyrocketing bills, many school leavers are choosing to gain new skills while getting paid.

Positive Outcomes is a training organisation offering government funded training that is aiming to get more young people trained up and ready to take advantage of a thirst for qualified, youthful personnel in the UK private sector and could help you to get an industrial placement.

But while other work experience programmes have left school-leavers out of pocket and unable to support the kind of lifestyle they want, Positive Outcomes’ specially selected listings always provide a wage that will give future workers a head-start on saving up to rent an apartment, or just help out with bills at home.

Get supported

It’s a hard world out there and not having the guiding hand of an expert to take you through a qualification or work experience regime is tough. That’s one of the reasons that apprenticeships are becoming so popular, as industry experts who have seen and done it all before will take you through the ups and downs of getting your certification.

But whereas being in school might have felt a little too “much” in the way of guidance and supervision for some more free-spirited leavers, the fact that you are getting your hands on a project (while getting paid!) and being talked to by someone who knows what they are doing, will likely give you more of an appreciation for authority figures – something that will doubtless help you later in life.

Get a better career

Today’s school leavers face challenges not seen in a generation and the lack of jobs, coupled with a rising cost of living means it’s hard for 16-year-olds to make ends meet. But in the long run, choosing an apprenticeship can help get you on the right path.

While most people think of apprenticeships as just being for manual jobs like plumbing, building or painting, this isn’t the case anymore. Nearly all sectors, from marketing to administration, have accessible programmes for people of all ages, but with the youthful enthusiasm of 16 to 18-year-olds, many employers prefer to stick to trialling school leavers who have more long-term potential as staff members.

If you are scared of leaving school and don’t know what to do, please, just take the time to consider your options and think about doing an apprenticeship, as it could provide the pay, skills and flexibility you need to get the career of your dreams.