Actionable careers advice for school leavers
Actionable careers advice for school leavers
If you’re about to leave school, and not sure what you want to do for a career, we have a few ideas here at Go Construct that may help.
Assess yourself
Think about your strengths, skills and interests. What do you enjoy doing? Are you good with your hands, or do you want a job that will test your mind too? Do you think you would be more suited to working outside, or indoors, in an office, or a combination of the two?
Take a career personality test
If you want to know what kind of job would be right for you, Go Construct have a personality quiz you can take. This is a super cool quiz which asks questions about what TV shows you like, what you would do in a zombie apocalypse, your favourite social apps and who you would most like to be followed on social media by – Cristiano Ronaldo or Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson?
At the end you will see what career personality type you are!
Explore your career choices
There are numerous ways you can get into your chosen industry, from college courses, an apprenticeship to work experience.
Training and apprenticeships
Traineeships are short courses which prepare you for the world of work and build the skills needed for an apprenticeship. They are a combination of learning and work experience and do not require any qualifications above GCSEs.
An apprenticeship is a job with training. Most careers for tradespeople – plumbing, electrical, bricklaying, plastering, to name just a few – traditionally start with an apprenticeship. Apprentices combine training with actually doing the job, and, best of all, you get paid!
Further and higher education
You could take a college course at a further education college to build technical, vocational or academic skills in your chosen area. Or you could go to university if a degree is required for the career you’re interested in. You will need to assess whether the cost of a university course is worth the benefit it will bring you.
Going out to work
Finding a job in the field in which you want to work can be the best way to get started. You will get paid, build up work experience and training opportunities are likely to open up. You will need to write a CV and know where to look for the vacancies that interest you.
Work experience
Work experience is a great way to see whether you like a particular type of job, without committing yourself to it. Ask an employer if you can spend some time in the school holidays or at weekends with them on site. It will look good on a CV and help build your confidence, as well as get you some contacts in the trade.
Research careers and types of work
It is important to do your research on the careers that most interest you. There are lots of resources available online to find out about the types of work available. If you are interested in the construction industry, Go Construct has lots of information and advice about what it is like to work in construction, how to get started in construction and a career explorer quiz.
This career personality quiz will find a role suited to your interests, skills and qualifications. It asks questions like:
- Where would you like to work most?
- Which areas of work interest you most?
- What skills and qualifications do you have?
Build a list of careers you want more information about
If you have done some self-assessments or personality tests, you have probably got an idea of the kind of careers you might be interested in. Make a long list of these careers, and then as you do more research try to narrow this down to a shortlist. Include information like earnings, skills and training requirements. This will help you to focus your thoughts and narrow down your choices even further.
Get Young Professional Training
Another option for school leavers is to sign up for Young Professional Training. These are free online courses that can help you improve your life and work skills, boost your confidence, and get money and mental health tips. Becoming a Young Professional will look good on your CV, as well as the opportunities it could open up with employers.
Think about short-term and longer-term ambitions
When it is time to choose a career, don’t just think about the short term. Earning money for the first time in a full-time job is exciting, but looking ahead there may be better careers for you than the job you start out in. If you have ambitions to work away from where you live, or even abroad, or want to develop your skills, consider what may be right for you in the long term too.
Learn more about a career in construction
When thinking about what job you want to do when you leave school, it is important to see a careers adviser and get a wide range of information and advice. If construction is an industry you think may suit your skills and interests, Go Construct can give you all the information you need about a career in construction.