Opening the door to life after school

SUMMER is coming – and with it, the prospect of thousands of Lothians youngsters leaving school and taking their first step on the career ladder.

As usual, some will choose to go on to university, others will pick a course at college, while a number will aim to go straight into their first job.

The bad news this year is that no matter what option school leavers choose, they're likely to find it tough going.

The recession means that companies are cutting back on the number of jobs they offer to youngsters this year. That in turn means more than usual will choose to go on to further or higher education, putting pressure on college or university places.

So if you're a teenager coming up to your final school exams, how do you ensure that you can follow your career of choice?

One way is to work hard and ensure that you get good grades in your forthcoming Highers. Universities and colleges can afford to be choosy this year, but they're still keen to take on good students who meet their standards.

If you're aiming to go on to university, then you will probably already have an offer of a place providing you reach the level expected in your exams. If you do that, then it pretty much means you're home and dry.

If you don't get the grades you're expecting, then if you still want to go to university you'll have to go into the clearing system to see if you can be matched with an place on a course somewhere. You'll probably be offered something, though it won't be your first choice.

If you're aiming for a further education course at a local Edinburgh college and you haven't got a place yet, then you may also need to move fast.

Alastair Paul, who is a team leader based in the Capital for the national careers agency Skills Development Scotland, explains: "The popular courses in subjects such as childcare and sports science tend to get filled up early and it may be that places have gone now. You really do need to get your application in as soon as possible."

If you don't plan to continue in education but would rather go straight into a job, then you also need to move quickly.

Places on modern apprenticeship schemes also tend to get filled fast. Many big companies, such as BT, run their own training schemes, but they normally get people on board quite early.

So in many cases, it's no use waiting until you've left school and then starting to hunt around for an apprenticeship – you'll have missed the boat.

Every local authority school in Edinburgh provides its pupils with advice on careers, finding out about their interests and if necessary guiding them towards jobs they will enjoy.

Despite this, there are still hundreds of teenagers who are about to leave school but still don't have a clear idea about what they want to do.

Paul says: "If you still don't know, then you should speak to someone about what your options might be and ensure that you put a plan together.

"If you've left it too late to get on to the course you want or apply for a job you're interested in, then you might want to have a look at doing something else for the next 12 months as an alternative so you can earn some money and then try again."

It's important for youngsters not to become despondent, he says – despite the downturn, there are still jobs and opportunities out there.

"What you have to do is to ensure that you make other people interested in you. You have to know how to perform well at an interview, and – even though you may still be at school – it's important to have a good CV.

"Employers are looking for people who are organised, responsible and reliable. If you can show that you've done something that shows commitment – had a part-time job, for instance, or been involved in teambuilding or leadership – that is certainly going to help."