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Wycombe High School
MAY 2020
I would like to welcome you to the May 2020 edition of the Careers Bulletin and introduce myself. My name is Miss Spiteri - your Higher Education and Careers Advisor. Starting at Wycombe High School in January 2020 and schools then having to close only two months later, has been a very unusual but interesting start to a new role! We had many cancelled events due to our country’s current situation which would have given me some great opportunities to meet and get to know students and parents. These events included Year 9 Big Bang Fair, Year 10 University visits to Birmingham and Warwick, Year 12 Oxbridge Conference, Career, Inspire Talk session for Year 13 and, of course, our annual Higher Education and Careers Fair. Over sixty exhibitors from Universities, Colleges and companies across the UK had confirmed attendance to the Careers Fair, who will all hopefully be joining us again in March 2021. Looking forward to a new school year we have recently confirmed dates for our fabulous PSHEE days and ‘Career and Inspire’ talks where students will have the chance to meet some of the Wycombe High School alumni and find out what they are doing now, and their career paths. Year 11 students will have seen that Mrs Ellis, Head of Sixth Form, has collated a document for Year 11 students moving into Year 12 providing A Level preparation work for each subject. A great presentation, if you have not seen it already click here. Part two, coming soon, will have more extensive work for students to help them move forwards. Mrs Ellis has also been sharing with Year 12 information booklets regarding UCAS applications, with additional booklets for those considering Oxbridge applications and applications for medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. This week she is hosting a discussion session for Year 12 regarding personal statements on Teams. All part and parcel of the support we provide students year-on-year in preparing for the next phase of their career pathway, it has just moved online for this summer. After the half-term break Miss Drysdale will be hosting a similar session for those working towards an early UCAS deadline as they apply for Oxbridge, medicine, dental or veterinary schools. Let me share with you the information for 2021 entry admissions timeline for Oxford and Cambridge University through these links. More than ever, in these unprecedented times, it is advisable for students to consider their future and set exciting goals to aim for. I have provided lots of information below to support students. Everything below in PURPLE has a link attached to it. Do follow @WycHighCareers on Twitter for additional information. I hope to offer something for all our students whatever their plans and interests, even if they haven’t yet got any definite ideas – I am here to help. To contact me please send an email via Student Support ssa@whs.bucks.sch.uk and I will be in touch. Have fun exploring!
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Exploring Universities Virtual Tours – Universities are offering great virtual tours to give students an idea what is it like on campus and what facilities are available. Take a look at this A-Z list on UCAS, who have also teamed up with unibuddy who help universities connect ambassadors and students for better decisions. Select a university degree subject or select by the country, and find out what life is really like at https://www.ucas.com/chat-to-students University League Tables – The Complete University Guide shows you where UK universities rank in the UK University League Tables. Useful, important data and up-to-date information. Search by subject or university. Also has information on preparing for university and what you can use your chosen degree in. Click here for League Tables. Virtual Open Day Calendar - Plan your university visits https://www.opendays.com/calendar/ Y12 applying to Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science – Entry requirements for Dentistry, Medicine and Veterinary USA Applications - College Application Series Dates and Times – 26 to 29 May from 6.30-8.00pm, Booking page: here Virtual College Showcase: Watch the video here. How to choose an online degree – From WHATUNI? Has a great guide on How to Choose Your Online Degree: Ultimate Guide Y13 Transition to University - With universities starting courses in September but possibly only opening campuses in January, your start at university may be unusual. 1) Check your potential university websites, to see the latest information. 2) See if they offer a mentor programme, pairing you with a current student. 3) Look up the modules and reading lists for your course eg. King’s College London
o Medicine: https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/reading-lists/medicinereading-list o Politics, Economics and Philosophy: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/politicaleconomy/study/ug/recommend ed-reading-list
What is Liberal Arts Education? - There are now many subjects that fall within the broad scope of Liberal Arts - a typical Liberal Arts degree programme is interdisciplinary and is generally accepted as covering Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Formal Sciences. Go to Top universities website to find out more: https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/what-liberal-arts-education
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Exploring Apprenticeships What is an apprenticeship? - Considering doing an apprenticeship after school? Keep an open mind about alternatives to university. Find out what an apprenticeship is and what the different types are using the information below: The Government’s Apprenticeship Hub Watch case studies here Searching for an Apprenticeship- Have a look at Find an Apprenticeship: select an area of work you’re interested in, enter your postcode and just get ideas for the future. Student Guide - This fantastic interactive student guide from Amazing Apprenticeships is aimed at Years 12 & 13, but younger years will still get lots of out of it. Gives information on degree apprenticeships, benefits, choosing, finding and applying for an apprenticeship and much more. Apprenticeship Information The Complete Guide to Higher and Degree Apprenticeships Prospects - Degree Apprenticeships at a glance Higher_and_degree_vacancy_listing_February_2020 UCAS Apprenticeships News -Having second thoughts about university? Make sure you are aware of your options. You can find the latest apprenticeship opportunities using the UCAS apprenticeship search tool . Degree Apprenticeship with Zenopa, High Wycombe – They have a fantastic opportunity, a great alternative to University. Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship - BSc Hons Business Studies degree gained after 3 years alongside Chartered Manager status, exceptional training and development throughout the duration of your apprenticeship and beyond, all fees paid for, get paid £16,000 a year basic plus monthly bonuses and sports/gym membership of your choice. No debt at the end. Weekly day release to the University of West London https://www.zenopa.com/apprenticeships
Degree Apprenticeship Reviews - Video clips from apprentices and degree apprentices working in companies like Arup, Rolls-Royce, John Lewis and BAE Systems. You tube link
Exploring the NHS Step into the NHS – Have you or are you considering a job in the NHS? Especially now the NHS is in the news all the time, but did you know there are over 350 roles available within it (many non-medical) and it is the single biggest UK employer. Take the quick and easy ‘Map your career’ test to identify roles you might like https://www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk/careers/take-the-test Explore real-life stories and videos, listen to what staff say about working there and look at the Careers A-Z.
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Top 100 Employers - AllAboutSchoolLeavers.co.uk - have the top 100 Employers for School & College Leavers 2019. The rankings are based entirely on the opinions of apprentices and school leaver trainees from 100 UK organisations. Apprentices completed surveys analysing everything about their employers and training programmes, from skills development, career progression and training to company culture. https://www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk/employer-rankings
Recommended Resources Unifrog – All students in Years 11-13 should have a Unifrog sign in, please look at all the useful guide, webinars, tools, information and don’t forget to record your activities! National Careers Service - NCS: Call 0800 100 900 to speak to an adviser. Lines are open from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week. All students could contact the National Careers Service to speak to an independent careers advisor. They will discuss higher education and career pathways and send a written action plan. For further information, see https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/
Essay competitions This is a great time to enter competitions. Many universities and organisations have them, a few are listed below: -
Humanities https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/2020-essay-competition (including a separate U16 competition) English Literature https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/essayprizes/english-literature/ Cambridge - https://www.classics.cam.ac.uk/prospective/undergraduate/essaycompetitions Oxford- https://www.st-hughs.ox.ac.uk/2020-julia-wood-and-mary-renault-essaycompetitions-now-open/ Law - https://learnmore.lawbore.net/index.php/Law_Essay_Competitions Writing competitions (open to adults too) https://www.neonbooks.org.uk/big-listwriting-competitions/ Various https://www.robinson.cam.ac.uk/prospective-students/essay-prize https://scholarship.wellingtoncollege.org.uk/competitions/
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Other The Supercurriculum - is an exciting prospect for those who have a passion for developing their understanding or skills. It goes far beyond the school curriculum, ranging from researching neural network function, to breeding fish, to learning and using a computer language, to refurbishing a motorbike. The development can be through reading, videos, discussion, practical application…anything! Of course, this is great for personal development; it is also useful for adding evidence of wider skills and interest for job interview and university applications. Here are some links to try: -
Oxplore - big questions for discussion TED Talks Learn Spanish A very short introduction to... (100s of introductions to academic subjects and ways of thinking)
Personal Finance skills (Y10-13) - Free and on demand financial education for ages 14-18. If your moving on from school, staying safe, future finances and more click here Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - Access modules to the Certified Actuarial Analyst (CAA) through this link: https://www.caa-global.org/welcome-caa-global/how-to-qualify/exams Skills for Care - Information and resources about careers in Social Care How to improve your employability skills during COVID - Pearson College London have published a series of articles titled "How to improve your employability skills during COVID?" Click the links below to view the articles. • • • • •
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Careers information shared with students: InvestIN - Summer Internships Live and Online for ages 15-18 throughout July and August 2020. Open to register now! Investment Banking, Medicine, Engineering, Psychology, Filmmaking, Computer Science, Law, International Politics, Architecture and Entrepreneurship. ObserveGP - A great way for aspiring Medics to gain work experience during these times! An interactive platform providing insights into general practice. Skills Toolkit - The National Careers Service has created free online courses to improve digital and numeracy skills. Some of the country's leading educational experts and employers have made a collection of tools and resources to suit a range of interests and skill levels. New careers podcast - giving insights into their job, how they got there and how young people can follow the same path. UCAS - Virtual tours and videos from universities and colleges. EDT - are keeping applications open for their Year in Industry (YINI) placement scheme for placements starting in September 2020 Oxford and Cambridge - Offering a series of student conferences online, hearing about the application process from current students Unifrog - Encouraging students to use the platform especially for personal statements Softcat - IT Infrastructure and Services Provider have a few Sales Apprentice roles left to fill in their Marlow office if anyone is interested in applying the role can be found here - https://jobs.softcat.com/vacancy/salesapprentice/oUzXbfwl/ If there is any interest, please email me via Student Support and I can put you in contact with their Internal recruiter who can talk through the role.