Make the Future Yours! Issue 5

Price £2.95 Education, Careers, News & Insights Issue 5

Information on careers you may not have thought about Careers in cyber security, the police, the NHS, and more!

Life skills and well-being advice

What’s next?

Information, advice, and case studies to help you make the right career choices!

Make the Future Yours! Issue 5

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Discover a new career in the great outdoors!

Are you creative, practical, have an eye for detail, interested in the environment and want to work outdoors?

Then landscaping could be the career for you.

There are lots of roles in landscaping...

Creatively solving problems in green spaces, designing plans that will improve or create new gardens?

This is landscape design.

Looking for something hands-on and physical? Want to be involved in planning and building landscapes using a range of structural materials to turn design into reality?

This is hard landscaping.

Can you see yourself choosing and planting a wide range of plants to transform green spaces, adding texture, colour, and scent? This is soft landscaping.

Making sure green spaces are looking their best, that they are safe, clean, and attractive to those using and visiting them? This is landscape maintenance.

To find out how to have a career in the great outdoors, visit www.golandscape.co.uk

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Make the Future Yours! Issue 5

28/05/2021 10:52

Make the Future Yours! Is published bi-monthly.

To subscribe, visit: www.makethefutureyours.com Editorial Editor Claire Sutton

From the Editor Welcome to Issue 5 of Make the Future Yours! This summer will bring lots of big decisions, potentially for Year 11s! In this edition we have articles about how to choose your A Levels, what to do if your exam results aren’t what you expected and T Levels.

We learn about what it’s really like being a Lab Technician, a Conservation Biologist, and a Landscaper, from Ryan, Tolga and Ann. As always, we hope to bring you new inspiration, information and ideas about what you can be doing after school or college finishes.

claire@makethefutureyours.co @edfutureyours Advertising hello@makethefutureyours.com 02394 004042 Publisher The Future Business Ltd www.thefuturebusiness.co.uk

Get social with us: makethefutureyours1 makethefutureyours makefutureyours Make the Future Yours makethefutureyours

Follow us on our social media and visit our website for all of our past issues of Make the Future Yours! and any new updates.

Contents 4 6 8 10 11 12 14 16 18 20 22 26 28 31

How to choose your A levels EVs, changing the world of car maintenance The new GCSE in Natural History What is LMI and how can it help me?

Finance: What about it?

Exam results not what you expected?

Police careers What is jury service?

Do you know about T Levels?

Previous issues of MTFY! A career in cyber security?

Lab Technician Apprenticeship Careers in the NHS Useful stuff: Key dates and more

The reproduction of any material, whether whole or in part, is strictly forbidden without prior written consent of the publisher. The editor reserves the right to publish any letters and submissions. Prices and details are subject to change and The Future Business Ltd accepts no responsibility for omissions or errors. All materials sent at original owner’s risk. © The Future Business Ltd 2022. All rights reserved

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How to choose

your A Levels If you’ve been doing perhaps ten or more subjects at GCSE, having to narrow that down to just three or four to study at A Level can seem like a tough call. There are no rules on how to make that decision, but there are certainly some factors that you should probably consider. These are our suggestions.

What do you enjoy?

Start by thinking about the subjects you have already been taking: which of them do you enjoy the most? Make a note of your top five favourites. There is a good chance that you will do better in subjects that you enjoy the most, so we think this is a good place to start.

Now, think about what it is that you like about those subjects: is it being creative, or analysing data, or solving problems? Knowing why you like a subject will help you reflect on your overall decision when the time comes.

An opportunity to try something new?

There are often new subjects that a college can offer at A Level that you won’t have had the opportunity to take at GCSE. For example, Government & Politics, Criminology or Media are either not available at GCSE or not offered by many schools. This means you might have even more choice than you thought!

Have a look through 6th Form prospectuses

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and see if there are any new subjects that sound exciting. Read carefully what they cover.

Use the notes you just made about why you like your current GCSE subjects to help work out if any of these new subjects will suit your interests and learning style. Jot them down.

What fits with your future plans?

For many people, choosing A Levels is a stepping-stone to studying at University. Most degree and higher education courses have fairly strict entry requirements on which A Level subjects are acceptable. For example, if you want to study anything related to medicine or veterinary science, it’s unlikely that you’ll get a place without having done Biology A Level and, perhaps, Chemistry.

So, if you’re thinking about going to University and have some ideas on what you want to study there, it is really important to check out what the subject entry requirements for those types of courses are. Careers advisors will be able to give you specific advice and University

Admissions Tutors are often happy to explain, too. Make a list of which subjects are going to suit your future plans.

What is a good balance?

By now, you should have three lists: subjects you’re doing already that you enjoy; new subjects that you fancy trying and; subjects that are appropriate for your future plans. If you’re lucky, there will be plenty of overlap across those lists and your decision will be coming together already!

Just in case it’s not, here is one final piece of advice that might help. Think about the type of work that each A Level subject will involve. For example, subjects like English Literature, History and Law are likely to involve quite a lot of reading and essay writing. On the other hand, science subjects are more likely to be about practical experiments and writing up reports. And Maths and Technology subjects will inevitably involve more numbers and

theoretical workings out. If you are naturally drawn to, say, reading and essay writing, you might not be worried if you choose subjects that are all going to involve lots of each.

However, if you prefer variety, you might want to choose subjects that will each challenge you to produce different types of work.

The decision…

When choosing A Levels, it can feel like there is lots of pressure to get it right but remember: only you can really know what feels right for you and nothing is ever set in stone. Although it’s not always easy to change an A Level subject, you may have to wait until the following academic year to restart, for example, but it can be done. And, in life’s great journey, A Levels are only a couple of years of your life to get you on to whatever your next adventure is going to be so try to keep that in perspective. Good luck!

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EVs, changing the world of car maintenance?

Sales of EVs (electric vehicles) in the UK have rocketed in recent years, with hybrid or battery-based cars now making up nearly 30% of all new vehicle registrations. The increase in fuel prices and the ban from 2030 of new traditionally fuelled (petrol or diesel) cars mean that percentage is only going to increase. But how is this change affecting the motor industry? And what skills do car mechanics need now to keep on top of this new technology?

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The difference between petrol or diesel fuelled cars, which work through internal combustion, to those powered by electricity is huge. To put it bluntly, a typical petrol engine has over 2,000 mechanical moving parts: a typical electric vehicle powertrain has less than 20.

Whilst this might sound like servicing electric vehicles is a whole lot easier, the UK Institute of the Motor Industry estimates that 97% of current mechanics are not suitably qualified or experienced to work on electric vehicles.

What does that difference in power source mean in reality? For starters, all those moving parts on petrol and diesel engines require regular maintenance like oil changes to keep them moving smoothly and hopefully to prevent breakdowns occurring. Less moving parts in EVs will mean less traditional mechanical maintenance than before.

Notably, the same is true for vehicle braking systems: the clever technologies used in EVs mean that their brakes don’t have the same wear that petrol or diesel cars do, so things like changing brake pads and discs will become less frequent.

What are the key issues for electric vehicles, if not mechanical ones? There are a few. Electric vehicles tend to be harder on tyres than traditionally fuelled ones, in part because their batteries make them heavier, so tyre changes are likely to become more frequent. Electric vehicles are much more demanding on their cooling systems – to keep the batteries working efficiently. This will make not only engine cooling but also whole vehicle heat management something that requires regular monitoring. And all new vehicles today whether they are electric or not, have so many more sensors than they ever used to have, from driver assistance features to on-board cameras, so an understanding of electronics and some programming will be key to keeping them functioning.

While traditional mechanical skills will still be required, it’s already clear that the skillset is shifting to include electronics and even some programming skills, but

“

It’s already clear that the skillset is shifting to include electronics and even some programming skills.

it’s a shift that has been happening since the early 1990s. Ian Jarvis, owner of independent garage E&J Jarvis Ltd, believes it was the introduction of the catalytic converter that marked a noticeable shift.

“We regularly recruit apprentice mechanics but, since the 90s, we have had to stipulate that our new starters need at least a grade C (5) GCSE pass in English and particularly Maths in order to understand the science behind the electronics in vehicles today,” Ian explained.

As far as his business is concerned, the change to hybrid and electric vehicles has not yet made much of an impact. “I have sold many hybrid vehicles but none that are fully electric as yet. The vast majority of our MOT and maintenance work is still with traditionally fuelled vehicles” Ian said.

E&J Jarvis have been in business for 75 years so have already seen lots of changes in vehicle technology in that time. Looking to the future, what further advances in the technology does Ian see?

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see another type of fuel-technology replace EVs. Hydrogen fuel cells are more efficient and charge much faster than electric batteries, and it’s technology that NASA has been using since the 1950s. I’ll be interested to see if it happens!”

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The new GCSE in

Natural History It’s not very often that a new GCSE subject appears. When the GCSE Natural History was announced in England earlier this year, we had to find out more. The new qualification has some high-profile supporters from the BBC to The Eden Project and The Natural History Museum, so it looks like it’s already off to a good start. Here’s what we know so far.

Why the new subject?

It’s clear that many young people are ahead of the curve when it comes to being passionate about the future of the planet. The idea of ‘greening the curriculum’ is not only to engage with that passion, but to give younger generations the skills and knowledge that they are looking for. The GCSE Natural History comes from that idea.

What type of topics does it cover?

It sets out to give students an insight into the diversity and interconnectedness of life on Earth. It will look at a wide range of contrasting habitats and how those habitats are continuing to change, through natural processes and through human actions.

Students will take part in classroom and laboratory work, as well as getting out to do their own research and observations ‘in the field’. Students will learn about a wide range of organisms, environments and sustainability issues.

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A GCSE in Natural History could be a game-changer for the nature of Britain. Everyone will have the opportunity to be nature-literate, to learn about British wildlife and how it relates to the rest of the world, which is essential for a sustainable, green future.

Mary Colwell, nature writer and GCSE Natural History campaigner

Where could the new GCSE lead?

Because this new subject seems to draw in many other interests from the sciences to history, geography and creative arts, we can see that it will appeal to a great many students. The range of skills it will help students develop is also very diverse, from scientific observation to mathematical analysis and more creative pictorial recordings and descriptions. As the official announcement said “The progression pathway for this subject at key stage 5 and beyond could be scientific, geographical, environmental, ecological or natural history itself."

It's clear that any student with an interest in the natural world will be keen to take this subject, but it is perhaps a bit too soon yet to say specifically which A Level subjects, degree courses or jobs it will directly apply to. In our view, this is not a subject which will replace any existing GCSE subjects, but it will seriously enhance them.

When does it start teaching?

At time of writing, the new GCSE is still going through the final approval process, but it is expected to be available for students from 2025. In our view, it is unlikely that every school will offer it from the beginning but we hope plenty do!

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What is LMI and how can it help me?

LMI – Labour Market Information – is information collected by governments and councils about employers, industries and patterns of work. Whilst they might sound like an exercise in number crunching, all that data can help you plan your future; here’s how.

What is LMI? Labour Market Information provides the knowledge and understanding of how the labour market functions and is crucial for making sense of changing economic circumstances. It can also help when thinking about what the future might hold, so can support career decision making.

LMI can tell us which industries are growing and declining, about how industries and job roles vary across the country and about the industries and job roles in your area. It helps you see what the requirements are to work in an industry, the qualifications, or routes to being employed (apprenticeship, degree, GCSEs, A Levels, etc.).

You can see salary information and how many vacancies there are in each industry. LMI can identify ‘skills gaps’, where there aren’t enough people with the right qualifications or experience to do particular jobs and forecast future demand for job types and skills. LMI can also help to challenge stereotypes, to ensure doors are opened for people.

So, what does this mean for you?

LMI can help you see if the career you want will still be around when you are older or even help you decide what career you should think about.

You can see whether the job you want is in your geographical area or that you may have to move away to do it. It will help you choose which qualifications to take. LMI can show you how jobs are changing and, if you’re thinking about running

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your own business, it will give you an idea about your competition and chances of success.

A typical piece of LMI is that 78% of those who worked from home said that being able to work from home gave them an improved work life balance in February 2022. This demonstrates how working life has changed during the pandemic and also how it affects the individual. (By the time you read this, this data be will be out of date, so it’s important to look at LMI from time to time.) *Office for National Statistics – Business Insights and Conditions 2022.

Through using LMI, we can also see how the labour market has changed over time. For example, it used to be lower paid workers who worked longer hours than higher paid workers, but now it is the other way round; if you have a high wage, you will most likely work long hours.

Colleges and universities often use LMI to help decide which courses are relevant to their local and regional need.

This is particularly relevant following the pandemic when many industries have rethought how they are working. Some may struggle to recover, whereas others might do really well and differently than they would have done under ‘normal’ circumstances. So, keep an eye on labour market information when researching the careers you think you are right for you.

Where to find LMI? https://www.ons.gov.uk/

FINANCE? What about it?

Income streams Having one career for life is becoming less common and the number of small businesses and entrepreneurs is growing.

Align your goals with your spending habits by dividing your wage into three sections:

Having a ‘side hustle’ can be a great way of earning some extra money, even if your fulltime job is your main source of income.

Make sure you complete your tax service every year and don’t let your ‘side hustle’ distract from your day job.

50% - goes on essentials like food, rent, bills and commuting.

Here are some ideas: Food delivery services •

50/30/20

30% - on any hobbies, eating out or shopping 20% - goes into a savings pot, emergency fund or investments

Start an emergency fund Have you started an emergency fund? It’s essential to have something like this in place if you can. Make it a non-negotiable fund that’ll be there to save you.

It gives you a safety net to fall back on if things goes wrong.

•

Blogging

• • •

Tutoring Car rental services Selling artwork

•

Ridesharing

Don’t fall for social media It’s so easy to get sucked into believing everyone else can afford to do amazing trips, buy expensive clothes and buy a house just like that. However, social media doesn’t always show the truth behind everything and it’s okay to go at your own pace.

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Exam results not what you expected?

You’ve got the envelope; your results are in and they are not what you were expecting! Whether they are better or worse than predicted, you are probably in a turmoil of emotions and don’t know what to do for the best. We look at the sensible steps you should take, whether you are facing disappointment or delight.

In 2021, a report by The Guardian showed that almost 150,000 students did not receive offers from any university, or missed their required grades at A-level. Whether you did better or worse (or much worse) than you expected, the first thing to remember is that you are not alone.

All over the country, there will be other people experiencing the same emotions you are. That might be cold comfort, but you can be reassured that colleges, training providers and universities are all preparing to offer advice on what to do next. The most important thing is not to panic and be flustered into a decision that might not quite suit. You are likely to have at least a couple of weeks to evaluate your options before anything has to be decided.

Step One To a large extent, what you were hoping to do next will influence what you should do when you get your results. In all cases, it’s worth going into school or college to have a chat with your tutor and/or a careers adviser. If your results have been lower than expected, they should be able to offer advice on whether there is an appeals process, for example, and if that is something they would support. If you’ve achieved better than expected, they could also advise on making applications to different college or university courses your predicted grades might not have made possible.

Results better than expected Doing better than you or your teachers predicted is a fantastic achievement – well done!

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Results are very rarely downgraded after the event so you can be confident your grade received reflects your ability. For many people, doing better might not actually change anything in terms of what their next steps will be. You picked the college course, degree or apprenticeship that you think will be right for you so why should higher grades change that?

However, higher grades do give you the chance to reflect on whether other doors might now be open to you. If it’s your A Levels, you might decide to go through the UCAS Clearing process to see if different courses have space or even take a gap year and apply through the full UCAS process to those courses next year instead. If it’s your GCSE results, similarly, different choices at college or sixth form might be an option, so talk to them and other colleges about your great results. Don’t jump into a potentially more challenging course just because you can!

Remember why you made your original choice and check if it will still suit you, your future ambitions and your learning style the best.

Results worse than expected If you didn’t do as well as you hoped, you will need to do a couple of things at the same time.

Firstly, as we’ve already said in Step One, check what your school or college think, whether they can support an appeal, offer resits or advice on other opportunities. You should also start a conversation with the college, sixth form or university you had planned to go to next.

Although it is likely that with poor results you won’t be able to take up the place you had hoped, don’t automatically assume that. Whether they have room and are able to take you will

depend on whether all the other people they made offers to achieved their grades too, so you just never know. If they can’t, they may well also know of other courses within their institution which are under-subscribed that you might be interested in taking up instead; it is always worth asking. Finally, it’s not too late to make a late application. The UCAS Clearing process is open until mid October, as students start and settle into courses, so you could still get to uni this year. Visit the UCAS website or search ‘UCAS Clearing’ to find out more. Equally, FE and sixthform colleges will usually consider late applications until around 5 or 6 weeks after a course has started if they have room and before you’ve missed too much. It’s also worth looking at institutions and courses you perhaps hadn’t considered before.

Going into an Apprenticeship If your planned next step was into an Apprenticeship and you already have that job offer, the good news is that lower results than you hoped might not be the end of the world.

By the time you’ve received your results, it’s likely that your future employer has completed their recruitment process; you’ve been through assessment centres, they’ve interviewed you and decided you were the best candidate for the job. Even if they made you a provisional offer, perhaps dependent on a Maths or English grade, training providers will offer qualifications you can take alongside your Apprenticeship to ‘top up’ a poor result. In the first instance, talk to the training provider who will be running the Apprenticeship and seek their advice. They may well be willing to make the case to your future employer for you and are likely to have alternate employers looking to recruit if they can’t persuade them. If you were thinking about an Apprenticeship, but don’t have an offer yet, it’s time to look at your plan B. Although employers do recruit throughout the year, not just in September, you will need to demonstrate that you are doing something worthwhile with your time until the right Apprenticeship comes along.

Your plan B may well have been a place at college so it’s worth taking that up. If your grades were lower than expected, and in a subject that will be important to your Apprenticeship, particularly Maths and English, it will be very helpful to look at an early resit in that subject, to give yourself the

best chance in the competition for apprenticeship places.

BTEC and vocational qualification results Although many vocational qualifications are beginning to include exam-style assessments, very few of them actually focus on one final exam to decide your result. For many practical or vocational qualifications, including Apprenticeships and even the new T Level qualifications in England, your final result reflects your collated score over a number of projects, tests and assignments. This should mean you start to build a fairly clear idea of how you will do as the course progresses – and means you have time to do something about it if you’re not on track! It does also mean you are less likely to be in the ‘results turmoil’ that some of your friends might experience.

And finally…

It might be hard to believe in the moment, but your exam results are not make or break for the rest of your life. There are lots of people who’s plans didn’t go to plan but who look back and realise that it taught them resilience, made them work harder or helped them consider a career path they hadn’t even thought of before. So, try to maintain a sense of perspective and remember the old saying: if life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

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Police careers Nearly 250,000 people across the UK work for the Police, either as serving officers, in support roles, or as volunteers or Special Constables. Being a police officer is varied and rewarding but also challenging, so there are some key qualities and skills you need to already have or be willing to develop in order to do the job well. There are also a number of entry routes, with some forces offering Apprenticeships as one way to join. We’ve talked to a family of Police officers to find out what they enjoy about their roles.

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Police officers often talk about their ‘policing family’; the very nature of working for the police, particularly on the frontline, brings unique experiences that can bond people closely, like a family. The Coolahans take this to the next level, with the whole family working for Hampshire Constabulary. PC Sarah Coolahan, her husband PC Jon Coolahan and daughter PC Samantha Coolahan are all serving officers, while Sarah’s son Ryan is currently training at the Hampshire Police Training School in Netley, near Southampton.

Jon was the first recruit, joining the Constabulary in 2004 having previously served in the Royal Navy for 22 years. Jon started out in Cosham, later moving to Fareham. He has dedicated his entire policing career to the frontline and is due to retire next year.

Sarah, who has been a Response & Patrol officer for the majority of her 16-year career, currently works on Fareham D Shift and has recently passed her sergeants exam. Asked about why the job has kept her coming back for so long, Sarah said “I thoroughly enjoy my role and can’t see myself working anywhere else. I haven’t ever found anything I enjoy as much. I love the buzz of Response & Patrol as every day is different and you never know what you’re going to be doing.”

Sarah joined the force in 2006 and her brother and sister-in-law are also officers. Sarah added “Seeing how much my brother and his wife enjoyed being police officers made me want to give it a go. The last 16 years have flown by and there is never a day that I don’t look forward to coming to work.”

Meanwhile, daughter Sam is celebrating her sixth year in the force on Fareham E shift where she has spent the last 18 months, following four years based in Portsmouth.

Ryan is the latest in the family of officers to join, having been training at Netley for the last three weeks. Prior to this he served as a prison officer for three years, where he developed a variety of skills that helped him prepare for a career in the police.

“I am so proud of both of my children,” Sarah said. “I think they both have a very bright future ahead of them.”

Further Information Becoming a Police officer is a commitment and so it’s important to understand what’s involved in the role.

There are certainly plenty of training and progression opportunities if it’s what you’re looking for.

Most Police forces are organised by county, with county constabularies responsible for their own recruitment and training.

To explore lots of useful information, frequently asked questions and to find out which counties are currently recruiting, visit https:// www.joiningthepolice.co.uk/

Pictured (l-r): Sarah, Sam and Jon Coolahan, pictured when Sam first joined the Constabulary.

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What is

Jury Service?

Many of the Courts in the UK ask a Jury to decide the outcome of legal cases. That Jury will be made up of ordinary members of the public to help ensure decisions are as fair as possible. Anyone aged between 18 and 76 years old could be called for Jury Service; arguably, it’s one of our duties as a citizen to take part. Here’s our quick guide to what’s involved.

When is a Jury used?

The idea behind using a Jury rather than a Judge to decide on legal cases is to help ensure that a cross-section of ordinary people understand and agree on the outcome. Therefore, a Jury tends to be used in some of the highest courts in the country, from Crown Courts which try more serious criminal cases, to the High Court which hear non-criminal cases such as libel. Lesser offences are often dealt with in a Magistrates Court, where the magistrates decide the outcome.

How many people sit on a Jury?

Crown and High Court juries will consist of 12 people; a County Court jury will usually have only 8 members. Jury members are chosen randomly from all the individuals called to do their Jury Service on the day the case starts.

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How does a Jury come to a decision?

Jury members will sit in the court room while all the legal arguments are made and any evidence is presented by all the parties involved in the case. Although jury members cannot ask questions themselves, they can ask for clarification on points of law from the Judge who is over-seeing the trial. Once all the arguments are heard, the Jury is then asked to go into a private room to consider their verdict.

For some particularly serious cases, the Judge may ask that the Jury’s verdict is unanimous and that all members of the Jury agree the same outcome. However, sometimes the Judge may be happy with a majority decision. The Jury can take as long as it needs to come to a decision.

How long does Jury service take?

People are usually called to take part in Jury Service for two weeks (or ten working days), but how long you actually sit in court can vary.

Sometimes people take part in a case that only lasts a few days and are then not required for the rest of the time. Other times, a court hearing can last for several weeks, and the same Jury is required to attend the whole time.

If a case is expected to last for a long period, the potential Jury members are informed at the beginning so they can make necessary arrangements.

from work or can claim compensation for their loss of earnings. Jury members can usually also claim travelling expenses and something towards food, too. Although you won’t get rich sitting on a Jury, the idea is that the money needs to be a fair compensation in order to ensure a cross-section of citizens feel able to take part in the process.

Do I have to take part if I am called?

According to statistics, there is about a 35% chance that you will be called for Jury Service in England and Wales it’s higher in Scotland. There are some jobs which are not eligible such as serving police personnel or solicitors and people who have been convicted of a crime will not be eligible. If you are called, under some circumstances you can ask to delay doing your Jury service; for example, if you have a major work commitment or are a student with exams coming up, you can ask to be excused.

However, it is unlikely that you can put Jury Service off for more than a year and even more unlikely that you will be excused more than once.

Are you paid to be a Jury member?

Jury Service can actually be a fascinating insight into how our justice system and courts work.

Although it can feel really formal, you are given lots of guidance by the Judge and court teams.

And, of course, you are not alone; your fellow Jury members will be with you throughout the experience.

Yes! Technically, individuals or their employers are compensated for the time they spend away

Read more at: https://www.gov.uk/jury-service

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Have you heard of T Levels?

If you haven’t heard about them yet, T Levels are a qualification that was introduced in England in September 2020 for students aged 16+. They are two-year courses which reflect the reality of the industry you study and will become one of the main choices for students after GCSEs.

What is a T Level?

T Level (Technical Level) courses are an alternative to A Levels, Apprenticeships, and other qualifications for students. One T Level is worth the equivalent of 3 A Levels, in terms of both UCAS points and space on the timetable.

Like Apprenticeships, T Levels have been developed in collaboration with employers, such as IBM, Lloyds Bank and EDF Energy who have been amongst many sitting on T Level development panels. This means that the content within the courses is up to date and reflects the needs of the industry.

Students can earn Pass, Merit, Distinction or Distinction* grades. Grades will be calculated on a combination of assignmentbased assessments and some tests.

The idea of T Levels is to help

young people become ‘work-ready’, which will benefit both them and the employer.

Can I still apply to University with T Levels?

Yes. Both A Levels and T Levels hold UCAS points, meaning you can apply to university with either qualification.

What qualifications do I need to study a T Level?

T Levels require a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grades 9-5.

A T level transition programme has been introduced as a 1-year post-GCSE bridging programme into T-Levels. Its aim is to help those who would like to do a T level but need additional support before doing so. The transition programme includes technical, Maths, English and digital skills linked to the T level as well as work experience and personal development. Here is a list of providers delivering the programme in 2022 to 2023.

For further information: www.tlevels.gov.uk/ www.makethefutureyours .uk/introducing-tlevels

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What subjects can I do a T Level in?

At the moment, there are: Building Services Engineering

September 2023 Onwards

September 2022 Onwards

Agriculture, Land Management and Production

Accountancy

Digital BusinessServices

Designand Development

Digital Support Services

Financial

Health

Human Resources

Healthcare Science

Legal

Onsite Construction

Maintenance, Installation and Repair

Science Education and Childcare Digital Production, Design and Development

Animal Care and Management Catering

Management and Administration Manufacturing, Processingand Control

Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction

Craft and Design Cultural Heritage and Visitor Attractions Hair, Beauty and Aesthetics Media, Broadcast and Production

Building Services Engineering for Construction

Where can I study for a T Level?

Go to www.tlevels.gov.uk/students and scroll down and enter your postcode, and a list of local colleges will be displayed.

Further resources to aid your decision…

Watch industry placement videos to hear from students and employers who have benefited from T Level industry placements.

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Don’t forget to check the previous issues of MTFY! Past articles include…

Issue 1: What is an Apprenticeship?

Issue 2: Interview tips

Issue 3: Want to start your own business?

Issue 4: Your options at the end of Year 11

For all of our articles and resources, visit our website www.makethefutureyours.com

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Wherever your future is heading,take it to the next level with a T Level at FarehamCollege. You will be provided with a clear route to skilled employment, an Apprenticeship or a degree.

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A career

in cyber security?

From private individuals to multinational organisations and national governments, we hear stories all too often of cyber security breaches or hacking seriously affecting technology systems. According to IT security experts, Norton, there is an attack about every 39 seconds around the world. Clearly, it’s super important that we all know how to keep ourselves safe online but there is also a growing need for cyber security professionals to help keep all of us safe too.

It is estimated that there is currently a shortfall of about 350,000 cyber security experts across the world, and that is predicted to grow to almost 2 million in the next few years. Because of that shortage, it also tends to be an industry that pays better than average salaries. Clearly, there has never been a better time to think about a career in cyber security. But what type of skills do you need and how do you get into it?

There is a huge range of roles available to suit a wide range of skills, whether you are natural leader, a great manager or a self-confessed coding geek. For example, Blockchain Developers will use their knowledge and skills of many different programming languages and systems to ensure that data and digital transactions are secure. As well as extensive coding skills, they are likely to be people with great problem-solving skills who are great at logic and processes. By contrast, a Cyber Security Project Manager will be leading teams of people to develop security systems for an organisation. Although they will need an understanding of the technical structure of systems, they are more likely to be great organisers and communicators.

What sort of skills, in general, do people working in cyber security need? Perhaps first and foremost is a willingness to learn: as you would expect, coding, programming and related 22

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technologies are constantly developing so cyber security experts need to be quick to learn about anything new. They also need strong logical thinking and problem-solving skills: these technologies all have operating systems that work in ordered ways so the ability to think in a structured, forensic way to understand them is essential. In almost all cases, cyber security experts won’t work alone so they will also need team working and communication skills to share information and engineer solutions together.

What is clear is that many young people are developing many of these skills through their hobbies, activities like gaming and coding. And many organisations are recognising that just one entry route won’t suit all applicants. There are Traineeships, Apprenticeships and Degree courses in cyber security, to allow a wide range of study and training options.

Just this year, a case made the headlines when a group of hackers, including teenagers, were arrested for their illegal online activities.

Fortunately, many young people are realising that they can use their skills both legally and for positive purposes by working in the world of cyber security. If you are curious about how things work, how devices interact with each other and what vulnerabilities these gadgets have, perhaps a career in cyber security would suit you?

Here are some of the jobs in cyber security: Information Security Analyst

Cyber Security Project Manager

Information security analysts have the responsibility of creating plans and strategies for preventing cyber attacks.

They are essentially the protectors of sensitive information, and they ensure that policies are being followed. Their main jobs include monitoring systems and networks, detecting threats, analysing and assessing issues, and generally protecting IT infrastructure from criminal activity.

If you’re a cyber security specialist who also wants to take on a leadership role, working in project management could be the perfect choice. They coordinate with other cyber security specialists through different stages of a project and ensure that targets are met within a particular time frame and budget.

Cyber Security Consultant

If you want to be directly involved in investigating cyber criminals, you might consider being a digital forensic analyst.

They work closely with the police and other law enforcement agencies to investigate criminal activities and catch cyber criminals.

Consultants provide business solutions for their organisation or clients, and cyber security consultants do the same thing in the cyber security sphere. They assess all security measures, propose improvements and then oversee implementations of new measures.

Digital Forensic Analyst

Ethical Hacker

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

If you’re interested in learning more about cyber criminals and how they work, you might want to become an ethical hacker. It is their job to carry out advanced penetration tests on a company’s system and check if there are any weaknesses or breaches in their security.

If you’re already working in the cyber security field and want to turn it up a notch, you might consider becoming a chief information security officer, or CISO. This is a senior role, where you will have many years of experience in various cyber security jobs under your belt.

Network Engineer

Security Architect

Network engineers are responsible for dealing with computer networks. They are technical experts, and it is their job to set up networks, look after them and offer technical support to users of the network.

There are both hands-on and computerbased aspects to this role.

As the job title suggests, security architects are responsible for creating and designing security for a system.

They also develop architecture patterns and new security approaches for technologies. If you have an analytical mind, enjoy designing programs and love working with data, this might be the perfect role for you.

Blockchain Developer Blockchain developers create and develop innovative systems as a response to challenges such as hacking. Important skills that blockchain developers need include blockchain architecture, knowledge of data structures, web development, smart contract development and cryptography.

Security Software Developer If you’re a big fan of coding and love the idea of creating software, this job will suit you. It combines the technical knowledge of writing and developing software with an interest in security and the current threat landscape.

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Ways to develop your coding and cyber skills There are range of opportunities and resources available, many of which are free, that can help you work on your skills, including:

CoderDojo Free, local coding clubs worldwide for young people. www.coderdojo.com

Cyber Security Challenge

Competitions designed to test cyber skills, created by industry professionals looking for the next generation of cyber defenders. www.cybersecuritychallenge.org.uk

Cyber Explorers A fun, free interactive learning platform for those aged 11-14. It showcases how skills taught in class are linked to real world situations, through an immersive, gamified learning experience. https://www.cyberexplorers.co.uk/

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Code Club A global network of free coding clubs for 9–13 year olds, where they can create games, animations and web pages using Scratch, Python or HTML/CSS. www.codeclub.org

CyberFirst Developing the UK’s future cyber professionals through student bursaries, courses and competitions. For 11–17 year olds. www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberfirst/

NCSC The National Cyber Security Centre website contains a lot of information on both academic and professional qualifications in cyber security. www.ncsc.gov.uk

How can I… look after my well-being?

“In our hectic lives, we sometimes forget to check in with ourselves. Therefore, we sometimes don't realise our wellbeing is suffering until we are struggling because of it.” – Mind, the mental health charity Get enough sleep

Keeping active

Getting creative

Try to keep a routine of going to bed at a time that allows you enough sleep, especially during exam periods.

Any type of exercise is good, as long as you do enough of it and it suits your lifestyle.

This can ultimately defeat stress and will boost your self-esteem.

Whether it’s dancing, 3D design, painting, singing or writing, it will help in the long run to keep up with these things.

Stay social Seeing people you haven’t caught up with in a while can improve your mood, and help feel re-connected.

Eating healthily Food really does affect your mood. When you start a healthier diet, you’re setting yourself up for less mood swings. However, if you experience problems with your diet, you should speak with your doctor first.

Again, don’t pressure yourself if you’ve experienced problems with exercising, speak with someone first.

Do the things you love Maybe exams and the pressure of everything else has taken over old hobbies and things you used to love doing.

Make time in your routine for those things again - they are just as important.

Learn something new Doing something new is a great way of getting yourself up and moving but also with a sense of accomplishment.

Ask for help Below are resources to help you reach out if you feel that you need to.

Resources and more info

It’s really important you take the above steps to look after yourself before taking on other people’s issues but when you do decide to, make sure you listen, make the time, comfort them, and ask what you can do to be there for them.

Mind charity provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They have so many great resources on their website, visit www.mind.org.uk or scan the QR code below!

ou

Supporting your friends

g

e o y f

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Lab Technician Apprenticeship Most Specsavers stores have a busy in-store laboratory where a talented team of technicians produce finished spectacles to the highest possible standards. Colleagues in this role will be using the latest computer-controlled equipment to cut the lenses and fit them into the frames. We talk to Ryan Ing about his experience.

When did you start your apprenticeship?

“I started my apprenticeship in January 2021. I applied for the lab technician apprenticeship as it sounded like a career path, rather than just a job. As soon as I started on my first shift, I was welcomed by everyone in the store and instantly felt like I was part of the team.”

How did you find the apprenticeship experience?

“I was a bit unsure at first with all of the apprenticeship course work as I am not a very academic person, I am more of a learn by working type of person but, as soon as I started working in the Lab, i started getting support from my manager and other techs and the apprenticeship course work was not a problem. For the first time in my life I enjoyed sitting down and writing about all the interesting things I had learnt and researching the in-depths tasks handed to me.”

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What help was available to you?

“From the get-go, I had help and support from my manager, lab colleagues and the whole store. When my coursework questions got tough everyone was happy to help me, and when I had questions regarding shop floor work, the dispensers let me shadow them and explain in detail how everything works and what everything does. My apprenticeship coach has always been there to help me with any questions about the work and any concerns I have.”

best that I can be, and I have had all the support and help I could possibly need. My previous employment was a full time working position but I have learnt so much more on the apprenticeship than I did there. I came into the apprenticeship with no knowledge of spectacles or even the knowledge that there were labs at Specsavers. Coming from that to becoming an apprentice who can do almost anything in the lab confidently and efficiently has boosted my confidence, and I have met so many great people.”

How do you think this apprenticeship differs from others?

What does the future hold for you now?

“This is my first experience of an apprenticeship, but I would highly recommend an apprenticeship at Specsavers in any department. At no point have I felt unwelcome or like I’m just there to fill a space. From my experience, I have been pushed to become the

“My goal is to become a qualified lab technician and become even more confident and efficient in my work. Then I will push for higher qualifications and learning all sorts of new and interesting things. Finally, my end goal is to become a lab manager or an apprenticeship coach to help future tech apprentices.”

Optical & Aural Apprenticeships •

Hearing Aid Dispenser (Level 5)

•

Optical Assistant (Level 2)

•

Optometrist (Level 7) in development

•

Dispensing Optician (Level tbc) in development Explore more careers at Specsavers here: https:// join.specsavers.com/uk/

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Careers in the NHS Our National Health Service has been in the headlines regularly in recent years, mostly because of the tremendous work they do. In England alone, over 1.3 million people were employed by the NHS in February 2022. About half of those work in what we’d broadly describe as medical roles, so it raises the question – what other roles are required to keep our NHS working? Here’s our round-up.

The NHS employs a lot of medically and surgically trained people, from doctors to nurses, many of whom specialise in a particular area, such as anaesthesia or intensive care, and from dentists to midwives.

As well as this, the NHS also relies on a wide range of other professionals to provide the care they do. These professionals will all have had appropriate training, but have not necessarily had to qualify as a doctor or nurse to carry out their role.

Allied health professionals Allied health professionals are the third largest workforce in the NHS. Most of them are degree-level professions and operate independently. They will often have patients referred to them by doctors or other health

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professionals for the specialist treatment they can offer. Most allied health professionals focus on forms of rehabilitation and wellbeing to ensure individuals can live full active lives. Some examples of allied health professionals include: � Art therapists � Diagnostic radiographers � Dietitians � Drama or Music therapists � Occupational therapist � Osteopaths � Physiotherapists � Podiatrists � Speech and language therapist

Health informatics

Public health

Health informatics sits at the crossroads between healthcare and ever developing information technology. It focuses on using digital information (like patient records) and tools (like databases) to help ensure the best possible patient care. As a technology-based area, it is one of the fastest growing in the NHS and supports medical colleagues to access, manage and analyse data. Examples of health informatics roles include:

Public health is about helping people to stay healthy and protecting them from threats to their health.

Often, public health focuses on trends and factors that will impact the health of a wide group of people (such as age-onset conditions or those affecting a community). Some examples of public health roles are:

� Clinical informatics � Education and training � Health records and patient admin’ � ICT staff � Library services

Healthcare sciences Healthcare science staff play a vital role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a huge number of medical conditions. They will be scientists by training and will often spend time in hospital labs, conducting and interpreting tests on samples. Specialist healthcare scientists can include: � Toxicologists � Virologists � Microbiologists � Clinical bioinformatics specialists � Physical scientists and biomedical engineers

Psychological professions This describes a diverse group of professions whose work is based on the disciplines of psychology and psychological therapy.

Professionally qualified, often to degree level, they work to prevent and alleviate psychological and emotional distress, manage mental health and wellbeing, and empower individuals and communities to improve their lives. These roles can include: � Childrens’ wellbeing practitioners � Counsellors � Education mental health practitioners � Forensic psychologists � Health psychologists

� Environmental health professional � Health visitor � Occupational health nurse � School nurse

Estates and facilities The NHS owns and runs one of the largest collections of properties in the UK, perhaps not surprising when you think about the number and size of all their hospitals. To keep all those buildings functioning well takes a small army of staff, with perhaps the widest range of skills of any of our groups here. Estates and facilities teams will often include: � Catering managers � Chefs/Cooks � Housekeepers � Bricklayers � Electricians � Grounds staff/gardeners � Painters/decorators � Plumbers � Window cleaners � Porters � Security staff

Wider support team Even beyond the medical, surgical and nursing staff and all the roles we have already named, the NHS still needs to function just like any other large organisation. To do this, it needs the experience and skills of a wide range of roles which you might find in other businesses too, including: � Managers, at different levels � Receptionists � Social workers � Chaplains � Finance staff � HR staff

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Earn while you learn in Surrey

Look for current opportunities If you are interested in an apprenticeship with Surrey County Council, please visit on our website (surreycc.gov.uk).

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Key dates and more

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More than just glasses You’ll know us for one thing but we’re so much more.

Find out just how many opportunities we have for an amazing and rewarding career.