Your Choice
Your Choice
A guide for young people aged 14-16 to pursue further education.
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Voiceover
Whatever you choose to do it's important that you continue to learn when you leave school.
There are many good reasons why those who stay on tend to earn more in their careers. It's also fun and it's interesting and people like these two have got plenty of options.
Students
I could go to my school sixth form college.
I could switch to a sixth form college.
I might try a further education college.
But I fancy starting an apprenticeship.
If you get five or more grade C's you can move up to AS level. It's a big step up, there's a lot of classroom work and there are exams and some course work.
There are plenty of subjects including those that you did at GCSE.
Then there's the BTEC National Diplomas and certificates.
They include work experience and a hundred percent coursework with no exams.
These courses last for two years and there's a choice of more than sixty subjects.
Voiceover
And you could go on to higher education and university.
Students
Don't worry if you don't get four or five C grades.
You can take BTEC First Diplomas and re-sit your GCSEs.
These courses last a year and then you can move on up to AS level.
With experts to help with literacy and numeracy problems.
And specialists on health and social care, business and I.T.
Voiceover
But what if you want to start a job, think about apprenticeships or work-based learning.
There's the chance to be a car mechanic like Becky.
And someone else is very keen on colour and appearances, Kirsty, because she's training to be a hairdresser.
And you know some people have an appetite for working in catering, this is the school of food and Chris is training to be a chef.
And once you've prepared the food you have of course to learn how to properly present it and that's where people like Jack come in. He's training to be a Hotel and Restaurant Manager.
And if you go for a meal or a night out then you've got to look the part that's why we've come to Nail Services a relatively new and very fashionable part of the college to see Sarah who's training to be a nail technician.
And for our final destination we've come to the airline cabin crew class, we're about to take off guided by Dean and his assistant.
So why do people decide to develop specialist skills?
Becky Mooney - Motor Repair/Paint Refinishing
It's because I like things to do with cars and art as well so it combines them both together it involves preparing cars to go into the booth to be re-sprayed like flatting and body filling and stuff.
Voiceover
There's lot of lads on this course but not so many girls. How do you go on?
Becky Mooney - Motor Repair/Paint Refinishing
Yeah I know but they're like big girls anyway so it doesn't really matter!
Kirsty Hill - Hairdressing
It's something I've always wanted to do since I was little I always like played with my mum's hair and everything and then I got a job in a salon on a Saturday and now I do Friday and Saturday and it's helped me a lot. I enjoy it, we've started having clients now and like doing more stuff so it's getting more fun.
Voiceover
And what's your ambition?
Kirsty Hill - Hairdressing
To own my own salon.
Chris Brian - Catering
Just learning basic handling of the knives, just basic things that can get you through the catering industry. I'm interested in food and I love being around food and it's a good business to be in and hopefully I'll run my own restaurant one day.
Jack Moseley - Restaurant/Hotel Management
We work in various different departments and things like that and we look at different areas of the hotel industry and we've done things like team leadership and supervision in the restaurant and about the restaurant industry and food and beverages and things like that.
I'm thinking about going into hotel management so I've got a part-time job at the moment that will help me gain my experience as well.
Sarah Dunleavy - Nail Services
It involves being able to make something happen from nothing that's what false nails are. You start from nothing and build to something. Starting from the very beginning to the very very end I've done a few night courses, like the Indian head massage and reflexology. I've done day courses on ear piercing and things like that so it's just nice to get a few things under your belt and just be able to multi-task.
Melanie O'Brian, Dean Billington - Cabin Crew
You learn every aspect of what cabin crew do, going from the safety demonstration to the airport procedures within cabin crew to resort reps from fares to ticketing. A lot of it's hard work as well but it's quite glamorous as well, just so many opportunities it's not just cabin crew there's working in the airport and everything.
Voiceover
And how long before you get up in the air and do some work?
Melanie O'Brian, Dean Billington - Cabin Crew
As soon as possible I hope!
Voiceover
Now if you're not sure what you want to do but don't want to go to college we can still help. We have apprenticeships that can give you the opportunity to earn while you learn.
Students
So to sum up you could study at your school's sixth form, it's more traditional with responsibility for the younger pupil.
You could go to the sixth form college, there's a greater choice of courses and it's a completely different environment. Everyone's over sixteen and it's bigger.
Or you could go to a further education college, it's bigger still.
They're good for hairdressing, catering and engineering and there are adults there too.
Voiceover
So the choice is all yours.
And these are the next steps.
Read all the booklets.
Visit the Open Days.
Fill out forms on time.
Talk to staff and to students.
Keep an open mind.
Discuss ideas with parents and the teachers.
Work hard to get the best grades.
Attend interviews.
Make your decision only when you're ready.
So, remember...
Students
Education and training are free until you're nineteen.
After nineteen these courses can cost £3,000.
You could qualify for financial help.
Take advantage while you're still young.
Voiceover
So the sky could be the limit because wherever you go in Tameside the choice of courses and the chances they give you are undoubtedly some of the best in the country. And please make sure you take full advantage of what's on offer. Right here and various sites on your doorstep. So don't forget it's your career, go for it.