Careers Advice and Guidance
Please take a look at the resources and information on this page.
If you have any questions or would like to talk through your plans with a careers adviser, please contact careers@meadowhead.sheffield.sch.uk or phone school and ask for the Careers Team.
Our students have access to Unifrog, a careers platform covering all they need to know about the labour market, careers, university, options after Y11 and Y13, apprenticeships etc.
Further Education and Careers Progression Routes - a guide to the comprehensive support that students will receive during the two years in our sixth form (ipad users can download a copy at the foot of this page)
Please click the arrow on the right of each box to expand each topic and explore more.
Career Exploration
Career exploration
Find out about yourself and explore the careers that might suit you.
- If you have some ideas about a career or job sector you are interested in, start your research there.
- If you don't know which jobs interest you, you could start with a careers quiz (examples below) to give you some ideas.
- Use the suggested resources below as a starting point, but feel free to use your own sources too, just make sure you use reliable sources of information which are up-to-date, free from bias and relevant (ie about opportunities for young people in England).
It is useful to find out the following information:
- what the job involves
- the skills you need
- qualifications you need to get in
- practicalities (pay, working hours etc)
- find three positives about the job for you
- identify any aspects that sound more negative or you need more information on
- finally, decide whether you think this job would suit you.
See Virtual Experience and Labour Market Information to find out if a job is in demand or disappearing; which are the jobs of the future and what you might get paid.
Suggested resources
Quizzes (general)
- Buzz Quiz: https://icould.com/buzz-quiz/
- SACU Career Quiz: https://sacu-student.com/?page_id=2850
- Barclays LifeSkills Wheel of Strengths: https://barclayslifeskills.com/families/wheel-of-strength/
- HEPPSY Future Heroes: https://extra.shu.ac.uk/heppsy/future-heroes/quiz/
Quizzes (specific job sectors)
- Find your career in healthcare https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/findyourcareer
- Go Construct's Ultimate Quiz https://www.goconstruct.org/learn-about-construction/find-the-role-for-you/ultimate-quiz/
- Tomorrows Engineers Quiz https://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/students/meet-the-future-you-careers-quiz/
Talks, Events & Competitions
- Speakers for Schools (inspiring broadcasts this week): www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/upcoming-vtalks/
- Speakers for Schools (inspiring broadcast library): www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/vtalks-video-library/
- Young Writers Competitions: https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/competitions/KS3-4
- Investment Management Q&A: https://youtu.be/OJCoYnjJ4L0 and https://youtu.be/Vp-zM4-QC_s
- Spotlight talks: inspiring careers excellence (upcoming March 2021): www.worldskillsuk.org/careers-advice/spotlight-talks-inspiring-careers-excellence/?dm_i=5BD4,BJ1E,3KLONB,1BF7M,1
Career Information (general)
General career research sites include www.prospects.ac.uk and https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers .
Watch clips of people talking about their jobs
- BBC Bitesize Careers: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers
- iCould: https://icould.com/
- See It, Be It (Sheffield): www.youtube.com/channel/UCpU67tn9lL0wNVNO4Ubxt3A
- The Wow Show: www.thewowshow.org/students/
- Careersbox: www.careersbox.co.uk
Careers information (specific job sectors)
- Health Careers www.healthcareers.nhs.uk
- Future Heroes (popular jobs locally during the pandemic): https://extra.shu.ac.uk/heppsy/future-heroes/
- Tomorrows Engineers https://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/
- Go Construct www.goconstruct.org
- Creative Careers https://discovercreative.careers/#/
- Careers in Sport https://careers-in-sport.co.uk/
- FutureMorph (science and maths) http://www.futuremorph.org/
- Maths Careers https://www.mathscareers.org.uk/
- Languages: https://www.pearson.com/uk/educators/schools/subject-area/modern-languages/skills-for-future-success/your-future-career.html
- Insight into Marketing, Imagen Insights: https://imageninsights.com/
If you can't find the job sector you are looking for, use the general resources above.
Super-Curricular Programme activities
- Super-curricular ideas list: see document below
- RBC Tutorial Packs (tutorial programme for Y12/13s written by PhD students linked to uni subjects): https://www.access-ed.ngo/research-based-curricula
- Royal Society lectures: https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/
- Gresham College lectures: www.gresham.ac.uk/
- Psychological First Aid: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/psychological-first-aid-covid-19/1
- Y12 Summer Schemes: see document below
Post-18 Pathways
Post-18 Pathways
Start exploring the post-18 options that might interest you after sixth form. Make a note of which resources you use and anything that might be useful for your future plans
University options
- UCAS: www.ucas.com/
- Informed Choices (options at Russell Group universities): www.informedchoices.ac.uk/
- Guardian League Table: www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2020/sep/05/the-best-uk-universities-2021-league-table
- Discover Uni (compare stats on uni courses): https://discoveruni.gov.uk/
- What Can I Do with My Degree?: www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree
- SACU (supporting your HE research): https://sacu-student.com/?page_id=2779
- The Uni Guide: www.theuniguide.co.uk/
- HEPPSY (uni info, including finance): https://extra.shu.ac.uk/heppsy/learners/
- Student Finance Calculator (how much student finance could you receive): www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator
- Uni of Sheffield Live Sessions: www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/visit/sheffield-live
- Uni of Sheffield Taster Sessions: www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/visit/taster-days
- Loughborough Uni (where might your subjects lead): www.lboro.ac.uk/study/school-college-liaison/resources/wim/
- Study abroad:
Apprenticeships
- Interactive Student Apprenticeship Guide (10 hours self-directed): https://amazingapprenticeships.com/resource/interactive-student-apprenticeship-guide-teachers/
- Meadowhead School’s Apprenticeship Annual event each November
- Apprenticeship Recruitment Methods: https://vimeo.com/237872390
Higher & Degree Apprenticeships
- Higher & Degree Apprenticeships Guide: www.ucas.com/advisers/which-for-teachers/introduce-higher-education-options/higher-and-degree-apprenticeships-guide-download
- Sheffield Hallam Higher & Degree Apprenticeships: www.shu.ac.uk/study-here/higher-and-degree-apprenticeships
Gap year
- Gap Years, Ideas & Things to Think About: www.ucas.com/alternatives/gap-year/gap-years-ideas-and-things-think-about
- International Citizen Service (UK government part-funded experiences where you really make a difference): www.volunteerics.org/
- Finding work and part-time jobs: www.gov.uk/find-a-job and www.indeed.com
- Volunteering:
- www.vinspired.com
- www.do-it.org
- NHS volunteering (when safe to do so):
College courses for 18+
- University-level study in college
- Sheffield Cllege: https://sheffcl.ac.uk/university-level
- Chesterfield Cllege: www.chesterfield.ac.uk/university-level
- 19+ Access to Higher Education courses: https://sheffcol.ac.uk/access-to-university
- NCTJ Diploma in Journalism: www.sheffcol.ac.uk/courses/page/A0FA895C-A120-4BDC-AD1B-1E52464F786D
- 18+ Art Foundation:
Self-employment
- Becoming Self-Employed: Tips for Young People (Youth Employment UK): https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/employment-help-young-people/choices/starting-your-own-business/
- Support for Young Entrepreneurs: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/support-for-young-entrepreneurs
Super-Curricular Programme activities
- Super-curricular ideas list: see document below
- RBC Tutorial Packs (tutorial programme for Y12/13s written by PhD students linked to uni subjects): https://www.access-ed.ngo/research-based-curricula
Preparing for the Future
Preparing for the Future
To be prepared for your next steps, it helps to learn about your own strengths and skills, find out how to write a CV and how to approach an interview. You can try out a virtual interview to put your skills into practice.
Think about how you could use networks through LinkedIn or social media to get you closer to the jobs you want to do. Find out about your rights in the workplace and what ‘good’ work means to you.
Building your Employability Skills
Do you need to develop your skills to strengthen a future application to university or work? If you have struggled to find workplace experience, don’t give up, but don’t discount the things you do at school or home. Try these resources to build your skills further.
- Skills Builder Framework: https://www.skillsbuilder.org/homelearning
- Young Professionals Skills Training: https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/young-professional-training/
CV-Writing and Success at Interview
Step 1: Watch both of the workshop videos, Recognising Strengths and Interview Skills (attached below).
Step 2: Try out your new-found interview skills with a Barclays Lifeskills virtual interview (link below). If you haven't used this site before, you will need to register.
Step 3: Take a look at the CV tips on the Success at School website (link below), then use the CV template (document below) to try writing your own.
- https://barclayslifeskills.com/i-want-to-prepare-for-an-interview/school
- https://successatschool.org/advicedetails/201/How-to-write-a-CV
Your Online Presence
Find out how to use LinkedIn to make contact with professional and students in your chosen areas of work or study.
- https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/using-linkedin/
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-tips-students-new-grads-linkedin-omar-garriott
- https://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/findjobs/job-search/linkedin/
Social media hints & tips:
- https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/a-guide-to-social-media-for-jobseekers/
- https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/why-you-should-clean-up-your-online-presence/
Rights and responsibilities at work
- Citizens Advice Bureau (your rights at work): www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/check-your-rights-at-work-if-youre-under-18/
- TUC (young people and work): www.tuc.org.uk/resource/young-people-work
- Money Advice Service (understanding your payslip: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/understanding-your-payslip
What is ‘good’ work? What is success?
- What is good work: www.healthyworkinglives.scot/workplace-guidance/fair-treatment/good-and-fair-work/Pages/what-is-good-work-and-what-makes-good-work.aspx
- How to find fulfilling work?: How to Find Fulfilling Work
- How to find meaningful work?: https://youtu.be/H91JDqeR_jg
- What is Success?: What is 'success'?
Super-curricular Activities
Super-curricular activities
Activities participated in during your own time, over and above your school studies, which relate to the field of study and/or employment you intend to explore (e.g. webinars, wider reading, MOOCs, lectures, podcasts, museum/gallery visits, trips to sites of special scientific or historical interest, etc.). Applicants for the most competitive university courses, e.g. Oxbridge, Medicine or Veterinary, should explore as many super-curricular options as possible. Use your summers wisely!
Super-curricular activities can:
- Help prepare you for the course/career you want to pursue
- Develop key skills and knowledge so that the step up to a competitive course isn’t as much of a shock
- Make your application stand out in a competitive field
Suggestions for further study
Try the links below to explore your chosen field in more detail than the average student. Many of these suggestions come from our colleagues at the University of Cambridge, who also suggest keeping a reading journal of extra sources and resources you have discovered. Happy exploring!
HE+ (University of Cambridge programme to support state school students)
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/find-out-more/widening-participation/he-plus
Staircase 12 (University of Oxford programme supporting applications to top universities)
https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/applying-to-univ/staircase12/
Future Learn (flexible online courses from top universities)
Coursera (free online courses from leading international universities)
JSTOR (free access to thousands of academic articles)
BBC Radio 4 Podcasts (podcasts of programmes on wide range of subjects)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4
MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)
TED Talks (lectures on every conceivable topic)
Podcasts (e.g. available on Apple, Spotify)
e.g. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/best-podcasts
Nature (journal)
New Scientist
The Economist
Times Literary Supplement
Oxford Very Short Introductions
https://www.veryshortintroductions.com/
Advanced Mathematics Support Programme
I Want to Study Engineering
https://i-want-to-study-engineering.org/
Nrich Maths Support
Isaac Physics
Y12 Summer Schemes
What could you be doing during the Summer holidays?
Your summer activities could include:
- Workwise Engineering Summer Camp
- Build employability skills, meet engineering employers and develop experience of work on this Sheffield-based scheme: https://work-wise.co.uk/for-young-people
- Sheffield Theatres Summer School: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk (search for summer school)
- Museum Youth (ongoing activities with Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust) http://www.simt.co.uk/get-involved/museum-youth
- Site Gallery Society of Explorers (ongoing activities with artists and creatives) www.sitegallery.org/projects/young-producers-programme/
- AMRC Manufacturing Camp: https://amrctraining.co.uk/whats-on
- BFI Film Academy (ongoing activities) https://www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-film-academy-opportunities-young-creatives
- PWC Business Insight Week
- Paid one-week work experience working on business-related projects with PWC.www.pwc.co.uk/careers/student-careers/school-careers/our-programmes/insight-weeks.html
- See also schemes with firms like Grant Thornton, C4 or City law firms like BLP Law
- Nuffield Research Placements
- Work on a project alongside scientists and other STEM professionals for 4-6 weeks in the summer holidays.www.nuffieldfoundation.org/nuffield-research-placements
- See also EDT’s Headstart, Engineering Education Scheme or Exscitec
- Sutton Trust US Programme
- The Sutton Trust US programme gives bright, state school students a taste of life at an American university.
- https://us.suttontrust.com/
- Sutton Trust also offer UK-based summer programmes.
What are your choices?
Academic summer schools or university taster days
More in-depth than an open day, these should give you the chance to experience a little of university study and university life. Use search websites like www.mystudentevents.com or www.summer-schools.info. Most of these websites aren’t exhaustive, so use more than one to make sure you’re not missing out on opportunities. You should also search on the websites of universities you are interested in finding out more about.
Work-based summer experiences
Where to find opportunities?
- Check the websites of royal societies or professional bodies for your area of interest eg Royal Society of Chemistry or RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects).
- If you are interested in working for a large company, check their website or approach them direct. Smaller firms are less likely to have a formal scheme, but might offer you work shadowing or work experience if you approach them direct.
- Try http://studentladder.co.uk/Work-Experience/work-experience.html and www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk.
- Search online for insight days and insight weeks, as well as work experience or summer placements.
Other options
Other ideas to explore include part-time work or volunteering (www.vinspired.com, www.do-it.org, NHS volunteering: https://www.sth.nhs.uk/work-for-us/volunteering or www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/about-us/careers-and-opportunities/volunteering), entering competitions (http://studentladder.co.uk/Competition/competitions.html) or attending university or Royal Society public lectures or masterclasses. If you want to build even more experience, you could consider a gap-year scheme like Year in Industry (www.etrust.org.uk/the-year-in-industry)
Check the details
You’ll need to pay close attention to
- entry criteria
- closing dates
- length of programme
- where it is based.
Check whether it is a residential or day scheme, and check any additional costs.
Even if there is an advertised cost, there may be bursaries available for some students, particularly if you are eligible for free school meals or you’re the first in your family to go to university. If you are applying to a non-traditional option eg women into engineering; first in family to go to university, there may be specialist schemes you can apply for, or additional financial support you might be eligible for.
Some of the bigger schemes can be highly competitive with closing dates around the New Year or early spring, so start early to avoid missing out.
The benefits
Experiences like these should give you the chance to learn something new; test out your career and university ideas; develop your skills; meet like-minded people; build your CV and make yourself stand out.
Ask in the Careers Office if you want to find out more