Parents and Carers

The careers service staff are here to support students in a variety of ways, from talking through which would be the best course for them, to helping them decide what to do once they have completed their studies.

Your son, daughter or person you care for may need different support from you at different points of their ‘journey’ from leaving school, enrolling at college, studying at college, studying at university and then leaving too. The pointers below are just some examples of how you can help - there will be plenty of others too!

Preparing to leave school and start a course at college or university can be a big step for young people. With the Raising of the Participation Age (RPA), staying in some sort of Education or Training is important, as gaining further qualifications and skills will better prepare people for the career they want. Research has found that better skills and qualifications can also increase earning potential too.

Starting a course at any age can be both exciting and nerve racking. Here are some helpful tips that could help with this process.

• Attend an open day to support the young person with their decision making
• Help fill in a college application form, online or on paper
• Talk to your young person and college staff about the opportunities and further options for study or apprenticeships after the course has finished
• Discuss the differences between a school and college environment, and how to make the most of the new experience
• If your young person would benefit from some additional support in college, whether they have had this in school or not, encourage them to talk to Learner Services about it, before they start. All colleges/universities are keen to make ‘reasonable’ adjustments to help students reach their potential, it helps us to know before students start so it can be planned for to help ease the transition
• Is there any relevant work experience your young person can get before or during the course? This can help motivate them to achieve as best as possible, and help them to find a good job/course for after the current course has finished
• When they have started, encourage them to plan their college work so they meet all the deadlines
• Make sure your young person talks to someone in the careers service and their tutor about their future plans regularly, to ensure they do not miss any deadlines for applying for university or job vacancies
• Encourage them to regularly look at the careers online vacancy board (Online Jobs Notice Board) to see what vacancies are available

Useful Links

These websites might also be useful to have a look at. There are plenty of website links on these pages, so do feel free to have a look at them too.