Example Careers and their Pathways from Key Stage 4

Choosing the GCSEs or vocational subjects to study in year 10 and 11 can be daunting but you need to give it as much thought and consideration as possible. For example, at college do you want to study A Levels which are very academic and classroom based, or do you want to study a vocational course such as an NVQ or BTEC that has a mixture of practical and academic disciplines. Apprenticeships are a popular choice to gain the hands-on work experience of a career whilst you learn. Maybe the new T Levels, the technical equivalent to A levels, are appropriate for you as in addition to the classroom-based lessons of A levels you will also receive over 300 hours experience of industry work experience.

The important point is that to get onto any of these pathways when you leave Buile Hill Academy after your GCSEs, you will need to satisfy the entry requirements in terms of grades for the college you choose. Our local colleges have very specific entry requirements for their courses and we encourage you to read their prospectus documents to learn more about this.

To help you understand the way your choices affect your next steps in education and employment, a selection of possible career paths is shown below. For more information and to search further careers and pathways visit National Careers Service

Civil Engineer

Civil engineers design and manage constructions projects such as bridges, building and roads.

To become a civil engineer, you first would need at least 5 GCSES at grade 4 to 9.

At college, you could study A levels, but one would have to be Maths and another a Science subject (preferably Physics) for you to be accepted onto a relevant University degree course in the future.

Alternatively, instead of a degree, you could study Level 4 and 5 HND in Engineering and Construction.

Beauty Therapist

Beauty therapists provide face and body treatments.

Beauty therapist course can be accessed as Level 2 or 3 Diplomas at local colleges and as a T Level in Hair and Beauty.

To enroll on the level 2 course you would need 2 GCSEs at grade 3 to 9, at level 3 you would need 5 GCSEs at grade 4 to 9 and to enroll on the T level course you would need 5 GCSES grade 4 to 9 including English and Maths

Electrician

Electricians fit, service and repair electrical machinery, equipment and wiring.

There are a range of full-time college courses available to aspiring electricians including Level 2 and 3 Diplomas and T Levels. To access a level 2 course you will need 2 GCSEs at grade 3 to 9, a level 3 course you will need 5 GCSEs at grade 4 to 9 and T level you will also need 5 GCSEs at grade 4 to 9 including English and Maths.

You could also apply for a range of apprenticeships to become an electrician and typically you will need 5 GCSEs at grade 4 to 9 including English and Maths.

Midwife

Midwifes support pregnant women before, during and after childbirth.

To become a midwife, you must have at least 5 GCSEs grade 4 to 9 including Maths, English and a Science.

You could use these qualifications to study A Levels, at least one should be in a Science, or you could study a Level 3 Diploma in a Health, Science or Nursing.

Finally, you would progress onto studying a degree relevant to your midwifery role