What Work Leicestershire
• Sandwich course A sandwich course, offered by many universities, is where you experience working in industry or working or studying abroad as part of your degree. Through this, students should gain valuable work experience and transferable skills that can enhance their CV.
• Year in Industry This programme arranges paid placements for students during their gap year before starting their degree course. www. yini. org. uk
Other options include studying abroad, work shadowing at a higher level or for a different position while already working and volunteering on a regular basis. Try www. do-it. org
Gap year
A gap year usually means taking a year before starting higher education to do something else. This could be travelling, working, doing voluntary work or learning new skills and you would need to fund this yourself. Many people take a gap year before starting at university.
A gap year could help you to:
• meet new people
• learn new skills
• experience different cultures
• improve your confidence
• learn a language
• get work experience for your chosen careers
• improve your grades
Top tip
You can apply to university or college before your gap year and defer for a year. Talk to a careers adviser or sixth form / college tutor about the best option for you. Don’ t just think in terms of‘ What will I do with my gap year’, but also‘ What will I do when I come back’? Use your year wisely.
Many employers, universities and colleges value candidates with gap year experience, especially if the experience is relevant to the job or course applied for. As well as gaining extra skills and experience your year out will give you the chance to think carefully about your future career.
The secret to a successful gap year? Plan it well and make the most of the time you have! More gap year advice is on: www. prospects. ac. uk.
Prince’ s Trust
There are a number of programmes run by the Prince’ s Trust across the Leicester and Leicestershire area. These include helping people to build confidence and skills for work: www. princes-trust. org. uk
School leaver schemes
Some national employers offer training schemes or apprenticeships for young people leaving school or college. You can find a list of opportunities here: www. allaboutschoolleavers. co. uk
National Citizen Service
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop confidence, employability skills and make new friends. It’ s open to 15 to 17 year olds and includes an adventure weekend away at an outdoor pursuits centre, then skills days with a range of workshops. www. leics-ebc. org. uk / national _ citizen _ service /
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