Careers Advice
The choice of Sixth Form subjects should reflect Higher Education intentions, and, as far as possible, career aspirations. The Morrisby Guidance Report helps to indicate the broad direction in which a pupil should aim. It is available to the present Fifth Formers and new Lower Sixth Formers by the end of the Spring term.
During the Sixth Form years there are opportunities to explore careers and higher education through such events as: the Higher Education Fair (held in March of the Lower Sixth year alternately at Strathallan and Kilgraston Schools); talks given by professionals, university representatives and current students and attendance at Open Days at universities and colleges. All Lower Sixth Formers are invited to purchase, at a modest cost, ‘Course Finder’, which lists higher education courses which match their academic profile and interests.
In most cases those leaving School are recommended to read for degrees. However, there are cases, especially when the pupil has a strong practical preference, when a Higher National Diploma (HND), with its more vocational emphasis, is more appropriate. If a student is successful on an HND course it is often possible to transfer to a degree. A number of newer universities run both degree and HND courses. Some pupils have also taken up employment directly from school and those who do so genuinely for sound reasons, have done very well.
The Current economic situation is likely to increase competition for good jobs. Employers are now looking for graduates, not just with good degrees, but also with skills gained in their latter years at school and at university. Among these are verbal and written communication (least developed in the modern graduate according to a recent employers’ survey), information technology, leadership, teamwork, foreign languages, taking responsibility, practicality, coping with change, and handling stress. Many of the extra curricular activities in the Sixth Form develop these qualities, but students need to enhance and extend them at university by participation in work experience, clubs, societies, sports teams and some of the elective courses on offer. Being a graduate is not in itself enough to get you a job and the range of skills and responsibilities developed at Strathallan is an important factor in preparation for the work place.
Footnote:
For Parents who would like to be more involvedin their children’s University choices, they are more than welcome to attend the Higher Education Fair in March and the talk on applying to University in October.
Finance is a problem because so much depends on your own financial circumstances and domicile and therefore generalisations are not recommended. SAAS are invariably very helpful if you have a specific problem-www.saasa.gov.uk Tel. 0845 111 1711
If your main address is outside Scotland, you need to deal with the LEA.
Please do not hesitate to contact me, if you have any queries.
E- Mail nick@strathallan.co.uk
Tel.
01738-815018
