Young Learners - Case Studies
Bupinder, 17, doing a double award vocational A level in business.
'I did consider starting work in an accounts office when I was 16 but when I did some work experience I realised that the accounting technicians did most of the figure work while the qualified accountants advised clients. I wanted to aim at the higher level so I decided to get A Levels. But as I knew that I wanted something in business I decided against doing general subjects. I don't know exactly what I want to do next, but I shall be qualified for a degree course in a business area. I'll have the choice of general business studies or a specialised area like accountancy, human resources or marketing. I enjoy studying business finance very much, so I will probably stick with accountancy. Or I might do market research or export.'
'Since I still don't know exactly what I want to be I shall probably keep my options open for as long as I can. I might do a foundation degree in business studies when I leave school. I'll then have the choice of going to work after that or staying on for another year to get an honours degree.'
Scott, 19, 'dropped out' at 16 with very few exam passes and moved from job to job.
'I worked in a warehouse, stacked shelves in a supermarket, worked in a theme park and finally got a job in a factory. I wasn't unhappy and I was earning good money with overtime but I felt that I was getting bored. Everyone seemed to be getting into computers so I started a basic course at evening classes.'
'My boss heard about it and asked me if I would like to move into the office. He put me on a Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in Using Information Technology. My tutor came to me here during work time, at times my boss arranged, to assess my work for my NVQ2.'
'I finished the Foundation Apprenticeship and the factory manager was so pleased that he asked me if I would like to move on to an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship. I'm doing that now and also taking a computer programming course in the evenings. I'm ambitious now and might like to do an HNC. They might give me the time off from work to do it but if not, I might do a full-time course - either an HND or a foundation degree.'
Katie, Year 12.
'The only careers I have thought about so far are medicine and engineering. I've been on a special course designed to interest girls in engineering and I could have gone to the further education college to do a vocational A-level in Engineering as two people from this school have done, but I'm not very good at making decisions so I decided to do general A Levels and keep as wide a choice open to me as possible. I'm good at science so I decided to do AS Levels in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. I had to choose another one and as I might want to work abroad eventually I 'm taking Spanish. This will probably be the one I don't carry on to A2 though.'
'I am thinking about engineering at the moment. Right at the beginning of the physics course we did vehicles and car safety. That interested me and I'm going to look at prospectuses for automotive or automobile engineering. But I'm going to do my work experience in a hospital and find out more about being a doctor. My physics teacher suggests that I try to spend one day in the medical physics department because that is a career that might interest me too. It could be quite good for my combination of interests.'
Kelly, age 19.
'I am training in accountancy through the Association of Accounting Technicians' (AAT) route. It suits me so much better than academic study because I can see the purpose of what I am doing. (And I know what I am talking about because I spent a year at university before deciding I had made the wrong decision. I had chosen to do a degree in geography, one of my A Levels but I wasn't motivated. I went to university simply because it seemed the natural thing to do.)'
'I work as a purchase ledger clerk for a wholesaler that buys books on computing and re-sells them to bookshops. Because it is a small company I am gaining more experience than the job title suggests - in debit, credit, cash flow and basic management accountancy.'
'I spend two hours each week at evening classes at a college of further education. I have to put in more time at home, going over what we covered each week and preparing for tests. I shall have to do more private study as exams approach. Because my employers are training me through the Modern Apprenticeship system all my tuition fees - about £700 a year - are paid and I also receive a salary. No student debt for me!'
'It will take about two and a half years to qualify as an accounting technician. I could find a responsible job at that level but I shall probably train for professional accountancy - on a salary again. I shall also have the option of doing a degree course in accountancy or business studies.'
Matt, age 19.
'I have been interested in business studies ever since I did it for GCSE. I chose to do maths, physics and German though for A Level so that I wasn't restricting my options. Unfortunately, I only passed German. But I was able to get back on track to do business again. I enrolled on a two year full-time HND course in Business Studies at my nearest college of higher education.'
'My course contains eight modules each year. Each module has two assignments - which involve an essay of 2,000 to 3,000 words and an exam at the end of each module. Last year I had Law, Managing Financial Resources, Marketing, Quantitative Techniques of Business, (basically statistics), Employer Relations, Organisational Behaviour, Organisations, Competitions and Environment, and Small Businesses. We had no choice of modules then. Everyone did the same ones, selected by the college from a list provided by BTEC.'
'Teaching is very much like it was for A Level. We don't have formal lectures but smaller classes with discussion and the chance to ask questions. I prefer this approach. I would not like lectures given to a hundred students in a big theatre. The staff are very approachable and helpful. You can go to their office at any time and ask for help. I have 12 hours of classes - three one and a half hour sessions for each module and put in at least as much again on assignment work and private study.'
'Assignments may be individual or might be done in small groups. One I had last year for instance, was for three students. We were given a scenario about a computer company and had to describe its organisational structure, the difference between line staff and the functional relationships. We also had to define empowerment and say how it affected individuals. It divided very well into three topics, so we decided between who would do each one - and then put them together in a joint write-up and presentation. How you do the research is up to you. I got some information from books in the library, looked some up on the internet and wrote to some local companies with questions.'
'I am planning to do a top up degree year next, at my local university. I shall need to get Merits and Distinctions in all this year's subjects in order to do so.'
Lucy, age 19.
'I'm the first person from my family to go to university - and everyone is so proud of me. But it wasn't that difficult. I was encouraged by my geography teacher who said I should certainly be aiming at a degree level course and then a professional career in something like cartography, planning or teaching. I don't know about a career yet. University has opened my eyes to all the other things I could do. I know that previous students from my course are doing jobs as different as banking, journalism and social work, as well as the ones that sound more linked to geography.'
'Of course it was strange at first. The thing to remember is that everyone else is feeling a bit scared, even the ones who seem the most confident! I soon settled in and made friends. Going into a hall of residence certainly helped because I got to know people on my corridor straight away. We all sat down in our shared kitchen and got to know each other over coffee the first evening. I now have my hall friends and other friends I met on my course. A group of us will be looking for a flat to share next year.'
'I chose the best of both worlds. My teacher suggested choosing a university within about a hundred mile from home. She was right! Mum and Dad can take me and all my stuff each term - and I can go home for one or two weekends each term if I want to - and take all my laundry!'