Apprenticeships for school leavers

Apprenticeships for school leavers by Michael Cheary Just left school and looking for work? You should consider an apprenticeship… If you’re a recent school leaver, apprenticeships can be a great way to get your foot on the career ladder â€" and earn money whilst learning a trade. The problem is, with hundreds of different schemes available, narrowing down your options is often easier said than done.We’ve already covered how to apply for an apprenticeship, but if you’re still stuck on what role is right for you, here’s a quick guide on available apprenticeships for school leavers:Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal CareIf you love animals or have a penchant for the great outdoors, there is a wide range of opportunities out there for school leavers to consider.Typical careers could range from animal care, environmental conservation and equine-related roles, through to floristry, game and wildlife management, and veterinary nursing.Arts, Media, PublishingOpportunities in these sectors generally combine a sense of the artistic with a technical aptitude.For pure creative types, there are apprenticeships in community arts and other cultural and heritage careers, whilst those who have a great mix of creative and technical skills could take on an apprenticeship in theatre design and production, music marketing, or live events.Business, Administration, LawCareers in these sectors offer school leavers the chance to quickly work their way up the corporate ladder and although salaries may start off relatively small, that will soon change after becoming fully qualified.Apprenticeship schemes range from accountancy, banking and insurance to administration, customer service and marketing roles.Construction and Environment PlanningIf you’re more practical in the way you work and like the idea of being involved in a project from start to finish, this may be the sector for you.Construction and building provide a significant range of opportunities for apprentices looking to forge a career in any thing from architectural design, electrical engineering and plumbing to environmental planning, building and painting.Engineering and ManufacturingMost sectors make claims about their diversity of opportunities, but few can compete with manufacturing (the art of making things) and engineering (the art of making these things work).If you think that a career in this sector is all about oily rags and spanners, think again. Apprenticeships here cover roles including civil and nuclear/chemical engineering, materials (metallurgy, textiles) and mechanical engineering, quality assurance and printing.Education and TrainingIf you see yourself teaching young people but dont like the idea of going to university, there are a number of options for getting involved in education and training.Apprenticeships in this field can help you to develop a career as a classroom assistant, learning and development officer, or even a specialist trainer providing guidance for employees in areas such as compute r or communication skills, among others.Healthcare, Public Services and CareThe NHS is not only the biggest single employer in Europe, it is also one of the leading providers of health and social care apprenticeships too. A number of opportunities can also be found working with private sector organisations, local authorities and even the armed forces.Apprenticeships usually involve working in hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, nursing homes or similar, and often require very little in the way of prerequisites to get started.There are also a number of opportunities available in the health and beauty sector, which would suit anyone looking to get into beauty therapy, hair styling or nail care, straight after finishing school.TechWith technology becoming an ever more essential part of our daily lives, it’s perhaps not surprising that there are a number of apprenticeships available for IT based roles.In fact, there’s an insatiable demand across almost every industry sector for technic ally proficient individuals who are both analytical and practical â€" and the opportunity to learn relevant and up-to-date skills makes it an especially attractive option for recent school leavers.IT Apprenticeships can cover everything from business analysis and programming to games development and cyber security. Previous coding skills may help, but may not be a necessity.Leisure, Travel and TourismIf you have an outgoing personality and are a real people person with a passion for sport or travel, there are some great apprenticeship schemes on offer.Opportunities are varied and can range from travel agency and leisure centre management to customer services to working as a holiday rep, cabin crew or being an instructor at an outward bound centre.RetailApprentices in this sector will soon find that having a combination of good social skills, problem solving ability and strong organisational skills will make you a valuable commodity.Opportunities cover a range of different job types and workplaces, including department stores, shops, bars, hotels and restaurants. So depending on what role suits you, you could find yourself advising customers, training as a chef, arranging window displays or training for management.Final thoughtsApprenticeships offer real prospects and real opportunities for school leavers.And with 15% of employers stating that apprentices are more employable than those with other qualifications, coupled with their continued commitment to promoting former apprentices to the companys highest positions, it’s a viable alternative to university for those who want to start their career right away.If you’re still not sure, try reading our guide on what apprenticeships are available, and find out more reasons why you should choose an apprenticeship now.Ready to start searching? View all available apprenticeships now.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressm essage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

Blogging essential for a good career

Blogging essential for a good career Blogging is good for your career. A well-executed blog sets you apart as an expert in your field. Ben Day blogged his way into a career as a high-earning software consultant while maintaining the freedom to schedule frequent jam sessions and performances as a keyboard player. Blogging gave him the opportunity to stand out enough to support the life he envisioned for himself. Phil van Allen, a faculty member of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, said to me in an interview, For your career, a blog is essential. Its the new public relations and its the new home page. Instead of a static home page, you have your blog. Its a way to let people know what you are thinking about the field that interests you. Employers regularly Google prospective employees to learn more about them. Blogging gives you a way to control what employers see, because Googles system works in such a way that blogs that are heavily networked with others come up high in Google searches. And coming up high is good: People who are more visible and have a reputation and stand for something do better than people who are invisible, branding consultant Catherine Kaputa told me. But pick your topics carefully and have a purpose. The most interesting blogs are focused and have a certain attitude, says van Allen. You need to have a guiding philosophy that you stick to. You cannot one minute pontificate on large issues of the world and the next minute be like, My dog died.' Day realized the value of focus after a misguided mashup of his politics and business. I used to have liberal politics on my website as well, but my mentor said, Dude, you gotta trim that off. Which was fine because in the world of liberal politics I was just another piece of noise. Now his blog is all about software development with an emphasis on technologies such as NHibernate and C#. Once you zero in on your topic, here are eight reasons blogging helps your career: 1. Blogging creates a network. A blogger puts himself out in the world as someone who is interesting and engaging just the type of person everyone wants to meet. A blog increases your network because a blog is about introducing yourself and sharing information, says Kaputa. 2. Blogging can get you a job. Dervala Hanley writes a quirky literary blog that got her a job is at Stone Yamashita Partners, a consulting firm that tries to bring humanity to business. Hanley told me that the firm was attracted to her ability to put her business experience into personal terms on the blog. 3. Blogging is great training. To really get attention for your blog, youre going to have to have daily entries for a while. At least a few months to get rolling, and then three or four times a week after that. So you will really get to know your topic well. 4. Blogging helps you move up quickly. To escape the entry-level grind, you can either pay your dues, working up a ladder forever, or you can establish yourself as an expert in the world by launching a blog. High-level jobs are for people who specialize, and hiring managers look for specialists online. Decision-makers respect Google-karma, writes Tim Bray, director of Web technologies for Sun Microsystems on his own blog, of course. 5. Blogging makes self-employment easier. You cant make it on your own unless youre good at selling yourself. One of the most cost-effective and efficient ways of marketing yourself is with a blog. When someone searches for your product or service, make sure your blog comes up first. Curt Rosengren, a career coach, periodically Googles career passion words he thinks are most important to his business just to make sure his blog, Occupational Adventure, comes up high on the list. He estimates that his blog generates at least half of his coaching business. 6. Blogging provides more opportunities. Building brands, changing careers, launching a business these endeavors are much easier once youve established yourself online. Rosengren told me, My blog is a foundation. Im building an awareness that I can leverage to do other fun things with my future, such as product development, or public speaking. A blog gives you a leg up when you meet someone new. Dylan Tweney, a freelance writer, told me his blog, the Tweney Review, gives him instant legitimacy with clients. 7. Blogging could be your big break. Visually creative types can blog beyond just text. Mark Fearing has a cartoon blog. Cartooning and illustration are very crowded fields, he says. My blog has gotten me more notice than any other publicity tool Ive used. Plus, the blog gives me a way to have a new conversation with potential clients about other work. 8. Blogging makes the world a better place. Blogging is about giving stuff away to a community, says Day. For years, as a junior developer, I would go to the Internet for solutions and I would always take, take, take. Now I am happy to be a contributor and give something back. Article sponsored by YouSayToo a bloggers community where you can make money blogging by uploading your existing blogs.

Inspirational Songs for Entrepreneurs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Inspirational Songs for Entrepreneurs - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everybody can have tough days because being an entrepreneur is a long journey which is full of challenges and problems. Therefore, sometimes we need some motivation and listening to inspirational songs is a great way to motivate and energize ourselves.   Below you can find some of them with their most inspirational lyrics. I will Survive â€" Gloria Gaynor: “Did you think Id crumble? Did you think Id lay down and die? Oh, no, not I! I will survive.” Lose Yourself â€" Eminem: “If you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?” Power â€" Kanye West: “Im living in the 21st century doin something mean to it. Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it.” Work Hard Play Hard- Wiz Khalifa: “Work hard, play hard. Work, work, work, work.” Survivor- Destiny’s Child: “Im a survivor. Im not gonna give up. Im not gonna stop. Im gonna work harder. Im a survivor. Im gonna make it. I will survive. Keep on survivin .” Successful â€" Drake: “I want the money, money and the cars, cars and the clothes, I suppose, I just wanna be successful.” What Doesnt Kill You (Stronger) â€" Kelly Clarkson: “What doesnt kill you makes you stronger. Stand a little taller.” Ain’t No Mountain High Enough â€" Marvin Gaye Tammi Terrell: “Don’t you know that there ain’t no mountain high enough. Ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough. To keep me from getting to you.” The Story of Your Life â€" Matthew West: “This is the story of your life.  You decide, how the rest is gonna read.  This is your chance between the lines, to redefine what kind of legacy you leave.” All I Do Is Win â€" DJ Khaled: “All I do is win, win, win no matter what. Got money on my mind. I can never get enough and every time I step up in the building, everybody hands go up and they stay there.” Run the World (Girls) â€"Beyoncé: “My persuasion can build a nation. Endless power. Who are we? What we run? The world” Express Yourself â€" Charles Wright the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band: “Express Yourself! What ever you do, do it good. ” Unwritten â€" Natasha Bedingfield: “Live your life with arms wide open.  Today is where your book begins.  The rest is still unwritten.” Billionaire- Travie Mccoy: “Oh every time I close my eyes, I see my name in shining lights. A different city every night, oh I swear the world better prepare, for when Im a billionaire.”