Careers support helped Kordy choose the right college course.
Kordy is 16 and he lives in Newport. When he was in his last year of school, he was unsure what to do after leaving.
Kordy was interested in doing a drama course or a cookery course. He knew he needed to make a decision but felt unsure about which option would suit him best.
Advice at school
Kordy was encouraged by a teacher to speak to Shawney, a Careers Wales adviser based at his school.
He explained,“I was talking to one of my teachers about how I didn’t know what to do, and they suggested Shawney.”
He met with Shawney several times to talk through his options. She explained how college works and different colleges he could apply to.
Kordy said, “She helped me understand how college would be after school and explained things like Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and what support I could get.”
Exploring options
With Shawney’s help, Kordy explored college options for both interests, acting and cooking.
He said, “I told her about the things I was interested in, and she suggested different colleges and different ways to pursue those interests.”
Shawney encouraged him to visit open evenings and find out more before deciding. After visiting an open evening at Coleg Gwent, Kordy realised cookery was the right choice for him.
Feeling confident about the future
Kordy is now studying a professional cookery course at college.
He said, “At the moment we’re about 60 per cent through the course and it’s been very fun. I’ve met lots of new friends, I’ve been getting really good grades, and I’ve learned how to cook so much.”
He has also gained hands-on experience working in the college restaurant.
Kordy added, “I’ve been serving real people in the restaurant and cooking food for them as well.”
Kordy says the support helped him feel confident about his decision.
He plans to complete his course and progress to Level 2. In the future, he would like to run his own restaurant.
He admitted, “One of my dreams is having one of my own restaurants.”
Advice for others
Kordy encourages other young people who feel unsure about their next steps to ask for support.
He said, “Shawney made me feel confident in myself to actually go out and look at courses. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I’m doing brilliant on the course.”
If you would like to explore your interests and opportunities with a careers adviser, please contact us today.
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