Following support from a careers adviser, Olivia is thriving in an engineering apprenticeship.
An alternative to sixth form
17-year-old Olivia knew she didn’t want to continue into sixth form at school. She spoke to Vicky, her school careers adviser, to understand her other options.
Vicky supported Olivia to explore her likes and dislikes during several sessions together. They looked at career roles that might suit her best and discussed the qualifications she would need for those roles.
Olivia said: “Vicky reassured me that I didn’t have to go into sixth form first to do an apprenticeship. She helped me realise I could go straight into one, which was a huge relief.”
Confirming next steps
Olivia continued: “I sort of knew I wanted to do an apprenticeship. I knew I wanted to go to college and study a specific subject.
“I used the methods Vicky showed me to find opportunities. This included the Apprenticeship Search on the Careers Wales website.
“Through this I found the engineering apprenticeship at Qioptiq and wanted to apply.”
Vicky supported Olivia to develop her CV and cover letter for the role. She also helped with interview preparation.
An engineer in the making
Olivia started her apprenticeship after finishing school in the summer of year 11. She has been going from strength to strength since.
She said: “I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I’ve realised now that this is something I really enjoy.
Olivia would like other young people to know that there are other options they can take after school. She added: “Don’t be scared of exploring other options. You don’t have to do what your friends are doing.”
If you would like to explore your interests and opportunities with a careers adviser, please contact us today.