Be skilled
Set for the Future
Set for the Future campaign provides young people with the resources and support they need to thrive. The campaign addresses key areas crucial for success, such as exam preparation, mental wellbeing, skill development, and post-16 options to ensure they're ready for the future.
This campaign is a continuation of our Sorted for School initiative, bringing together a wealth of relevant information to support the transition back to the classroom. It includes details about education services and school admissions, health advice, and a variety of family support resources. These materials help parents and carers find information for children starting school for the first time and provide guidance on school attendance and other aspects of the educational experience.
1. Making Choices
All 16-year-olds in England must continue learning until 18, but it's not all about school. There are diverse training and education options available:
- Academic qualifications: Formal education leading to recognised qualifications like A Levels, BTECs, Cambridge Technicals, Internation Baccalaureate, and T Levels.
- Vocational qualifications: Practical qualifications designed to help young people gain the skills and experience that they will need for a certain job. The choices might be Apprenticeships, Technical Qualifications (such as NVQs, Tech Bacs, or City and Guilds), and BTEC apprenticeships.
- Traineeships and Internships: Work-based programs to gain skills and experience. Traineeships are more formal training programs that lead to employment, while internships are short-term work placements
Study options:
- Sixth Form: Continuing at the same school or applying in another school. This provides a familiar and supportive environment, often with smaller class sizes and established support systems. It's a continuation of the school experience, focusing on academic qualifications like A Levels.
- Going to college: Colleges offer a broader range of subjects, including both academic and vocational qualifications. They often provide a more independent, university-like experience, preparing students for higher education or employment.
- Independent learning providers: It doesn’t have to be a choice of school or college. There are independent organisations that offer entry level courses and employability training for young people who want to get a qualification or learn the skills to help find a job.
- Vocational learning (Apprenticeships): Apprenticeships combine practical work experience with structured study, allowing young people to gain valuable skills and qualifications while earning a wage. They offer a direct pathway into specific industries.
Each of these options offers routes to further education or employment, allowing you to tailor your learning to your strengths and aspirations.
Browse your education and training choices available and view the different ways to get the skills you need for your career on the Skills for Careers website.
For more information you can visit the National Careers Service site.
2. Mental health and wellbeing
Children and young people experience emotional challenges from time to time and it's important that you know you don’t have to go through it alone—help is always available through a range of support services.
It may not be easy to recognise when you’re struggling. Some signs to look out for include losing interest in activities, having ongoing trouble sleeping, wanting to spend more time alone, feeling upset or angry more than usual, or self-neglect. If these signs seem familiar, it’s important to let someone know and reach out for support.
The Warwickshire Rise Service offers comprehensive support for all children and young people, which includes:
- Direct Support: A combination of group sessions for young people and their parents or carers, along with individual therapeutic interventions.
- School-Based Resilience Programmes: Initiatives like Boomerang, Big Umbrella, and Mental Health in School Teams.
- Support for Caregivers: Collaborating with social care, schools, and other professionals.
- Community-Based Support: Resources for parents and carers through Rise Community Partnerships.
- 24-Hour Support: Access to crisis care and a 24/7 helpline.
Additionally, Kooth is a countywide digital platform for young people aged 11-25 in Warwickshire, providing a safe and confidential way to access emotional wellbeing and early intervention mental health support.
Warwickshire teenagers had an important conversation about mental health in the first episode of a new podcast series which tackles issues that matter to young people.
The mental health discussion, which outlines the issues young people face and the help available to them, was the first topic covered by Let’s Talk Warwickshire: Voices of Tomorrow, the podcast created by the Warwickshire Youth Council. You can listen to the conversation and get some useful tips on Podbean.
3. Preparing for exams
In recognition of how students may be feeling as they prepare for examinations and leaving school, our education service is sharing some advice for you and your families to help you through what can be a challenging time.
Tips to prepare for exams:
- Plan revision around an easy to follow and realistic timetable – aim for 2-3 hours a day broken into manageable chunks with lots of downtime and some rewards.
- Set a plan that works for you and remember people learn in different ways! Make your own revision materials. Instead of just trying to memorise notes, try making flash cards, voice recordings or mind maps… you could even write a song or poem.
- Organise your workspace. Where you work is important, if you're in a stressful environment, it is inevitable that the stress will rub off on you. Find somewhere light and calm where you can spread out and get organised.
- Look after your physical health – take some exercise, get fresh air, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep.
- Eat! We don’t perform well when we’re hungry, so no matter how nervous you are, eat a balanced breakfast. Avoid sugary foods like chocolate, this will give you a sudden burst of energy but may cause you to crash during the exam. If your exam is in the afternoon, make sure you eat a decent balanced lunch before that too.
- Limit screen time, particularly at night-time, try to put phones and tablets down and come off-line 45 minutes before bed.
- Continue to keep some time aside to do the things you enjoy, such as sport, hobbies and seeing your friends. It is good to take time to reward yourself for your time spent revising.
- Talk to other people you trust about how you’re feeling such as friends, family and teachers. They can support you and work with you through any concerns.
- Reflect on all you’ve learned to try and sum up all you’ve been doing so far and how you will be able to demonstrate knowledge.
Remember not to be too hard on yourself. Be the best you can be, that's all you can do. If it doesn’t work out, remember that it's not the end of the world.
There are lots of options, support, guidance and advice for young people and their families in the run up to exams, around results and making decisions about the future. It’s important to remember that when results are published if you don’t do as well as you expected, there are various options you can explore. Speak to the adults you trust for their perspective and ask teachers and other professionals for advice.
For more tips and support you can check Young Minds’ website.
If exam stress is taking over and getting too much, you’re not alone. These organisations can help.
4. Building skills
Warwickshire County Council's Skills Team supports businesses, schools and communities to create a well skilled population that meets the needs of Warwickshire’s evolving economy.
Check our page: Warwickshire Skills Hub
5. Transition to work or higher education
Work experience at Warwickshire County Council:
At Warwickshire County Council, our work experience programme is designed to help individuals at all stages of their careers; whether you’re a student exploring new opportunities, or simply seeking insight into a new career at any stage in life. Our placements provide hands-on experience and insights into a wide range of local government roles.
Who our work experience programme is for
We welcome applications from:
- School students eager to explore potential career paths
- College or university students seeking practical experience in their field of study
- Young adults not currently in education or work who want to gain valuable workplace experience
- Adults considering a career change or those returning to work after a break
Our work experience placements are generally for one week but can be longer or more flexible subject to service capacity. You do not need any formal qualifications or experience to request a placement.
For more details on how to apply please check the Warwickshire County Council website.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a valuable part of learning and development, and they are available to everyone regardless of age, background or previous experience.
The completion of an apprenticeship at Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is awarded by the National Apprenticeship Service and apprenticeships are available in three levels:
- Level 2 (Apprenticeship) which is equivalent to GCSEs
- Level 3 (Advanced apprenticeship) which is equivalent to A-levels
- Level 4-7 (Higher apprenticeship) which is a vocational alternative to university achieving qualifications from Foundation degree to Master's level.
Further information on apprenticeship schemes: Apprenticeships (GOV.UK)
Apprenticeships opportunities at Warwickshire County Council
Apprenticeship opportunities are available across many of the Council’s service areas, and therefore we offer a larger variety of apprenticeship programmes than most other employers can match.
We can provide careers pathways via apprenticeships in areas including social care, civil engineering, accounting, ICT, data analysis, customer service, classroom assistance, vehicle maintenance, project management and many more. We offer apprenticeships at all levels, including higher and degree, and we work with excellent apprenticeship training providers to support your learning.
Find more information can be found on the Warwickshire County Council apprenticeship pages.