Well, it’s GCSE results day and hopefully all your hard work has paid off. Whether you are thinking about doing an apprenticeship, A-levels or a vocational qualification now is the time to really consider which pathway is best for you.

Breathe

Try not to feel pressured into undertaking a course of study that either isn’t what you really want to pursue or isn’t suited to you. Talk to your parents / guardians and be honest about what you want to do. Often parents don’t understand newer qualifications, so help them. It’s you that will be doing this so it has to be your choice and the people who care about you want what’s best for you so don’t be afraid to speak up. Check out our Careers Adviser’s Guide for more info on qualifications and careers.

Sometimes young people and parents assume that if you want to go to university or get a degree then you have to study A-levels — NOT SO! Vocational courses are a route to university study — in fact some university courses actively want students who have undertaken vocational courses. You can still gain a Degree via the apprenticeship route and apprenticeships go all the way up to level 7, which is equivalent to a Master’s Degree so the options you have a varied.

Play to your strengths

If you know that exams are not your forte but that you excel at coursework then maybe doing a course of A-levels really isn’t the best pathway for you. This doesn’t mean that you are not clever; it just means that the method of learning and assessment on this pathway isn’t right for you. Too many young people feel that they should be doing A-levels, simply because ‘that’s what you should do’.

Get all the information that you can

Ask! If you are being interviewed for a course then hopefully the interviewer is fully equipped to offer really good advice and guidance, but if you are still feeling uncertain don’t panic. Don’t be shy — ask as many questions as you need to, explore all your options, ask to speak to other people if you need to — choose well and enjoy!