West Midlands students urged to 'not panic' if they didn't get results they hoped for
WMCA is holding career fairs around the region to help.
After thousands of students collected their A level results last week and more expected to get their GCSEs this week, apprentices have shared their stories about how they found alternative routes to develop their careers, hoping to inspire other young people to explore their options.
Alicia Fernandes didn’t get the GCSE grades she expected and knew that sixth form wasn’t for her. Keen to study in a way that offered hands-on practical experience, she decided to look for an apprenticeship, eventually securing a Business Administration apprenticeship with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
Alicia, aged 19 from Kingstanding, said, “I remember not getting the GCSE grades I wanted, and I was really panicking. Sixth form wasn’t really for me so when I started looking into apprenticeships, I found a range that I was interested in. I applied and secured a role with TfWM and I’m now following a career that I love.”
There are a range of opportunities available for young people no matter how they do in their exams.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has invested £7.5m over three years into a Path 2 Apprenticeships programme which helps young people decide whether an apprenticeship is the right route for them to gain employment. The programme also provides businesses with a valuable opportunity to recruit new talent.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: "Whatever your results, there are so many different paths to success, such as apprenticeships, internships and bootcamps providing hands-on experience.
“My career path wasn’t straightforward, and it may be that yours isn’t either – I studied later in life and really benefitted from taking a different route to many of my friends.”
“It’s why I want to create as many opportunities as possible for young people in the West Midlands, so there are different routes to success available. It’s also why I launched my Youth Plan which aims to tackle youth unemployment – working with businesses to create 20,000 new opportunities in work experience, apprenticeships and training in the region.”
WMCA has developed a post exam guide full of useful information and advice for young people thinking about what to do next - available to download from the WMCA website.