pick your style
Cymraeg
Young Wrexham

Education

Education is the key to your future, and it's never too late to learn.

Some people know what they want to do with their future from an early age, but for many of us we have no idea and often don't even know how to start thinking about it. The main thing is not to get stressed about it.

For a start, the days when we stayed in one career for life are gone, many people change their career many times in their life-time, taking the skills that they have learnt with them. So the decisions you make now are important, but it doesn't mean that you are stuck on the same track forever!

Secondly there are lots of people who are able to help you make these decisions and find out more about different careers. These include:

Decisions at 14

What do I need to think about?

In Year 9 for the first time, you will have the opportunity to choose the subjects you are going to study in Years 10 & 11. These could be GCSEs, GNVQs or Vocational GCSEs, NVQs or CoEAs. You should think about the following when choosing your options:

There are a number of subjects that you have to take in Years 10 and 11. These are called Compulsory Subjects and include:

It is important to do as well as you can in these subjects, as they are essential for many jobs. Employers in particular look for good GCSE grades in English and Maths.

Who can help me choose my options? There are a number of different people that can help you decide on your career options including:

If you want help deciding on your subject options then ask to see your Careers Adviser and take a look at the Careers Wales pages about choices at 14.

Decisions at 16

What should I do?

There are a number of options open to you at the end of Year 11 and it is important to consider each one carefully. Which option you choose will depend on things like: your chosen career, your GCSE grades, which way you prefer to learn and what you'd like to do next. The main options open to you are:

Full time Education

After Year 11 you could stay on at the sixth form in your school or go to a local further education college like Yale College. At Yale college you can study both academic (the type of subjects you would study at school) and vocational (subjects that relate to a particular career) courses to suit your needs. Courses are available on a full time and part time basis.

Don't forget if you stay on in education, you might be entitled to financial help.

Work-based Training

This is the “earn while you learn option!” On the job training in careers like Retail, Engineering, Business Administration, Accountancy and Catering. The qualifications and skills that you are required to have will depend on the type of job, as will the training you will receive. This suits people who like learning through doing. Look at Careers Wales.

Decisions at 17

In Year 12 or in your first year at college you need to start thinking seriously about what you are going to do after completing your AS Levels, A Levels, AVCE or IB. There are a number of options open to you depending on factors such as: your career aspirations, academic success, personal preference, financial circumstances and your key skills.

The main options open to you are:

Looking For Work

Education Maintainance Allowance (EMA)

If you are aged 16 now and have just taken your GCSEs, then read on - this will affect you!

If after your GCSEs, you stay on in school or further education in order to study for AS/A levels, NVQs etc.,then you could be paid an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).

The money you get will depend on how much income there is coming into your household every week, and to qualify you will have to commit to at least 12 hours of study a week.

You could get up to £30 a week.

As well as this there are bonuses for you if certain objectives are met. You should be able to collect your application form now from your school or college.

If your household income is £30,810 or over you will not be entitled to an EMA.

For more information, including an application form to download visit www.studentfinancewales.co.uk.

For more information about any of these options call into the local careers shop at Wrexham or phone (01978) 317015 to make an appointment.

Making a Fresh Start

If you haven't worked since leaving full or part time education, if you've been out of the workplace for a while, or if you want to train for something different from what you are doing now, you still have some options. Check out the contacts below.

Local Contacts

Careers Wales

For information and advice about your choices throughout school and beyond including information on different occupations.

Careers Shop Wrexham
Egerton House
Rhosddu Road
Wrexham
LL11 1EQ

01978 317015
Fax: 01978 317011
enquiries@cwne.org

Yale College

Yale College is a tertiary college, providing education and training for most post 16 year olds in the area.

Yale College
Grove Park Road
Wrexham
LL12 7AB

01978 311794
Text Phone: 01978 316489 (for those with hearing difficulties)
Fax: 01978 291569

NEWI

NEWI is a higher education college in Wrexham that offers University of Wales honours degrees, foundation degrees, HNC/Ds and postgraduate and professional qualifications.

North East Wales Institute of Higher Education
Plas Coch Campus
Mold Road
Wrexham
LL11 2AW

01978 290666
Fax: 01978 290008
sid@newi.ac.uk

Coleg Llysfasi

Coleg Llyfasi is a centre of expertise in the field of Agricultural Studies. They also offer a wide range of full time, part time and work-based courses within the departments of Engineering, Small Animal Care, Care and Childcare, Hair, Beauty and Holistic Therapy, I.T. and Business, Modern Languages and Welsh. 

Coleg Llysfasi
Ruthin
Denbighshire
LL15 2LB

01978 790 263
Fax: 01978 790 468

Wrexham Training
(Part of Coleg Llysfasi)
Felin Puleston
Ruabon Road
Wrexham
LL13 7RF

01978 363033
Fax: 01978 362959
admin@llysfasi.ac.uk

Wrexham ITeC

Attending a Skillbuild Course at Wrexham Itec, assists 16 and 17 year olds to obtain full time employment. The course covers Job Search, Soft Skills, Key Skills and Information Technology training using Microsoft Office and includes attendance for a minimum of a 2 weeks work experience with a local company. It is hoped by the end of the course a full time placement will have been with the opportunity to work towards an appropriate NVQ qualification.

Youth Work in Education

The Youth Work in Education team works in partnership with secondary schools. We deliver programmes to improve the life chances of young people, providing them with opportunities to gain accreditation, giving access to a range of activities that respond to their needs. Emphasis is on helping young people to improve educational and personal achievement, to increase health and wellbeing and to raise aspiration. One to one based work and advocacy/sign-posting, issue based and gender specific group work. Youth Access, Transition Programme, Traveller Education Programme, GOCUS, Peer Education. Duke of Edinburgh Award, Youth and Community Work and prevention and awareness sessions.

Youth Work in Education
Ymlaen
Dodds Lane Student Centre
Gwersyllt
Wrexham
LL11 4PA

01978 722072

Children's/Youth University

Children's University is a joint initiative between Wrexham Youth Service and NEWI. It is a system that recognises, rewards and celebrates children and young people's participation in a wide range of learning experiences that take place outside school hours. This means that any club, centre, activity that a young person attends outside of school, from Astronomy to Zoology could be accredited. One credit is awarded for each hour of participation, these credits are banked and build up to Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. For further details please see your club leader or youth worker.

Children's University
Room M8
School of Education
NEWI
Plas Coch Campus
Mold Road Wrexham
LL11 2AW

01978 293319

Wrexham Council Student Support

We are responsible for assessing the eligibility and entitlement of all students normally resident in the area of the Authority attending Colleges and Universities throughout the United Kingdom.

Our primary purpose is to ensure that you receive all the assistance and advice you need to ensure your take up of higher education is as trouble free as possible.

Student Support Office
Ty Henblas
Queens Square
Wrexham
LL13 8AZ

01978 297406
Fax: 01978 297501
studentsupport@wrexham.gov.uk

CYFLE

Education pupil referral unit for school age mothers. Integrated service with Maelor Hospital Midwifery Service. Offers education and other support to all pregnant or newly delivered girls of school age and up to 17/18 if appropriate.

CYFLE P.R.U.
Abenbury Community Centre
Bridge Road
Pentre Maelor
LL13 9PT

01978 661878
headteacher@cyfle-pru.wrexham.sch.uk