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How you can help

Information on qualifications, apprenticeships, and study programmes – to help parents and carers support their child in choosing what to do next.

About post-16 options

All young people in the UK are able to access some form of post-16 education or training. They can:

  • study full-time in a school sixth form, at a college or with a training provider
  • take an apprenticeship or traineeship
  • work or volunteer while studying or training part-time

Qualifications

There’s a range of academic and vocational post-16 pathways and lots of courses and qualifications to choose from. Some will be familiar — like A levels, Highers, or NVQs — but others may be completely new.


Apprenticeships and traineeships

For some students this is the ideal next step and there’s a lot to choose from. For those not quite ready for an apprenticeship or work, there are new traineeships. There's also the option to work and study part-time.


Study programmes

  • All students, in the UK, going into post-16 education or training will be offered a study programme by their school or college — whether they're doing academic or vocational study.
  • Supported internships are study programmes for young people aged 16 — 24 with learning difficulties or impairments who want to get a job and need extra support to do this.

Here's information to help you

Schools and colleges in the UK provide careers information and guidance. For further research, try:

There have been some changes in provisions for students who have learning difficulties or impairments and how it works.