Experienced careers advisor Jonathan Hardwick looks at how to make the most of your time in the sixth form.

Why Project You?

School leavers face increasingly intense competition for university places followed by entry into a dynamic, global economy in which more, better qualified graduates compete for jobs.

So to make the most of the sixth form and to prepare for life after school, follow the 1 + 1 = 3 rule. That is, add value to yourself.

1 is now.

Do an honest audit of yourself. What have you achieved? What are your strengths and what are you weaknesses? What skills do you have? What are your interests? What are your aspirations and what do you need to do to achieve them?

3 is the future.

Academic attainment is vital; good results matter. Selector universities require top grades and employers target graduates with 1st or 2.1 degrees. Some employers require specific occupational skills, but many careers are open to a graduate in any discipline with the appropriate employability or transferable skills. Employers value team-working, communication, information literacy, critical evaluation, problem solving, creativity & innovation, ethical awareness and leadership skills. Go to "www.griffith.edu.au" for more detail about these skills.

A student who develops these eight key skills for employability, alongside strong academic attainment will have an excellent employability toolkit with which to enter the job market.

+1 is Project You – making the most of the sixth form.

Academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural development will all add value and make you a stronger applicant for higher education and employment.

The sixth form is different from GCSE; it is not just a matter of working harder but working smarter. Hard work is taken for granted as you have chosen to continue in education, so the key to success in the sixth form is working smarter. This means knowing your preferred learning styles, developing effective study skills and becoming an independent learner, which will develop your information literacy and critical evaluation skills. Independent study is an important part of undergraduate life, so admissions tutors look for evidence of your ability to work independently, manage your time and enjoy the experience and challenge of learning with others.

Live life to the full; involvement in school or college life, co-curricular activities and in the community are excellent vehicles for skill development.

Being a prefect, a head of house or a member of the student council will help you develop leadership, team-work, communication, problem solving and ethical awareness skills – ideal preparation for many management careers.

Drama productions, musical performances and team sports all require determination, commitment and excellent time-management, skills which will impress potential employers.

Speaking in chapel, involvement in charity fund raising and community service projects offer opportunities for to develop your creativity & innovation, ethical awareness and leadership skills.

Part time employment, even modest jobs in retailing and services, are opportunities for skill development. Dealing with a difficult customer helps develop communication skills whilst completing an order on time involves team-working and problem solving.

Find out what skills are relevant to your chosen course and/or career and become involved in activities that help develop them. Entry profiles on the UCAS website are often a good starting point. For example, and not surprisingly, many universities suggest that taking part in debating and public speaking competitions is a good a background for a law degree and a career as a barrister. Similarly, writing for school or college publications is excellent preparation for journalism courses and careers. A little less obvious is that studying chemical engineering often includes problem solving exercises involving numerical calculations, innovation and team-working with colleagues; all of which are skills that could be developed through Young Enterprise

Involvement in community activities puts you in a win-win position. The community benefits from your contribution and you develop skills. Useful references for community activities include;

www.theaward.org,
www.millenniumvolunteers.gov.uk,
www.youthinformation.com,
www.nadfas.org.uk and
www.makingmusic.org.uk.

So, don’t be a passive sixth former, reacting to whatever comes along. Be proactive and take the Project You challenge to develop your skills in readiness for higher education and employment.