Date: 20th January 2023
Dear Parent / Carer,
Please see below information on apprenticeships, careers, courses and degrees.
How to deal with interview stress
Stress can be a normal part of job seeking, more often than not, it’s the result of over-thinking a situation. This article is full of advice on how to prepare for an interview:
Career of the week: Materials engineer
Do you enjoy chemistry, physics, or technology?
This week Unifrog are shouting about careers in materials engineering, which involves researching the behaviour of materials used in industry to help make them stronger, lighter, or more durable.
As materials engineers, you could be working with nanomaterials one day or developing prototypes for new products the next. In this profile, we show you the entry requirements and skills you’ll need to get into this exciting career.
> Read more or share (remember to log into the student side of your account first)
Aberystwyth University Scholarships and Bursaries
At Aberystwyth, we place priority on supporting our students, including through the cost-of-living crisis. Our range of scholarships and bursaries can be combined to total over £18,000. For information on scholarships, please visit: www.aber.ac.uk/scholarships
Applicants awarded our Entrance Scholarship could receive up to £1,000 a year and an unconditional offer. Students need to be aware that the closing date is 29 January 2023 to apply to sit these examinations.
You can find out more including the courses available here: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/study-with-us/study-aber/
Amazing Apprenticeships
ASK Informative Webinar: National Apprenticeship Week 2023 – How to make the most of the resources
National Apprenticeship Week is coming soon and there is a wide range of resources on offer. Find out more and get some helpful suggestions of how to use these resources.
Tuesday 24th January, 3:30 pm
ASK Information Webinar: How to impress employers
The session will provide you with some top tips from apprentice employers. You will hear directly from employers about the best ways to impress them and how to leave a positive lasting impression at the apprenticeship interview.
Wednesday 8th February, 3:30 pm
Festival of Apprenticeships
In the summer, the festival returns with a roadshow exhibition promoting and celebrating all things apprenticeships.
The event is aimed at pupils from Year 10 and above, with a strong focus on 16+ and 18+ career opportunities. There are no limits on the number of students that can attend. There will also be live vacancies that employers will be looking to fill immediately which is a great opportunity.
Summer road show careers fair
The event will feature the following things:
- Career Zone – Students will have the opportunity to visit a range of stands hosted by Employers and Learning providers showcasing their vast array of opportunities.
- Skills Zone – An area where visitors can learn about online resources, they can access to upskill themselves.
- Employability Zone – An area where visitors can learn how to find out about career opportunities, CV writing and completing applications.
- Networking Zone – An area where visitors, exhibitors and apprentices can meet and network.
Main Stage – An area where visitors can hear from apprentices sharing their stories and journeys.
Four reasons why you should attend:
- Find out what Apprenticeships are and how to apply.
- Find out about different types of apprenticeships and which companies offer them.
- You can’t be what you can’t see, meet Apprentice Role Models.
- This could change your life.
For more information about how to register for our events and a full list of employers and learning providers that will be attending, please visit our website.
Escape Studios
At Escape Studios, we’re thrilled to announce we have three brand-new undergraduate degrees for a September 2023 start:
- BSc (Hons)/MSci Character Creation for Animation, Games and VFX
- BSc (Hons)/MSci Video Games Design
- BSc (Hons)/MSci Technical Art for Games and VFX
With these courses, art meets technology, supporting the growing industry demand for technical skills. Applications are now open via UCAS.
Keen to find out more? Get in touch to speak to one of our tutors or applicant advisors.
Speak to you soon!
Escape Studios
IBM Apprenticeships – Accepting Applications Soon!
We will soon be opening applications for many of our apprenticeship schemes. We will be hiring for both degree and regular apprenticeships and will be accepting applications during national apprenticeship week (6th – 12th of February 2023).
- Opening Monday 6th of February 2023 – Level 4 Junior Management Consultant, DevOps and Test
Opening Thursday 9th of February 2023 (open for one day only) – Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions Degree
Register your interest in an IBM apprenticeship
Why Work at IBM?
At IBM, work is more than a job—it’s a calling. To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you’ve never thought possible. To lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships at IBM are all about picking up skills for the workplace and embarking on a long and successful career. We have your professional development in mind from the day you join us as a permanent employee. Our apprenticeships range from Level 3 to Level 6 and each pathway gives you everything you need to start your career in the industry!
You will get lots of exposure to set you up for a lifelong career. In addition to the day job there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in social activities and volunteering with other Apprentices, Students and Graduates.
Degree Apprenticeships
Degree Apprenticeships allow you to work and achieve a Bachelor Honours degree at the same time. You will be doing a real role at IBM and using what you learn in the workplace as part of your degree.
Apprentices on our Digital & Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship are currently studying at University of Exeter and Manchester Metropolitan University. Choice of University is made in response to the needs of our IBM businesses. Time at University is typically one day a week either on site or via online education and you will be required to work during University vacations.Register your interest to be notified when our apprenticeships open on the 6th of February 2023!
Lancaster University
- Compiled our top tips for Y12s ahead of the HE Fair season, including our confirmed list of events for 2023
- Highlighted key resources to support Y13 students as they think ahead to Student Finance applications
- Our Student Success Team’s webinar on February 1st: ‘Student Support and Wellbeing‘, designed for prospective UG students
- Our upcoming Livestream campus tours
Year 13 – Preparing for Student Finance
| Applications for 2023 Student Finance England have recently confirmed that full-time undergraduate 2023 to 2024 applications are expected to open from April 2023. Whilst this is slightly later than previous years, it’s a good idea for students to start thinking ahead. We advise that students watch the video ‘Student Finance Explained‘ and follow the recommended social media channels for important updates. Find out more Parents & Supporters Student Finance applications can be universally daunting to parents, supporters and students alike. Below, you can find a pre-recorded talk from Student Recruitment Assistant, George. The session gives a clear and streamlined guide to Student Finance for parents and supporters, from the application process through to repayments and accessing support. View the talk |
Upcoming events and news-stories
Webinar: Student Support and Wellbeing
Designed for prospective undergraduate students, this webinar will take place on Wednesday 1st February at 4pm.
Attendees will hear from our Student Success Team, as they give an insight into the array of support available for Lancaster students – including insights into Student Wellbeing and Learning Development, and the Disability Service:
| Live Stream Campus Tour – 31st January |
The next live-stream campus tour, led by student ambassadors, takes place on Tuesday 31st January and can be booked here. The tour starts at 12:00 and lasts about 1 hour – students can post any questions via the chat.
If students can travel to campus, they may wish to take part in one of our in-person tours. There are many dates to choose from throughout January. You can find the dates here.
Lastly, we have a virtual tour platform on our website. Students can navigate the main sites on campus, and the city of Lancaster, in their own time. All of this information and further links for connection can be found on our Campus Tours web page:
The Sutton Trust
The beginning of the new year marks an important time in the Trust’s calendar, with applications for our UK Summer Schools 2023 officially opening. Now in its 26th year, our annual summer schools programme offers young people a rare chance to experience what life is like at one of 13 leading UK universities – including the University of Sheffield, who we are delighted is joining us this year.
Applications are also open for our Apprenticeship Summer School. High-quality apprenticeships not only offer young people the opportunity to earn while they learn but also ensure they gain valuable skills and get a foot on the career ladder. This programme consists of an exciting three-day residential where students can meet leading employers and like-minded peers and learn more about how to access top apprenticeships.
Our Summer School programmes offer pupils a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in university life at one of 13 leading UK universities, spending a week living in halls and gaining insights into the world of higher education. Applicants can choose from a diverse selection of 40 subjects which they will study and explore alongside like-minded students from across the country.
Applicants to these programmes must be studying in Year 12 in England or Wales, Year 13 in Northern Ireland, or S5 in Scotland (or equivalent), and have always attended a state-funded school. We will prioritise students who meet a range of social mobility criteria, including eligibility for free school meals as well as the context of their school and neighbourhood.
UNIQ 2023 – Applications now open for Oxford’s access programme for Year 12 students.
UNIQ is back for another year and now accepting applications for the 2023 access programme.
As an access programme, UNIQ aims to encourage and support more students from backgrounds that are underrepresented at university. UNIQ is carefully designed to break down the barriers that can discourage some students from applying to Oxford (or other Russell Group universities), barrierssuch as a lack of confidence or encouragement, an absence of role models, and outdated perceptions of Oxford and its students, or myths around our interview process. We have strong evidence that UNIQ works – every year about a third of UNIQ students who apply to Oxford get offered a place. Even if not all 1,600 participants can, or even decide to, go on to study at Oxford, programme feedback over the last twelve years clearly shows that experiencing UNIQ has a positive effect on participants. Year after year we enjoy watching them gain in confidence about choosing their next steps after school or college.
UNIQ 2023 will aim to build on the successes of previous years. Once again, for the majority of the 1,600 participants, we are planning to combine the four day residential summer school with the sustained online programme to offer a hybrid UNIQ programme. A further 250 will be invited to join the online mentoring programme which will run over a number of months and prepare them for submitting their UCAS application to their chosen universities. As usual, UNIQ is completely free, and applications opened 12 December and close 23 January. It is quick and easy to apply online and should take your students no longer than 10 minutes.
In summary, our free UNIQ programme for UK state school students offers the following benefits:
· An opportunity to explore subjects that interest them with Oxford academics and learn more what it means to study these at university.
· A chance to talk to current students and staff and find out if Oxford is right for them.
· An Oxford residential for 1,350 participants so they can stay in a college and explore the University and city.
· Step by step support with the Oxford admissions process.
· Online mentoring from April through to October – and beyond for those who apply to Oxford.
Selection considers students’ academic attainment alongside their socio-economic background and educational opportunities. Places on UNIQ are prioritised for students who live in areas where relatively few people progress to higher education (using POLAR postcode classification) and who come from low socio-economic backgrounds (using ACORN postcode classification). We also consider whether students have ever been in care or received free school meals.
If you would like any further information, please visit www.uniq.ox.ac.uk and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at uniq@admin.ox.ac.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thomas Alleyne's high school 
Pingback: 22/1/23 Roundup – Key messages & Term dates (all year groups) | Thomas Alleyne's high school