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• I-Choose: Clerical / Admin I-Choose

  What's it like?

  • There are fewer people working in clerical / admin. jobs than in the past, but these jobs now demand a greater range of skills and often involve greater responsibility.
  • There are Clerical / Admin. jobs in all industries.  

  What are the prospects?

  • All sectors of the economy need people in clerical / admin roles.
  • Most of the skills required are transferable. it is relatively easy to move from a clerical post in one sector to a job another industry.  

  How do I get into the industry?

  • College:  Business Studies courses provide skills and knowledge for clerical / admin. roles.
  • Apprenticeship:  Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas:  Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more info about Getting Into...........Admin / Clerical

• I-Choose: Construction

  What’s it like ?

  The industry needs to recruit more young people as many of the current construction workforce are approaching retirement.

  • Although there are a few big names in the industry the vast majority of construction companies are small.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • The industry needs people for all occupations, but the demand for people to work in higher level jobs (e.g. quantity surveyors, site managers, etc.) has been growing faster than for traditional craft occupations (e.g. brick layers, plasterers, etc.).
  • As the industry relies on sub contracting there are lots of opportunities for self employment.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College: GCSEs, A Levels or specialist BTEC qualifications are necessary for entry to some construction industry occupations.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into....... Construction

• I-Choose: Culture

  What’s it like ?

  • People who work in the cultural sector take care of collections of art, of archaeological or ethnographic artefacts and exhibit them in museums and galleries so that other people can visit and learn about them.
  • The sector also includes heritage sites; castles, historic houses and gardens, etc.

  What are the prospects ?

  • The sector tends to attract people who are passionate about art, culture or history. Passion and specialist knowledge are the foundations for a successful career in this sector.
  • Tourism is important to the UK economy and art galleries, museums, cultural and heritage sites attract foreign visitors to the UK.

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • Further Study: Most people moving into this sector will study to gain GCSEs, A Levels and appropriate degrees.
  • Apprenticeship: There are opportunities to train while working and being paid a wage.
  • Employment without training: There are opportunities in the sector that do not involve a lot of training and gaining qualifications, these tend to be in supporting activities; security, retail, catering, etc.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about getting into........ Culture

• i-Choose: Engineering

  What's it like?

  • Engineers are problem solvers they work out how to create things.
  • Engineers work in a wide range of fields, they may be involved in the design and production of large things like aircraft or wind turbines, or small items, like mobile phones.     

  What are the prospects?

  • The expanding engineering and manufacturing industries tend to be high technology industries.
  • Many engineers progress to roles that require knowledge of engineering but use different skills, like sales, marketing, management.  

  How do I get into the industry?

  • College:  Full time college courses can provide knowledge and some hands on experience in college workshops.
  • Apprenticeship:  Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas:  Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click here for the getting into.......Engineering factsheet

• I-Choose: Environment, Plant and Animal Care

  What's it like?

  This is a diverse sector that includes:

  • Jobs concerned with protecting the environment
  • Work with animals ranging from small animal care to work with horses and exotic species
  • Growing plants on farms, in nurseries or gardening

  What are the prospects?

  • Opportunities in some of these areas of work are limited in Greater Merseyside's urban environment
  • Environmental change, concern for the environment and the need to produce more food in the UK are likely to generate some extra jobs in this sector
  • There are more than 14,000 employers in the north west employing more than 82,000 people

  How do I get into the industry?

  • College: There are specialist qualifications available at a number of different levels from GCSEs to university degrees.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about getting into.............Environment, Plant and Animal Care

• I-Choose: Financial Services

  What’s it like ?

  • The Financial Services sector includes banking, mortgage providers, insurance companies, accountants, and other organisations concerned with the profitable investment of money.
  • The Financial Services sector has become very competitive.  New technologies, particularly the Internet,  have made it possible for customers to move their business between providers.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • The sector has a relatively large number of older workers who are over 45, these will have to be replaced as they retire.
  • The sector is vulnerable to changes in the economy; rising oil prices, wars, recession, etc., but change can produce expansion as well as contraction.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • There is limited recruitment into Financial Services of people under 18.
  • Many people go into the sector after attending full time business courses at college or graduating from university and some enter it later in life as a second career.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into........Financial Services

• I-Choose: Green Economy

  What's it like?

  • This is a new sector, but one which uses 'old' skills (e.g. plumbing, engineering) in new ways.
  • The sector will generate a range of jobs, some practical and outdoors, others developing technologies or monitoring emissions.  

  What are the prospects?

  • This is an expanding sector, but we can't yet predict what kinds and numbers of jobs will be created, but we do know what types of skills will be in demand.  

  How do I get into the industry?

  • College:  Science, engineering or technology based courses.
  • Apprenticeship:  Gaining skills that can be used in the sector, e.g. electrician, plumber, engineer. Employment without training:  Limited opportunities in a high tech sector, but there are some.
  • Diplomas:  Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study

  Click here for more info about Getting Into.......Green Economy

• I-Choose: Hair and Beauty

  What’s it like ?  

  • A decade ago only 10% of those working in the industry were men. Men are now 23% of the industry workforce.
  • Half of the people working in the sector are aged between 16 and 34.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • If you enjoy working with people, can communicate, are creative and have good personal grooming.
  • One hairdresser in four is self employed.
  • There are opportunities in the sector to work abroad, or to be an entrepreneur.  

  How do I get into the industry ?  

  • College: Training full time at college does involve working with people as colleges offering hairdressing and beauy therapy operate training salons.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into........Hair and Beauty

• I-Choose: Healthcare

  What’s it like ?

  • If you enjoy working with other people, care about improving other people’s lives and you’re good communicator, you have the qualities that employers in the sector are looking for.
  • The Healthcare sector employs a large number of people and offers over 300 different career options.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • The UK has an ageing population and demand for healthcare professionals and support staff is expected to grow.
  • Healthcare is a global sector and offers the opportunity for some to gain experience working in other parts of the world.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College: Specialist courses that prepare people for Healthcare careers or continue with a general education (GCSEs and A Levels).
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Employment without training: There are some opportunities in the sector that do not involve a lot of training and gaining qualifications.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into............Healthcare

• I-Choose: Hotel and Catering

  What’s it like ?

  • The Catering and Hospitality Industry includes a range of employers: from hotels and restaurants to cafes, pubs, bars and fast food.
  • The Industry employs lots of young people, many of them working part time while studying.
  • Many people come into the industry through working part time while studying, and find that they enjoy working in this industry.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • Hospitality and catering skills are in demand world wide and can be used to provide an income while travelling abroad.
  • There is a lot of movement within the sector. Recruitment shortages mean that employers can attract good staff to better jobs and for those with the right skills and attitude promotion within the industry can be rapid. There is constant change in the workforce and new colleagues to get to know.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College: General catering courses covering food preparation and food service or specialist course like training to be a Baker.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Employment without training: Can offer a way into the industry, good employers will reward good staff by offering ways to turn jobs without training into jobs with training.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into..........Hotel and Catering

• I-Choose: Information Technology

  What’s it like ?

  • One person in twenty in the UK who is working is working in IT.
  • The IT sector needs people with technical skills, communication skills and an understanding of businesses and people.
  • Half of IT workers work for IT companies, the others are IT specialists working on other sectors; healthcare, retail, finance, etc.

  What are the prospects ?

  • In recent years the growth in the number of jobs in IT has been growing at five times the average growth rate for all employment sectors.
  • The North West has the greatest concentration of IT employment in the UK after London and the South East.

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • There is limited recruitment into IT of people under 18 and most people going into IT are graduates or changing career.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  •  Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into..........Information Technology

• I-Choose: Logistics

  What's it like?

  • Almost everything we buy or use has been moved from source to where it is bought or used.
  • The Logistics sector offers jobs in transport, warehousing and organising the storage, movement and delivery of food and other products.  

  What are the prospects?

  • The sector is expanding and also has an ageing workforce, there are opportunities in this sector.
  • The sector has developed new qualifications and a new framework to support career progress, this means better prospects for young people.  

  How do I get into the industry?

  • College:  Business Studies courses provide skills and knowledge for clerical / admin roles.
  • Apprenticeship:  Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas:  The new Retail Sector Diploma provides an introduction to the logistics industry

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into........Logistics

• I-Choose: Manufacturing

  What’s it like ?

  • There are a lot of manufacturing industries; they produce very different things and require different knowledge and skills.
  • A lot of manufacturing is automated and takes place in clean conditions.
  • The expanding manufacturing industries tend to be high technology industries.  

  What are the Prospects ?

  • Manufacturing industries increasingly need skilled and qualified people and are prepared to invest in training their employees.
  • Because many manufacturing industries are specialised a lot of recruitment is internal. Apprentices can become managers, with the same employer.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College: Specialist courses that prepare people for engineering careers or continue with a general education (GCSEs and A Levels).
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage. 4 Employment without training: There are some opportunities in the sector that do not involve a lot of training and gaining qualifications.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting into..........Manufacturing

• I-Choose: Maritime

  What’s it like ?

  • The Maritime Sector offers a wide range of jobs and careers that are concerned with maritime trade, moving goods to and from ports and arranging temporary storage at the docks (95% of the things we buy arrive by sea).
  • Many of the jobs are in port operations, but others are concerned with moving goods from or to ports, arranging for goods to be carried on ships, or are concerned with maritime law and maritime and commercial law.

  What are the prospects ?

  • More than 26,000 people on Merseyside work in jobs connected with maritime trade and services.
  • As well as the huge port of Liverpool there are docks, freight facilities and maritime sector jobs in Halton, Sefton and Wirral. And in other ports and cities across the UK, the EU and the world.

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • There are many routes into the industry, details of these can be found in the careers pathways section of the Maritime Skills Alliance web site at: www.maritimeskills.org
  • Entry to some maritime related careers, for example maritime law, may involve training for a general field of work and then specialising in maritime work.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into........Maritime

• I-Choose: Media

  What’s it like ?

  • The products of the Media industries are all around us; books, magazines, films, television, electronic games and the Internet
  • There are lots of jobs in the industries that produce these, most are quite technical; ranging from graphic designers, to camera operators and sound engineers, to animators and web designers.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • These are growth industries. There is reason to believe that employment in this region. But there is also competition for the jobs available.
  • In some industries getting work depends not only on what you know but making sure that other people know what you can do. Success may depend on building a reputation and networking.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College: Specialist BTEC qualifications are necessary for entry to some Media industry occupations, for others a university degree is often required.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into.........Media

• I-Choose: Motor Vehicle Engineering

  What's it like ?

  • People may be interested in working with motor vehicles for a variety or combination of reasons, usually the main factors are a desire to understand how mechanical and electronic things work and apply that knowledge to repair faults.
  • People in the industry tend to work in relatively small teams and while they may work on individual tasks alone, they will work as a team sharing knowledge and experience.

  What are the prospects ?

  • The industry will experience immense change over the next few decades as we move from vehicles powered by petrol and oil derived from fossil fuels and move to other more renewable energies.

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College:  Full time college courses can provide knowledge and some hands on experience in college workshops. 
  • Apprenticeship:  Training while working and being paid a wage. 
  • Diplomas:  Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into..........Motor Vehicle Engineering

• I-Choose: Public Service

  What's it like ? 

  • If you feel that you want to serve your country or your community then you may want to consider a career in one of the public services. 
  • The public services include a wide range of careers: the armed services, the police and the fire service, working for the civil service, local government, or in the justice system.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • Though few can guarantee a 'job for life' most public service organisations do offer structured careers and many can offer a variety of opportunities and experience.  

  How do I get into the industry ?  

  • College:  There are courses that prepare people for Public Service or for the armed services careers, or it can be useful to continue with a general education (GCSEs and A Levels), or for some roles take a suitable vocational course (for example business admin.).
  • Apprenticeship:  Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Employment without training:  There are opportunities in the sector that do not involve a lot of training and gaining qualifications.
  • Diplomas:  Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into....... Public Services

• I-Choose: Retail

  What’s it like ?

  • There are around 3 million people in the UK working in the retail sector.      
  • The sector workforce comprises about 60% women and 40% men.
  • One person in three working in retail is under 25 years old.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • Around 40% of people working in retail change job each year.
  • This is a dynamic sector where people with ability can achieve rapid promotion.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • Formal qualifications are not always necessary; candidates can learn on while working and employers are more interested in experience
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Employment without training: Can offer a way into the industry, good employers will reward good staff by offering ways to turn jobs without training into jobs with training.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into........Retail

• I-Choose: Social Care

  What’s it like ?

  • If you enjoy working with other people, care about improving other people’s lives and you’re a good communicator, then you have the qualities that employers in the sector are looking for.
  • Caring for people often means helping them learn or re-learn how to look after themselves. In the 21st Century caring can be about empowering people as well looking after them.  

  What are the prospects ?

  • The UK has an ageing population and young children need to be cared for while their parents work, so there are lots of opportunities in Social Care.
  • In 2008 there were 716 organisations providing social care in Greater Merseyside.  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College: Specialist courses that prepare people for Social Care careers or continue with a general education (GCSEs and A Levels).
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Employment without training: There are opportunities in the sector that do not involve a lot of training and gaining qualifications.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about getting into.....Social Care

• I-Choose: Sport, Leisure, Travel and Tourism

  What’s it like ?

  • This is a diverse sector that includes: sporting activities like coaching or supervising sports facilities,
  • outward bound activities,
  • working at a visitor centre or visitor attraction, or
  • working for a travel agency or travel company  

  What are the prospects ?

  • If you enjoy sport you may want to consider turning that interest into a career
  • Other people’s leisure activities generate employment
  • Some jobs in the sector could potentially lead to employment in areas where most people only go for their holidays, in the UK or abroad
  • This is a sector with potential for self employment  

  How do I get into the industry ?

  • College: There are specialist qualifications available at a number of different levels from GCSEs to university degrees.
  • Apprenticeship: Training while working and being paid a wage.
  • Diplomas: Diplomas are new qualifications where the learning is based around an employment sector but combined with academic study.

  Click Here for more information about Getting Into.....Sport Leisure Travel and Tourism