Supporting your child in making informed career choices is one of the most important roles you play as a parent or carer. At Life Sciences UTC, we are committed to providing the guidance and resources needed to help young people explore their future options with confidence.
Whether your child is choosing their GCSEs, considering post-16 pathways, or planning for life after 18, this page offers essential information, useful tools, and expert advice to help you navigate each stage. From university applications and apprenticeships to career assessments and professional guidance, we’re here to support both you and your child every step of the way.
For more information on careers, please contact our Careers Information, Advice and Guidance Lead:
Michael Saint-Cricq
M.Saint-Cricq@thestudio-liverpool.co.uk
0151 230 1330
Useful Contacts
- National Careers Service Support
- Apprenticeship Helpline
- The Exam Results Helpline: open from 16 to 30 August – call 0800 100 900
- UCAS Helpline – 0871 468 0 468
- Shaping Futures – Live Chat - Talk to Advisors and Students about Higher Education
Information for Students
Unifrog
Unifrog transforms the way young people find and apply for post-16 and post-18 opportunities.
Spartan Test
Don’t yet know what you would like to do? If you don’t do anything else, do The Spartan Test which is a very clever psychometric quiz which builds a profile of you based on your responses to a series of pictures and then creates your very own Subjects Cloud and Career Cloud based on your profile. From those clouds you can find out all about every career or course with one click. It takes only 6 minutes from start to finish and it’s brilliant! Although you can just dip in and do the Spartan Test, do REGISTER. It will save your results and organise it in your own Research Zone.
https://sacu-student.com/?page_id=2850
Careers Helpline for Teenagers
Careers helpline for teenagers is part of the National Careers Service. You can email, text or phone them or even ask them to phone you back and it is completely free.
National Careers Service
The National Careers Service provides support to adults from 18+ with careers advice, CV support, interview skills, identifying skills, general job-search and also redundancy. During the Covid-19 situation, The National Careers Service is also supporting adults who have been furloughed and pupils (year 11-13). Find out more here: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk
Liverpool City Region Careers
A suite of online learning resources designed to support individuals, school careers leaders, careers guidance practitioners and adult learning tutors. Find out more here: https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/careers/
Liverpool City Region’s Growth Platform, which support both people and businesses to realise their potential and generate growth, has also put together a listing of careers resources for the region. Take a look at the opportunities for creative and technology-based careers – alongside many others – here: LCR Growth Platform
FutureLearn Careers
FutureLearnCareers helps you match a career to your education and skills. Explore which job could be the right fit for you by heading to https://futurelearncareers.com
Post 16 Choices
You can find out more about options for Post-16 education using the links below:
- Post 16 options | National Careers Service
- Department for Education post 18 choices
- Post 18 options | National Careers Service
Local Sixth Form Colleges:
- The City of Liverpool College Liverpool , L3 5TP
- LIPA Sixth Form College Liverpool , L1 9HF
- University of Liverpool Mathematics School Liverpool , L69 7SH
- Wirral Metropolitan College Wirral , CH41 4NT
- Hugh Baird College Sefton , L20 7EW
- Birkenhead Sixth Form College Wirral , CH43 8SQ
- Activate Knowsley District , L32 9PW
- Carmel College St. Helens , WA10 3AG
Find out more about T-Levels
Find out more about Traineeships
Find out more about local Apprenticeships
Post 18 Choices
UCAS
The UCAS app contains important information about higher education and the UCAS application process. Regularly-reviewed so it remains up-to-date and relevant, it’s full of information and advice on what UCAS offers.
UCAS confirmation, clearing and adjustment gives you all the information you need to get prepared for A level results day.
UCAS confirmation and clearing toolkit helps people without a university or college place find a suitable course. The UCAS toolkit is designed to get you thinking about clearing, so that – whether you anticipate using it or not – you understand the steps you’d take to find a place.
University advice and information
Which? University A level explorer
If you’re considering your A level options and want to understand which subjects will get you on which degree course, try the Which? University A level Explorer. It’s a handy overview of A level options for specific degree courses.
https://www.ucas.com/
UCAS is the go-to website for anything to do with going to university. It is brilliant for guidance on writing the perfect CV, Personal Statements and letters of application and lots, lots more.
Local university websites
University of Liverpool
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool Hope College
Edge Hill College
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
The University of Manchester
The Manchester Metropolitan University
University of Central Lancashire
https://www.opendays.com/
This gives the Open Days for every UK university.
https://university.which.co.uk/
What to study, where to go and how to get there.
https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings
The Complete University Guide gives you the league tables for every university, every subject and every course in the UK.
https://www.whatuni.com/
An excellent website which gives you league tables (with some different criteria from the Complete University Guide) so it’s well-worth checking out.
A really useful website. The UTC and Studio are registered with this company, so use your log-in details to access the site.
An absolutely brilliant website which covers ALL types of careers, courses and subjects with lots of superb online tools to help you find your future career.
Find more useful advice about university applications, personal statements and independent rankings by following these links:
Apprenticeships
Click here to download a useful Guide to Apprenticeships
The apprenticeship route provides a valid alternative to university, with the qualifications to match. The Complete Guide to Higher and Degree Apprenticeships talks you through the differences and reassures that degree apprenticeships will let you graduate with your cap and gown, plus several years of work experience under your belt.
Work through this Personal Development Workbook to help you secure an apprenticeship https://www.stem.org.uk/elibrary/resource/36614#&gid=undefined&pid=1 – workbook for students looking to secure an apprenticeship
Make this Government website your first stop.
DO create an account if you are interested in apprenticeships as they will send you an alert when something comes up which you might be interested in. The next four links will take you to different sections of that website.
How to write a winning apprenticeship application
Higher and degree apprenticeships
These are excellent sites giving lots of information for school-leavers (Year 11 and older) about apprenticeships, jobs, reviews and career advice. By registering, you will be alerted to anything which might interest you.
https://www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk/
http://www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk/
https://www.getingofar.gov.uk/
https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/
http://theapprenticeshiphub.co.uk/
https://targetcareers.co.uk/apprenticeships-and-school-leaver-jobs
https://www.indeed.co.uk/Apprenticeships-jobs
https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/apprenticeships-jobs
Local Training Providers
Click here to access a list of local training providers offering a range of vocational opportunities
Employment
- Explore the LCR Job Hub – a site for Liverpool City Region residents seeking work, support or advice.
- LCR Youth Hubs
Preparing Applications
- How to craft a stellar CV – where we share expert advice, samples and a professional template to help your students create a truly polished document
- Best examples of CV formatting – here we go over the most essential dos and don’ts and other pointed advice to help the candidate create the most aesthetically pleasing CV
- How to write an outstanding cover letter – with an in-depth, step-by-step analysis helping the applicant craft an outstanding cover letter that will separate them from the competition
Supported Internships
- Liverpool Supported Internships
- Sefton Supported Internships
- Knowsley Supported Internships
- St Helens Supported Internships
- Wirral Supported Internships
- Halton Supported Internships
SEND Local Offer
Information for Parents & Carers
Information on Raising Participation
Since the Raising of the Participation Age, the law states that young people must be in some form of ‘education or training’ until they are 18.
Click here for more information.
Information on Key Transition Points
The Parents’ Guide provides parents and carers with the information they need at key transition points, such as Options for GCSE to help their children create successful futures.
Useful Resources
- Unifrog transforms the way young people find and apply for post-16 and post-18 opportunities. Find your login details here
- The Spartan Test is a psychometric quiz which builds a profile of you based on your responses to a series of pictures and then creates your very own Subjects Cloud and Career Cloud based on your profile. https://sacu-student.com/?page_id=2850
- Careers helpline for teenagers is part of the National Careers Service. You can email, text or phone them or even ask them to phone you back and it is completely free.
- Success at School is a national careers website for students aged 11-19, as well as their teachers, careers advisors, parents and other influencers. Click here to download the Parents & Carers eBook.
- The National Careers Service provides support to adults aged 18+ with careers advice, CV support, interview skills, identifying skills, general job-search and also redundancy. https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk
- Liverpool City Region Careers Resources – a suite of online learning resources designed to support individuals, school careers leaders, careers guidance practitioners and adult learning tutors. Find out more here: https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/careers/
- FutureLearnCareers helps you match a career to your education and skills. Explore which job could be the right fit for you by heading to https://futurelearncareers.com
Careers Connect
The Career Connect Service is a national organisation that we subscribe to. They work in partnership with us to provide impartial help and advice for young people. Career Connect Personal Advisers provide up-to-date, independent advice and guidance about education, training and employment opportunities. The Careers Connect Personal Advisers take group sessions and aim to interview the majority of Year 11 students, but are also available to support Year 9, 10 and Sixth Form students each year.
The Careers Connect Personal Adviser is Karen Gallagher. The advisor spends at least a day in school each week, and you can request an appointment by speaking with the school Careers team. Students can also access support via the Careers Connect website or by appointment in Careers Connect Offices across the city.
Info on Post 18 Choices
Apprenticeships – Click here to download a useful Guide to Apprenticeships
Employment – Check out the Liverpool City Region Job Hub here
