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Sign in or register for an accountThe last few years have been difficult times for everyone, especially young people as you have missed out on some key milestones including work experience, which often helps young people to make decisions about their next steps after leaving school. Although it might feel difficult, there are still a wide range of opportunities for you to consider as you leave school. The most important thing is that you fully consider your options, get some advice and guidance and choose your next step based on your likes and aspirations for the future.
The following links are here as a guide to help you with these next steps. There is information related to education and training in Salford from local colleges and training providers who offer apprenticeships, financial information including travel passes, mental health support for those who are feeling worried.
Click on the different sections to take you to each area, if you cannot find what you are looking for contact your school based careers advisor.
Thinking of visiting a college open evening? Get dates, times and further information.
Education
The Salford City College Group consists of several colleges across Salford, these are detailed below.
City Skills (Salford City College Group)
City Skills support students in their next steps, the pastoral and careers teams work with students at the college to facilitate pathways on to apprenticeships, higher education and into employment.
Courses available:
Eccles Sixth Form College (Salford City College Group)
Eccles Sixth Form College offers an extensive range of vocational subjects, a wealth of enrichment activities, specialised careers advice, and a comprehensive programme of support and personal development so that all students can flourish both academically and as individuals.
Courses available:
The Skills for Life and Employment department at Eccles Sixth Form College provide a range of Pre-Entry, Entry and Level 1 courses for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Our courses cater for students who have highly specialised support needs including peg feeding, tracheotomy maintenance, sensory impairment, profound mental health issues and degenerative life limiting conditions. Support is in built throughout these courses with a team of specially trained teaching staff and Support Assistants.
FutureSkills at MediaCityUK (Salford City College Group)
FutureSkills at MediaCityUK is a well-established centre of excellence for young people who wish to pursue a career in creative and digital industries.
Courses available:
Pendleton Sixth Form College (Salford City College Group)
Pendleton Sixth Form College offers a wide range of A-levels and vocational courses and specialises in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), creative arts and performing arts.
Courses available in the following areas:
Worsley College (Salford City College Group)
Worsley College supports students in their next steps. The outstanding curriculum, pastoral, and careers team, work with students at the college to facilitate pathways onto apprenticeships, higher education, and into employment.
Courses available:
Apprenticeships at Salford City College
The Apprenticeship Team are currently offering:
All candidates will then progress into our recruitment talent pool where our team of advisors ensure they are supported and prepared, ready to be placed into apprenticeships as quickly and efficiently as possible. Please call 0161 631 5555.
Apprenticeship programmes are available in the following sectors:
Trafford College offers a wide range of options from traditional courses to new T Levels which combine classroom learning with extended industry placements. Trafford College also offers Apprenticeships. Have a look at Trafford College's 16 to 18 page and apply.
Bolton College offers a wide range of options from traditional courses to new T Levels which combine classroom learning with extended industry placements. Bolton College also offers Apprenticeships. Check out what is available from Bolton College.
Wigan and Leigh College offer a wide range of courses from Creative Arts to Engineering, Hairdressing to Motor Vehicle. Whatever you are interested in, see if Wigan and Leigh College have a course for you.
Bury College offers A Levels, T Levels, Vocational Courses and Apprenticeships.
University Courses are also available at Bury.
As the largest Further Education College in the UK, The Manchester College offers courses from Entry Level through to Level 7.
Loreto is a Catholic 6th Form College, offering predominantly A Level and BTEC courses.
Xaverian is a Catholic Sixth Form College offering a very wide range of A-Levels in addition to several BTEC courses. Have a look at what Xaverian College what on offer.
Access Creative College is the place for young people who want to follow their passion for a career in the creative industries.
Information, advice and guidance
Stage Directions are a new theatre making programme for young people in Salford. For young people in Secondary school, take a look through these resources, focussing on creativity and theatre.
For young people in Primary school, work your way through these fun, creative resources.
Bridge pulls together the information, news and opportunities that have come to their attention.
Included are:
Careers Advisors (schools)
Contact details of the careers advisor for each school are available.
Information and guidance for young people on careers, jobs, courses and local training.
Email salford@careerconnect.org.uk or call 0161 393 4500 to make an appointment to see/speak to an advisor or contact them on Facebook or X, formerly Twitter
The King's Trust helps 11 to 30 year olds who are unemployed, struggling at school and at risk of exclusion. The aim is to give individuals the skills, tools, training and confidence needed to get an apprenticeship or paid work. Call 0800 842 842.
Greater Manchester Apprenticeship and Careers Service - Packed with advice, tips and information, find everything you need to make choices about your next steps and begin your career.
Discover what events are happening in Greater Manchester that could benefit your career progression.
Learn more about yourself, explore your options and find the career that's right for you.
National Apprenticeships Service
National website listing apprenticeships. Search and apply based on location, distance, keywords and levels.
Careers information and tools for 11 to 19 year olds, all in one place. Look at your pathways and choices at 14, 16 and 18.
Do the buzz quiz, put in your likes and dislikes and look over the information it suggests.
GM Higher resources cover a range of topics areas such as budgeting, wellbeing, revision skills, and study skills.
They also signpost to resources from our partners and other education providers.
ASK Apprenticeships - Information for teachers, students and parents
Apprenticeships are amazing. Let us tell you why, and help you to pass that message on. Dive straight into the free resources, learn about becoming an apprenticeship champion, read about apprenticeship vacancies coming up later in the year, or find out how to request support for your school from our delivery partners now.
Their Skills and Careers Hub provides 14 to 24 year olds with free resources, advice and guidance. Designed with input from young people, the Skills and Careers Hub offers practical tools to support young people through education, transition into employment and beyond in a process of lifelong learning.
Emotional health
Mental health services specifically for young people
Crisis Lines in Greater Manchester
If you feel you need mental health support, please contact one of these 24/7 crisis lines - they're available to anyone of any age.
If there's an immediate risk of danger to life, you should ring 999.
Whether you’re feeling suicidal, worried someone else is, or have lost someone to suicide, you’re not alone. Whatever you’re going through, we’ll help you get the advice and support you need.
Are you, or is a young person you know, not coping with life?
For confidential suicide prevention advice contact HOPELINEUK.
They’re open 9am to 12am (midnight) every day of the year.
Call: 0800 068 4141 or email: pat@papyrus-uk
HOPELINK allows young people to work confidentially with HOPELINEUK’s trained suicide prevention advisers, empowering them to create, helping to keep them safe when they have thoughts of suicide and help users create, adapt and amend their own care plans.
Online courses for anyone affected by low mood, anxiety or depression.
Materials have been designed to improve feelings and beat stress.
Available online and totally free of charge if you live in Greater Manchester.
Instant access to self-help support.
42nd Street is a charity based in Greater Manchester. We offer a range of individual therapeutic support, learning opportunities, groups and creative activities for young people, encouraging you to find your voice, develop new skills, have fun and demonstrate that you can manage your mental health and wellbeing to achieve your full potential.
Shout is a 24/7 crisis text messaging service you can send a text message any time of day or night wherever you are – every conversation is with a real person.
Just text SHOUT to 85258
If you need advice or are just simply not feeling your best, then visit Kooth. It’s a free safe and anonymous place for young people to find support and counselling.
Young Minds is a place to get help and support children and young people's mental health.
Call 0800 1111 or visit their website online.
When you call us on 0800 1111 you’ll get through to a counsellor, they’re there to listen and support you with anything you’d like to talk about. Or you can have a one to one counsellor chat online.
You can also send us an email from your locker. We’ll try to answer this within a day, but sometimes it can take a little longer.
Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity that provides counselling and mental health support and training in UK schools.
Anna Freud provide a range of specialist types for support for children, young people and families, seeing them at the Centre, in schools and other settings.
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Service Delivery Centre provides:
District Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in North Manchester, Central Manchester, South Manchester and Salford.
A range of targeted services within Manchester and Salford, often provided in partnership with other agencies (16-17 team, Child and Parent Service (CAPS), children with disabilities, emotional health in schools and Looked After Children Team).
Mental health services specifically for young people with SEND
National Autisic Society are the UK's largest provider of specialist autism services. Their trained staff and volunteers bring passion and expertise to the lives of 100,000 autistic people every year. Visit the website and you'll find services directed towards autistic people, parents and carers and professionals.
National Autistic Society (Transition)
Moving between different stages of life, such as school, college and work, is especially hard if you find change difficult, as many autistic people do.
The National Autistic Society can provide advice about strategies and support that can help during key life transitions – including starting or changing school, leaving school, and starting or leaving college or university.
Contact - the organisation for families with disabled children
The Disabled Children’s Partnership is a major coalition of more than 70 organisations campaigning for improved health and social care for disabled children, young people and their families.
For families with disabled children
For every shape and size of family, whatever they need and whatever their child’s disability, Contact are here.
Mencap is the leading voice of learning disability. Everything they do is about valuing and supporting people with a learning disability, and their families and carers.
Apprenticeships and training
Aimed at everyone - a Support Hub which provides resources on education, well-being, money problems, work-related skills and so on.
What is an apprenticeship and how do they work? What does being an apprentice mean? Discover different apprenticeship types, get application hints and tips, and apply for vacancies.
Careers information and employability skills
YourGamePlan’s mission is to ensure that every student has the confidence and support they need to make the best decision about their future when they leave school.
They believe soft and employability skills are paramount and guidance on improving these skills should be available to everyone, for free. They don’t charge schools or students for their services.
They are partnering with top UK employers to create sector specific courses, enabling students to understand more about career options available to them. In turn, helping young people choose which career path is right for them.
Digital CVs
Bored of a traditional Word document CV? Then why not try a CV using slides on PowerPoint? You can cover each section that a traditional CV has such as profile, education, work history, hobbies and so on, but also include images. For an example of a digital CV, email georgia.boland@salford.gov.uk
Example CV (Microsoft Word format, 33kb)
Need help creating a CV? An example of what you need to include can be downloaded. You should try to use a simple format, with text that is easy to read. Young people should try and keep it on one page where possible, and no more than two sides. Remember to think of all your strong qualities.
Send in your CV to get feedback from industry experts
You will need:
What do you need to do?
The @ApprenticeTalks podcast is now available. There are now two seasons of the Apprenticeship Podcasts. These are made by young apprentices to educate, inform and give insight into what it’s really like to be an apprentice. You can listen to both seasons on Spotify and other major streaming sites.
Build Salford is a traineeship programme that supports young people get into apprenticeships within the construction sector. Here is a case study from Richie, a former trainee that talks about how Build Salford helped him gain employment with The Casey Group and his ambitions for the future.
One of our employer partners, John from The Casey Group, talks about how Build Salford has helped him as a business to grow apprentices. Build Salford Case Study: John Walmsley. You can also apply online.
Lots of resources and information if you want to become an apprentice. Also:
Lots of useful resources including some brilliant online interviews coming up for parents and young people to take part in at home, where you can meet an engineer, learn about their role and ask questions, live.
The CyberFirst Defenders, Futures and Advanced courses are for 14 to 17-year-olds. You’ll learn all kinds of practical insights into digital safety and how everyday technology really works. Course content will be delivered in a fun and interesting way, and you’ll get to meet lots of like-minded people.
Our Explore programme offers you a mix of group activities and one-to-one support to develop the skills and confidence you need to move forward.
Starting with a five-day Access course, you’ll get the chance to do outdoor adventurous activities, as well as take part in a residential trip.
Once the Access course is complete, you can choose from lots of different activities from sports to drama and photography to cooking.
We’ll work with you to help reach your goals.
Explore is completely free. We’ll even throw in lunch and drinks throughout the day, and also cover your travel expenses.
National Citizen Service (NCS)
From April 2023, the way NCS works will be different. Don’t worry, we’ll still be giving you opportunities to build confidence, get the skills you need to smash future goals independently, and the tools to make connections and a positive impact in the world around you (and beyond!) But, you’ll be able to get involved in more exciting ways, to get more out of the experience and more out of life.
So, if you’re 15 to 17 years old, this is your chance to get involved, realise your potential, and experience more. Just keep your eyes peeled, more info coming soon…
Create your own online action plan to kickstart your career. Explore options, review goals and adapt to reflect your progress.
Other information
The Rio Ferdinand Foundation is a digital space dedicated to giving young people a voice to tackle inequality and a platform to showcase inspirational talent.
Activities and worksheets that are suitable for both Primary and Secondary age young people.
In this wellbeing pack, there a variety of activities that children can do at home where they will be encouraged to identify and talk about their feelings and emotions.
Stage Directions are a new theatre making programme for young people in Salford. For young people in Secondary school, take a look through these resources, focussing on creativity and theatre.
For young people in Primary school, work your way through these fun, creative resources.
This page was last updated on 26 January 2023
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