Exam results in England and Wales are published this week and thousands of students will be considering what to do next. If you are one of these students, and you are not sure if a purely academic education is right for you, there are a vast number of vocational and practical training courses and qualifications to prepare you for a successful career. Vocational training has never been more popular and, from this autumn, all 18-year-olds will be eligible for new government support for continued education or training, whether opting for a
vocational course, apprenticeship or university programme.
In this guide, we look at the many pathways available after A-levels and GCSEs. We look at the benefits of these vocational and practical routes, which
include apprenticeships, NVQs, HNDs, HNCs, diplomas, BTecs and foundation degrees, and show the aspirational jobs they can lead to.
We talk to students and professionally-qualified people and ask them why they have chosen one of these pathways. Carly Cook describes why she is studying for a BTec national diploma in musical theatre, and Shaun Griffin explains why he is studying for an advanced diploma in casino operations.
