Gavin O'Callaghan

We are proud to announce that Muhammad Farhan has become the first person in the UK to pass an end-point assessment, despite missing time on site due to the lockdown. This is a huge achievement and we are very proud. For more on this story visit Ladder for the Black Country on the Express & Star here: https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2022/06/30/ladder-for-the-black-country-success-for-roofing-apprentice/

Are you a school leaver, based in the West Midlands, and want to know what post-16 options are available to you? We provide a range of programmes that can get you on a career path, and also boost your GCSE results! We understand that it can be a confusing time when leaving school, and so we have planned an online open day, so that our team can answer any questions you have, whilst providing you with information on our traineeships, study programmes, work experience, GCSE retakes, vocational training and much more. Whether you’re a school leaver yourself, or a parent wanting to support their child with making the right decision for the their next step – simply follow the link below to sign up for our virtual open day! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/juniper-training-virtual-open-day-tickets-335177724597 We look forward to meeting you and supporting yourself or your child on the next post-16 steps!

When it comes to leaving school you can then start to consider your next steps – but what options do post 16 year old’s have?

Full time education:

Staying full-time education is a popular option which includes sixth form college, leading onto further education opportunities at University level.
Your local authority has a duty to make sure you are offered a suitable place by the end of September. This is known as the September Guarantee. Contact your local authority for information on who can help find you a suitable offer.

You will have a large range of subjects that lead to qualifications that keep your options open, such as A Levels or BTEC courses, which allow you to focus on a chosen career path. Some careers may ask for specific qualifications, so always make sure you do some research into where the course you are interested in might lead to. Our programmes support school leavers to progress onto an apprenticeship, employment in their chosen career or onto further education. We have various training centres in the West Midlands that provide these opportunities.

Pathways:

Starting an apprenticeship or traineeship can help you down your chosen career path – providing you with qualifications whilst gaining on the job work experience.
Juniper Training offer a range of training solutions, especially designed for careers in roofing/bricklaying, childcare, customer service, plus health and social care.

Other opportunities also include looking at what work and study options will be available to you at 18. You could also consider volunteering to strengthen your job and study opportunities in the future.

Retakes:

Exam retakes are also an option and Juniper Training has training solutions that can provide this opportunity to better your original grades.

As we head towards this years GCSE and A-level exams, Sky News has reported that examiners will be asked to be more generous with marks this year, as they state advanced information has been released to help students with assessments. They state that the decision was made to publish details of certain topics that will appear has been taken to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on both students’ learning and the grades they will achieve this summer. Want to know more? Check out the article which details how Sky News took a look at how some subjects may be assessed differently in 2022. https://news.sky.com/story/a-levels-and-gcse-exams-what-advanced-information-has-been-released-for-this-years-examinations-12535831

A large employer in Harrogate has recently stated that many school leavers are “totally unprepared” for working life and called for more apprenticeships to support the transition from school to a career. Jonathan Lupton is the managing director of Econ Engineering, a gritter manufacturer, who issued a plea during National Apprenticeship Week stated “Not everyone wants to go to university, and for those who don’t, apprenticeships offer them an opportunity to learn and earn at the same time. However, before stepping foot in the workplace, they need to be moulded for life after school. In recent years, some of the school leavers that have come through our doors have been totally unprepared for the rigours of the working life. And speaking to colleagues in other businesses this isn’t unique to us.” Read more here – https://thestrayferret.co.uk/school-leavers-totally-unprepared-for-work-says-ripon-firm/

Are you leaving school this summer? Thinking of heading straight into a career? There are a couple of major life routes you can follow – either jump straight into work, doing a job you already have your heart set on, or continue with further education at college in order to get into university. If you have an idea what career you want, and university just isn’t for you, there is another path that is backed with incredible results for your career – apprenticeships! Check out the article from FE news about why an apprenticeship could be a career starter for you, or simply get in touch with the team at Juniper Training where we can advice you on the right path to follow! Read more: https://www.fenews.co.uk/skills/national-career-development-month-why-apprenticeships-could-be-your-career-starter/

In a recent article, FE News highlights the need to boost participation in apprenticeships and traineeships in order to bridge the skills gap between young people. The article calls for the Government (the House of Lords in particular) to consider investing more into programmes for young people who may not be ready for either full employment or an apprenticeship. Much like the pathways we provide here at Juniper Training. These pathways enable people aged 16-24 to develop skills alongside a work placement, whilst also boosting their GCSE results. If you want to read more about this please click here: LINK Want to learn more about the pathways we offer for young people? Get in touch today and a member of our friendly team will discuss the options with you.

Juniper Christmas Opening Hours Our Juniper centres (with the exception of our Juniper Chesterfield, Derby and Stockport centres) will close to all learners on Friday 17th December at 2:30pm and will re-open on Tuesday 4th January 2022 at 9:00am. Our Juniper Chesterfield, Derby and Stockport centres will close to all learners on Wednesday 22nd December 2021 at 4:30pm and will re-open on Thursday 6th January 2022 at 9:00am. We have provided a list of external agency contact details should you require any support whilst our centres are closed – please see the letters located: https://www.junipertraining.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Christmas-Closure-Letter-December-2021-Apprenticeships.pdf https://www.junipertraining.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Christmas-Closure-Letter-December-2021-SP-Derby-Chesterfield-Stockport.pdf https://www.junipertraining.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Christmas-Closure-Letter-December-2021-Study-Programme.pdf https://www.junipertraining.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Christmas-Closure-Letter-December-2021-UKSA-Study-Programme.pdf Remember, if a child or an adult is in immediate risk of harm then you should not delay in reporting this to the Police or the Local Authority Children/Adults Safeguarding Partnership. We would like to thank all of our learners, parents/guardians, employers and partners for their support over the last year. Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year!