Choosing what to do when you leave school is not as tough or as tricky as people make out, but you know what, we get questions all the time about this. The conversation normally goes like this “How do I choose what to do when I leave school? I’m only 16! How am I supposed to know what I want to do in the future?”
The simple thing is that choosing what to do at any point in your life can be a daunting prospect and when we visit careers fairs, this is a hot topic amongst parents and students.
- How am I supposed to know what to do next?
- If I don’t know what I want to do next is that a problem?
- What if I make the wrong decision?
- What if I choose the wrong college or the wrong course?
Any of these questions seem familiar?
All the questions above are questions we get asked and the advice we always give is always the same, go with what you think is right for you right now. Don’t worry too much about life 10 years away and don’t put so much pressure on yourself to have all the answers right now. The way we look at it is whatever decision you make will be the right one…….
“Whatever decision you make will be the right one” – What does the even mean?!
There are lots of quotes and saying around decision making and one of the main ones that stands out is a famous Henry Ford quote;
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right,”
This quote really highlights the importance of how much attitude determines your success or your failure and this is true for your next steps and your next decision as to what you do next when you leave school or after you’ve finished A-levels for instance.
What you believe and how you approach any of these big decisions will often impact on whether this was the right or the wrong decision. Remember, if you think you can’t, you can’t. If you think you can, you can and with this, if you believe you have made the right decision you have, if you think you’ve made the wrong decision you have.
When choosing your next step, it’s a blend of attitude and commitment. The attitude part we’ve just covered, and the commitment part is doing your research. The commitment part is you checking out all the available options there are out there and making the most of your choices and opportunities. We have a whole section on our website about how to apply for our courses and the first point we make is Step 1. Do your research, check out our website or visit us on an Open Day.
We go on to explain that:
“Rockley Education is the largest provider of Outdoor Adventure courses in the area for Sixth Form students. We are proud to be able to offer Level 2 Diploma in Sport (Outdoors) and the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport (Outdoor Adventure). To start your research, you can find out loads about our courses by visiting our website and reading the course pages or by going on Facebook to see what we are getting up to. Another good starting point is to come along to one of our Open Events, where you can gain further information and advice from our Education Team, Teachers, Instructors and students”
“We want you to make the best choice and decision so once you’ve done all your research, if you would like more guidance, we’re here to help. Why not book in for an Advice Session where you will have the opportunity to have a one to one conversation with a member of the Education Team to discuss your options?”
All colleges and sixth forms want you to make the right decision and therefore everyone is very supportive of you researching thoroughly and visiting lots of places. Make a point of going to visit everywhere you’re interested in, speak to all the staff, see if the place feels right for you, read all the information and leaflets. Making your next decision can feel a bit daunting at first but once you have done your research, visited some colleges to find out more, had some one to one advice sessions and discussed your options, you’ll feel far more comfortable with the decision you are making.
So, if we go back to the questions we posed at the start, remember, it’s about your attitude and your commitment.
How am I supposed to know what to do next? – Do Your Research
If I don’t know what I want to do next is that a problem? – No not at all, just do your research!
What if I make the wrong decision? – If you’ve done your research, you won’t make the won’t decision!
What if I choose the wrong college or the wrong course? If you’ve done your research, you won’t choose the wrong college or course!
I really hope this has helped with some of your queries as to what to do next and how to work it out. As we’ve said, everyone wants to help you make the right choices so get out there, do your research and be confident in your decisions!
If you’d like to read more around our advice on how to apply and how to decide what to do next, please go to the link here: