Useful contacts
Useful contacts
Want to speak to someone?
Your school or college may have a careers advisor you can see.
In England, you can call the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900 to speak to an advisor. Calls are free from landlines and most mobile numbers.
For careers advice in other parts of the UK see:
Skills Development Scotland – My World of Work
Careers Service Northern Ireland
If you’d like to speak to someone about a more general problem, see Helplines: how to get support for details of places which can help.
For information on online safety see Top tips for staying safe online.
Apprenticeships, Traineeships and entry-level jobs
Apprenticeships and Traineeships are all listed on the government website:
The following sites also advertise vacancies:
Notgoingtouni – apprenticeships, sponsored degrees, distance learning and jobs for school and college leavers
Milkround School Leavers – opportunities for school leavers
University
UCAS – university options and applications
Bright Knowledge – guide to careers, education and student life
OpenLearn – try a free online taster course from the Open University. Courses are short and can give you a flavour of what studying a subject at university might be like.
Skills and training
See Easy ways to learn new skills for free and low-cost ways to boost your skills.
WEA – adult education provider
Finding a job
If you’re looking for a job, there are lots of different job sites. Here’s a short selection:
General vacancies
Find a job  (government website linked to Job Centres)
Jobs by type or sector
Civil Service Jobs – jobs working for the government or government agencies
Local Government Jobs – jobs working for councils or local authorities
Jobs Go Public – public sector jobs in local government, charities, education, housing and more
The Guardian Jobs – charities, schools, government, social care, media, marketing and more
Graduate jobs
Milkround – student and graduate jobs
Prospects – graduate jobs, work experience and postgraduate study
The NHS
The NHS is the single biggest employer in the UK. It has a workforce of over 1.7 million people in over 350 different careers, at a wide range of levels and entry points.
NHS Health Careers – information service
Allied Health Professions (roles which improve the health and wellbeing of patients so they can live full and active lives)
Other health-related careers
Trade press and websites
Magazines, newspapers or websites which cover news and issues relating to a given industry can also be a good place to look for jobs. Find relevant trade publications by searching online, asking at your local library, or speaking to people in your chosen industry. Many trade titles are now digital-only, but some still produce printed versions – visit a large newsagent to see what’s out there.
Professional bodies and associations
Some professions are linked to a professional body or association – an organisation which oversees professional training or campaigns on relevant issues. They can be a good source of information about starting out.
Sector Skills Councils
Some job types have specialist organisations which support and develop the skills of their workforce called sector skills councils. Again, they can be a good place to find information and advice about starting out in an industry.
Cogent Skills – science industries
Creative & Cultural Skills – craft, design, music, performance, visual arts
Energy and Utility Skills – gas, power, water and waste management
Institute of the Motor Industry – retail motor industry
LANTRA – land and environmental industries
National Skills Academy for Food and Drink
ScreenSkills – film, TV, VFX, animation and games
Semta – engineering and advanced manufacturing
Skills for Care and Development – social work, care and children’s services
Skills for Justice – justice, fire and rescue, local government and armed forces
