If you’re studying at Connell, you may be thinking about going to university as the next step. As soon as you arrive at Connell, you’re encouraged to look into opportunities offered by universities and consider carefully the options available. We have good links with a variety of Higher Education institutions in the North West and beyond, all of which you’re invited to visit in order to get a taste of university life.

We also host visits from university academic staff and students who come to college events regularly. They talk about a variety of topics, ranging from subject-specific to future career possibilities; from how to be a good student to managing student finances.

You’ll be introduced to university widening participation programmes such as the Pembroke North Initiative and Manchester Access Programme, which select aspiring students from backgrounds in which university has played little part and offer them an illuminating programme of seminars and lectures, and a taste of what it is like to study at a world-class university such as Oxford or Manchester.

When it comes to applying to university, staff here will guide you and support you to make the right choices, helping to complete your application to the best of your ability and preparing you for university interviews. If your pathway is to go to university, staff will give you all the help and advice you need to set you on your way.

Some students think about taking on a higher level apprenticeship as their next step along their chosen pathway. These apprenticeships vary in what they offer and we have established links with companies and agencies offering apprenticeships so that students can see the full picture of what is available to them.

Apprenticeships offer work-based experience, whilst including an element of study alongside work. Talks from companies and agents at events such as the Connell Co-op College Careers Convention are an excellent way for you to become informed about what is on offer as they plan their future beyond college.

All students at college are thinking about their future jobs and careers and see their education as an important way of preparing for these. Whilst many see Higher Education as the next important step towards achieving their career goals and others choose to embark on apprenticeships, for some students, a job is their next step after completing A Levels or BTECs.

Much of the knowledge and many of the skills gained with these qualifications can be immediately transferrable to a variety of careers.

However, sometimes there can be a lot of adjustment to be made from college life to life in the workplace. This is why our students follow a full programme of CEIAG (Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) alongside their subject studies. This course encourages you to think carefully about all aspects of your future and advises you on how to make the right decisions towards your next step.

We also have established links with careers services and employers to provide advice and opportunities for students to go on work experience placements. Students, who do find work experience, quickly learn important skills such as good timekeeping, working with others and dealing with difficult situations.

The college measures and assesses the impact of the careers programme on students using student questionnaires and Compass to track against the Gatsby Benchmarks.

You can read our Next Steps information below. It contains useful information for parents and students about next steps, UCAS applications and personal statement writing.

If you are an employer or alumni and would like to find out how you can support our careers programme, please get in touch by emailing Ali Grady, ali.grady@coopacademies.co.uk.