1. What Next?
Now that all the hard work is over and you’ve completed your qualification, what next?
Happy to stay?
If you’re happily employed in a setting, in a job you love, you may wish to stay there and
carry on enjoying your work. Whatever your role, it is important to keep up your
professional development, e.g. taking local training, or on-line training through http://pre-
school.educare.co.uk/Login.aspx (free offer to Alliance members), or reading further around
the subject. Sooner or later you may also want to move on to a higher qualification, or to
specialise in a particular area of work.
Volunteering?
If you’ve been working as a volunteer at a setting during your study, it’s time to consider
your options. If you want to continue to volunteer, you could ask the setting if they are
happy for you to stay there. Alternatively, you can look for other volunteering opportunities
in your area on the Do-it website www.do-it.org.uk ,Twitter@doituk
Looking for work or further training?
If you’re 19 or over and looking for a job, you could benefit from the free professional
advice available through the National Careers Service.
The National Careers Service website https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk, has many
tools to help you look for work and develop your career, including an action planning tool, a
CV builder, a Skills Health Check, a place to record your learning and achievements and
advice on funding for further training and education. Twitter @nationalcareers
You can also contact a National Careers Service careers advisor through the website, or by
telephone on 0800 100 900.
Become an apprentice?
If you’re aged between 16 and 23 and don’t hold a degree, you could consider an
apprenticeship. The National Apprenticeship Service website
http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/ has all the information you need to help you to explore
this option, including a vacancy search tool. Twitter @apprenticeships