Home | Skills | Resources for parents and carers | Support deciding on qualifications

Support deciding on qualifications

With so many options available, choosing the right path can feel overwhelming. You’ll find advice on how to keep an open mind, use the wide range of resources available and think about what type of learning suits your child best.

You can explore opportunities outside the obvious, attend open days, and hear from other young people, so you can confidently support your child in making the choice that’s right for them.

Teacher helping student, pointing at their laptop screen

Support your child to make the right choice for them

Know your A-levels from your T-levels? How to get into University with a BTEC? This interactive activity will support you to understand the basics of different qualifications, and how they can lead into a multitude of career routes. This will help you to support your child to make the right choice for them when it comes to choosing the right qualification route.

Download the interactive activity

Students working in a science classroom wearing protective eyewear

Consider employment opportunities outside the box

Just because someone loves numbers and accounting, it doesn’t mean the only roles available to them are in the financial sector! Learn about the difference between industry sectors and job roles and how to look beyond the obvious when considering employment opportunities.

Download the information booklet

Download the interactive activity

Group of manufacturing students smiling in protective eyewear and lab boilersuits

Supporting your child with apprenticeships and technical education

Are you a parent or carer of a young person thinking about doing an apprenticeship or technical education? Here's some top tips to help you support your child to make the right choice for them.

Be open-minded - Technical education has changed a great deal and there is a range of opportunities that your child may now like to explore. Try to put aside any preconceptions and be open to finding out about all the options.
Use available support - There are lots of tools at your disposal to research what i's out there for your child - their school/college, company websites, careers websites, social media, podcasts, webinars...there is so much to support you!
Don't expect your child to know what they want to do - We know that many young people don't know yet what they want to do or may not have discovered the range of careers available.
Think about how your child learns - You know your child and what makes them tick. Consider how they might learn best and whether a technical or academic course might be best for them.
Hear from other young people - Try to arrange to visit or attend open days at schools and colleges that run courses your child is interested in and talk to current students to get up-to-date information and opinions.