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Jobs for people with A levels but no degree?

I'm going to University in September... But I have friends who have done A levels, and are now going on to look for jobs.

What kind of jobs can you get with just A levels? From what I've seen, most jobs fit into two categories; jobs for graduates, and jobs for down-and-outs unqualified people. There doesn't seem to be anything in-between.

Someone enlighten me please? Hypothetically speaking, if I decided not to go to Uni I have three As and a B at A level in Biology, Psychology, English Literature and Media Studies. And an AS level in ICT. Are they useless unless apart from getting me into Uni? =/

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You can join training schemes for accountancy with many firms - and its probably somethign I wish I did because the competition for graduate jobs is massive but I bet it isn't as much with school leaver jobs.

I know at graduate level most of the big firms don't care what subject you have but at school leaver level they might wnat you to have somesort of ide aof how businesses work (i.e bsuiness studies or accounting A levels)
Reply 2
Funnily enough I was searching accountancy trainee jobs just now. Unfortunately I don't have any A level related with business/maths... All I have are GCSEs in Statistics and Maths both of which are only at grade B.

I wonder if experience would be taken into account?
The big 4 all offer school leaver (college) jobs - have you tried them? In their Graduate scheme they don't require Business/Accounts experience so they may be OK for school leavers as well - might just be smaller bsuinesses that prefer some past knowledge because they may not have the resources to train you.

The big 4 are byw: PwC, KPMG, Deloite and Ernst and Young. Also check out BDO and Grant Thornton.

Grant Thornton were advertising in my local paper looking for school leavers this week (in Hampshire)
Reply 4

theres sales, becoming a shop manager... and callcentre work. Or buying your own business. fair enough amount of choice really.
Reply 5
Not meaning to sounds snobby or anything, but I would never work in a call centre, or in retail, I'd rather go get a degree instead... And then probably end up in a callcentre afterwards! :P

Hmm, I don't know whether finance, etc is really 'me', it's not something that I've thought about much. Isn't there anything else apart from accountancy?
Thers tons of things, that need professional qualifications or not. Mortgaeg advisor, financial advisor, stockbroker, accountant, marketing etc etc Absolutely tons
Reply 7
a lot of companies do advanced apprenticeships, which need a-levels as well as gcses. i know companies like BT or even some of the banks offer quite good programmes if you don't think university is for you.

www.apprenticeships.org.uk is quite a good site, they'll send you information on what companies around your area do apprenticeships, or if you want to move away just specify which area.
Reply 8
zeebiatch
Not meaning to sounds snobby or anything, but I would never work in a call centre, or in retail, I'd rather go get a degree instead... And then probably end up in a callcentre afterwards! :P

Hmm, I don't know whether finance, etc is really 'me', it's not something that I've thought about much. Isn't there anything else apart from accountancy?



well doesnt seem like you have much choice now then does it?
you better find whats you through uni.
Reply 9
You're probably right... Pretty much everything that appeals to me requires a degree of some sort, I just don't feel ready to commit myself to a single field of work yet... I might take a gap year and have a think about it instead of rushing into things and going to do a subject that definitely don't want to do.
Reply 10
How about becoming a pilot? Dont need many academic qualifications for that. I think most schemes want you to have about 2 Cs at A level. Obviously you need a bit of intellegance but theres not much need of a degree
Reply 11
flyboy123
How about becoming a pilot? Dont need many academic qualifications for that. I think most schemes want you to have about 2 Cs at A level. Obviously you need a bit of intellegance but theres not much need of a degree


And the training costs a bomb if you are talking a commercial pilot.
Reply 12
probably start off at the bottom and work your way up! i think i'd have to start as a permanent AA or AO and then work my way up to EO..but apparently if you have A levels you can apply for EO jobs where i work..excellent! (so if all else fails in my career plan...civil service here i come!!)
Reply 13
AA... AO... EO..? Okay, I'm not understanding the lingo. Can anybody explain?
Reply 14
zeebiatch
AA... AO... EO..? Okay, I'm not understanding the lingo. Can anybody explain?


You're not alone lol.
Reply 15
I would go for Junior office roles in the area that suits my a levels. or assitant manager jobs.
Reply 16
Bump for more ideas.
Reply 17
Originally posted by Zeebitch
AA... AO... EO..? Okay, I'm not understanding the lingo. Can anybody explain?


I worked in the Civil Service during my gap year and although it primarily has 'grades' to denote job seniority, there were some references to the 'old system':

AA- Administrative Assistant. Entry level job/basic admin: filing, phone answering, some simple 'processes' work.

AO- Administrative Officer. Higher skilled than AA with no filing/phone work. All tasks are 'processes' such as data entry/wages/claims etc.

EO- Eexcutive Officer. Higher skilled again, could be first level of management.
Reply 18
Apply for AO jobs as much as you can, because AA is below your qualifications. AO is the right level for people with good A Levels I would say, but the problem is that you may not have experience and to get the 'good roles' you may have to spend 2 years in an 'entry role', unless you apply to the civil service or are careful with applying to places that will take you as an AO. Try phone companies headquarters/local government/local businesses for.

Local council is probably best- I temped in the planning section once and they have a variety of work that isn't all telephone answering. Unless you can get into an admin 'specialism' though, such as arts, finance or environment, then a lot of admin will just be that, and not as challenging as anything you could have got with a degree.

If you do need to start from the bottom then the civil service is a good bet. If you can't get into the AO (or band E1 level) then you can work as an E2 (AA level) for 6 months and then apply for advancement.

Just do research, and if you won't go to uni then it would be good if you did some kind of training to help you, though your ICT is a start- I presume you have Excel and Word knowledge with that that you should stress on your CV.
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