Struggling with the next step

Hello, i am a 16 year old on the verge of completing GCSEs although im experiencing some indecisiveness regarding what i want to pursue. Ever since I was young I was always fascinated with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur. However once i got older I realised that you dont necessarily require certain qualifications to become one. Now ive decided to pursue something similar maybe in the sales and marketing niche whilst building my businesses on the side but im not too sure what would be the best route in order to do these things and which occupation would be best. I was considering going for an aprenticeship so i can be earning money to facilitate my business ideas, but im unsure on whether ill get some solid qualifications and value from an aprenticeship compared to university. I have decided upon two a level options so far, being: Business Studies and Mathematics. Apart from that i havent truly established much else and im not too sure what other option i should select. One last thing that im interested in is Self - Improvement and social media which is a field i could potentially start a business within. Any advice or help to be set in the right direction will be appreciated!

Reply 1

University of Leicester

Official Rep

Hello

,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It's fantastic that you're already thinking about entrepreneurship and have a clear interest in business💱, mathematics🔢, and social media🤳 as these are building blocks for a wide variety of career paths.

If you're thinking of the Education Pathways 📚️

There is the University Route 🎓 which gives you a business-related degree and could provide you with Comprehensive business theory and practical knowledge 🧰, Networking opportunities with like-minded individuals :hat2:

, Access to business incubators and start-up support as well as Time to develop side projects while studying ⏰.

and

The Apprenticeship Route which offers Immediate practical experience :bubbles:

, Earning while learning💷, Industry-recognized qualifications📃 and Real-world business connections🗣️.

Business Studies and Mathematics are excellent choices for your A levels; for your third A-level, consider:

•

Economics 📈(which complements business perfectly)

•

Computer Science 💻️(valuable for digital entrepreneurship)

•

Psychology🧠 (great for marketing and understanding consumer behaviour)

Remember Both university and apprenticeship paths can lead to successful careers - the "best" choice depends on your personal learning style and goals! 🎯

For self-improvement you can consider:

Starting a small social media business while studying

Joining entrepreneurship clubs at school/college

Looking for weekend/holiday work in sales or marketing

looking into volunteering

looking into Micro-internships, internships and work experience.

you can also do degree tasters on Springpod (I've put the link to the media and communication spotlight)

This way, you can gain experience while keeping your options open! 💫

Maery
Biological Sciences: Physiology and Pharmacology

(edited 9 months ago)

Reply 2

AzaFyi

Thank you so much Maery. This has helped me alot on deciding upon my third choice, now you have got me thinking of picking psychology as it would probably be extremely helpful in regards to sales and marketing. Currently, i believe the apprenticeship route would be much better for what i intend to do as (if im not mistaken) you get the same qualifications that you would get in a typical university whilst also being able to network with experienced individuals and get paid whilst you learn. In order to do this, I will be required to stand out from all other applicants towards the apprenticeship. What would you reccomend to do on a daily basis to get ahead of the competition?

Reply 3

University of Leicester

Official Rep

Original post

by AzaFyi

Hi AzaFyi

I'm glad I could help with your decision-making process

Here are some activities that could help strengthen your apprenticeship application:

Read relevant news and blogs daily, Follow relevant companies on LinkedIn- Subscribe to marketing and sales newsletters to develop your Industry knowledge.

Practice communication skills through public speaking(vital for interviews), Learn basic digital marketing tools, Take free online courses in sales techniques these additional skills are very helpful

Build your portfolio: Start a blog about marketing trends, practice creating sample marketing campaigns or Document your learning journey on the skills your gaining.

Engage with industry professionals on LinkedIn, Attend virtual industry events, Join relevant online communities

Practice time management.(getting tasks done and gaining skills while prioritising your wellbeing)

Important Note: While developing these skills will strengthen your application, it's important to remember that apprenticeship positions are typically limited in number and highly competitive. There's no guarantee that having these skills will secure a position :sad: , but they will certainly help you become a stronger candidate💪 and prepare you for future opportunities in the field.