If you are a 16 year old wondering whether it is better for you to continue in education or to leave school and attempt to find employment, the Park Career Shaping Team would encourage you to remain in education for an extra few years.
In the current climate, securing a job isn’t that easy, unlike several years ago. Mondays JEP wrote about the lack of job opportunities for 16 year old school leavers, and noted that 90% of Jersey’s students are staying in education. Andy Gibbs stated that ‘There aren’t a lot of openings for 16 year olds at present’, and we at Park wholeheartedly agree, and would encourage those who have just finished their GCSE’s to remain in education for an extra few years. Whether you decide to go to Highlands and gain further education, or to complete your A Levels, you will be much better equipped to find a job when you reach 18 with the extra qualifications under your belt. You may decide that University is not for you, and in that case seek a trainee role within a company to start earning some money! With good grades at A Level you are in the position to apply for one of these roles and will have more likelihood of securing it than if you had left school at 16. At the moment, jobs are difficult to find, so the more qualified you are the better. So, in short, our advice is to stay in school.