This episode is a series of 4 on the timeline through different routes. 1. Academic (continuation through school), 2. Music, 3. Arts and 4. Sports. The academic route is about getting educated in general which covers going to school and home education. I described a timeline with my generic experience and people I met.
Click the arrow to expand the timeline.
A child grows up and will eventually face their own challenges and decision points. There are so many routes to write about. This post focuses on the academic aspect. I want to highlight a few key points that are potentially applicable to most children. Firstly, a GCSE level exams at around age 15/16 and secondly an A-level type exams at around age 17/18. University could be a destination for some, although the rising fees and costs/debts may put people off that route. Apprenticeships at age 16 are viable and company sponsored degrees are also attractive options. University also opens up an academic career.
Ages to 8
At this early stage, I think just enjoy reading, sports, music, and art would build one’s curiosity.
Ages 9 to 13
This age is an exploration age to find interests and begins to focus on a particular subject and start building a portfolio. Recommendation is to distribute educational resources wisely (assuming everyone has finite resources, time, expense, and expertise). The King’s Scholarship (for most subjects) / UKMT (Maths) are clear benchmarks to aim to be competitive at 13 or younger. The key point at this stage is to have a passion and a process to develop skills, and understanding in a subject, which are highly transferable and demonstrable through the portfolio. I
Ages 14 to 16
GCSE and potential apprenticeships. GCSE offers subject choices dependent on interests. Some apprenticeships have requirements on the subjects. There are plenty of job ads at linkedin, etc. For example, at the F1 team based in Brackley, where I started my career, they are looking for at least 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) with results of 5 and above. Three of the GCSEs must be Maths, Science and English. Time commitment is also important. Over 100 people applied so we are talking about less than 1% chance (assume we are all equal, which we are not). Some people will live close to the site, lower costs, some would have family connections so may have more insightful understanding about the team? So how to make your application stand stronger? (We will look at it at a deeper level.) I worked with / for many talented ex-apprentices so I think this is a great option.
Ages 16 to 18
This age group is looking at A-Levels exams, then to leave schools to the wider world or colleges or universities. The subjects are further narrowed down into 3 or 4 choices. There are companies that offer sponsorship with partner universities. A lot of research will be required and application time will matter to catch the start of an academic year. The sponsorship will involve working at the company’s office and likely getting a wage. Financial support will make these opportunities very popular and competitive. The company may have business needs which dictate the study topics and the course choices. The part-time will take longer, which could be a blessing to be paid for longer. (Like all contracts, please read the small prints.)
Ages 22-23 Placement year – assume university
This stage may only be applicable to university students. This represents one of the early opportunities to kick-start a career after graduation. The research on the job spec will help to prepare for the application. I spent a year working on my Matlab skills to land my role at the F1 team. In my opinion, the best opportunity is to start building connections, then to learn about the job before graduation. MATLAB University Ambassadors? Did they have that before? build connections. .
Ages 24 and beyond
Professional accreditation is really important as they represent the industry standard. Therefore, it is worth researching what IMechE, CIPS, etc are looking for in terms of knowledge, skills and experiences.
University degrees can also lead to a continuation of an academic career. A post-graduate degree and then a doctorate degree, then a post-doctorate degree would unlock an academic career. Academic funding will likely vary by subject and are highly competitive. Peered reviewed papers become the portfolio.
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