The Aspire Guide - Flipbook - Page 3
Welcome
Welcome to the 2022/23 Aspire Guide! This guide is designed to help you better
understand the wide range of different options that are open to you when you leave
school or college.
Whether you choose university, further education, getting a job or taking a year out,
the choice you make now will shape the rest of your life - so it’s definitely worth taking
the time to explore ideas, including some you may not have yet considered.
With hundreds of universities, apprenticeships, vocational courses and career options
out there, it’s impossible for any friend, teacher or parent to provide you with expert
advice on all of them.
Aspire is designed to help you navigate these post-18 options - exploring different
careers, and showing how important your choice of university (if you go) and course
can be in determining your future career and salary prospects. Do your research,
aim high, believe in yourself, and with hard work, you’ll be amazed at what you can
achieve that you had once never thought possible.
John Craven
CEO of upReach
Founder of Aspire
Try not to be afraid of leaving familiarity for something new, or be put off by myths or
stereotypes shared by friends or in the media. For example, did you know that many
people earn more by doing an apprenticeship than going to university, or that there are now over twice as many
students from normal state schools at Cambridge University as from private schools?
After reading the Guide, why not sign up for one of our Aspire webinars, which will help you learn about a wide
range of topics - from Writing a Great Personal Statement, to Applying for Apprenticeships. We also run Career
Exploration sessions to give you the opportunity to ask questions to real professionals working in different sectors
- from Law to Banking!
If you’re planning to go to university, why not register now for free careers support from upReach worth over
£2,700? Participants on average earn £3,500 more annually than other students. Register online, and we’ll contact
you before you start university to provide information on how to get involved.
My top tip is to invest a few hours now to research your options - you’ll be glad you did!
upReach is an award-winning social mobility charity that supports university students
who went to state schools (and aren’t from higher income families), providing them
with free, expert career advice to help them achieve their ambitions. In 2022, upReach
was recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the “Promoting
Opportunities” category.
Learn more: www.upreach.org.uk
As a long standing partner of upReach, Bank of America are proud to sponsor the
Aspire Guide in support of our shared vision in helping talented young people achieve
their full potential. We recognise that many students don’t have access to people
who are able to provide insight, offer advice or provide opportunities in the world of
business or into the various careers that are available, that’s why we offer multiple
opportunities for students to learn about career options - to get to know the industry
and the roles available.
As the first in my family to go to university and with limited influence and information
to help me decide on my career path, I encourage you to use the Aspire Guide to help
you identify opportunities, make connections, build critical employability skills and
realise your career ambitions.
We hope the Aspire Guide provides you with inspiration for your future career
choices. Bank of America looks forward to our continued partnership with upReach
and in providing insight into the career paths available to school leavers and future
graduates. We wish you the best of luck on your career journey.
Katy Ingle
Talent and Learning
Executive EMEA,
Bank of America
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