11 – 15 years
Get advice, help and support from GMACS to get you thinking about your careers and education choices.
Meet your education choices
You can choose from a wide range of options for education and training. You’ll need to make a choice when you finish your GCSEs, so learn about all the different options now.
If you’d like to go on to further education, you could choose to take A levels, T levels, or BTECs – or a combination of these.
Or you could kickstart your career with an apprenticeship.
Opportunities and support
There are lots of opportunities for you to experience working life in Greater Manchester. And there are lots of support programs designed to help you transition along your career journey. See some of the options tailored specifically for you below.
Call for Participants: Help Test FT FLIC’s New Digital Financial Education Resource
Call for Participants: Help Test FT FLIC’s New Digital Financial Education Resource The Financial Literacy & Inclusion Campaign (FT FLIC), the Financial Times charity, is dedicated to alleviating poverty among young people through financial education. FT FLIC...
Free Home Education Resources from Youth Employment UK
Explore these free online courses designed for home educated young people. They’ve been developed by Youth Employment UK specifically for young people who are home educated. These courses don’t assume you are studying in school, or studying for set subjects or...
TripleC Youth Theatre for Young People who are Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent (DDN)
• Do you love to perform?• Do you enjoy all things creative and using your imagination?• Are you looking for a high quality, fun space where they can make friends? TripleC Youth Theatre sessions are led by professional actors and directors who work in TV and theatre....
Build your career plan with Xello
Xello can help you build your career profile and explore jobs and courses that you might like. It’s available to every state high school and college in Greater Manchester for free. You’ll need to get a login through your school, but once you’ve got yours, you can start to build your own career profile.
Get connected with travel around Greater Manchester
If you’re under 16, you can use an igo card to keep your travel costs down. The igo card allows you to use child tickets on buses in Greater Manchester. You can also use it as proof of age for travelling by tram with a child ticket.
To qualify for an igo card, you must:
- Be aged between 5 and 16
- Be a permanent resident of Greater Manchester, or go to school here
Your igo card will last until the end of August after your 16th birthday. It costs £10 to apply.
Discover careers and jobs events
Greater Manchester is packed full of careers, jobs, and education events that you can attend to help you discover what options you might like to take. See some events designed for you below or see what’s in your area.
Greater Manchester’s Festival of Technical Education
Date: 30/06/2025
Time: 30th June - 11th July
Suitable for: Anyone interested in technical education
The Greater Manchester Festival of Technical Education starts in June 2025! Join us for two weeks of virtual and in-person events celebrating student achievements in technical education.
Ada, the National College for Digital Skills Summer Digital Skills & Careers Bootcamp
Date: 29/07/2025
Time: July 29-August 1st, 10am-3pm
Suitable for: Y10/Y11
Build and improve your digital skills and learn about careers in tech at Ada's one week boot camp.
Bury Careers Event 2025
Date: 24/09/2025
Time: 3:30pm - 7:00pm
Suitable for: Year 10-11 students & Parents/Carers
At Castle Leisure Centre, there will be an event that will have colleges, apprenticeship providers, universities, and employers. It is for Year 10 & 11 pupils in Bury plus their parents/carers.
Get more advice and support on our blog
Read blog posts and articles from people just like you, as well as posts with expert advice from people in industry and education.
How Could I Work With Artificial Intelligence? Careers in Technology
It’s no secret that artificial intelligence, or AI, is changing the world that we live in. That includes the job market. Many people are worried that artificial intelligence could affect their job security or job prospects. With the rapid changes in technology, we are...
Travelling Safely and Responsibly During the Easter Holidays
The Greater Manchester TravelSafe Partnership are encouraging young people across the region to travel safely and responsibly when out and about during the Easter Holidays. A new campaign, which includes CCTV footage of real-life crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB)...
Explore Jobs in the Creative, Culture and Sport Sector
If you're thinking your future could be in the creative, culture or sport sectors, read on! This article, written by Jamie Weetman, has information about all the pathways that might be an option for you, as well as information on the jobs and careers within these...
Hear from real people about their careers
We’ve spoken to some people about their careers – how they got started, what choices they made, and what they like and dislike. Reading about other people’s experiences can help you make better decisions – explore some examples below.
