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.
Helping you into a career in Tech with NWTT – North West Tech Talent Consortium
What is the NWTT? Helping you into a career in Tech with the NWTT Consortium. A group of leading employers in the North West are collaborating to combine forces and pool their resources to grow and diversify the pool of tech talent in the region. We are here to help...
EtonX Online Self-study Courses
EtonX offers a diverse range of quality online courses, enabling young people aged 13+ to aspire and excel. Designed for self-study, these web-based courses empower students with essential leadership, communication, and academic skills for success at school and...
National Saturday Clubs Across Greater Manchester
Young people across the country are spending Saturday mornings at their local university, college or museum discovering subjects they love. Saturday Clubs are open to 13–16-year-olds of all abilities and are free to attend. Joining a National Saturday Club is a unique...
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.
NHS Live Online First Step Career Challenge
Date: 14/01/2025
Time: Starts 4:30pm
Suitable for: Years 7-9
Join this live online career challenge to find out how the NHS uses data to improve patient outcomes and gain virtual work experience. In this event, experience being an NHS Fact Finder.
#HackaFuture with AtkinsRealis
Date: 08/02/2025
Time: Over 2 days
Suitable for: Anyone looking for their first career in Tech
Calling all forward-thinking tech enthusiasts, hackers, makers, coders, engineers and problem solvers. This is your platform to develop solutions that seamlessly integrate advanced digital technologies such as reality capture, robotics, advanced analytics, and immersive reality.
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.
Have your say on the future of school travel in Greater Manchester
This is your chance to be heard about the future of school travel in Greater Manchester, through the School Travel Strategy Consultation.What is the School Travel Strategy Consultation and why is it important? The School Travel Strategy Consultation is a survey open...
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...
Support Active Travel with TfGM’s Youth Travel Ambassadors
In this article, hear from Claire, Ambar, Daniel, Libby and Megan, who are Transport for Greater Manchester’s Youth Travel Ambassadors on what the programme is, the changes they can make and the skills they have developed.What is the Youth Travel Ambassador (YTA)...
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.
