After 12 years of formal education a young adult is ready to make career choices, and that selection will have a great bearing on the type of degree one is going to pursue. Ideally, a student should have career counselling at around year 9, as the final 3 years at school will be spent studying a selection of chosen subjects that are in line with the career choices. Before choosing a field of further study, one needs to be practical about the future of that industry, and it is also important to have a general interest in that field, as you will be spending a few decades working in that industry.

Career Counselling

A vast majority of today’s teenagers have no idea what they want to do with their lives, and, as the saying goes, if we could put an old head on young shoulders, things would be perfect. Modern secondary schools include career counselling in their curriculum, and that normally starts at year 9. The teacher would help the students find their true interests, and with careful planning, the young person creates a career plan, which should establish his or her chosen areas for further study.

Arts and Humanities

Arts and humanities undergraduate courses are just as popular as the science diplomas today, and the range of subjects that would cover includes:

• History
• Journalism
• English Language
• English Literature
• Law
• Philosophy

The great thing about an Arts and Humanities Degree is that it allows the holder a wider range of careers to focus on. If, for example, a person took English Language and Journalism, they could embark on a career in media or marketing, and a person that majored in philosophy might go on to become a business consultant or specialised Inspector.

Computing & IT Degrees

This is perhaps the most popular undergraduate program in the UK today, and with digital technology breaking all the barriers, there has never been a better time to get an IT degree. The theory is that IT is the future and anyone who enters that field will always be in demand. Of course, one would have to keep abreast with current technology, and with on the job training, it is possible to rise up through the ranks quite quickly.

Business & Management

Another very popular undergraduate course, business and management strategies are crucial for all industries, and with various levels, a learner would first study the basic course, before moving on to business management and perhaps marketing and accounting as a focus. Often, a student is torn between humanities undergraduate courses and Business Management, but with some further thought about possible career paths, it is easy to narrow it down. The hospitality industry is very popular as the demands will always be there, and for anyone who wants to eventually open their own restaurant, this would be the degree course to take.

For the young high school student, the choices are many, and with help from a career counsellor, the learner can select an appropriate undergraduate course and carve out a successful career.