Dear Dr Career…

Are you unsure what to do after your GCSEs, Standard Grades, A levels or Highers? Confused about which subjects to take? Determined to get into a science career but not sure how? Keen on medicine but don’t have the grades to be a doctor? We asked some experts in careers and training to answer some crucial questions.

Is there something you want to ask that isn't covered below? Email us and let us know.

Why should I think about going to university or college?

According to the Directgov website, there are more than two million students in higher education in the UK. Being one of them means you will be able to study something you are interested in over several years in depth.

There are lots of other benefits of going to university or college - for example, you are likely to meet lots of new people and be exposed to different cultural and social experiences. Studies show that graduates earn more on average over their lives than people with A levels but no higher qualifications. There is lots more information on higher education and university on the Directgov website.

It's always hard to predict what the world of work will look like in the future, so having skills that are required across a range of employment sectors is the best way of making yourself employable for the longer term. Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) graduates develop key analytical, numerical and problem-solving skills, together with an awareness of science and technology. This gives them a firm foundation and helps them to remain employable in an uncertain future.

I don’t know what I want to do at university - which A levels should I take?

According to the guide ‘Informed Choices’, some university courses require you to have A levels or equivalent in a specific subject or subjects, but other courses do not. The 'facilitating subjects' listed below are those subjects that are required more often than others for getting onto university courses.

So, if you have no fixed ideas about what you might want to study or go on to do as a job, these 'facilitating' A levels are good choices for keeping your options open:

mathematics and further mathematics
English
physics
biology
chemistry
geography
history
languages (classical and modern).

In fact, facilitating A levels such as the subjects listed above are sometimes described as 'hard' A levels (economics and politics can be also be considered in this way). A levels with a vocational or practical bias (e.g. media studies, art and design, photography, and business studies) are sometimes described as 'soft' subjects.

Some facilitating A levels are required for entry to particular degrees, especially at competitive universities (e.g. those in the Russell Group, a group of 20 universities across the UK).

Generally speaking, taking one 'soft' subject as part of a wider portfolio of subjects will still keep open the option of gaining a place at a Russell Group-type university, assuming you also achieve the necessary grades across all of your chosen subjects. For information about the A levels you need for particular degree courses, refer to the UCAS website or ‘Informed Choices’.

How can I get into a science career without a degree?

Taking an A level (or equivalent) in biology or an extended Diploma in applied science will give you a wide range of skills. Employers will like the fact that you are numerate, a clear logical thinker and a good researcher.

Most biology-related jobs suitable for entry after GCSEs or A levels (or equivalent) are as a technician or assistant to a healthcare or science professional - for example, pharmacy technician, healthcare assistant and laboratory technician. These positions can, in practice, be taken by those with higher-level qualifications, if there is a high demand for the position.

They are likely to require further training while working to gain level 2-3 work-based qualifications, possibly via an apprenticeship at advanced or higher level. Find out what these levels mean and how they apply in the UK and Ireland.

If you are mainly based in a laboratory or working at technician level, there are various part-time, distance-learning and work-based qualifications that might help you progress in your career. These include:

Work-based diplomas and NVQs level 2-4 in laboratory and associated technical activities. NVQs can be specific for each career area.
A work-based diploma level 2 in clinical laboratory support.
The Institute of Science and Technology Certificate in Laboratory Skills at level 1-3, or the Higher Diploma in analytical chemical, biochemical or microbiological laboratory techniques.
A BTEC national, BTEC HNC, foundation degree or degree in applied science or applied biology.

For example, a pharmacy assistant might start with NVQ level 2 in pharmacy service and progress to pharmacy technician NVQ level 3 pharmacy services or BTEC national certificate (five GCSEs are usually required for this).

How can I progress beyond technician/assistant level?

If you want to progress in your scientific career, you will need to go on to higher education at some point and take a foundation degree, HND or degree, depending on the career area. These can be studied on a part-time basis in some professions, but not all. They usually require that you have a level 3 qualification and/or the equivalent of A levels before applying.

Gaining entry into a scientific job via an apprenticeship would be a good way to ensure further training and possible career development in your role. Apprenticeships give you the chance to learn the skills required for a particular job while getting paid and gaining qualifications.

They are available across all kinds of sectors and flexible, so you can apply to start when you're 16 or 18. That said, apprenticeships are not just for people at the start of their career - they are for anyone looking to begin working in a new job.

Many apprenticeships relate to biology. In England, for example, science-related Intermediate and Advanced Level Apprenticeships, leading to qualifications at levels 2 and 3 respectively, are available in:

health, public services and care
agriculture, horticulture and animal care
engineering and manufacturing technologies (food and drink industries offer intermediate, higher and advanced apprenticeships).

Lots of information on apprenticeships in England is available, including apprenticeships by sector. There's also information on opportunities in Wales and Northern Ireland and on apprenticeships and other training in Scotland .

What can I do in the NHS besides being a doctor?

There are many roles in healthcare besides being a doctor. For example, you can work as a support worker alongside healthcare professionals - as an assistant to a physiotherapist, radiographer, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, pharmacist or pathologist. This diagram shows how NHS jobs fit together, and this A-to-Z shows the different jobs available.

You can get jobs via an advanced apprenticeship lasting 18 months. Apprenticeships are offered in the NHS at intermediate level (level 2 - GCSE) in six career areas and advanced level (level 3 - A level) in 11 areas. You can see the range for England here .

For more ideas, see the NHS careers website and Skills For Health .

How do I get work experience?

The Futuremorph website has loads of great tips on getting work experience.

If you're trying to find somewhere to do work experience, one thing you can do is to find the name of someone at the place you're interested in working and write to or email them to see if you can come in. Talk to your teachers, friends and relatives to see whether they have any connections in the industry you're interested in. As you are looking for a chance to experience the world of work, try to be professional when you make contact with people, and think about the language you use and how the way you communicate will come across.

It's worth remembering that although you might not be able to get work experience in the exact field you want, experience working in a similar area is still useful. Any work experience you undertake will help you develop lots of skills important for employment, such as working in a team and time-keeping. It will also help build you awareness of the world of work.

What’s a good science-related area in which to try to get a job?

A report published in 2010 (the UK Commission for Employment and Skills' National Strategic Skills Audit) identified areas of growth in the economy, including the following STEM-related sectors: advanced manufacturing, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, low carbon economy, professional and financial services, digital economy, and engineering and construction. Health and social work and business services are also mentioned as areas of growth.

The UK will also need to develop a new generation of wealth creation sectors in areas such as fashion, creative industries and energy generation, all of which are likely to increase demand for graduates with STEM skills and awareness. Other areas with growing demand include health, agriculture and aquaculture, and environmental sciences.

It's always hard to predict what the world of work will look like in the future, so having skills that are required across a range of employment sectors is the best way to make yourself employable for the longer term. STEM graduates develop key analytical, numerical and problem-solving skills, together with an awareness of science and technology. This gives them a firm foundation and helps them to remain employable in an uncertain future.

Where can I get more information?

The Russell Group's ‘Informed Choices’ [PDF] is a guide to making decisions about post-16 education
Prospects provides information on career options with an A-to-Z list of degree subjects
Find out about careers, work experience and more, for 11- to 19-year-olds, parents and students at Futuremorph
Not Going to Uni
Career guidance from Inspiring Futures
Inspiring young people in science, technology, engineering and maths at STEMNet
National Careers Service guide to careers in biology

Many thanks to all those who provided information and guidance, including Kat Sandford from STEMNet, Ella Bujok and the team at Inspiring Futures, and Jane Pooler at Imperial College London.

This article is part of the online content for ‘Big Picture: Careers From Biology’.