Aiming Higher

Aberdeen City and Shire - Aiming Higher

Aberdeen City and Shire

Preparing tomorrow’s workers, today

Preparing the future workforceis a very important job. Youngpeople need all the assistancethey can get to help themdevelop the skills needed tomove successfully fromeducation and learning to theworld of work.

This newsletter aims to helpthose entering the world of work by giving themthe information needed to make decision makingeasier.

Young people and those assisting them to moveon in their lives; be it teachers, career coaches,youth workers or parents/carers, need to be awareof the opportunities available now and in thefuture.

We have attempted to give a brief overview ofcurrent labour market information in AberdeenCity and Shire. We have included lots of tips for jobseeking and training that we hope will be a goodstarting point.

The North East is a vibrant and dynamic area with awealth of exciting possibilities open to schoolleavers. Currently Aberdeen City is cited as thenumber one place to get a job in the UK. There are1.2 jobs for every person in the area, and incomparison with the rest of the UK, wages inAberdeen are second only to London.

I hope this newsletter inspires you for whateverstage of the “work” journey you are on.

Anthony Standing,Head of Region (North)Skills Development Scotland

Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire’s key sectors :Energy: Manufacturing and extractive industries, oil and gas supply andengineering related scientific and technical consulting activities.Food and Drink: Agricultural and fishing activities, and themanufacturing of food and drink products.Life Sciences: Biotechnological development work, pharmaceuticalsand medical/dental technology.Sustainable Tourism: Accommodation and food services, sports,museum and heritage activities.Creative Industries: I ncluding digital such assoftware/electronic publishing, audio visual media and the arts.

Aberdeen tops the UK chartsfor job opportunities

Summer 2013

Rank City Job Seekers pervacancy

1 Aberdeen 0.42 Guilford 0.693 Cambridge 0.724 Reading 1.045 Oxford 1.1

6 MiltonKeynes 2.23

7 London 2.388 Slough 2.769 Bristol 2.93

10 Maidstone 3.16

i Source: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2270069/Best-worst-cities-job-Aberdeen-Guildford-bestjobseekers-Hull-worst.html

Best UK cities to find a job

Welcome

Jamie O’Reilly talks through his remarkable journey from troubled school days,to achieving outstanding academic success. Jamie shows us that with guidance,determination and hard work, success is just around the corner.

Aberdeen City and Shire - Aiming Higher

North East Scotland is at thecentre of Scotland’s job market

c In the UK, wages in AberdeenCity are second only to London

c Subsea UK have announced theyneed 10,000 new staff this year

c The North Sea oil and gasindustry predict production for atleast another 40-50 years

c Working in the Energy Sectorallows you to work globally

c Job Density statistics show thatthere are 1.2 jobs per person inAberdeen!

c In 2011 there were 2390 newbusinesses ‘born’ in AberdeenCity and Aberdeenshire

"A few of my friends and I registered onto the‘Get Ready for Work’ scheme at Banff and BuchanCollege in 2006. Our reasons for joining theprogramme were mixed. I had lost my first joband sought to improve my options for the future,whereas some were attending college instead ofstaying on at school. Nevertheless we were alllearning practical and social skills necessary toprepare us for the workplace.

During my time on GRFW I focused on studyingelectronics. As apprenticeships in this field wererare, I decided to pursue an NC in Electronics at thecollege when the course had ended, thereafterachieving an HNC and HND. There were a few achesand pains along the way, but with the help andsupport of the staff I eventually graduated fromfrom Banff and Buchan college in 2009 wita withan HND in Electronics.

In recognition of my efforts I was presented withan engraved watch that I now wear with pride. I’mdeeply grateful for the chances I’ve been given, and

would encourage any young person who is unsureof their future to participate in the ‘Get Ready forWork’ initiative.

Since leaving college I’ve completed a Master’sdegree (MEng) in Electronic & ElectricalEngineering at Robert Gordon University,Aberdeen, and am now studying a Doctorate ofEngineering (EngD) in Medical Devices atUniversity of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Although I’ve found success along the academicroute there are many opportunities that come fromgaining vocational qualifications. Many of thosewho began the GRFW program with me back in2006 are now working as time-served tradesmenand engineers.”

Jamie reminds us that by living in the North East ofScotland we are in a fortunate position,

“We’re privileged to live in a country that offers freehigher education – make the most of it!"

Jamie’s determination wins through

1. It helps you into workbecause it gives you theexperience employers want.

2. You’ll get work experiencewith an employer, anddevelop your skills with atraining provider.

3. You'll receive a trainingallowance or EducationalMaintenance Allowance.

4. It’s recognised by otheremployers, just like areference .

5. It could help you move intoa permanent job .

Key facts

Certificate of WorkReadiness

My World of Work

If the answer is no, and you are still looking for something, then My World of Work could bethe answer. During your time at school, you would have been introduced to My World of Workand the different tools and information it contains. Hopefully you completed ‘My Strengths’and ‘My DNA’ and have a good idea of what you are suited to.

However, if you have not already registered on ‘My World of Work’ and created an accountthen now is the time to do so.

How can My World of Work help you?· If you are looking for work use Job Search. This links to the Jobcentreplus website. If

you have created an account My World of Work will match any jobs to your postcode

· If you need help with a CV or a covering letter you can use my CV to create and store upto 5 CVs. This is useful if you are applying for slightly different types of jobs. There is a lotof help and advice about CVs and covering letters under the ‘Get a Job’ heading

· If you need help to prepare for an interview use ‘My Interview’ - this is an interactivevideo quiz that will allow you to plan ahead and prepare for the type of interviewquestions you are likely to be asked. Also look at the Job Profiles and videos to find out asmuch as you can about any job you are applying for.

· If you want to know about courses and also how to get qualifications while you are inwork then use Course Search

My World of Work is full of good information and it is always being updated to coverrecruitment events, clearing, holiday work, funding, etc so please keep checking it on a regularbasis.

myworldofwork.co.uk

c Are you leaving school this summer?c Are you fixed up with either a job or a college/ university place?

5 things to consider

Top 5 Tips for school leaversPotential school leavers need to get organised for what lies ahead...

1 Explore your Options

Make an appointment to see a SDS Careers Adviser in school or visit the SkillsDevelopment Scotland Centre in Aberdeen. If you leave school keep in contact with youradviser to update your progress and receive continuing support.

Skills Development Scotland Centre381 Union Street, Aberdeen 01224 285200

Activity Agreements

Any volunteers?Think volunteering is toogeeky?Are you too busy to fit it in?Perhaps organisations aren’tlooking for you? THINK AGAIN!

There are over 600 opportunities inAberdeen in almost every field - fromsport, children, the elderly, communitysupport, arts and crafts and so muchmore. When you volunteer, as well asproviding valuable time to anorganisation, you’ll benefit in anumber of ways including…● Building self confidence● Making new friends● Feeling part of your community● Helping you enter college or

university● Learning new skills● Adding something special to your

CVwww.volunteeraberdeen.org.uk

SALTIRE AWARDSAre you aged 12- 25? The great news isthat you can now get recognition forany volunteering you are involved in.Through registering and logging yourvolunteering hours with the SaltireAward you will receive a certificateendorsed by the Scottish Governmentfor volunteering and as an addedbonus you can claim Reward Points onyour Young Scot Card.

The awards are proving very popularand are a fantastic way to gainrecognition for your volunteering, agreat addition to your CV, learningand personal development. Awardsare available for a range of projectsfrom one off events to ones taking 500hours!Find out more at:www.saltireawards.org.uk

16 to 19 year olds – City & Shire

An Activity Agreement is a contract between a young person and an advisor for the youngperson to participate in a programme of learning and activity. This programme is to help youngpeople get ready for college, work or training. If you apply for an activity agreement you mayreceive a payment while you are on the programme.

Activity Agreements are for young people who are leaving school and are not yet ready for a job,to take part in training or take up a college place. If this is you and you want to find out more,your Guidance Teacher will be able to give you information about the type of activities you canexpect on this programme.

An Activity Agreement doesn’t start until afteryou have left school. You can be put forward forthis programme by a variety of different peopleincluding your Guidance Teacher, CareersAdviser, Youth Worker, Social Worker or an SDSKey Worker. You can even apply for an ActivityAgreement yourself by getting in touch with the‘Opportunities for All’ contact in your area,whether you are in the City or in Aberdeenshire.CONTACT: activityagreements@aberdeencity.gov.uk

opportunitiesforall@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Skills Development Scotland

Get networking

My World of Work myworldofwork.co.uk to help you identify your strengths, what isinvolved with particular jobs and can even suggest jobs that may be of interest to you.There are great tips on CVs, job searching and interviews. Once you have secured a place,there are even tips on how to cope with your first job.

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be a good source of informationto find out about local opportunities. You can also use sites like Linked In to build yourcontacts. This will help you find opportunities and gain more knowledge. It’s importantthat you let family and friends know you are in the market for a job and what kind ofwork you are looking for. There is a huge “hidden job market” - jobs that are neveradvertised because they are filled by recommendation from an existing employee.

Get Experience2Getting experience in your chosen career path is a great way to find out if it’s for you.Check with local organisations to see if they offer voluntary or work experienceopportunities. This will help you show an employer your commitment and potential,and help you develop important work skills.

Update your CV3

When looking for work it is essential you have a CV which tells potential employersabout your skills and abilities; the reason you would make a good employee.If you are not looking for work, have a CV on the go as a way of recording your skills.

4

5

Think carefully about what you want to do in the future. Look at your strengths andthink about the types of jobs that interest you. The earlier you start thinking the better!

PHOTO: NORMAN ADAMS, ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL

Aberdeen City and Shire - Aiming Higher

Choosing a career is not always easyMany graduates find their ideal career is not directly related to their degree.AMEC’s Ruth Jachnikjgrev explains her route from University to a career inHuman Resources with a Global Oil and Gas service company.

Europe and West Africa and involved supporting people who were mobilising overseas, as well as people mobilising into the UK and all thelegal requirements associated with that.

It was at this point that I realised that I enjoyed Human Resources as a career path as it offered a lot of variety and actually had a good linkinto my studies in law (with live people of course!). I went on to pursue further educational studies in Human Resource Management at theRobert Gordon University.

Studying and working was a very busy time, however I managed to achieve what I had set out to and was awarded a Post Graduate Diplomain 2010. Thereafter, I was promoted to HR Advisor and have since worked my way through some interesting projects within AMEC where Ihave become part of the projects management teams and working alongside people with numerous years of knowledge and experience.

I am now responsible for a team of eight people and I am enjoying working on a very busy oil and gas project where we are ‘up-manning’ inexcess of 800 people offshore in the North Sea. I am constantly being challenged and using all the different skills that I have developed overthe years.

For anyone considering which direction they should take next, my advice would be just to make sure that whatever you pursue, it issomething you enjoy doing, have a genuine interest in, and which uses the best of your abilities. You might not know what career you want,but by following your interests as I did, you’ll end up developing your skills, your career, within a job which interests you.

Ruth Jachnik - Human Resource Advisor - AMEC

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do as I grew up. I studied for my degree in Forensic Science withLawat the Robert Gordon University because it sounded really interesting , but without any real ideaof what I wanted to do after University. The last year of University was busy with discussions oncareer aspirations and what was going to happen next, but in reality the Forensic Science area is verytight for jobs and can be difficult to get into. When I left University in 2006, having graduated with a2:1 in my Bachelors of Science, I still didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do as a career!

Luckily I joined AMEC in summer of 2006 in a temporary role as International HR Administrator afterhaving decided that I needed a role with some people interaction. AMEC sounded interesting andthe interview went positively and left me feeling enthusiastic about joining.

I got to grips with my administrative tasks over the next two years, having had involvement withdifferent systems and database management, reaching HR Coordination level in 2008. At that point Ibecame key contact for my region, which at the time covered AMEC’s oil and gas operations in

Aberdeen City & Shire Working Together

If you are not sure what job you want in the future, but you have a passion oridea…perhaps one day you could BE YOUR OWN BOSS.Sound crazy? Sound exciting? Sound fun? Sound scary?Starting your own business can be far easier if you have the right support, guidanceand advice to get an idea off the ground and make it a reality!You could even create your own dream job.If you have an idea that you would like some advice on, or would like to find out whatopportunities are available to you - like funding your business, or writing a businessplan - then why not give Enterprise North East Trust, Business Gateway and Prince'sTrust Youth Business Scotland a shout, because we can totally help you out. That'swhat we do - take young people with fantastic potential and help them becomesuccessful business people. We hope we can help you too…

Phone us on 01224 289725 or follow the links:www.enetrust.comwww.princes-trust.org.ukwww.bgateway.com

Interested in setting up in business? Have youthought about?Modern ApprenticeshipsThrough this programme youwill be employed by a businessand you will be trained. Insome cases SDS can evencontribute to your trainingcosts.

How else could you learn onthe job, receive invaluablepractical experience and worktowards an industryrecognised vocationalqualification, whilst gettingpaid?