Discovering your passion.

We want students to leave the University of Birmingham School with the skills, virtues (or personal qualities) and experiences that will help you discover your passion, and give you the confidence and skill to pursue this.

We also wish to prepare you with the experiences that employers and higher education institutions seek. We believe that active participation in all that the School has to offer will allow each student to achieve this.

We have bespoke careers support from the University of Birmingham Careers and Employability Service, and you will be able to book regular careers meetings to seek advice. You will also benefit from lectures, seminars and enrichment opportunities with a considerable number of external partners, including with our corporate partners and the University of Birmingham.

Students are encouraged to visit a wide range of university and college Open Days. Speakers from the University give presentations, guest lectures and seminars to the Sixth Form to help with this.

Students hear talks from the admission team at the University of Birmingham, as well as take part in personal statement writing masterclasses. Students will also receive ongoing support from your Sixth Form tutors and other staff to help you create a compelling personal statement.

Sixth Form students are also supported if they decide that University is not the best option for them. We have speakers from apprenticeship providers who come into school to talk about their schemes and we also provide guidance on completing application forms and interviews. Students can find further information about apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships here.

During the course of their studies, students in the Sixth Form are expected to undertake a minimum of 5 days placement(s) with an employer. This work experience is designed to gain valued employability skills, but also to inform future career decisions.

We expect students to arrange work experience placements independently, to ensure that each placement is tailored to meet individual needs and interests, however our dedicated sixth form team are able to provide ongoing support and direction throughout the process.

We will share details of schemes offered via established links with employers and organisations, along with any new opportunities that we promote throughout the year. Students will also receive guidance on how to apply and make the most of their time on placement.