London: The GCSE season is under way. In the past, this has been the first step on the well-trodden middle-class road to success: A-levels, university and a graduate career.
But smart people are now looking at other career routes, including vocational courses. "These deliver the trained, talented employees that businesses are crying out for," says Peter Mitchell of independent educational foundation Edge.
Its research shows that seven out of ten small firms, which make up most of the employers in the UK, believe too few job-seekers have vocational or practical skills.
Even before taking your GCSEs, think about the career you want and how to get the skills and qualifications you need. It may pay to mix academic and vocational qualifications, so ditch the idea that vocational courses taken at college are only for the less able.
Training
"Once you know the career you are aiming for, you can choose the right route. You can waste two years getting A-levels rather than vocational qualifications that can put you streets ahead of candidates with only academic qualifications," says Sarah Clover of notgoingtouni.co.uk, which gives information about alternatives to university.
Schools are obliged to offer careers advice, but another useful source of information is Connexions Direct, a free service from the Department of Education.
The Inspiring Futures Foundation is a private alternative which offers careers advice to 15-23 year-olds, as well as online and telephone follow-up services, for £280 (inspiringfutures.org.uk).
Advice
Research which courses provide the qualifications you want. Don't be put off by acronyms, such as BTECs, NVQs, HNCs, HNDs or OCR Nationals.
Just look at what level they are. A level-two qualification equates to a grade C (or above) at GCSE, a level-three equates to an A-level and level-four and level-five to a degree.
A HNC for instance, can allow entry to the second year of a degree, while a HND can get you into the third year.
For a guide to these levels, see direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAnd Learning/QualificationsExplained.
Find out which colleges have good relationships with employers and whether or not a course includes work experience — many job offers come as a result of this.
There are also private providers offering training in specific sectors. The Fashion Retail Academy in London, for instance, whose backers include M&S, Jaeger and Harrods.