TRUDY MORRIS: Exam results are not the final verdict on young people's potential
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Trudy Morris, chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, says that there is #NoWrongPath for pupils digesting their exam results
It’s late summer and that means only one thing for hundreds of teenagers across the north Highlands – exam results are in!
To coincide with the day when the Scottish Qualification Authority notifies students of their grades, Developing the Young Workforce has, for several years, run a national campaign called #NoWrongPath.
The #NoWrongPath social media campaign aims to inspire and reassure young people who may be disappointed with their results by highlighting the cases of people in interesting and important jobs across a range of sectors who have not taken conventional paths to reach their goal.
The campaign’s key message is that exams are not the be all and end all and that your options need not diminish because you didn’t get the desired grades. #NoWrongPath shows young people that, whatever their grades, they are not necessarily the key to unlocking future success and that there are myriad options available to them.
As hosts of DYW North Highland, Caithness Chamber of Commerce is passionate about helping young people achieve their potential. Indeed, we have recently taken on an ambitious young business admin apprentice ourselves.
Looking back, many of us in the team did not know what we wanted to do when we left school or university. Even if we thought we knew, many of us are now doing different jobs or have had varied careers.
You could argue that those who went straight into their dream job have missed out on the colourful tapestry of experience, skills, and dos and don’ts that a varied career gives you.
It's common for young people to feel stressed and pressure at this time of year. Many have suffered greatly with their mental health, confidence and studies due to Covid, so it is extremely important that they feel supported and inspired that there are many routes into a career beyond exam grades.
What is invaluable is what you learn and the skills you gather along on the way.
Skills are something we learn through experience and that we can apply to things we do. We might pick these up at school, work, during activities or simply by spending time with our family and friends.
My top tips for young people looking to take positive steps toward their dream career are:
- Learn from the older generation and find out how they got to where they are. What did they learn and what route did they take?
- Build up your CV with work experience even if it isn’t your dream role. Every job gives you skills and life experience.
- Learn new skills through doing different activities. If you play football you have to work as a team; or volunteer in the community or with businesses to find out whether you want to get into that type of job or identify additional skills.
- Finally, find a mentor to help you gain confidence and identify your potential.
If you are an employer thinking of giving a young person an opportunity, DYWNH is an industry-led conduit between employers and young people which can help you develop and fill skills gaps locally.
Additionally, Caithness Business Fund (also administered by the chamber) currently has funding available to assist with training costs for qualifying employers.
