How to impress employers when you complete your BTEC

If you’re taking your GCSEs soon, no doubt you will be starting to have lots of questions about your next steps and how they can land you a successful career – and soon!

Common questions about career choices when you study a BTEC:

• How do I know which BTEC will lead to a career I would be good at?
• What experience will I need on my BTEC, so that employers are impressed with my job application?
• Which BTEC course gives me the best employment options?
• Should I do an apprenticeship or a full time BTEC?

These are queries that our careers team hear quite often – so they are very happy to help you decide on your best option. Use our contact us form to request a careers appointment to help you with your BTEC course choice.

Once you become a student at CTK Emmanuel, building your employability is one of our biggest priorities (along with giving you a great learning experience, of course!)

Read on to find out how we help you shine when it comes to impressing employers after you graduate from your BTEC or university course.

Take every opportunity to build your work experience

BTEC Business student Maya completed several work placements while she was a student at CTK, including placements at Urban Synergy, Boku, British Heart Foundation, and prestigious global companies EY (formerly Ernst & Young) and M&G plc.

She explains:

“I have seized every opportunity at CTK. As a result, I have worked with some inspirational people, developed good contacts in major organisations, and most importantly, had some amazing work placements.

I spent 5 weeks working for EY in their Canary Wharf and London Bridge offices. I shadowed the HR team and assisted in recruitment interviews – this has helped me decide on a career in HR and choose my university course. I also achieved a team leadership qualification and a Prince II qualification with EY, which is great to have on my CV. Bosses at EY gave me great feedback. They liked that I was always pushing myself.

I completed a mentorship with Urban Synergy. I was paired with a HR Director, who helped me learn more about HR on a day-to-day basis including carrying out mock interviews and presentations. I also spent a week working at M&G Plc, a global savings and investment company which operates across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa.

After that I completed an internship with tech company Boku in their European head office here in London.

The work placements and mentoring have shown me that I can step out of my comfort zone – I have sat in on talks with a range of people in global companies about asset management, HR, diversity and inclusion. I have learnt a lot about company culture and the kind of environments I like to work in. The insight and contacts have made me confident communicating in the workplace. I know what to say, how it comes across, how to present myself and how to be helpful and show my value to an organisation.”