Support for students to take next steps after exams

UCM is the island's only further and higher education establishment

Students who are unsure about what to do next after getting their GCSE or A-level results have been encouraged to explore what their next steps could be.

Two drop-in sessions have been organised by University College Isle of Man (UCM) offering support to who have recently left school.

The sessions take place between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 16:00 BST at the Homefield Road campus.

Vice principal Jo Richardson said it could be "quite a confusing time of the year for many young people" and the sessions aimed to make moving forward less stressful.

"Sometimes they just need a little bit of advice and guidance to help them through the next step of their career, to decide what they want to do," she said.

The sessions are being held at the UCM Homefield Road campus in Douglas

As well as providing the opportunity to study at degree level on the island, UCM also offers technical qualifications that attract UCAS points that are a "little bit more orientated towards a particular trade or industry", she said.

Vocational qualifications that were "drilled towards a particular trade, like plumbing or catering" were also available, she said.

The vocational courses offered include catering

Ms Richardson said staff would be available to "talk through different career pathways for people and give them some guidance about what might be the next best step for them".

"We're not just here to try and force people to do a course either, we're also here to help guide them through the next stages of their life and help them get in the direction they want to go," she said.

And the advice on offer is not restricted to the latest cohort of school leavers, the event has also been opened up to others who might be considering a change in direction.

Ms Richardson said: "It might be somebody who's thinking this time of year might be a good time to think about a career change or think about doing something different with my life.

"And it's an opportunity just to pop in and chat to an expert and find out what they can do."