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The teenagers on a different path after A-levels

Robby Westin Great Yarmouth
Martin Giles/BBC Jessica Flaxman stands in a hair salon with the background blurred out. She has long blonde hair and wears black-rimmed glasses. She is dressed in a brown dress with white polka dots.Martin Giles/BBC
Jessica Flaxman has started her own hairdressing business after leaving college

As students across the UK prepare to receive their A-level results on Thursday, many are weighing up their next steps.

The choice is particularly pertinent in Great Yarmouth, which has some of the lowest rates of progression to higher education in the country.

More than 70% of 19-year-olds in the Norfolk town do not go on to higher education, according to BBC analysis of data from the Office for Students.

So how are young people coping with life after college and what is the best option after completing A-level studies?

A budding entrepreneur, a new apprentice, a teenager struggling to find full-time employment and an aspiring university fresher give their perspectives.

'It was nerve-racking at the start'

Martin Giles/BBC Jessica Flaxman stands in a hair salon, wearing a brown polka-dot dress and black-rimmed glasses, with her long blonde hair visible. She is using curling tongs on a client seated in front of her. The client, who also has blonde hair, has several styling clips sectioning her hair.Martin Giles/BBC
Jessica hopes to one day be on the stage at the Salon International show in London

Jessica Flaxman describes herself as Great Yarmouth "born and bred".

She admits that when she chose to study hairdressing at college, she "didn't have a clue" what she wanted to do for a career.

After achieving a distinction in her course and discovering a passion for cutting hair, she found most salons in her hometown did not employ staff directly and she became self-employed.

The 18-year-old is based at the Colours and Reveal salon in Bradwell and has spent the past month building her client list.

"It was nerve-racking at the start," she says, but adds support from other self-employed hairdressers at the salon "builds your confidence as you go along".

Starting a business is difficult at first, she says, and advises others in the same position to have patience.

"The benefits, I'd probably say, is I'm making my own money and I'm making a name for myself," she says.

'Keep going back'

Martin Giles/BBC Callum Payne stands in an engineering workshop wearing a blue hard hat and luminous orange overalls. He has protective glasses over his eyes. A small goatee beard is visible on his face.Martin Giles/BBC
"I've loved every bit of it so far... I'm just excited to see what the future holds," says apprentice Callum Payne

For some, an apprenticeship offers the chance to earn while they learn.

Callum Payne, 19, took two attempts to secure a placement with Great Yarmouth engineering firm Armultra.

After getting a welding qualification at college, he was drawn to the role so he could earn a wage alongside his training.

Asked if he felt he was missing out on university, he said the thought of taking on so much debt was "stupid".

After being turned down on his first attempt, his advice to others is to "keep going back", apply again and get "more qualifications towards the role you want".

The company, which makes parts for the nuclear, gas and wind sectors, currently employs 12 apprentices.

Senior project manager Karl Pull says that with these industries growing and an ageing workforce, they "need to act to make sure that knowledge is passed on".

'Family-run businesses don't want an outsider'

Martin Giles/BBC Reece Pasby sits in front of an out-of-focus drum kit and guitar. He wears a flat cap and an open-collar Cuban shirt. The shirt features a bright blue and pastel pink design.Martin Giles/BBC
Reece Pasby says job-hunting has left him feeling "pretty low", though he has found some short-term work

Reece Pasby, 19, is currently looking for work.

"It's pretty hard finding a job in a seaside town," he says.

His dream is to make it in the music industry, but securing work while his band is recording an album has been tough.

He says most firms are family-run businesses that "don't want an outsider in it".

"All the jobs are in Norwich and it'd be a lot of money to get the bus every day for a job," he says.

Like many in Great Yarmouth, he says university is "not for me". But there are people in the town who buck the trend.

'University was a necessity for me'

Martin Giles/BBC Olivia Ojieman stands in a school setting with a red wall and a bookcase behind her. She has medium-length black hair tied back is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a white top with a silver trim.Martin Giles/BBC
Olivia Ojeman hopes to study Medicine at Bristol depending on her A-level results

Olivia Ojeman, 18, has lived in Great Yarmouth with her foster mother since the age of 16 and is now set to go to university to study medicine.

Inspired by American neurosurgeon-turned-politician Dr Ben Carson, she always knew she would have to go to university to become a doctor.

"It was a necessity to get to where I want to be," she says.

If she achieves her predicted grades, she will attend medical school on a scholarship, as her asylum status means she is not eligible for student loans.

Her advice to others is to "follow your heart" and do what feels right for you.

Olivia has been helped by Into University, which supports young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods during their education.

Centre leader Amy Rust says many of the young people it supports come from backgrounds that qualify for scholarships and bursaries.

She adds that while university works for some, they also help people explore other routes after A-levels.

"We're looking at how we can support that young person at university or actually if there's a different pathway that's available to them, like apprenticeships or a degree apprenticeship as well," she says.

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