Exam results are just the beginning . . .

If you’re one of the hundreds of young people across the city collecting your GCSE results today then I hope you achieved the grades you wanted.

This time last week young people picked up their A-level results and for the second year running they achieved more passes than the national average in Peterborough with an overall pass rate of 98.3 per cent.

It can be a nerve wracking time for young people and that doesn’t end when they find out how they’ve done. For many it’s just the beginning of working out what they want to do next, whether it’s remaining in education or training or entering the world of work.

If you’re one of those young people, or you know someone who is, it’s important to remember there is plenty of support out there.

Help and advice is available from the Youth Access Hub at City College Peterborough on Brook Street. On hand are careers advisers from the council, City College Peterborough and a range of other providers and advice is also available on searching for jobs, training opportunities or further education.

The hub is open Monday to Friday throughout August from 1pm to 4.30pm (3pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays). Young people can drop in or call (01733) 864500.

If you’re looking for a job or you’d like to study for an apprenticeship, then a good place to look is the website for young people managed by The Skills Service - www. standoutskills.co.uk.

There’s a live jobs board with vacancies specifically aimed at young people, de- tails of apprenticeship and volunteering opportunities as well as tips for CV writing and interviews.

There’s also some really good information about the top industries locally and the skills that are most in demand. Young people can use this information to help them decide where to focus their education or training to enable them to get a job at the end of it.

This is exactly what we are trying to achieve as part of a skills review for the area, so that we can tailor educational opportunities to provide young people with the skills and qualifications that they need to get a job in the city.

If you’re staying in education or training then it’s worth thinking about what you can do to make your CV stand out when applying for jobs. Experience in volunteering can set you apart from the rest, which you can achieve by taking part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme. It offers young people the chance to bolster their CV, develop the skills that employers want, make new friends and increase confidence.

A record number of 15 to 17-year-olds, 170 in total, from across Peterborough have been taking part in this summer’s NCS programme. They’ve been on outdoor adventures, learned new skills and taken part in community projects which have provided fantastic experiences to include on their CVs including work at sheltered housing schemes, improving Nene Valley Railway, running activities to raise money for charity and helping out at New Ark Play Centre’s city farm.

You can find out more about the autumn NCS programme which takes place in October by visiting our website and searching for National Citizen Service.

If you’re looking for a fundraising challenge to work towards, which of course would look great on your CV, then it’s now less than 50 days until the Perkins Great Eastern Run and the Anna’s Hope fun run.

There’s still time to sign up for this year’s event on October 9, which is on track to be the biggest ever with thousands of runners already signed up.

Free training sessions have run throughout the summer for anyone wanting to step up to the challenge. The remaining sessions are on 7 and 21 September and 5 October at Peterborough Embankment Athletics Track on Bishop’s Road at 7pm.

For more information and to enter the half marathon and fun run visit www.perkinsgreateasternrun.co.uk