The Bridge

Modern Apprenticeships available locally.  Careers Advice

The City's top rated College and University University and College

This section  gives information on basic skills, qualifications childcare money and benefits and other careers options like voluntary work you may not have thought of Other Information and Help

Are you a budding Branson! Starting a Business.

This section gives advice on what your choices are at 16+

Where the jobs are Where Jobs are advertised

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Sports and Leisure

City Council - Sports and Leisure
Click on the links to find out more about the sports and leisure facilities in your area!

City Centre Attractions
The City has a number of attractions including now many which have won National awards. You can also look in this section to see what's on at Sunderland Empire.

Your Choices at 16+

Your choices at 16+,

Aim Higher - aimed at those who want to go to University or College

After 16 - What's New? - aimed at anyone with a disability

Careers and Training Advice

The Learning Place
The Learning Place on Fawcett Street in the City Centre is an excellent starting point if you want information about looking for work or training.

Connexions Sunderland Connexions Service are based in the Sunderland Careers Service office in the City Library on Fawcett Street within The Learning Place. The Service offers a range of careers guidance and support for 13 to 19 year olds to help make the transition to adult life a smooth one. 

A Connexions Card offers a range of discounts for young people in high street shops. Connexions National Site.

A refugee? 
Click on the links opposite to find out what is available to help you learn.

Childcare Support Fund | College Access Fund

NERS North East Refugee Service (Sunderland Office) The North of England Refugee Service was established in 1989. We are an independent and charitable organisation which exists to meet the needs and promote the interests of asylum seekers and refugees who have arrived or have settled in the North of England. NERS acts as an agent of positive change in order to improve the everyday life conditions of asylum seekers and refugees, and to promote social inclusion by facilitating their integration and equal participation within British society.
NERS Sunderland have their own COI web site.

Student Support and Student Loans
These two links tell you what is available if you want to go to College or University either full or part time. Student Support

Modern Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships are available in over 80 different sectors of industry and commerce. The Connexions Service will help you to make a choice if this is what you want to do. modern Apprenticeships

University and College

City of Sunderland College
The College has lots of courses for young people and many learning centre's throughout the City. City of Sunderland College | Student Support

University of Sunderland
You might think University is not for you but the range of flexible, part and full time courses they offer means they can often offer places on courses without prior qualifications and a great site well worth checking out. 

This site offers information for new students. With a variety of courses, applications and different events.

University of Sunderland | Student Support | Student Loans

Other Information and Help

National Minimum Wage
Advice on your rights and entitlements to the National Minimum Wage. National Minimum Wage

Benefits
This excellent site from the DSS tells you all about your benefit entitlements. DSS

Community Champions
This site has been set up to help you if you want to become active in your community or help others become active. Community Champions

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ's)
This website is designed to give you a background to NVQ's- why they exist and how they can help young people. National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)

Qualifications Website
Information for parents, teachers, pupils, lecturers, students, employers and anyone with an interest in qualifications. qualifications website

Job Linkage
Job Linkage seeks to link local people to local jobs by customising information, guidance, training and other support to the needs of residents of targeted areas of the City. Job Linkage

Basic Skills Agency
Reading, writing and Maths are sometimes called Basic Skills. This site helps you find a local course. If you ring the following number 0800 700 987 they will advise you on what is available locally. The site also lets you test your reading, writing and maths skills. Basic Skills Agency

Get On and Read Write Plus
These Government sites are aimed at organisations that provide reading, writing and maths courses. Get On | Read Write Plus

Starting a Business

Invest in Sunderland
For anyone thinking about starting in business Invest in Sunderland from the City Council is a good place to start. See the New Business section for advice. Invest in Sunderland

Business Link Tyne and Wear
Based up in Hylton Business Park Business Link are the Governments main source of advice and help for anyone thinking of starting a business. Well worth checking out the huge range of financial and other help and advice Business Link can provide. Business Link Tyne and Wear

Social Enterprise Sunderland
Social Enterprise Sunderland (formerly SCOERC) is a resource centre for the benefit of individuals and groups in the City of Sunderland. It's activities include giving advice and assistance to set up co-operatives or other forms of business. This includes providing training locally for anyone who needs help to develop their business. Social Enterprise Sunderland

Where Jobs are Advertised

Sunderland Echo
Job adverts appear in Thursday's edition of the Echo and are available at this link. A Job a Day

Job Centre Plus
Job Centre Plus is an easy to use site that can be searched for local jobs and also contains a lot more information on job search skills, interview techniques, CV writing and information on job training and benefits for those out of work. Job Centre Plus

Jobs with the Council
This link lists jobs with the City Council. Council Jobs

Evening Chronicle and Journal
Job adverts appear in Thursday's edition of the Journal and Evening Chronicle. The same selection of jobs normally appears in both papers. Both are available on the Internet at this link.  Evening Chronicle

Job Clubs
Many local organisations have Job Clubs. Job Clubs normally provide free help and advice for those looking for work. This includes job vacancy information, access to newspapers and the internet, advice on job seeking skills like CV writing and job clubs often pay postage for posting job applications.

Internet based Jobs and Career Sites
Monster, Handbag and Fish4Jobs all have careers questionnaires you can complete to give you more advice on what careers you could follow plus lots of careers information on different types of career. Handbag is particularly aimed at young women.

Monster, Handbag Fish4Jobs

Army, Navy and Air Force Careers
These are the careers sites for the Army, Navy and Air force.

RAF careers | Army careers | Navy Careers

Worktrain
Worktrain is a National government site that is straightforward to use, can be searched for local jobs and also contains  information on job search skills, interview techniques, CV writing and information on job training and benefits for those out of work. Worktrain

Volunteering
Volunteering can be a good way to get experience that may help you get the career you want. The Millennium Volunteers site is for you to find out about volunteering with Millennium Volunteers. Millennium Volunteers