EXAM results published and thousands of young people in the area are asking themselves some grand questions and making decisions likely to affect them for the rest of their lives.

Whether they’re smartening up their CVs to tackle the world of work, readying for life at their chosen college or university, entering an apprenticeship or taking any one of the countless variations on these well-trodden paths - the options can seem daunting.

Locally, the lion’s share of students leaving Alton College go straight on to further eduction or employment, with plenty of schemes on hand to help them along their way.

College principal Sara Russell speaks to hundreds of young people at this pivotal time in their lives and works hard to ensure their choices are well-informed.

“We’re proud to be one of Hampshire’s top performing colleges providing the perfect bridge between leaving school and university and employment,” she explained.

“We prepare our students to make the right choices for their futures. We offer unique support: our personal tutors also teach our students and they provide direct help with the smooth transition from school to college and beyond.

“Together with our special advice and guidance for applying through UCAS and music equivalent CUKAS, our programmes such as ‘Applying to Competitive Courses’ to aid those applying to Russell Group Universities (including Oxbridge), our dedicated careers advisor and work experience placements, we ensure our students are well equipped to make the right choices for their future, whether it be studying at university or going into employment.

“Each year over 92 per cent of our students go on to Higher and Further Education and into the workplace.

“Last year nearly 19 per cent of our students who continued to university went on to study at top Russell Group Universities including the University of Oxford and Cambridge.

“Around 80 per cent of those who go on to university achieve a First Class or Upper Second Class degree (21 per cent achieve a First Class Hons Degree compared to a national average of 16 per cent for sixth form colleges and school sixth forms).

“Some students choose to stay and continue their education post-18 years with us on campus studying either a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design or one of our Foundation Degrees which we offer in partnership with the University of Portsmouth.

“We offer a Foundation Degree in Engineering in our state-of-the-art, purpose built Sonardyne Centre for Engineering and Design Technology and Foundation Degree in Early Years, Care and Education both of which are studied day-release while working.

“In addition, some of our FD Engineering students are also apprenticeship programmes. This year two of our FD Engineering students are also on apprenticeship programmes.

“Matt Hall is working at Clarcor Industrial Air, providing industrial filtration solutions, and Olivia Castro, previously at Bohunt, has progressed from Level 2 Engineering through Level 3 and now on to the Foundation Degree alongside her apprenticeship at Alton Electrical Services Ltd and Out and About Mobility. Another Engineering student Andrew Holland, previously at Amery Hill School, was awarded the Sonardyne Foundation Scholarship which paid for his tuition fees to study electronic engineering at the University of York. He also secured an offer of a job at the company on successful completion of the degree.”

Deputy principal Paul Edwards explained: “Damian Hinds MP for East Hants visited during National Apprenticeship Week in March to discuss the new budget with our students (while in his former role as Secretary for the Treasury) as part of Talks @altoncollege. He told our students they are ‘the cream of the crop in academia in East Hampshire’, before adding: ‘You are lucky to be growing up in such a good area with lots of opportunities’.

“Tiffany Lee, also previously at Amery Hill School completed her foundation degree in Early Years Care and Education with us before going on to manage Little Me Day Nurseries in Basingstoke, soon progressing to regional manager. The nursery was awarded a Nursery World Award for its two-year-old provision.

“Furthermore, independent economic analysts EMSI have calculated that Alton College alumni contribute £139 million to Hampshire’s economy each year and our level 3 learners (A level and BTEC/CTEC) will earn more than £8,000 each year on average in higher earnings than those with no formal qualifications.”