GCE A-Level Singapore: Charting Your Future After

Posted on: 15th November, 2021

You’ve spent the last few years studying for your A-Level and now you’ve completed this mammoth undertaking. Part excited, part nervous? That’s completely normal. The road ahead of you is long with multiple options open to you. Take the right steps to eventually work in an industry you’re passionate about and in a role that fulfills you.

Understand yourself and your goals

What do you do after you complete your A-Level in a junior college in Singapore? At this crossroads, taking stock of who you are by asking yourself the hard questions and reflecting is a good way to start charting your future. By determining your values, interests, personality and skills, you’re better able to match a course or potential career path that is a right fit for you. Taking well-known personality tests that are free and accessible online, like the Big Five Personality Test, will give you some insight into who you are and how you’re wired. Gaining some perspective before embarking on enrolment at a school or looking for an internship puts you in good stead when making decisions.

What are the next steps available to me?

There are several routes you can take. If you would like to continue studying, earning a degree or a diploma is the next possible step. Should you feel like gaining exposure and work experience might be a better next step, sign up for an internship or start working.

Earn a degree at a local autonomous university

Singapore’s university education prepares students for today’s fast-paced economy. Currently there are six autonomous universities (AUs) in Singapore providing  a wide range of academic, research, work-learn and student-life options to cater to students’ diverse interests and learning styles. There are AUs that are research-intensive such as Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), and Singapore Management University (SMU). AUs such as Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) offer applied-degree pathway where students will have gain hands-on experience coupled with industry exposure as part of the curriculum.

Obtain a degree at a Private Education Institution (PEI)

Your options are also not limited to public universities. Private education institutions like PSB Academy offer degree courses. Whether an Accounting & Finance degree course or a Cyber Security degree course or a Life Science degree course, you are equipped with the skills and knowledge to start working in these industries after graduation.

With 12 disciplines to choose from, you can find one that best suits your interests and abilities. Our partnerships with The University of Newcastle, Australia, Edith Cowan University, Coventry University, La Trobe University, amongst a few other universities, provide our students with stimulating learning and teaching environments. As an Academy of the Future, PSB Academy offers programmes that will mould students into professionals ready to meet the challenges of today’s economy.

Taking a diploma

Another option you can consider is taking a diploma either at a Polytechnic or private education institution. From business management to design and media, the courses span across various disciplines and will provide you with the technical skills to start your career in your field of interest. A-Level graduates can be exempted from one to two semesters of polytechnic studies in about 120 diploma courses. A-Level graduates may apply through the polytechnics’ respective Direct Admissions Exercise (DAE).

PSB Academy also offers diploma courses for A-Level graduates. Our diploma courses are carefully designed to support your future career aspirations and enable you to possibly gain entry to a bachelor’s degree awarded by one of our partner universities.

Participating in an internship

Choosing to do an internship as you wait for your course to start is a great way to obtain exposure to the working world. Internship can give you a headstart to knowing the type of tasks you enjoy and those you’re averse to. You increase your employability, open up doors for yourself and can start establishing a network you can rely on throughout your career.

Retaking your A-Level

While it’s natural to feel demoralised if you don’t do as well as you expected in your A-Level, there are always options available to you. You can retake your A-Level in your current Junior College should you meet the criteria for retaking.

Alternatively, you can also opt to retake your A-Level as a private candidate is one such option. Apply during the annual Private Candidates’ Registration Exercise with Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB).

Take steps towards a fulfilling learning journey

Now that you’re aware of the options you have, weigh the choices with your final goal in mind. PSB Academy offers several programmes for A-level holders, designed to equip you with the right knowledge and skillsets to thrive in today’s world of work.