What does university leave with you with? A degree? Yes. Friends for life? Probably. A shed load of debt? Definitely. And it’s that debt that’s putting lots of students off.

That’s why, more than ever, FE colleges need to ensure that their A-level courses not only prepare students for university but also for the world of work, says Hannah Day, head of visual arts, media and film at Ludlow Sixth Form College. She suggest five ways in which to do this:

Create quality portfolios

Producing visual work that a student can take to a job interview is a great start, says Day. For those taking media studies, this could involve creating a magazine cover using InDesign. Students of graphic communication could design a children’s book cover. There will be a lot of work to choose from, so make sure the portfolios show quality over quantity.

Careers day and work experience

Careers days in which members of the local community come in to talk about their jobs can lead to many pupils gaining work experience and even jobs. “One of our graphic design students was offered a job with training with one of the country’s premier airbrush artists working on bespoke car, bike and helmet designs for clients as varied as Rolls-Royce and The Grand Tour,” says Day.

Alumni network

“You will have loads of great ex-students. Who are they? What are they doing now?” asks Day. She urges teachers to reach out and get alumni in for talks and workshops.

Live briefs

Say no to 90 per cent of “live briefs” (work in action) that are offered to you, says Day. But in-house collaborations can be helpful. For example, using photography students to take headshots for drama students, or getting graphic design pupils to design the college Christmas card.

Create an online presence

Encourage pupils to build websites, create a LinkedIn profile and even set up social media accounts for work. “They work together effectively as modern day digital portfolios with links to online work easily being emailed out to prospective employers,” says Day.