This Government website looks like a useful starting point for those students who are not sure about which route to take, or whether they want to take the traditional academic route.

The website, Explore your Choices, provides links to the following sources of information:

• Apprenticeships

• Vocational Technical Qualifications

• Traineeships

• T Levels

• Higher Technical Qualifications

• A Levels

• Higher Education

• Supported internships

• Kickstarter jobs

• School-leavers scheme

There is also an option to speak with an advisor via the phone or live chat. I tried the latter. To start with the service is automated, in which you are directed to different areas or asked different questions according to your initial choices.

I selected the “talk to an advisor” option, and I think I ended up chatting to a bot rather than a real person. I asked a complicated question:

“What’s the difference between VTQs and T Levels please?”

I followed it up with another question about whether I am too old to do T Levels. Here’s the conversation, which looks to me like all the responses were triggered by keywords:

Good morning thank you for contacting the National Career service

1. chatbot says:

   https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/

2. chatbot says:

   Tlevels are alternative to A levels but more hands on experience

3. chatbot says:

   VTQ is a voccational and technical qualification similar to a NVQ

4. chatbot says:

   https://ofqual.blog.gov.uk/2021/05/20/vtq-awarding-in-2021-providing-clarity-for-colleges-and-training-providers/

6. visitor says:

   Am I too old to do T Levels?

7. chatbot says:

   The above information will give you all the information around both areas

8. visitor says:

   Thank you

9. chatbot says:

   T levels are only for 16-19 years of age

I asked for a transcript of the chat, but that hasn’t been emailed to me. You have to give some personal information, like your name, postcode and email address. I’m not sure how comfortable you would feel having your students provide that sort of information, unless they either make it up or do it with their parents’ permission. The information is required so that the service can send you information about careers services in your area. I used a ten minute email address and an incorrect postcode, but received nothing.

The links sent to me via the chat are quite useful, and if you are cynical like me there is the option of speaking to a real person over the phone.

If you wish to promote this campaign, there’s a load of promotional material you can use, and copy for social media, newsletters and websites, via the toolkit. I haven’t looked at the website copy, so if this article still reads like some sort of press release I apologise. I just wanted to give people the heads-up about this campaign, but there is always the possibility that I myself have turned into a bot without even realising it.