GONE are the days when post-16 education meant staying at your school's sixth form and studying for your A-levels. Pupils in Worcester have more exciting times ahead of them.

It's this time of year when Year 10 pupils consider what they will do when they've finished their GCSE studies.

For a small percentage this will be the end of education and a lifetime of employment beckons.

Others will embark on the next step of their education.

This last week has seen 14 and 15-year-olds visit Worcester College of Technology to take part in annual taster days.

It's an opportunity for the pupils of the feeder high schools in the city, plus The Chantry High School at Martley, to try out different courses on offer.

They can see whether they would like to pursue with a certain course or instead try something different.

The college, one of two state sector FE colleges in the city, offers a plethora of post-16 courses.

Available to its 1,900 full-time students are A-levels - under the new AS-level scheme, GNVQs, National Diplomas and the new VCE. There are also modern apprenticeships, combining employment with training.

Pupils from schools across the city could be seen in the college's Spires Restaurant, learning all about hospitality, as well as taking part in the many other courses on offer.

Visiting teachers also enthused about the taster days, meeting former pupils as well as seeing what current year 10s were doing.

The college can offer pupils a sixth form centre, where 29 different AS-level courses are available for study.

There are also courses in beauty and hair-dressing, building and construction, business and retail, engineering, computer studies, performing arts, public services, travel and tourism, art and design, health studies and many more.

"Every main career opportunity is represented at the college," said Chris Brown of WCT.

"The taster days are a chance for year 10 pupils, who will now decide what to do after GCSEs, to see what they want to do.

"We've seen a lot of pupils from the city schools, The Chantry at Martley, and further afield, like Bromsgrove.

"All our courses are very popular. It's clear that you have to have some sort of training before you go into a job."

The courses at WCT have been a stepping stone for people going onto settings more glamorous than Worcester.

Artists have headed for Hollywood to carry on their cartoon work and beauticians have set sail on cruises.

"We can offer all sorts of courses to students, and once you've completed them quite often you can go to university," said Mr Brown.

The college is based at sites across the city with its main buildings on Deansway.

Worcester Sixth Form College offers more of an academic approach to post-16 education providing 40 different AS-levels.

"Post-16 education is very important and students must consider it," said John Tredwell, principal of the Spetchley Road college.

"The Government would like to see most people in further education up to 18 and there are good reasons for that.

"Britain has a more poorly qualified work-force than most of its competitors but it's also in our own interests.

"If you have a higher income you will afford better housing and have better health, ultimately you'll live longer."

Post-16 education is also available within the independent schools sector, which tend to offer the traditional academic approach.

Whatever route is taken it is a far cry from the days of heading straight into employment while still in your teenage years.