WITH GCSE results out tomorrow (Thursday), advice for anxious students will be at hand.

Personal advisers from Connexions, which provides information for 13- to 19-year-old students and parents on careers, health and education issues, will be on hand in schools tomorrow to help out.

The big question is what youngsters should do if they don't get the grades they were after. The answer is, don't stress, reassessing the options available to you is important, as is looking at the other qualifications that are around.

Retaking GCSEs is not always the best solution - you might decide that an apprenticeship is an option. It gives you a chance to earn and learn at the same time; courses available include Horticulture, Engineering and Hairdressing.

BTECs are also proving to be a popular choice. They are a vocationally specific qualification for higher education or employment in a specific field of work and can also be combined with other qualifications including vocational A-levels. Then there are AVCEs, which develop skills and understanding on a specific industrial sector, preparing you for work or higher education.

If you have gained better results then expected, it might be an idea to look at options that you hadn't considered before and rethink your career options. If you were thinking of taking an apprenticeship why not see what A-level or vocational A-level courses are available at college or sixth form and take time to see what options appeal to you.

* For more information on what to do next after receiving your GCSE results, visit Connexions: Winsford (24/26 Queens Parade, 01606 862213) or Northwich (Brunner Court, 97 Witton Street 01606 331515).