A
Alsacien
Guest
Looking for some clarity if poss from anyone involved in recruiting, I'm new to this forum, but a regular on Arrse.
I would have preferred it if my lad joined the military, but instead he prefers the RAF..... so I'll have to live with it I guess. He has been set on it since he was 15 (18 now), so its not a flash in the pan.
Here is the prob:
My lad took 11 GCSE's in 2009, and got 2 'D's including Maths and 9 at 'C' or above. Off he went down to the careers office with his results, only to be told that unless he wanted to be a dental nurse or play in the band, there were no vacancies. IT Tech is his first choice - his aptitude is for something technical/engineering, not purely academic. He does not fancy any Uni course (and he has looked a fair bit), and currently shows the leadership ability of a 3 toed Sloth.
We managed to get him on a 2 year ICT Diploma course which when he finishes this summer will equate to 3 'A' levels (it looked more practical than sixth form), and as he is on course for a distinction, 3 'A's.
He went down the careers office again twice last year, only to be told there were no tech vacancies and therefore he could not even go through the aptitude/medical etc process.
Visiting again this month (as instructed), he has now been told that his missing Maths GCSE is the problem, and now needs to be passed at 'B' (previously 'C'). The ICT Diploma and distinction equalling 3 'A' levels at 'A' are apparently irrelevant.
The annoying thing is that if they had told him last year he could have re-sat Maths this month, and/or could have got on a course in parallel to do it this summer. The next opportunity will now be Jan next year.
The published qual charts are apparently now out of date, and the RN woman he spoke to does not seem to really have her finger on the pulse.
We already have to help him consider his next move; IT jobs even at the lowest level are over-subscribed; going on to Uni is not of interest; HND/HNC options are near zilch due to lack of company sponsorship; he still does not even know if the RAF would want him, and waiting a year to resit an 'O'level when you have 3 'A' levels seems a bit bone to me - especially when they are career subject related.
Anyone able to give me a heads up? (I should add he is in UK and I am in Europe so cannot pop in to careers offices very easily).
I would have preferred it if my lad joined the military, but instead he prefers the RAF..... so I'll have to live with it I guess. He has been set on it since he was 15 (18 now), so its not a flash in the pan.
Here is the prob:
My lad took 11 GCSE's in 2009, and got 2 'D's including Maths and 9 at 'C' or above. Off he went down to the careers office with his results, only to be told that unless he wanted to be a dental nurse or play in the band, there were no vacancies. IT Tech is his first choice - his aptitude is for something technical/engineering, not purely academic. He does not fancy any Uni course (and he has looked a fair bit), and currently shows the leadership ability of a 3 toed Sloth.
We managed to get him on a 2 year ICT Diploma course which when he finishes this summer will equate to 3 'A' levels (it looked more practical than sixth form), and as he is on course for a distinction, 3 'A's.
He went down the careers office again twice last year, only to be told there were no tech vacancies and therefore he could not even go through the aptitude/medical etc process.
Visiting again this month (as instructed), he has now been told that his missing Maths GCSE is the problem, and now needs to be passed at 'B' (previously 'C'). The ICT Diploma and distinction equalling 3 'A' levels at 'A' are apparently irrelevant.
The annoying thing is that if they had told him last year he could have re-sat Maths this month, and/or could have got on a course in parallel to do it this summer. The next opportunity will now be Jan next year.
The published qual charts are apparently now out of date, and the RN woman he spoke to does not seem to really have her finger on the pulse.
We already have to help him consider his next move; IT jobs even at the lowest level are over-subscribed; going on to Uni is not of interest; HND/HNC options are near zilch due to lack of company sponsorship; he still does not even know if the RAF would want him, and waiting a year to resit an 'O'level when you have 3 'A' levels seems a bit bone to me - especially when they are career subject related.
Anyone able to give me a heads up? (I should add he is in UK and I am in Europe so cannot pop in to careers offices very easily).
