To be sad neither of my kids are very ambitious

Please don't be! I'd far rather my DC did jobs they loved than went into high earning professions that bore them. How you live day by day is the best measure of a good life, imo.

And they are so young. If they do their apprenticeships and then decide to go to uni a bit later, they will know why and probably not waste their time building up massive debts in exchange for getting drunk and living in squalor.

I often think the best time to start uni would be aged about 21-25, after a few years of work, when you have a stronger sense of what you want from life.

Both my DC went to uni and are now in low paid jobs they really want to do instead of the high-earning jobs that held no interest for them.

May end up working for themselves and earning well. Where I live these people command very good wages. Anyway, they need to be happy in what they do

YABU. Success is not measured in money. I am very academic and ambitious. I work in public sector, like yourself. Despite my relatively low pay, I am happy in my job, I am involved in a research project with possibility of publishing and informing future treatments. I co-run multiple outreach projects and I also have a part-time creative business.
I would be very surprised if apprenticeship in joinery doesn't lead to a very comfortable income, though. My partner dropped out of uni to start a construction business and clears annual revenue which is anywhere between 4 and 10 times my income. I imagine your painter decorator husband is also not exactly on a minimum wage.

I entirely see why you’re disappointed, but they are who they are. They’re kids, they make make different decisions slightly later.

Your priorities are so wrong, you have to let your children find their own path and not project onto them what jobs you think are appropriate.

Apprenticeships are great and very respectable. We need joiners and childcare workers.

I feel quite sad for them both that they are just teenagers trying their best and this is how you feel about them.

You will get flamed here daring to disagree with what your children want!! However as a parent why would you not want more for them especially as you say the earning potential - have you tried gently talking to them about this. It is reality and working life is long and they might not fully understand that just now. I totally agree with you that when they can achieve higher grades, they should be gently guided into those most appropriate careers (but I am a 'pushy' one! 😆)

I actually think having the foresight to choose an apprenticeship at this is age does show ambition! Some would say more so than going to uni to party for 4 years and then end up working in something totally unrelated to their degree (true story mine 😂)

i think YABU. My personal opinion and experience is that 15-17 is too young to decide what career they want to do for the rest of their life. I went to uni and have never used my degree for my job. I started at the bottom of a company and worked my up, yet i am still in lots of student debt for nothing. I also found my work experience a lot more valuable to me than my degree.

They can also always change their mind later.

Out of curiosity - what is ‘Modern Studies’?

I mean your sons exams just point to joinery/carpentry.

I mean people will always need childcare and furniture or door frames , staying on and doing highers to head to uni isn't for everyone good for them for thinking about their future. Have a bloody word with yourself!

If I could go back again I wish I had done an apprenticeship instead of university, uptake in trades are very low where I live and there is so much opportunity and work available! And childcare is a vocation much like nursing. I would be super proud of my kids for these choices and it’s sounds like you’ve done a great job. Well done x

Haha good one

they both have apprenticeships lined up.

this shows that they have ambition surely?