To be sad neither of my kids are very ambitious

I wouldn't be disappointed by university and I'd be impressed that they're proactively making useful decisions BUT if my DC were capable of As (or 8/9s) at GCSE, then yes, I'd be disappointed if they didn't stay on for ALevels. I think that having those A Levels gives them more choices long term including going back to uni later in life if they want to and also, that they're still quite young to be making long-term life/career decisions that are relatively narrow.

If their peers are still in full time education then of course they are going to have less money than someone working full time, that's not a fair comparison!

In 10/20/30 years time some of their Sixth form friends will potentially vastly out-earn your dc due to their additional education. Certainly not all of them and yes, your dc won't have uni debt (although OP is in Scotland so if her dc stayed there their debt could be very minimal) but you can't compare their circumstances now at 17/18 to their overall earning potential.

@Ringosandskinnywhips but it's also not poorly qualified either.

All the nursery managers I know have taken degrees in the last few years in order to meet the requirements, despite doing the job many years.

Of course this is an option but it's a lot easier to do a degree at 17/18 than to do it alongside working full time and raising your own family.

Hugely discourage your child to go in to childcare.

My ds did carpentry at college for two years,worked in a joinery firm during lockdown then had a change of heart. Joined the army last year and is now a paratrooper.
My 16 yr old is off to college in September to do plumbing.
I also have a daughter who didn't finish her first year of uni but has worked her way up in retail and is now manager of a well known pet shop.

It's hard to watch on,hoping your children will be high earners but actually the older two are doing what they enjoy and the older ine has just bought a house( shared ownership).
Be supportive and try and hide your disappointment. They will find their feet.

I would say both pathways have the potential to be very lucrative.

With the joinery your son can get himself set up in trade, maybe some business studies courses or bookkeeping when the time comes can help him to set himself up in business?

And your daughter could go down the route of nannying for wealthy families where she can earn a significant amount of money?

I'd be proud that they have their own ambitions and goals for the future. Maybe they will change their minds when they get their exam results and decide to stay on in school.

Early years is not poorly paid with a starting salary of £32000 in local authority nurseries. There is huge demand for skilled and qualified staff across Scotland.

As you've said - their working lives will be long. So isn't it best to do something they love?

So in other words you are disappointed they are not doing something academic? You see vocations like childcare and construction as ‘lesser’ careers. Jesus wept…
And I say that as someone who has a phd. But fully understanding that we need child minders and builders in our society!

My DD is bright, she got all 8s and 9s at GCSE.(9s in 3 sciences and maths....but she doesn't enjoy them)
She chose to do arty/ creative subjects at A levels and is going to do a creative subject at uni because that's what she enjoys.
I can't pretend I wasn't a tiny bit disappointed that the average earnings for a graduate in the course she chose is 18-21k!

If you can earn a decent living doing something you enjoy then life doesn’t get much better.

I would have thought an apprenticeship in childcare could be an advantage to further qualifications such as childrens nursing or teaching. An apprenticeship in joinery will be with him forever but could lead onto other qualifications in the building industry or surveying. Both have chosen apprenticeships that could lead to other things. I would not be disappointed.

Childcare is such a low paid profession and unlikely to ever become much more as so devalued by society. I would be concerned too ... although if get decent grades can always go to uni later..
Would be good experience to go into teaching or other education/social care fields

Re joiner ... Will be work if good and likely to be better paid than childcare....

Uni isn't for all and maybe they just want a break from education and a job /cash in pocket and to feel like adults...I know I did... But statiscally better paid jobs need degrees these days..

If that's their motivation then they need that at home too so contribute to the household costs etc

They have plenty of time to find their path...

This, this, this.

Uni is a waste of time and money other than for some very specific jobs. And even then, people either change their mind or can’t actually get those jobs anyway.

Apprenticeships are they way forwards. Probably not all of them will lead to something high paying, but many can and do. Might need some extra drive like setting up own business etc but there’s definitely potential.

These days there’s also “white collar” apprenticeships as well to get into things like finance or IT.

I come from the sort of background where the girls went off to do childcare and the boys went into building.

Those boys are now doing well, but the girls...either married to men with NMW jobs and gave up theirs on birth of children or struggling to survive on their own as single mums.

It just feels a bit vulnerable for a girl to leave education without getting as much out of it as they can. It's all very well middle class professionals on here pretending that they respect retail and childcare workers....but they don't, not really. ANd certainly wouldn't want their daughters if they are being very honest.
Education always means options and if you're a girl, education is even more important because so many women find themselves in positions where they have none.
You are not unreasonable, OP. You need to talk to your daughter and give her a dose of reality as a low paid childcare worker.

I went to university and stufied for years. Huge student debts and I still make less money than my friend who became a hairdresser and I work more hours

Surely its more important that they are happy?

I would never feel sad, whatever makes my kids happy is fine with me and hubby. We have twins and 2 singles, to of our children have started very good apprenticeships and the other 2 are plodders and all they want to do is one work in a supermarket and one wants to garden. If that makes them happy then I have no problem with it. If they only wanted to be lazy couch potatoes that would require a butt kick haha

@Helar i agree with you

Your DS will probably do very well for himself particularly if he can specialise in some dying part of the trade.

With your DD I would start sowing the seed of what else she can do once she's finished the course opposed to just working at the local low paid nursery. They'll still probably be low paid but with come with gaining some life experience and travelling which are great transferable skills employment at summer camps and outdoor activity instructor in the UK, Camp America, and longer term working abroad at hotels, on ski or beach resorts or on cruise ships as a child carer, working as an au pair or nanny. Or specialising as a play therapist at a hospital or specifically nannying children with SEND. To be a nanny for well to do / celebrity families etc if that's what interests her then Norland or degrees in relevant child related areas are likely to be essential

I have no issue with the joinery apprenticeship. Lots of routes to go, decent earning potential. Potential to own your own business.

Sadly the more female focused apprenticeships don't offer the same prospects. Childcare is poorly paid and even experienced pre school managers are having to take degrees part time up here.

If she doesn't want academic then I'd encourage hairdressing or beauty which have the potential to rent a chair or run your own business.

They sound wise to me and you sound vv unreasonable.

An apprenticeship in childcare doesn't mean she will always be in the low paid end of child care - it may well open doors to other avenues of study/careers. Also, shouldn't we be trying to ensure childcare workers are paid better instead of discouraging people into a much needed role?

It’s an excellent career. Have you seen what bespoke kitchens cost? I’d be very happy to have kids who want to contribute something tangible rather than push paper around. My graduate career made zero difference to anything.

Is this some kind of ironic or reverse post @EmsieJoe?
It's amazing that they both have apprenticeships lined up and are also predicted to get a good set of Nat5 passes! Well done to them.