Hi. Not been on here for ages but would really like to pick your brains please.
DS 16, Yr 11, last "formal" day next Friday. He is wanting to do an apprenticeship in soft landscaping/maintenance. We started looking for an employer early in February and found someone local who was very keen, had a meeting and they have been in contact with the college so assumed that it was a go-er.
However as time has passed, it looks like we have been let down by them as they have stopped communicating with the college and us also. However, they are exceptionally busy atm so we are trying to keep positive but time is ticking.
We are now looking at Plan B incase they definitely pull out but have found very few employers locally are wanting to take on apprentices. It would seem this industry is so busy that employers can't be arsed don't want to commit to training an apprentice particularly in the current climate. We are rarely getting responses at all, which I understand isn't unusual in that industry.
Travelling further afield is only as good as public transport allows (not reliable for early starts or late finishes associated with this work) or for cycling/moped.
While DS has enjoyed school he isn't naturally academic and so 6th form or college isn't for him.
So my question is:
If he finds somewhere suitable and they want to employ him but not through an apprenticeship, that will effectively mean he's NEET? And what are the implications of that?
We really hope the original employer comes through but my spidey senses are saying otherwise. We really thought we were sorted nice and early so this has taken us by surprise and are now panicking looking for other options.
TIA and thank you for reading.