Helping my teenage DC to decide which career path to take

[Guineapig456]

My 18 year old DS is at a real crossroads and I’m not sure how best to support him. He has one A Level and 5 GCSEs but academic learning does not come easily to him so has an EHCP. He doesn’t know what to do next though and has zero confidence which makes selling himself to prospective employers nigh on impossible. We’ve also been warned that apprenticeships are highly competitive nowadays so this wouldn’t be an easier option for him. How do I help keep him motivated? How can he be helped to identify a realistic career path? The local authority should maintain his EHCP until he is 25 if he remains in education or has an apprenticeship but, in reality, the older an individual is the less the LA seem to involve themselves. Do I encourage him to continue his studies or try to help him gain in confidence to give him the best chance at employment and the resilience that will require if he moves into the workplace? I’m not even sure which areas of work he is interested in or would provide the best opportunities for him.

Bump

Can you list his skills / interests, it would help?

e.g. hates talking to people, likes doing things online, logical problem solver, obsessed with trains.

Can he get a part-time job to increase his confidence? Or do some volunteering?

With one A Level he won't qualify for a higher apprenticeship. He could potentially apply for level 3 apprenticeships but I'm not sure whether it matters that he's 18? I wouldn't have thought so as I've known 23/24 year olds get onto higher apprenticeships, so there doesn't seem to be an age limit.

What is he good at and what does he enjoy? If he only has 1 A level I would assume that getting two more would be a big ask. I would think it would make more sense to gradually ease him into the world of work.

If he has ehcp there are special schemes to look at and schemes aiming to fill criteria for disabilities.
See what is on offer locally eg local council etc for apprenticeships

What are his interests? Are there any particular environments you feel he might thrive in? What kind of hours do you think would be managable? I think those kind of questions are a good starting point, along with speaking with a careers advisor if he has access to one at the moment. There are paths for those who might need a bit of extra support in figuring it out. Good luck to him, it sounds like he has a great chance of finding something he enjoys with your support.

I'm a little behind you with a 16 (and a half) year old who is similar.

He is diagnosed with dyspraxia which is quite extreme in some ways and not in others. He potentially is on the AS too but we didn't go for a further diagnosis at the time.

He has been home educated since he was 8 as he didn't cope with school.

A few of his (also home educated) peers really seem to have found their way and are doing lots of exciting and motivated education, training and work experiences.

But he seems harder to help find his path. I have two older children who went to school and then university and seemed to know a little more how to go about that.

I was stressing about it just recently but have realised that he isnt his friends or his siblings and I think he will take a little longer to find where he wants to be.
So he has enrolled in an evening course that he will enjoy and has a few little projects in mind. And for the moment anyway I have decided to let that go on. But I get that your son is older.

I have always kind of felt that children are best to be studying or out working and if possible away from home by about 18/19 but I'm not sure that traditional path (if it even is a traditional path) is going to work for him. And of course that's much harder these days if you don't go away to University and stay in halls.

So as well as helping him, perhaps if its possible financially (that will be a challenge for us in the long term) can you let him try various things out without the pressure to really know where it will lead to?

I'm looking at work experiences and maybe pushing for a small part time job in time. And I'm kind of trusting he will find his path whatever that is, just maybe not as quickly as others.

I wish you and your son well.

remember that no-one has a career for life any more. He needs to sort what happens over the next couple of years to earn money and gain confidence. Any job is a stepping stone to this.

DD's closest friend us very similar.
He has ASD and was quietly pushed out if school with no help and no qualifications.
After three years of doing very little, he's finally enjoying his job in a shoo that's sells mobility aids, he's hoping to get into hospital protecting which will suit him so we'll.
He's a lovely lad, just turned 20 and tries so hard, but academics were never his thing, plus the lack of school support.
He's very clever though, and great to chat to.

Oh dear God, typos all over that.
Hospital portering!
Hopefully you can work out the rest.

Talk to your local college about apprenticeships - they should be keen to give him more support as he has an EHCP. A decent college will have close links with certain employers that they can utilise to give him more help.