If your DC was/is clever but not academic what direction did they go in?

[Solitare929]

DS is in year 10. He's a bright lad. His teachers say if he carries on with his current effort (bare minimum) he'll get Bs, if he applies himself he could get top grades.

I know he's still got time to knuckle down but he hates school work. Hates revising, hates writing, hates homework. I can't see him managing university.

His options are business, IT and Geography. He's been to some career events in school and came home with a flyer for electrical engineering, a city and guilds type course, said he liked the sound of that but does anyone else have any ideas if they're DC we're in the same boat?

My cousin: military ( marines). Did v well. Just prefers practical stuff.

My ds 2 has done ok on an apprenticeship which has led to a decent paid job.

DS1 was a bit like this, after several years fiddling about trying things he is doing a software degree but it's one of those hybrid college/ uni courses where you can start off doing an HNC, then HND then carry on and upgrade to a degree of you can stick it out to the end or leave and get a job or apprenticeship with a qualification earlier if it suits you better. Timetabled to only go in three days a week so able to work or pursue other interests. Where we are you can do similar courses in various applied sciences/ engineering things too

My brother was similar, did a level 3 in carpentry and later went on to do another course I can't remember the name of, but meant he could work as a site manager.

If he doesn't like school and studying now he is unlikely to enjoy a desk job. Practical skilled professions are a good way to go.

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes, I can't imagine him with a desk job!

I went to uni, I didn’t know what to do so thought uni will do. Hated it, completed it but got a 2:2, so not great. Then I became a postie. Had a mental breakdown, and now volunteer in a charity shop. I really don’t recommend doing what I did.

Depends what type of clever. Business minded? What's he passionate about?

My son was similar to yours at GCSE, bright but put no effort in, hated it. By his own admission, when he moved to a sixth form college he changed and became self motivated and ending up with a first in his Masters degree. Your son is still young and might surprise you and change.

He's clever as in he has the capacity to get top grades. He's passionate about mountain biking, PlayStation, hiking and the gym, not sure what career you could make out of that 😄

Yeh 6th form is different to school in many ways. A levels would give him some more time to figure things out.

Sorry to hear you've had a tough time. Uni is definitely not for everyone and i don't want him to go down that route just because it's expected of him or he doesn't know what else to do especially given how expensive it is now.

Me. I joined the Army, which was ideaI, then I left. I now have a desk job in operations that is unpredictable enough to keep me interested.

We've had the same life!

DS 20 is in his 3rd year of a plumbing and heating apprenticeship and he loves it. He is a bright lad but didn't want to continue his education in the classroom. He said he wants to work for someone like British Gas or for himself and when he is older teach apprentices at college. He earns a decent wage for his age and has bought himself a lovely car and has booked a holiday to Turkey with his girlfriend. She is also an apprentice for the local hospital trust and loves earning while she learns!

He sounds like an ideal candidate for the forces. They'll bring out the best in his abilities without confining him to a desk.

My DS intelligent but not academic. Got apprenticeship at 16 after just getting enough GCSEs to get him on course. He’s now experienced electrical engineer. Worked abroad for 2 years. Now in UK on great salary and enjoying his work. Uni is definitely not for everyone.

A-levels then Art school! (I know not an option for the OP's DS but in case others are thinking of ideas based on the thread title.)

I hated school, 6th form and uni (which I went to because it was the path of least resistance). I dropped out of uni after 1 year and did various temp jobs before starting in IT. I'm now quite senior in Banking mergers, acquisitions and divestments on the project management side. I found professional qualifications much easier and enjoyable to deal with than academia. You can still get entry level project management roles with no degree, and by the time they are listed as "mandatory", you'll have the equivalent experience and/or professional quals.

I'm not quite your target group, but hope you don't mind me replying - I work in blue collar industry where lots of people who do well were 'clever but not academic' at school. I work in a plant nursery but work closely with people who do landscaping, building, garden design, etc. There are lots of lovely non-office jobs out there. City and guilds courses can be really good, but he should ask the course provider what sorts of jobs and/or work experience placements their students typically do - then he could look to see whether those sound appealing. I think the current education system doesn't make it easy for bright students to step outside the academic pathway, unless they have family support in a career already. But that means that so many established businesses will be gagging for someone capable and motivated, who could be a good student/employee in the short term, and who might go on to be a useful business contact in the long term.

Music - currently at conservatoire doing a largely practical course.

What about something in the outdoors - there may apprenticeship opportunities for outdoor pursuits instructors or he could do A levels or BTec and do something like this www.ulster.ac.uk/courses/202425/outdoor-adventure-33658#overview

Dc1 was the same. He got a good range of GCSE’s from A* to B with minimum revision but just did not want to stay into 6th for for A levels. To be fair they still treat them very much like kids at school. He did a construction level 2 Btec the year after his GCSE’s at a local FE college which he decided on quite late but that has lead to a great apprenticeship. This year and next year are for the level 3 Btec. It’s a bit more civil engineering-ey than he thought he would go far but so far so good and it’s inspired him to think about doing the HNC and then HND after these 2 years to continue his learning (and increase his earning potential!).

FE college’s definitely offer a bigger range of vocational courses and they get treated a lot more like the young adults that they actually suits some but not others. A levels are a lot of work and if his heart’s not in it it could be a 2 year slog for not much at the end of it.

Are there careers advisors at school that he could talk to or any careers fairs locally?

Btech in egineering. Year off wanted to do some like building/construction. Apprentice in a road building related industry (degree paid for by employer). He's currently living it, decent pay for 20 years old, likes the mix of uni/office/on site work. When he finished the degree he will have great opportunities either with current employer or another one and good career progression.

My dd was a straight 'B's student with the occasional 'A' or 'C'. Bright but not a bookworm. She was told she could do really well with A-levels if she put her mind to it, but she followed her heart. She left school at 16 and went off to train as a professional ballet dancer instead.

With those skills, OP, I think he might be an excellent Army officer. Maybe he should pop down to the recruiting office and have a chat.

My DD is extremely bright - was aiming for Law at Oxford before it all went wrong for her. She then joined the Civil Service and is busily working her way up.