Uni

[Mollylegs]

Hi I was hoping someone could help with my query. My son is nearly 21 and has had the odd job in bars but he would like to try and go to uni but they have told him at the job centre its pointless. Does anyone know if this true? They said even if he went to uni there is no jobs at the end of it. He is not a stupid kid and we both feel going from bar work and supermarkets which is a job that pays and he's grateful for that but he would rather have a career in something more. Sorry if this needs moved that is fine. Thanks in advance.

I was going to suggest a Level 3 Access to HE course too - you do them over 1 year at college and they are equivalent to 3 A levels and widely accepted for uni entrance.

If you’re aged 19 - 23 I think they’re free?

He could study with the Open University whilst still working. It's not as cheap as it used to be sadly.

What about Open university followed by teacher training course. Never a waster to have qualifications unless you refuse to try and use them.

Not nonsense to go to uni but he should definitely think about what happens after that as plenty of graduates are unemployed or underemployed and chasing jobs including jobs like retail and fast food. If he wants to teach that is a plan but history isn't a shortage subject.

Uni is more than getting a job though there are so many opportunities while you are there.

I think your son should ignore the advice he had at the job centre. Job centres are not really geared to advising people on an individual and detailed basis-they are more concerned with getting them into a job, any job.

Hi @Freakydeak thanks for your input, I will get him to look into it.

Yes I meant job centre was talking crap not you! No offence meant or taken. Good luck to him

If he wants to go to Uni then I'd encourage it - provided he knows what he wants to do at the end of it. A lot of people graduate with degrees and then can't get a job. In my experience (for myself, DH and our DCs) some degrees are harder to use than others. So if it's STEM and you get a good degree then usually you can find a job, other subjects may be more difficult. So he should bear that in mind.An apprenticeship may also be an option.

I am not sure why he can't find a full time job now though - if he has part time bar work he can work at more than one bar/hotel, there are also retail and hospitality jobs. He could work and do further education part time as well?

My reply was on the Wrong thread 😆

Given a degree is now a cv sifting point for many jobs (which often don't really need one) he'll actually widen the pool of jobs available to him. So the job centre is talking bollocks.

Also you do better studying a subject you're interested in, so if that's history, its a good choice. Analytical skills etc.

The Job Centre probably see a lot of jobless graduates coming through their doors looking for work and for additional help, like courses, to get into work and when they do find employment it might be a job paying barely above NMW. A degree will look like a waste of time and money esp as the grad job seeker is now earning the same as that lad who's only got 3 GCSEs but JS is up to his eyes in student debt whilst said lad isn't. Given that a degree is supposed to help you in the job market, this might be why the Job Centre staff will have told your son he'd be wasting his time.

HOWEVER!! If he is very motivated and keen, a bit of solid groundwork first would help him. What does he want out of life?
Does he want to travel (teach internationally?)
Does he want to own a house?

Does he want to be a high earner?

Does he see himself marrying and having a family - if at all - sooner rather than later or vice versa?

Are there things he sees himself having like a nice car, regular holidays abroad?

What does this lifestyle cost? *do a spreadsheet with him. The Salary Calculator website shows the NI/tax breakdown on specific salaries so you get an idea of net income for a specific salary.
What were his strong subjects at school and did he enjoy them enough to want to do a degree in them?
Look at the types of jobs associated with the subjects that interest him. You could ask on here, if you have a degree in x, and a well paying and or interesting job related to that degree pls can you tell me more about what you do, how you got into it, prospects etc. People are always very forthcoming and helpful with careers' advice so give it a go.

I think he does need to choose wisely so that the degree leads to a job that he really enjoys and, hopefully, also pays well enough for him not to feel like he's drowning trying to make ends meet because the student debt repayments, to my mind, are eye watering (he needs to check those out too.) He also doesn't want to make a poor choice of degree subject which takes him nowhere and sees him back at that Job Centre with a student loan round his neck, looking for NMW jobs again.

Hi @ManchesterLu thanks for your post, I do think it would be good for him to experience and he does want to do it so fingers crossed.

@ThisTimeNextWeekDavid thanks for a positive post, he is def going to look into it.

Thank you @outdooryone I had not thought about college, I just hope he can do something that makes him happy.

Thanks @SabrinaThwaite I didn't know that so I/he will have a look into it.

Thank you @RaininSummer I think that is what the job centre is getting at.

Thank you @hashimotosucks It went over my head. just as well it's not me going to uni!!!

Hi @InSpainTheRain he is finding it difficult to get full time work. He is hoping with christmas coming something might turn up.

At my local RG uni they have a whole support department to help older than 18 years olds get into uni, they have people who can talk through the finance stuff and about accessing the courses usually via a foundation or access course.

The job centre saying it is pointless could just be that where you live now is small and job opportunities are less than say larger cities. Honestly, having worked in a job centre it is not the place to recruit graduates; they post jobs that are more low skilled job orientated. Grad opportunities and other more skilled/technical jobs are usually recruited through specific agencies.

I would get him to reach out to possibly your local uni first as it is on your doorstep and get information. Then he can look into where he wants to go and contact those universities. Best of luck to him.

@murasaki he has had an interest in history since being a young child.. A job came up at a museum not far from us and he applied and he was told over 400 people had applied for that 1 job so he missed out unfortunately.

Is there a reason he did not go on to do A-levels

I’ve not seen anyone suggest the best option for your son yet - an Access to Higher Education Diploma.

Access to HE courses have been specifically designed for adult learners aged 19 or over who do not currently have the relevant entry requirements or qualifications to go to university. There is no upper age limit. The course is paid for by an Advanced Learner Loan from Student Finance (which is written off entirely if you go to uni).

If you act quick, there may still be some local colleges who’ll accept him on their courses, as they tend to start in September.

Some online providers like Activate Learning have a January/February intake.

I agree with PPs - the Job centre is being rather unhelpful there.

Otoh a degree in history is not a gateway to x or y job - so someone would need to think (IMHO) about what they want to do afterwards. Teaching history would be a great plan and he would need a degree for that.

Look into access courses and possibly a uni that is quite local so he can maybe continue his current job part-time? History degree is pretty low-contact (tho quite a lot of work as in reading and essays). Are you near any big cities OP?

Could he set up some wk exp in a secondary school to see how he gets on? It's a great career in many ways but not for everyone.