I have an interview (admin NHS), but lack qualifications proof

[user1471867483]

I've been shortlisted for a band 4 NHS job, but I don't meet the essential GCSE Maths and English criteria since I'm from the O level and CSE days. I wrote on the application form that I have O level grade C in both subjects from 1987, but I can't prove it because I don’t have the certificates anymore (I'm 54), plus my secondary school closed down over 10 years ago. My only strong point is my 30 years of NHS experience, plus a bit in private healthcare. The interview is remote, and I have to show my qualifications (which I can't verify) into the camera and my photo ID, which I do have. What should I do?

Exactly !
and the OP in her fifties surely will have needed to evidence qualifications in the past ?

I can’t believe that since she gained her O levels in the 1980’s she has not had to produce them to an employer

You’d better believe it because she’s far from being the only one.

I’ve never produced gcse or alevel results for an employer
i haven’t even been asked for my grades at this level verbally for over 20 years, let alone evidenced them

I don’t accept that the NHS is magic and special in this regard compared to any private sector professional organisation (which is my experience). If a candidate can show evidence of higher level qualifications and decades of relevant work experience backed up by reference it is patently ridiculous to not offer a job on the grounds that a piece of paper from 40 odd years ago has gone astray.

You can’t get replacement certificates. You can get a certified statement of results. You do need to know the original exam boards though; some are now AQA and some OCR. I did it last year…then didn’t get asked for them! 😫

What about teacher training then? do you agree it is important that the teacher-to-be can evidence their degree? It may have been taken many years before (mine was).

The post you’ve quoted literally answers that

“If a candidate can show evidence of higher level qualifications”

Blimey! I did O levels 46 years ago and my degree 30 years ago. No one has ever asked for proof luckily! I coincidentally have a band 5 nhs interview on Friday and hadn't even thought about providing proof - I have 30 years of experience which I'm assuming is what they want more than O and A levels from the last generation

We are not talking about degrees though are we?

Ah OK fair enough. Do you also think GCSEs or equivalents should need to be evidenced by a would-be teacher?

And why does it matter what we are talking about – degrees or GCSEs or A levels? All of these are proved by showing a certificate. That's how you do it. So ideally you need to keep them. And as I have said, there is no reason at all that anyone has offered why this is easy (so easy as to be totally expected) for people under a certain (unspecified) age but ridiculous or impossible for those over that age.

I'm used to showing my exam certificates for the education sector. Fortunately I'm of the age group of the burgandy "Record of Achievement" folders which means I've kept all my qualification certificates together. And don't take them out lest I leave the print behind

The exam boards I qualified under no longer exist; they had regional names such as Southern Examining Group, Midland Examining Group.

It is logistically harder for older people who took their exams in schools and with exam boards in a pre-digital era with organisations that ceased to exist.
That distant and probably long forgotten education is less relevant than decades of practical experience.

Another one who got CSE’s, O Levels and A levels back in 1977. Due to lots of moving around I lost my certificates at some point after starting my first job. I’ve never had to provide proof of my qualifications for any jobs since then. Often the job spec states the qualifications required but also states or equivalent experience.

Of course! Thank you for being interested. Not sure they'll reply right now being New Years Eve.

Think I may have to withdraw. I'll first see what they say though. In all my decades I've never had to produce proof. I could've sworn it said 'or equivalent experience', but no it says English and Maths GCSE C is essential. If it's meant to be it'll work out. Btw, I don't have any qualifications higher than CSE's! I only put on my application forms GCSE in case they'd never heard of O levels!!!
And no I have no siblings or any family except my 82 yo mum.

Nhs manager here, In our criteria scoring at my trust we have the option to confirm that equivalent knowledge and experience was demonstrated at interview in the absence of documentation, i wouldnt worry too much about it!

CSE grade 1 was always regarded as equivalent to a C at O level.

I work for a local authority and had to produce proof of the qualifications I said I had when I was first employed, 17 years ago. I have changed job a few times since within the same organisation. If they have the original record you don’t have to show it again, but on one occasion they’d just upgraded the HR system and I needed to produce it again as they’d thrown out all the old files.

Why would anyone assume you didn’t need to keep exam certificates, no matter what they were? I’m the worst record-keeper in the world (had to get a new marriage certificate after losing the first one), but even I have my academic certificates.

It’s much easier now for recruiters to check obscure qualifications via Google. I have Standard Grades, my mum has O levels and my daughter will have National 5s. All Scottish qualifications, all taken at the end of 4th year. Bet that confuses the heck out of English recruiters (and younger Scottish ones). But at least now they can look them up quickly.

No-one should need proof of qualifications of any kind to do admin work.

@user1471867483 all the best op

Why? Admin work is as important as any other job, you could be asked to do any kind of task requiring Maths, English or both.
Current Apprenticeships require GCSE 4, which is the equivalent to a low C in the old style quality if you don't have that you must be working towards them, a level 3 apprenticeship you must achieve the equivalent (often L2 functional skills Maths and English).
If you start and are older than 19, you may not have to do it, it is at the employers discretion and many including local councils and NHS do want them to.It is a government funding rule for Apprenticeships.

I got CSE grade 1 maths and that counts as a C at O level, did you get grade 1 CSE for both. I had a look at my CSE certificate from 1974 and it says East Midland regional examination board and then lists the grades, so just one certificate for all.

it looks like it is this for CSE certificates

www.aqa.org.uk/contact-us/certificate-services/past-results-and-lost-certificates/cse-exams-taken-1965-1987

@user1471867483 as I said before, I really hope you are able to sort this out please don’t withdraw until you know how it will go.

But going forward I caution against saying you have GCSE when you don’t. You should list the actual qualifications you have – it’s fine to give the equivalents – eg CSE maths grade 1 - equivalent to GCSE grade 4.

I sat O levels in 1975. The exam board no longer exists.

Agreed. I sat my GCSEs the second year they were out in 1990 and was asked to submit my certificates when applying to a masters course recently. It was near impossible to find out the exam boards and they let me off in the end. That’s going to be even harder for O level/CSE.