To think some career paths shouldn't be open to school leavers

[ChuffinAda]

Or 21 year old graduates.

I'm thinking careers such as the emergency services, social work, teaching etc where you need good people skills and life experience as well as qualifications

Aibu?

Disagree. Enthusiasm and the lack of cynicism which comes with youth are also good qualities for those roles.

YABU. And age-ist.

One of my nieces has a 22 year old NQT and she is marvellous- a born teacher.

I know tons of young people with excellent people skills.

YABU arethere makes a great point.

Both my DC's (and mine actually) favourite teachers were/are NQT teachers. Bags of enthusiasm, not yet wearied and hardened by the job, keen to do the job properly and actually seemed to enjoy it. They got so much out of my DC, real improvements that werent happening with more experienced teachers.

For social work, I think some life experience is invaluable

YABU and if my young family member ever has to treat anyone you care about as a paramedic (genuinely hope they don't) you'll see why.

YABU

What would you suggest they do? Spend thousands on a degree only to be told graduate jobs are no longer available to them.

Also several of the jobs you have mentioned are very short staffed, especially teaching and social work. We need graduates to fill those roles.

We had a 20 year old social work student on placement with us a couple of years ago. She was brilliant.

She kept her head when she accompanied one of our workers on outreach and they discovered a service user unconscious after an overdose. While the worker administered first aid she took instructions from the emergency services and related them while they were waiting for paramedics. She helped to save that person's life.

What???

Even if they get the necessary qualifications?

And what is that all about mixing school leavers and 21 year old graduates?

I think that there is room for people of all ages in these professions. Younger entrants should have good supervision and training. (Actually everyone should have supervision to prevent them projecting and bringing their own prejudices to the work).

Young people often have a lot of commitment and energy and older people have experience and tend to handle crises better. Ideally a team needs both.

Personal qualities are the most important thing.

I began teaching at 22... Some people are a bit sniffy about the fact that I've never done a "real job". My exam results speak for themselves. I've had the best results in the department for year 11, 12 and 13 every year since I qualified. I may be outdone in year 12 this year by the 23 year old who started as an NQT last year.

Aren't all NQTs 21 year old grads?

YABU

YABU, vocational tendencies are often very strong in young people.

YABU, for all of the reasons PPs have stated. I was probably a much better teacher when I was 22 than I am now (at 36), at least in terms of enthusiasm and being up to date with current children's literature.

those careers aren't open to 16 years old

No. I was a 28 year old NQT with some work experience. The only advantage was my admin work experience made the paperwork a breeze. It didn't help deliver teaching, control classes or enthuse pupils.

I think my people skills were better at age 17, before corporate life and 'reflecting back' and 'influencing' and 'managing upward' started to interfere with them.

What if those graduates have worked and lived independently while studying school leavers and graduates are at different ends of education what you said doesnt really make sense , my graduate dd is joining the emergency services she is just waiting on a start date. being under 25 doesnt make them immature or unreliable

Yabu, we are desperarately short of nurses, they will be very few in 10yrs due to retirement in 10yrs if we implemented that.

Some of the best teachers my dc have had are in their 20s.

Im a 40yr old nurse, if i look or sound experienced its because ive been doing the job for 20years, not because im 40. Ive had to educate a few older student nurses on the subject of compassion and non judgemental attitudes.

One of the most stupid posts I have ever read on mumsnet.

And that is seriously says something.

Florriesma I had surgery last year and had the most fantastic HCA take me down to theatre and wait with me 45 mins - I haven't laughed so much in ages - she was 18, had done work experience there on her BTEC - was bank staff about to go onto a FT contract

she was ace and I hope one day she goes on to train as a nurse

I will always remember lying on the floor of the waiting area (no chairs) pretending we had died of starvation while laughing hysterically - totally forgetting I was about to have a GA!

Why not?

If someone has the focus and dedication at that age to succeed on that career path they deserve it. Social Work in particular requires high grades to even get onto a course.

All of the careers you've mentioned involve work placements in order to qualify, so any people skills and experience would be polished during that time.