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?

"Ambulance driver" is a bloody insulting thing to say

Paramedics have to go via uni anyway so won't be a school leaver

YABU. At the age of 21, I've just qualified as a teacher and I've been accepted to do an MA in social work. I have plenty of life experience, including an abusive childhood, an abusive ex and ongoing issues with said abusive ex as he is DS's father.

My experiences can't be taught in a lecture hall to a 21 year old, OR a 40 year old. You can't teach somebody to have compassion, understanding and empathy, regardless of their age.

The respective recruitment processes for the careers you have listed are strict.

This suggestion gets my first

Clearly the OP was being ridiculous in their blanket ageist post - but what about one of the careers they didn't mention; the armed forces. You can join the army at 16, with parental permission, even if you can't be deployed to an active frontline for two years. Should being a solider be restricted to those over 21 years old with 'life experience'?

Yabu to suggest it's an age thing.
But yanbu to suggest that for some jobs varied and relevant experience of an amount that reflects the amount of variation in the job should be a mandatory part of the qualification.

I began teaching at 22... Some people are a bit sniffy about the fact that I've never done a "real job".

Blimey, what do they think a real job is? Working on an oil rig? Working in a shop? Lion tamer? Admin assistant? How is teaching not a proper job??

Young people are cheaper. Govt doesn't want to pay a decent wage so it needs cheap young people to do the work.
Yanbu that life skills are helpful in many public facing empathetic roles. There are some younger people who've been through more crap than a 50 year old. Some may have better life skills than someone twice their age but the professions should be encouraging worthwhile entrants of all ages.

Of course YABU, and quite ridiculous.
No point in me repeating everything said on last 4 pages though.

EastMids- I hear this most often from other teachers! Often career changers who used to do something else (finance, estate agents, publishing). Oddly enough it's never the ones who teach well that pass comment and we have plenty of really amazing career-changers. It's always the ones that constantly moan about workload and struggle to get good lesson observations and results.

The one job where I would like to see an age limit (30) is MP/ parliamentary candidate. I am not a fan of professional politicians (PPE at Oxford, researcher, MP). They should do something else first. Doesn't matter what.

I agree with ^^ they live in the bubble of westminster

My dd's friend who is deputy head boy, is on that path already. He even managed to stage a coupe when the Head Boy was out of the country . He is a youth parliament member, has a job in the youth parliament as well. I fully expect to see his name in a future cabinet. But dh keeps telling dd to tell him to get a proper job first!

Haven't read the whole thread, but I strongly disagree with you. I think it is very unhealthy if an organisation just has employees from a certain age range, it is much better if you have a mix of new entrants (a lot of whom will be young) and experienced staff. That way the organisation has a steady stream of fresh ideas, keeps up to date with changes in the outside world that older people may not necessarily see and the older staff can mentor the new / younger ones.

Yeah I thought it would start in school Bruffin tbf if thats what they want to do but a real job would be beneficial imo

I See the op hasnt come back !

I agree with you when it comes to politicians. In fact I'd say that to become an MP you should have to had experience in retail/customer facing work so you understand a bit more about how the other half lives. But you could get that before you even left school.

All the politicians look and act the same they are clones they spout the same words there must be a training camp somewhere

YABU - for all the reasons quoted. My nieces are paramedics - and fantastic. The nurses and HCAs who worked with my mum in hospital last month were so patient, so very caring with the dementia sufferers - it made me cry. Of course they work in a team and are at the beginning of their training but the mix is good.

Agree this is a stupid post.

DD is nearly 18 and I am staggered sometimes when I spend time with her friends - their awareness of current affairs, their volunteering experience, their energy and commitment to things - wonderful.

My uncle joined the RF at 16 and was flying not long after in wartime. My dad was on a troop ship to the Far East at 17. Now we treat 16 - 18 year olds like children - and many respond to that lack of responsibility with a sort of fecklessness. We keep them in "education" until 21 or 22. Many still live at home. It is really hard for them to get work experience now - even Saturday jobs go to older people.

Young people can be wonderful! Let them fly!!!!!

Dd2 is off to uni next year, she's doing a paramedics course. Why on earth would you try to prevent someone from doing such a thing, a desperately needed service, in dire straits but still young people want to go into it.
Daft post!

The only one I can slightly agree with is social worker. I knew a very young, just out of uni social worker. The service users ran roughshod over her, she didn't have the experience/age to deal with it and they weren't going to be advised by someone who to them was a baby.

I worked with youth workers and unfortunately for them but fortunate for those they helped they had far too much life experience for their such young age. I know with my disabled son youth is definitely an advantage for those who work with him.

panatone but on the other hand I can think of very young people who through life experience would make excellent social workers, and by contrast social workers with a few years on the job that still have such a narrow window of life experience their ability to do the job is reduced. Same for other jobs too, not just social work. And I think along with experience the massive thing is being open minded and the ability to realise where your gaps in knowledge are, which doesn't come purely from years on the planet

Orangevase i was just coming on to say something similar young people these days are treated like children sometimes its ridiculous if they are treated incapable they will act incapable.

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

And that is seriously says something.*

Yep

Im still not sure what life experience the op is on about because you dont need to go through stuff to have empathy and understanding