DD is a graduate but is now doing a school leavers apprenticeship!?

[franklinj]

DD did biomedical science at uni and was offered an interview for the place she did her placement year at for a full time position. She freaked out at interview and didn't get the job.

She went for a lab job which was aimed at people who didn't have a degree and was told that as she doesn't have science a levels, she wasn't suitable!?

She gave up and has ended up starting a dental nurse apprenticeship where she is paid crap money and goes to college once a week. She says she enjoys it though..

Hmm.

AIBU to think she should ditch this and find something else?

She enjoys it so no, I don't automatically think she should ditch her apprenticeship.

Did she complete her degree (it's a little unclear in your post).

Unless a science degree, I don't think she should have been accepted against candidates with A Levels. Despite what a lot of people like to believe, much uni subject matter (undergrad) isn't far beyond A Level in complexity; there's just a bit more of it to get through each semester.

Yes she has a bachelors in biomedical science.

She also currently has HCP or whatever it is membership because she did the year in industry so doesn't even need a trainee position!! She could move and look at other hospital jobs or apply again!! I feel sad that she gave up so quickly after graduating.

I'm confused how did she get a place on a science degree with no science a-levels? And you usually can't do apprenticeships if you already have a degree?

She has a level 3 btec Extended Diploma in applied science.

They seem to have allowed it?

If she's enjoying it that's great.

Would you be able support her doing graduate entry into dentistry? She could even finish the dental nurse apprenticeship and use agency work to see her through a dentist degree.

Lots of options are still open to her, but she's found paid employment she enjoys - that's not the case for many.

But she earns £140 a week. It's hardly paid employment.

It's the very definition of paid employment.

What are the prospects like in the medium term of the apprenticeship?

It sounds as though you think her confidence in herself and her abilities is low thus she’s now disregarded a very recent qualification and got a lower level job than her abilities. I can understand your concerns.

What does she say? Did she get on well in her placement?

This job could be the boost she needs for her confidence. Emotional intelligence is a very important aspect to success in life in all areas.

How does she feel about herself?

I am 47 and have a phd. I am a vet nurse apprentice. It's just how it's done if you wish to retrain these days. Fortunately I was already in practice so didn't have to take much of a pay cut. However I don't earn much more than that tbh. I understand your frustration but please support her as it's really tough.

If she's enjoying it and sees a future for herself in it, isn't it better for her that she carries on with it rather than sitting at home being demoralised about not getting jobs you think her degree should qualify her for? Just because she has a degree doesn't mean to say she will automatically go into a high salary job as a graduate, it depends on her field.

Bless her..sounds like her confidence is low. Giving up applying for graduate jobs after just one interview is perhaps an indicator of this! I would encourage her to keep her eye out for a job related to her degree (as long as she enjoys the subject). That said, I, like many other people, did various jobs on graduating that were not connected to my degree...it was all good experience in one way or another.

My advice would be for her to keep going for interviews and build confidence in her interview technique while understanding that graduate jobs can be few and far between. Having the dental nurse work to fall back on is not a bad thing either and it is all valuable work experience. Good to be doing something she enjoys too as it will increase her confidence. If she really wants to use her degree though please tell her not to give up trying!

Id day it isn’t that tyoical to give up on graduate level employment after one interview...!

Does she have self esteem issues?

Maybe doing this dentistry nurse apprentiship will give her a boost and she can apply for their jobs later.

Dental nursing can lead on to lots of better paid options like oral health educator, orthodontic dental nurse, special care dental nurse, working in theatre in oral surgery, working in children's hospital, nhs management. She may have found her thing.
Surely once she has her dental nurse qualification the pay will increase. She won't be on that forever.

I don't understand why she didn't get the lab job with a BSc in Biomed science, just because she didn't have science A levels. Since the Biomedical science job now requires graduate-only entry, they shouldn't even be worrying about science A levels if the candidate has the appropriate degree.
I get that she wasn't going for a biomedical scientist position, but still, even a lab assistant role should have accepted her degree as being acceptable - unless they were suggesting she was OVER-qualified for the job, which is possible.

Leave her be - she's happy doing what she's doing - she'll sort it out for herself.

What class was her degree

She's a grown up, it's not up to you. I was bullied by my parents into becoming a secondary school teacher. I had no interest in it and no desire to do it. I left teaching after my NQT year and went in a very different direction. I'm still very resentful about their interference.

Unfortunately now days most people have a degree. If she wasnt comfortable with the interviee and freaked out perhaos she isnt ready for that type of thing yet. This apprentiship will boost her confidence I am sure. She can then take it from there.

Is she still applying for bio med jobs?

However if she can't see herself working in a lab then might not be the job for her.

If she gave up on biomedical science as a career after 1 failed interview then she must strongly feel its not the right field for her. Which is a pity but there you go.

A careful conversation about where she is and her plans for the future may be worth having but please be supportive, rather thsn suggesting she's making a mess of things.

I do find that a bit odd on the part of the lab assistant employers. I used to work in path, and due to an abundance of biomedical science graduates, an increasing number of lab assistant roles were taken by graduates. We didn't really like employing them though tbh, because as soon as they found a biomedical scientist role they'd leave. So months of recruitment & training were wasted and had to be repeated with the next one. But the way nhs interviews etc worked, a degree gave someone loads of points, so we'd end up having to hire them.

If biomed is something she'd like to do (& who knows, maybe she's changed her mind through uni?), I'd encourage her to keep applying, as surely her HPC registration will lapse?

If it's not, then at least she's found something she's enjoyed, and she's young - it won't be like this forever.

If she freaked out at interview then as a pp said it is maybe not the career for her I think you should leave her alone and let her get on with it 1 ofmy Dds has an honouurs degree her chosen career has nothing to do with her job not 1 bit, least your Dd science background will help her in her nurse training. You sound embarassed by her are you?

Fwiw modern apprentiships is for all ages not school leavers

I know people who are qualified Dieticians, Primary School Teachers, Archeologists who are working in offices etc. Too many people do these degrees compared to the amount of jobs out there. The Universities just care about making money.

If she has her hpc registration she should just walk into a job. Im really regrettig not getting mine. All of the people of my course (just graduated) that got their registration walked straight into band 5 and some even band 6 jobs.