My DS, university/ job/ career....

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For the last 3 months DS has been working in an office for a local company - basic junior admin stuff. Completing spreadsheet, typing up notes. He's been asked to do a few extra tasks too but it's all quite simple.

At first he quite liked it when it was all new. But now he's really bored. There's no prospects either, no natural way of advancing his career. The more senior people have worked there for 20 years plus, then it's loads of juniors. So no career path.

He said if he stays for a year, 5, he feels he will be in the same position. He's a very upbeat person normally, things don't upset him, he is always glass is half full. But currently he's really quite down. It's most unlike him.

We've talked about applying for another job. However he's not sure he enjoys the office environment. This is his first office job, he previously worked in customer facing roles in a bar/ restaurant which he enjoyed more but was never a long term plan.

When he was in 6th form he thought about teaching (and did some teaching practice in school) but the school directed him down the path of accountancy- he applied for a few degree apprenticeships but wasn't successful and took the bar job...He's not sure accountancy is for him though it was more the schools idea. And it's still office work which doesn't appeal.

I've asked about other careers, he really isn't a physical type so manual trades don't appeal.

He's going to speak to a family friend who is a teacher about his options and see what he can do. I don't know if he can try and get a place through clearing or if he will need to wait and apply next year but at least he can look into it.

This seems sensible to me, but my DP was quite dismissive of it and said he needs to stick to it, he's being ridiculous saying there are no prospects, and so on. So is DS being unreasonable in this?

Avocados his school wouldn't let him take his other AS level to A level because he failed it. He wasn't the only one. I know other schools were more flexible on this but his said there was no point. He got a B in that subject in his mock (no pressure) so should have passed but didnt.

I think their advice was poor. He changed schools at 16 and his previous school wasn't great, but we went from frying pan to fire.

One of his friends did a foundation course for his engineering degree and is now on course for a first. Ds would definitely be happy to do foundation. He has always been quite opposed to uni but is now thinking it might be an option.

I don't think he should rush straight into studying right now. He needs more time and experience to work out where his interests lie. I think he should leave his job and try another one in a different area.

Is there a temp agency near you? They often offer a variety of work and pay reasonable rates. My ds is already at university and got a summer job in his home town hauling boxes in a warehouse for £10 an hour.

The agency had lots of other jobs covering places in offices, factories, retail, hospitality, etc. so your ds could try that and should be able to get quite a bit of experience in different settings and at the same time save up in case he does decide to go to university at some point.

I think, with two A levels and now good some work experience, he could apply for a primary school teaching degree. I don't agree with your husband that he hasn't given 'office work' a chance, the very term 'office work' covers a multitude and in his present job, your son doesn't feel he would progress far. However he could do another year there, maybe do an evening class in something that will look good on his CV.

Two A levels in Bus Studies and History, C&D, is not bad.

I'd strongly suggest he follows Avocado's advice, but maybe also uses this year to do a science GCSE and another A level.

I assumed the bit about accountancy being a dying profession was in relation to automation of many of the tasks. That's what the accountants in my organisation say.

For the suggestions about a hospitality career, this could be a good option - a good mix of university and practical, in some ways not too far from a degree apprenticeship. It's modelled on the Swiss hotel school style of teaching www.edgehotelschool.ac.uk/ He doesn't meet the stated entry requirements, but as they're still in Clearing for September, they're not exactly overwhelmed with applicants (in common with a great many universities). It's part of the Uni of Essex.

It wasn't me who asked about why the school wouldn't let him do the full three A Levels - to be honest, that's water under the bridge. Best to look to the future and what he can do now.

With regards to foundation things - best to make the distinction between foundation years and foundation degrees

• Foundation year = one extra year at the start of the degree to bring people up to scratch who haven't got the right subjects / grades. Very clear pathway onto specific degree(s) at the same uni. Offered by a wide variety, including some Russell Group universities.
• Foundation degree = qualification in its own right, two years long, equivalent to the first two years of university. Similar to an HND. Can either be used as a standalone qualification, or an extra year of study will top it up to a full BA / BSc degree.

Very different, similar terminology!

If he's not keen on going to university, don't force him - it's often a pathway to students dropping out at a later date. However, he may come around to the idea if he realises that there are few other options out there for him without a degree, and / or that his friends are moving away and having fun. What are his stated reasons for not wanting to go to university? Some are more legitimate than others; some are decisions based on complete myths!

He will NOT be accepted on a PrimaryEd degree course with two A levels and no science at GCSE at least, people need to stop suggesting this. Very academic course, lots of assignments too. I am a bit dismayed at the suggestions of teaching just because your son is bored of his office job, teaching is not something you just drift into, high drop out rate and very stressful. I hope your son sorts something out, but maybe just give him a break, work in a bar or restaurant for a while and see what happens while he decides. People don't stay with the same employer for life anymore, not even in the same work area sometimes.

Do not be put off by apprenticeships as accountancy is highly sought after, DS1 will be applying for next years apprenticeship and university as well. The apprenticeships require 3 b as minimum with some future employees favouring the apprentice route above university graduate. Not all apprenticeships are as sought after. DS friend has completed one year as a car salesman on an apprenticeship scheme and they are now paying him a full salary as he is doing so well.

I think it’s worth spending a bit of time sorting out qualifications now so that it doesn’t hold him back for the rest of his life.

I would look into finding him somewhere to spend this year doing science GCSE resit and maybe another A Level. Then look at either university or training from there.

If he doesn’t want to spend a year sorting his qualifications out to give himself a stable basis for the future then I think perhaps he should just work doing whatever for a couple of years without any pressure from you or his dad. One of the above posters suggested a temping agency and actually that’s a great idea - it would give him experience of a wide range of jobs and workplaces, he might get some insight into what he fancies doing, he will pick up skills and experience, and maybe he’ll be keener on university after a couple of years’ hard work.

... and there are things like foundation courses which adult learners can use to make up for their missing qualifications so he can always do something like that if he identifies in future what kind of degree he might like to study. University isn’t the be all and end all though.

teaching is not just because he is bored. How patronising! He has tried to decide what he really wants to do, and reflected on the fact he did really enjoy the teaching practice he did in a local primary before his school steered him down the accountancy route...hence why reconsidering his options.

He has a little experience of temp work. Not really his thing and to be honest round here there are so many (less than)
minimum wage admin apprenticeships there is v little temp work to be had in offices.

He's also worked in bars etc for over a year. There is no way he would work in a factory (not that there is much of that type of work round here) and I'm not going to criticise him for that because I wouldn't either.

He originally didn't consider uni because his school had persuaded him it wasn't for him, he was attracted by the idea of earning while he worked doing a degree apprenticeship etc...which I can see on paper seems more appealing! But having had time to reflect and seeing friends go off and do well, and having worked in jobs where there wasn't much career path/ he didnt want to do long term, he is reconsidering what to do. and thinking maybe uni might be for him after all. I went to university myself so I would be happy for him to go. Or not go. I just want him to be happy in whatever direction he chooses.

He has spoken to our friend who has suggested applying for TA jobs locally (there are a few in our area) and looking to redo his GCSE science. Although she thinks he might get a clearing place, her advice is to try the TA role first and see if he still thinks its for him.

And if not, think about what other degrees he might want to. Bizarrely he seems to have more chance of doing a uni degree than a degree apprenticeship!

Definitely! Degree apprenticeships are really hard to get on to! MN is usually oblivious to this...

OP there are many different types of “office work”. For example an accountant or a lawyer will work in an office but be doing mentally challenging and intellectually stimulating work and with promise of high status and good pay further down their career path, whilst doing basic admin tasks is not so fun and doesn’t have much career progression.

Maybe he should think more about what topics/sectors interest him rather than focusing solely on the type of environment?

And maybe he could take another A level this year so that he would have enough ucas points for uni?

That's because a degree costs thousands of pounds. I've recently taken on three apprentices at level 3 and even at that level the competition was fierce!

Conkergame he has tried to think about what interests him which led him to teaching.

The problem with law or accountancy, or similar, is that if you're doing something beyond admin they certainly are interesting. However to get to do something beyond admin you need to have joined as a graduate, or be on a degree apprenticeship programme or similar.

Why on earth was accountancy suggested to him if he does not like exams? Accountancy is ALL exams! And with the mediocre academics accountancy isn't really for him. Nor is teaching! Those are academic careers.

Do not be put off by apprenticeships as accountancy is highly sought after, DS1 will be applying for next years apprenticeship and university as well. The apprenticeships require 3 b as minimum with some future employees favouring the apprentice route above university graduate.

THe Big4 apprenticeship schemes spit you out with a degree AND your ACA. No debt, and having been paid all the way through. Hugely, hugely competitive.

Someone with 2 A levels as a B and a D wouldn't even be looked at.

Will he definitely need a 3rd A level? I know his friend who did the Foundation year (mentioned above) only had 2, ditto some others he knows from school. I'll admit I am completely out of touch with the UCAS process as it's nearly 30 years since I applied, in those days the lowest admission (which we all had in mind if we did poorly in A levels, and which I've neverv forgotten) was EE to do a teaching degree at St Marys in Twickenham.

Aldi store management scheme. Incredible pay and benefits.

There are thousands of other types of apprenticeship. Look on the govt website there are specific ones in customer service for example. They don't start at set times of year, we just start ours when we feel like it.

I'd be really surprised if he manages to get a TA role, they are about the most highly sought after roles that exist.

OK first off he (and you tbh) are being really stupid writing off a career based in an office, based on 3 months menial clerical work. (to which - he's 18 with no work/life experience or reasonable skills - what was he expecting exactly?). Office roles are as varied as it is possible to be. Some are dull. Some are hugely exciting. I'd imagine he wouldn't be saying office work wasn't for him if he was working in Google for instance.

Secondly he is earning money! And he's 18 and has time to figure out the next move. Do some voluntary work in a school for 6 months. Build a website. Volunteer with an animal charity. Make a film. Do an evening class (maybe get that science GCSE if he's genuinely interested in teaching). Save up and go round the world round next year! But do not go to university NOW just because he can't think of anything better to do and is doing a job that's a bit dull.

If he spends this year exploring options, then university next year, with a plan, is always possible.

Management schemes are normally graduate based aren't they? If not I'll suggest to him.

He has looked at many non degree apprenticeships over the last 2 years. In this area they are pretty much all either practical trade-centric (plumbing, building, electrical), or office based and below min wage. There isn't much else.

And as we discovered the degree apprenticeships are super competitive.

I do have to ask peri whether you would want someone with 2 Es teaching your own DCs (or someone who fell into it becasue all else failed..)! Things were a lot different then. 'Grade inflation' for one means that no unis openly take students with EE even without a foundation year. I did find a few BEds with FY (Beds Uni, for example) with A Levels like your DS's. But he still needs the science hurdle overcome.