Why do most jobs require GCSE or equivalent?

[nickinickers]

I find this quite soul destroying as someone with no education or ability to learn.
I would be so good at so many jobs but because I’m academically challenged I can’t even apply.
AIBU to think this is so unnecessary and cruel?

You write fluently, with correct spelling and punctuation and use of parts of speech. There’s a disconnect between what we read in your posts and what you’re describing. You have been able to learn something, because you wouldn’t be able to express yourself as you do, without absorbing something.

Your posts are far more literate than several I’ve seen on here.

Everyone else in my family are incredibly bright, I don’t know what’s happened with me

Stop putting yourself down.
Is there anything you like making/producing to sell? You don’t have ti be a pro at first, the more you practise the better you will be perfect what you’re making if you put your heart and soul into it. I’m thinking down the lines of being self employed…

Not sure anyone has said this yet (sorry, haven't read every message - I know, it's bad) but why not enrol on adult education evening classes at a local college to do your Maths and English. I used to teach on GCSE English and it was good fun. Your literacy is good from your first post; achieving English should be doable without too much struggle I'd think.

Is this a joke! You said you might be able to be a police officer! You can’t even remember what someone you served in a pub looks like! Do you think all criminals come dressed in striped jumpers with a swag bag? You’d also be required to write court reports and remember what happened at the beginning of an eight hour shift and write it up at the end. I’m really not sure where you could work that you don’t have to learn or remember things.

This came up recently with the child of a local tradesman. He seemed incapable of learning in school, so then got a reputation for mucking around. Then he starts to think he cant learn anything. His dad cant have him as an apprentice as you need GSCEs for most trade courses now. So he's teaching the lad on the job, he's doing fine and will be able to take over the business one day.

OP you need to try for a functional skills qualification. https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/find-a-course/page?searchTerm=functional%20maths%20level%201%202&town=N52TD&courseType=[%22%22]&courseHours=[%22%22]&courseStudyTime=[%22%22]&startDate=Anytime&distance=10%20miles&filterA=True&orderByValue=Relevance&coordinates=&campaignCode=&qualificationLevels=[]&page=5

If you still cant pass exams then look into your own gardening business. Get used to making lists of what you need to do and making voice notes on your phone. Volunteer anywhere that will take you so you have people who will say you turn up on time and do whatever is asked of you.

It can’t be true that you have "no education or ability to learn", or you wouldn't have been able to write your correctly spelled, grammatically correct and well-composed post. Even if you used AI to help you, that demonstrates something positive.

Virtually all jobs require not just the basic ability to learn whatever is required but the application, self-discipline and persistence to keep going. Have you tried to analyse exactly what it is that holds you back in a classroom? Undiagnosed ADHD that makes it hard for you to focus or organise yourself? A learning disability such as Dyscalculia? Either of those would make certain jobs unsuitable for you, but would not prevent you succeeding in other lines of work.

To be a Met Police Officer, at least, you have to study for a degree as you gain experience on the streets.

@nickinickersI can understand your frustrations and it sounds really difficult.
I guess my advice would be to focus on your skills and strengths and think about what roles would suit you.

You mentioned police officer and childcare but the reality is even with the required qualifications it doesn’t sound like these are jobs you would cope with as you need to think on your feet, retain sometimes complex information and you’ve identified you struggle with that.

I don’t know what the provision is for adults but given your level of difficulty I wonder if it would be helpful for you to speak to your GP and think about an assessment of any learning needs? This may open some doors in terms of employment support and training. Maybe some specialist job coaching.

There will be roles you can thrive in but I think you need some help to identify what they might be.

@nickinickers
Honestly what job do you think you would be good at? Youve mentioned Police Officer but then also said this 'the few pub/ restaurant jobs I’ve had don’t last because I can’t remember where things are or what I’ve gone to get.
I don’t have a good short term memory so I can’t remember names and I can’t remember faces so I have no idea who I was serving, so employers get frustrated and let me go then I face the stigma of unemployment."

So based on your own words you wouldn't be able to be a police officer as its a pretty important part of the role to remember what you've been taught, apply it & recall everything you did in detail in a court setting etc.

I think you need to talk to someone in a careers service role (do these still exist?) to work out what your strengths are and then look for jobs that fit with that. Once you know what you jobs you will be able to do you can then look at what qualifications or experience you need to apply for these.

But I expect it is a basic requirement for most jobs to be able to remember what you've been taught, how to do the role etc so if you genuinely have significant issues with your short term memory then it may be an uphill battle, in which case you may need to seek a diagnosis of why this is such an issue for you and see if there is any way to improve your short term memory.

Good luck.

Have you tried Functional Maths and English? These are GCSE equivalent and are available for free at colleges for people who didn't get their GCSE qualifications. Have you been diagnosed with a specific learning difficulty as you may also be able to get additional support.

This is unnecessarily rude.

No ability to retain or process information but think you’d make a good police officer?!

And this is the reason I have reported this poster .

I have only read your posts and you come over really well so it’s a shame your lack of formal education qualifications holds you back so much. It does sound like there’s something going on though but not sure what the process would be to get a diagnosis. Maybe start with your GP and take it from there? With a diagnosis, there would be extra support which might help you get into the work place. Also look at volunteering so you can get some practical experience. Good luck.

Have you looked in some of the big retail shops like The Range, B&M, supermarkets, etc to see if there are any cleaning roles. I know we had a cleaner where I worked and they had no qualifications at all.

“Academically challenged” isn’t a thing. You’re just suffering a chronic lack of self esteem. Anyone (and I mean absolutely anyone), can find an adult education course for them at a local college to start to build some qualifications.

Every post makes me even more confused that police officer is the job you named. You can’t remember things including names and faces?!?

OP, I mean this respectfully although it is sensitive, do you think you have a learning disability? If you can’t process information or retain it at all then I suspect there’s something underlying. If you were to get diagnosed with a learning disability, you then may be entitled to support, special type of education and employment etc. it might be worth looking into. I have experience with adults with LD, feel free to PM.

I know you absolutely didn’t mean this, but it is a total insult to police officers to think that performing that role requires no learning. Yes it’s practical a lot of the time, but it’s the practical application of a huge amount of policy and legislation which you need to be able to memorise and then apply to an endless list of scenarios. This is before you’ve even touched on the report writing needed after every interaction you have as part of the job. The initial learning courses are gruelling for good reason, usually about 4-5 months in a classroom.

There has been a few dozen people possting the same thing, I think OP got the idea now.

Have you looked into assessment for learning difficulties such as ADHD or visual or auditory processing disorder as well as dyscalculia? It’s a cliche but so many women have gone undiagnosed and have internalised the shame and difficulties that come with a lifetime of struggling.

Don’t write yourself off until you explore how your brain actually does work and try to learn in the way that suits you best.
Good luck

And to answer the q in the title, basic school qualifications are the easiest way to assess and sift applications, even for menial roles if more applicants than positions. Likewise if the job spec requires higher levels or a specific qualification such as Food Hygiene certificate as desirable. If you do not have them you either need to show a commitment to work towards them or be prepared to highlight alternative experience or transferable skills instead.

Yes it is silly. If you think my parents generation most didn't have O Levels back then and left school at 15 however still went into jobs which now require GCSE's.

Op I'd think you need to look for jobs that don't require any qualifications.

Things I'd look at are cleaning, dog walking, ironing.

Have you ever been assessed for dyslexia or short term memory issues?