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?

If you fancy the police but don’t have the GCsEs, couldn’t you be a bouncer or something similar instead?

Your writing is of a good standard , much better than some. I don't understand how you have learnt to do this, when you say you cannot remember things such as what you have been asked to fetch or who it is for [in the pub].

You say that you're a SAHM , so did you not find that what it involved was hard to learn/remember?

How about becoming self employed? Doing voluntary work? Could studying for functional skills maths and English be an option for you?

I believe bouncers require level 2 qualifications nowadays.

I strongly suspect that you have at least one undiagnosed learning disability/SEN. You say that you think you may have discalculalia and it wouldn't surprise me if you also have inattentive type ADHD, or something else. Whatever it is, you can read and write, so you can learn, or at least you've been able to learn how to do that.

What about cleaning OP? You don't need to do maths to do that. It's minimum wage work, but there are cleaners who don't even speak English and certainly don't have British qualifications.

i think it’s quite insulting that you think a police officer shouldn’t require basic education.

OP from what you’ve said I’d seriously look into whether you have ADHD. The words of teachers floating by and not being able to hold on to them really rings for ADHD

Now's not the best time to be trying to get a job, all of the government schemes supporting people into work have pretty much drawn to a close.
If you're active and good with your hands (and like the outdoors) it may be worth seeking out some voluntary work with the organisations that were running these schemes. Charities like The Conservation Volunteers or Groundwork have experience working with people experiencing barriers to accessing employment and so will be able to help you develop skills that hopefully might lead to a job. Trying lots of different things is key to finding something you can do confidently and competently.

Agreed. Also, it used to be accepted that employers would take people on and see if they were any good. If they weren't, they'd be sent on their way. If they were good, they could work their way up. Employers expected to have to train people on the job and many people were sent to college on day release for the academic side of their training. Equally, if the employee didn't like the job it was easy to get another one, and if you felt you were being taken advantage of your union would have your back. It's all very different now for most people.

I remember talking to a woman who was probably born in the 1930s. She left school on a Friday, aged 15, with no qualifications, probably just a reference from her Headteacher. She started her first office job on the Monday. Over the course of her first week there, her Dad decided her employer was taking advantage of her as she wasn't getting home at what he regarded as a reasonable time, so he told her to give in her notice, which she did. She started another job almost immediately. That would be almost impossible today.

I'm an employer, I wouldn't necessarily need to see qualifications if we had a face to face and I felt you could be a good fit. I've owned a couple of different businesses like this, ok, the jobs aren't very well paid with little career progression but they exist and are available to people such as yourself.

Id suggest applying to local independent businesses who won't just have a check box to get through the door. But realistically, no without any qualifications you probably won't have a career but there are plenty of jobs

Quite ironic that so many people are posting about the importance of literacy and analytical skills but have not noticed that there are over 200 replies here and a great many of them are repeating the same things. Why do people do this?

There’s obviously some sort of issue you haven’t had diagnosed; adhd, dyslexia?

Probably because there are 9 pages of replies and people haven't got the time or interest to read them all, so either skim or just reply to the OP.

As someone else has said, it sounds like ADHD and you have very poor executive functioning/working memory. It's clear that you're not stupid.

I'd look into self-employed cleaning if I were you. You can charge around £18/hr now depending on your area and you just need to print out some leaflets and deliver them.

Have you been tested for dyslexia. It can be linked to short term memory issues, poor spelling, remembering sequences and processing information. Maybe pop along to your local college to
point you in the right direction You do have the ability you just need to get someone to help you find the right tools.

i left school with no GCSEs, not what I wanted, I’m smart enough in a practical sense but didn’t apply myself academically.

I’ve rarely had a problem getting a job but it all depends what you want to do, since leaving school in 2007 I have:

worked in pub kitchens
been a lifeguard
supermarket assistant/baker
warehouse/forklift operator
baker in a large scale Bakery
Assitant Bakery manager

and now for the last few years I have worked self employed as a painter and decorator.

it was a long road to find what I actually wanted to do, I enjoy the work and the income is very good, I’ve not been one to sit at a desk all day, there’s jobs out there that will take you on, it’s just trial and error to find something you like, personality at the interview is key

I’m genuinely not!! I think you’ve made a massive success of your career!

I would see an educational psychologist, or whatever the adult equivalent is, and find out your barriers to learning. I would also look at every neurodiversity to see if anything fits. Some ADHD traits, for example, are barriers to learning. You will probably need to pay for the EP, but if you are in England you can get a diagnosis for ADHD or ASD via the NHS and Right to Choose.

I agree OP but jobs list GCSEs as a way to prove you have maths and literacy skills which is not fair as there are other ways to do that. But employers want the best people now and not having GCSEs is going to be a way to filter you out.

When nursing became a graduate career lots of people that would have made fantastic nurses found that they were not able to do the courses on offer.

Oh, and btw my DH has dyslexia and is a police officer. The police force has been incredibly supportive and he is great at his job and won quite a few awards. So if police officer is something you want to do. There are ways and means -you just need some different help to that you’ve been receiving.

When did you take your GCSEs out of interest?

I suppose one thing to sort out is why you want to work - is it to prove a point to yourself, prove a point to other people, add to the family finances?

You've said that you would have liked to be a police officer but with your memory struggles and the like it is probably not going to be a job you would be able to do. That is not a criticism, it's a fact. You wouldn't be able to give accurate descriptions etc.

I know you haven't got GCSE's which is the point of your post but have you thought of looking at some of the courses that the Open University offers? There's far more available than degrees. And there is support and access studies that can help you prepare for further study. I know you have struggled with maths - my dd failed her maths GCSE 6 times and a friend of the family who knew her well refused to accept that she was unable to do it. He coached her and she passed with flying colours. Maybe if you built up your confidence with language based study you would be more able to contemplate maths.

Have you tried Functional Skills? Also what about 1:1 tuition?

You write well - how many times have you taken English Language GCSE? Is it the reading part that is most difficult or the creative writing?

Ok op you think you can't learn?

You can read. You can write. You weren't born knowing how to do either, so somewhere along the way you were able to learn those skills.

Can you make an omelette?
Drive a car?
Construct a piece of ikea furniture?
Use a computer?
Can you add up your shopping/work out your change?
Can you remember the characters & storylines in your favourite tv shows?
Can you remember your friends/cousins names?

All things you are not born knowing and have learned.

You CAN learn. It sounds like you have learning difficulties, so it might be you need different ways to learn, strategies, even medication. But you can learn.