To think not getting a C is maths gcse is affecting my career 30 years later

[Mathsismynemesis]

I've been asked by my boss if I'd consider going for a senior role that's coming up in thr new year. It's a role I'd considered when it came up in the past, but the timing was never quite right.

I'm wondering if now is my time. However, I don't have a C in maths gcse, and although I have 20 years experience in the industry, a degree, can do the arithmetic required in my role, and could probably do the job with training and guidance, I wonder if this would mean the job would never be offered to me. I've been told in the past it's a prerequisite, but not sure if they're so black and white about the process these days.

I can't let on as my current leadership team are not aware. I'm not sure they'd even care. I've proven myself in the role I'm currently in. But the recruitment of the senior role would be done by head office.

I won't have time to do a functional maths course before the application has to be in.

Do I just go for it and hope they don't worry about it, but risk that they do and it becomes a big deal? Or do I just leave it?

Does anyone have experience of not having a C in maths but climbing the career ladder anyway?

Seriously? For what job?

Oh alright goody two shoes 😁.

No, I lost them all years ago during a move and struggle to even remember my exact marks, however, I can reel off my NI number - do I get points for that!

I never took maths GCE and have managed to get to Ph.D level simply by blagging it on the few times It was ever mentioned.

I recall a grand military dinner where I was seated next to a younger then me naval officer. During the conversation he was horrified that I had been a Maths teacher to A level prior to children, he apparently had managed to scrape Maths at the fourth attempt. When I asked how he could be a navigating officer on a large ship, a destroyer, he laughed and said it was all so computerised, all he did was press buttons!

My exam board do - I’m mid 40s and recently had to pay for copies of my GCSE results. It was an absolute pain in the arse.

Thats not the same though as maths Alevel isn't a requirement for jobs whereas maths GCSE is
You would hope given the Ops long career it shouldn't matter but sometimes it does.

Unless you have a particularly intransigent HR department I can’t see it being an issue. The hiring manager won’t care as you obviously have the relevant experience if your boss is asking you to apply, you can prove through your experience that you do actually have the numerical skills to do the job, and if the regulator cared it would likely have become a problem much earlier in your career.

I have an A in GCSE Maths (the top grade at the time). I’m willing to bet that if we both had to sit our GCSE papers again tomorrow you’d very possibly do better than me if you’ve carried on with the stuff we were taught.

Back in the day it wasn't always essential
I did my nurse training having never passed maths ,they accepted a science 8f someone didn't have maths and I had two of them
Obviously its all changed now.

I don't think they'll go as far as GCSE. Will they ask the specific question for an internal promotion? If they do, I guess you just say which grade you got and see if anyone notices. If they don't, happy days. Will they do all the checks for an internal promotion?

I did go for a public sector job some years ago and had to show my English and Maths GCSE certificates, even though I have a Master's degree...

Never had the official folder but I do have them all in a folder and can lay my hands on them within seconds. GCSE, A level, Degree and others. I am also in my early 50s!

I've not listed my GCSEs as qualifications since I completed a degree. I don't think employers are all that interested in GCSE results.

@Mathsismynemesis
Choosing to a course is the right route - at the very least it will give you peace of mind for the future, and you can never get caught out on a lie

However, how sure are you that it is a pre-requisite ? Could it be a prerequisite for recruitment, with internal promotion on experience being a potential option ?

I have the pre-requisites for entry, and have promoted beyond that. However I have also conducted courses that had pre-requisites requiring the evidence to back them up, which I couldn’t fully back up so have done functional skills tests a couple of times.
I have found most old certificates, and also results print outs - so for future use I have taken photos and emailed them to myself

Had this conversation with a colleague the other day, how do you even go about proving your GCSE grades? I don’t have any certificates, and not aware if there is anywhere you can get copies?

I’m a plc board director. I’ve never been asked for any proof of educational achievement by any employer throughout my entire career.

I have been asked for it by various external regulators as part of licence applications but that isn’t something that’s disclosed to my employer.

I think my employer would be surprised to know I don’t have a degree but wouldn’t care either way as it’s irrelevant this far into my career at such a senior level where suitability is determined entirely on achievements in previous roles.

Really? I thought records were kept.

I took two attempts to get a C in maths.

Earlier this year I took Functional Skills and passed with no revision, and I didn't answer some of the questions. Sign up to just try and pass it

If you have been asked to apply by boss then unless you interview very poorly, you will probably get the job. A GCSE certainty won't make a difference.

Of course always a chance that an external applicant interviews very well , or the manager has a friend and is using you to make up the numbers, but nothing you can do in either case.

Be confident, prepare well , and cross your fingers. Don't worry about lack of GCSE and if they mention it reply you have already shown you can do the job, and that was 20 years ago.

You can book an online remote exam to do at home within days for Functional Skills maths, and get your results in a week. Obviously only worth doing if you have the skills to pass without studying. There are also online courses if you need to brush up.

Also, for the posters who have lost certs, you can pay the main exam boards (AQA, OCR, Pearson etc) for copies. I think you need to provide some identifying info eg name at time, DOB, school name, exam year. They can check their records. A friend did this, she didn’t even remember which exam boards she sat with. Turns out she did a mixture. She’s late 40s.

God i’m old it was o levels and cse’s when i done mine ,think i was the last year.

I have no idea i can even remember the names of the exam board ,I think it was northern something but thats it.

1987?
My sister was in the first cohort of GCSE,s in 1988.

I passed all GCSE’s except maths in 1998, hindered me no end for years. I wanted to teach so ended up taking my GCSE in 2024-I passed with a 7. I had recently finished my degree too.

Changed my job 2 years ago. Same organisation, just a new role.

HR jobsworth asked me to take in not just my degree certificates, but also my A level and GCSE ones. I already worked there! I couldn’t even find the fucking GCSE certificates. Ridiculous.

Apply for the job - don’t be daft about gcses, no one will give a hoot if it’s a senior role!

1987 was the last year of O-levels. You’ll be 55 this school year if you did them in their final year.