To let 17yo DS quit college for a f/t job?

[PoliteSquid]

My DS hated school, hates college and has no intention of carrying on with any kind of study. Although he’s only 17 and could decide differently in a few years.

He has been searching for an apprenticeship, head firmly in the sand about the 1 day a week of college/uni work!

This morning he has been offered a full time trainee role in an engineering company. It’s not an apprenticeship, it’s in house training. Well established company 2 big sites fairly local. It’s full NMW even tho he’s so young.

DH thinks he should stay at college as there’s only 4 months to go. DS wants to leave college immediately. I can see both sides but erring towards DS’s view. AIBU to let him take the job?

I agree.

I’m quite surprised so many posters are saying to quit when he’s literally got a few weeks left.

I would be doing what I could to see if he can get the qualifications from this course that he’s already done 75% of the work for as well as take this new opportunity.

I know it’s different but there was a GCSE thread where a DD got an opportunity that she couldn’t turn down and school allowed her to learn at home and then come in just for the exams.

@Uhghg There is still 5 months to go which is more than 'a few weeks', but if college has been strategic in their teaching he should be able to come away with something.
I know the colleges both mine went to did the compulsory units first so early leavers wouldn't leave with nothing.

Let your DS decide. If he is a practical person, there is little point in him being at college, and he might do better with a hands-on job. I've seen plenty of students who are apparently a nightmare when it comes to academics be excellent when given a practical job to do! Also, he won't resent his parents for making him waste his time doing something that he doesn't want to do (been there, done that, and wasted years of my life on it...!)

If he decides to go back to education at a later point, he can do, but he will have to pay for it.

Isn't education mostly towards being a useful adult in employment? Education is always there if he chooses to go back as an adult.
Obviously he should take the job.

Yes I am wondering if he can get something or just ask if he can come back for the exams.

I know my DDs exams are in May and after that it’s more for resits etc.

My niece doesn’t have exams and it’s just course work.

My concern would be that he does this new job and hates it and then quits.
Then he’ll have nothing to show for either.

Oh fair enough. My experience with in house training is that it counts first nothing much outside that company (but mine was a different job dusted & many years ago!!)

No need to be so bitchy. Or so silly going on about the police! So 🙄 yourself..

I said I haven't had to look into this.

I thought legally they had to be in education until they were 18. I didn't expect our stupid system to know whether they were or not, but I thought there would be some employment laws & procedures in place making it very very difficult for a company to legally employ anyone under 18, unsurprising it's not though.

But why be so rude?

That's great then.

though surely every job a 16/17/18 year old gets comes with training.

so the 'law' they must be in education is just 'lip service'.??

Job job job

It doesn't appear there's any 'compulsory' being enforced in any way, so it is effectively scrapped I feel. (Rightly so IMO)

I agree with other pp’s. Your son should take the job, OP. My 17yo is studying electrical/electronic engineering at college and, while it’s been an easier ride getting him to attend than it was cajoling him to go to school, he still struggles with the fact that coursework is required and exams have to be completed. If he demonstrated to me that he’d shown some initiative by seeking out a trainee role like that, I would be fully supportive.

Job. As for further education, the training is just that. You don't have to be writing essays to count as being educated. He can always change later anyway. Most people have about 4 career changes in their lifetime these days anyway.

Take the job, especially for an engineering role, the likelyhood is their training will be equivalent if not higher level than college, he can always do night school later on, although most company’s will offer their own funded schemes and fund external training also. I’ve worked in the engineering sector for 8 years with 0 relevant qualifications, just learnt knowledge. I’m starting my HNC in mech Eng later this year but experience is worth so so much if this is the sector he wants to go in.

The only aspect they seem to be looking it as if you still get CB. It may be because my DS is AuADHD and with CAMHS but I was contacted by an SEN section of the LA to see if their records were correct about his college place. I can't recall the wording now but there was something linked to HMRC and CB. That aside, I'd definitely go for the job option..my ds would definitely do likewise.

Take the job, my DD did A level and graduated 6months ago with a 2.1 not even an interview, can’t seem to get past the bloody bots

No question - take the job

My son struggled all through school, high IQ but still has an EHCP.
He survived college, passed A levels. He is Excelling at work. It has been life changing for him.
My daughter is limping through A levels. She just wants to go to work. At the moment I think she will drop from one A level and just take two.
school / college is not for everyone.
Many of use do better outside of education.

It is a bit annoying he’s only got 4 months left at college, will the job definitely be gone by then?

The job does sound ideal though so I’d lean that way as well.

I completely agree with the majority of posters, go for the job but with an eye on apprenticeships for the near future.

I think he will be an extremely attractive candidate for apprenticeships of any kind with this type of experience behind him.

I lecture in Engineering and I think some of my own students would do as well choosing this route as hands on trades are so future friendly with the impact that AI is going to have down the line.

Your husband is in the wrong here. Your son is 17 and knows his own mind. Let him leave. My partner and I are 30. I left in 2nd year and went straight into an office job. Partner did complete college but studied a trade. We earn way above the average income. College is not the be all and end all, especially if he’s not planning to go to university. He really shouldn’t turn down such a great opportunity - the company might not
offer it to him again.

Definitely take the job. It's going to be hard enough to get one later and it sounds as if he'll be getting good training in the process.

Take the job. The opportunity might not arise in 4 months time.

I vote job too

100% take the job.

Take the job, so many people finding it impossible to break into anything.