apprenticeship vs college

[Fifi04]

Hi,
My son has GCSEs in May. He should pass 4-5 of them and he wants to go to college to become an electrician. I encourage him to try apprenticeship. Am I doing it right? earlier he wanted apprenticeship and now he changed his mind. On the Internet there are general differences that are known to everyone, but I still don't know what is better for him? It seems that he may not be the best student ;-) but he is in group 3 out of 8, so he is above average and has a chance of passing a few GCSEs. He is also conscientious and tries his best, but as a boy he is hyperactive. I'm simply asking for help because I don't understand, for example, why everyone praises apprenticeship if the child only goes to school one day a week? After all, this is no education! and at a college where I think you can get into it without GCSE, the child is at school 4 or 5 days a week! So it seems that college is better for education after all! Can a child continue his/her education after college and what level does he/she reach? On the other hand, if you want to earn £5/hour on appreticeship, maybe it's better to go to college to get qualifications and then pay for your education yourself?
Regards

harris academy

@Fifi04 So is this the extent of his gcses? Just because 6 is the minimum , does not mean that he should not be aiming for more. Schools are measured by students taking 8 gcse subjects. How does that fill the timetable? What year is he now?

I am surprised a Harris school only lets him do 6 GCSEs - they're all about academics, results and looking good 🤔

@Fifi04 also you keep asking about "what do the other students do" (as their grades are lower). Do you not realise colleges are for all different levels of ability. Your son may require certain GCSE grades for the course he wants - but different courses will have different requirements.

Are you counting English as one subject, and science as another? Those two would normally be 2 GCSEs each. What are his other subjects?

I don't think his percentages are really relevant here - presumably when you've said he should get grades between 4 and 7 that's based on his teachers' predictions?

I can well believe Harris would limit them to 8 GCSEs, and if English and Science are actually double, then he'll leave with 8 not 6 GCSEs. Which is a normal amount, and decent enough grades - not below average at all.

Regardless - if he wants to start and electrician apprenticeship and can find one then let him go for it. More than likely he'll end up with the same qualification going down that route than if he went to college for two years - this way he'll have good work experience and hopefully a job as a fully qualified electrician.

I think that you need to try to learn yourself.... about what education actually is.

College is not 'for people who don't want to learn'

Apprenticeships are not 'somewhere in the middle'

Learning a trade on an Apprenticeship whilst earning is an excellent way forward for some.

Going to college is excellent for others.

Your son needs to talk to his teachers, not you, I'm afraid.

I am very curious about where people get these strange ideas about college from.

@Fifi04 yes I finished my education years ago. I'm director level

I just read all above posts today. Very good explanation from you all about educational set ups and different levels provided whilst showing lot of patience. @Fifi04 kindly speak to your son's school about opportunities available for him depending in his predicted grades.

@Fifi04 Harris say students take 9 GCSEs or 8 if not doing a MFL. So 6 GCSEs aren’t taken. You have possibly thought English and Science are two subjects areas but they are possibly 4 or even 5 examinable subjects. Ask DS if you don’t know exactly what he’s studying.

Level 7 is masters degree. There’s a big gap between an electrician apprenticeship at 16 and a masters degree or equivalent. Also people who have done accountancy and other technical apprenticeships can either do professional exams with their employer or a degree and professional exams during their apprenticeship. An electrician won’t do a degree, but will do the qualifications necessary for that occupation. All forms of post 16/18 learning is education.

DC with Sen or those who find learning difficult do carry on learning and courses are available for them. FE colleges are often vocationally biased but areas vary.

If he wants to be an electrician I would encourage an apprenticeship with day release for qualifications. This is what my son did for networks and telecoms. He started at 16 is now 25 and lives in London and always has decent jobs with good IT consultancies