Alternatives to university - non academic children

[Remmy123]

My son will be going into his second year at college in September - is doing two BTECs and 1 A level

curious to know what alternative routes those who have just finished college but do not want to go to uni? Son is adamant it's not for him and given he doesn't enjoy studying I have to agree.

thanks

Get an apprenticeship, get a job, join the forces or do further study somewhere that's not a university.

Dc1 (left college 4 years ago), got a job in nhs as soon as college finished in the June (started applying in the March for jobs) and within 9 months manager had recommended them for a foundation degree which is completed now and is patiently waiting for funding to do the full degree (trust not funding any education at present).
It worked well for dc because they worked 4 days and one at uni, got a wage and no debt. Didn't enjoy uni side but because it was such a small part of the course it was manageable.
Dnephew has just finished and got an apprenticeship with national trust in a trade.
DNiece got a job in police (not as a policewoman).
What does ds want to do? What subjects are they doing? What are they good at?

Thanks

he hasn't idea what he wants to do making it all that much harder

BTEC business studies - may get a distinction (just got it for recent exam)
BTEC sports and coaching - probably a merit
A level Media - just got a U but promise to 'lock in' next year

confident and charismatic - I've suggested trade of some sort of trade

A job or further training. What are the BTEC subjects? Has he done a work placement as part of the cours? Often that's where jobs come from.

What are his interests? A friend's daughter started a business looking after animals. Obviously it helped that my friend and husband have some land and the DD did qualifications in various animal related subjects.

Uni is not for everyone, lots of jobs don't need a degree. Things like cooking from a grass spoon to a Michelin starred restraunt. Care work. Beauty from nails to massage.

Building work, and not just labouring. I recently took part in a joint project between the OU and Balfour Beaty. They have lots of different strands.

What are his hobbies? A decent swimmer can get a life saving qualification. A football player can get a referee qualification.

Then there are experiences that can help with looking for work. Camp America, helping with holiday clubs in the UK or with experience, abroad.

Really there are options. Some immediate and others a little further away.

Greasy spoon not grass, LOL

He doesn't have to know what he wants to do he just has to do something while he works it out. No point paying for more qualifications until he knows he needs them so probably best getting a job in whatever he can find while he works out what he wants to do. You never know he might like the job he gets or alternatively it might show him what he doesn't want to do.

His college must have careers advisor/s who can give him access to career questionnaires etc which could help him identify a direction.
https://ikigaitest.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=9946104686&gbraid=0AAAAADykBwf_G0DZxIc9KfA5xkV5Aai51&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq7Havp-llgMVNaNQBh0LagC-EAAYAiAAEgLIPvD_BwE#google_vignette Might be worth exploring.

Three adult children here. The one who has managed to buy his own flat at 23 did one year at college then applied for a well known aeroplane manufacturer as an apprentice. He now earns around £60,000 a year at the age of 26 and even the apprenticeship wage was generous so he saved up a deposit and got a mortgage. Other two who went to university are earning around £30,000 and not much prospect of saving for a house as they are paying rent.

My daughter did a Level 4 qualification in a related subject and worked part time straight after college - she did A Levels but didn’t fancy uni in the end. She’s currently in America teaching drama at Summer Camp and about to do some travelling with the people she met there. I’m encouraging travel more when she gets back rather than find full time work tbh. She’ll figure it out and may as well experience all she can while she decides and has no ties.

Loads of coaching jobs around since he will have the qualifications.

My son's friends have either found apprentiships in things ranging from mechanics to welding to construction to childcare to IT. They have generally started at level 3. Some have done full time lifeguarding and working in the leisure centre and one in a kitchen and another is managing a duty manager at a local tesco metro type place.

Does he have a sport, can he coach that whilst he works out what to do.

Thanks all - it's helpful advice as I feel like it's overwhelming

he is very laid back and not one to forward plan - I an getting a lifeguarding course to do as a job part time and something to add to cv

he has done work experience at an estate agent and a sports media company but only a few days each time

I’m the academic one in my family but my brothers are not book smart at all. They all did courses in various trades and my dad also made them take business management classes alongside this. Three of them are very successfully self employed and the other one runs his own gas engineering company. Idk if trade apprenticeships and courses have a business management component to them these days, but if they don’t and your son wants to do anything vaguely like that, you should make him do a business course alongside it. My niece has just started a hair and make up course at college and her dad is teaching her about how to run her own business on the side - I think it’s something really important for vocational courses that’s often overlooked.

I think education is such a treadmill it does feel overwhelming to step off. He will be ok though.

If he starts off part time ligeguarding he has plenty of time to look at options. My son did lifeguards and he got other opportunities at the leisure centre as a result. It was great.

It ceases to be the endless 'now sats, Now gcses, now btechs' and that feels odd to begin with.

But Its ok to have a job and see what happens and not have a grand plan

Id be worried if he sat at home and did nothing but any job is a start point. A cafe, a shop. Life just funds its own way. Then if a trade is where he wants to go he has some work experience to talk about

Get him to do football ref courses. Earn decent cash and always work. Good for CV and any other sports he likes. Cricket scoring pay is defent too

Very refreshing that a poster has started a thread like this....

Not all are academic and it's wonderful to praise our children that are not heading to uni but still successful in their own ways.

My eldest chose to not go, but is doing a college course. He is unclear what to do next.

I know a few people whose DC have joined the forces. From non forces families due to attractive career options

My DS left college after first year A level and took up a job through government apprenticeship scheme. The initial NVQ was in business and admin but he had the opportunity to work in different departments within the company. I know in many cases companies do let young people go after a year and take on someone else for cheap labour but DS is still employed there, now in a junior management role, and he still enjoys his work.

Sorry to jump on this thread but how do you look for apprenticeships? DC doesn’t want to do university either, has never been academic and have been talking about doing an apprenticeship.

A local government entry level role or apprenticeship. They’ll be able to take advantage of free training and potentially progress into different roles.
McDonald’s often gets sneered at but pays well and can progress to supervisory or management.
Lifeguarding and swim teaching can be a good option.
I agree with poster above that something like camp America can be a great opportunity. Some seem to do camp and pt job in uk for a few years.
i know a couple of lads working as teaching assistants supporting children with additional needs.

The career adviser at school will be able to help with this. They're usually brilliant.

Start here: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
most applications are around January time so quite early.
I’m not sure if these are ALL the apprenticeships available in the UK.

Large companies will potentially have a variety of apprenticeships that cover L5 qualifications too. Also just because the company is a law firm (for example) doesn’t mean you want a role in law - there may be roles in finance or HR for that company. Likewise I know an engineering company that has apprenticeships in design, manufacturing, data analytics, marketing, sales, electronics, HR etc!

This is a great thread. In your post you said he is confident and charismatic - this stood out to me as it describes my nephew. Nephew left school two years ago and did not want to go to university. Last academic year he worked in a café. This year he and a friend have set up a business and are gradually establishing it. They're doing well and I'm proud of him and hope it continues to grow .

A couple of B Tecs and an A level is hardly “not academic”. One of mine is profoundly dyslexic. Super bright and articulate but despite his outstanding education, 1:1 and EHCP he is tracking to fail literally everything. I’m at a loss as to what to do. He could sell coal to Newcastle though.

One of mine is intelligent, interesting, can have some great discussions. But really doesn't enjoy study. Great GCSE results, tanked A levels. Finished with no plans just still working their very part time Saturday job. A few months later stumbled on a chef apprenticeship and is really enjoying it.