Son just failed 3rd year at University

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Not too sure where to put this so putting it here and in Parenting. Advice needed please.

This is my son's re sit exam year ie he failed last academic year but they let him bank his great project and lab results and redo only the exams this year. He failed all but 1 of the 4 re sits. They say he can have an ordinary degree in Engineering just not an honours degree in Aerospace systems he had been reading.

My son hated remote learning which he did from semester 2 of Y1 , all the way through Y2 and into semester 1 of Y3. During brief periods at University he did well in projects or in Labs.

Not sure what advice to give him. We are in America, he is is Glasgow. Really at a loss how to parent on this one.

He'll need to look for a job. Look in Barrow in Furness, Preston or Bristol for Aerospace jobs. Try Rolls Royce, British Aerospace or MOD. There is a shortage of engineers for Aerospace so he may still be ok. He'll need a good CV setting out his work experience placement and make sure he states he is willing to be flexible about working hours etc.

It's hard but at 21 he has to make the best of what he has. I hope he finds something soon but if not emphasize to him to take any job to bring in some money, until he can find one.in Aerospace.

Could also try Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil & Farnborough Aerospace Consortium.

Would he consider an apprenticeship at somewhere like Airbus Uk? It may still be possible to study for a degree too if he has the aptitude. My son did this and progressed to technical engineering. Lots of opportunities for him still in the aerospace industry - tell him not to lose hope if it’s what he really wants to do. There is such a shortage of engineering expertise at the moment. BA also have a maintenance base at Glasgow. Are they taking on apprentices?

If he's in Glasgow tell him to have a look at any jobs available at Prestwick- lots of aerospace employment there.

My observation is that it is an industry that recognises and promotes talent - he just has to try and find a different way in - that’s if he’s still interested of course

Well he'll have to leave with the ordinary degree, which will bar him from starting a masters, though there may be postgrad apprenticeship options. Degree apprenticeships in engineering won't be possible now though.

Is he American though on a tier 4 visa, or British? Does he want to stay here or in the US? I'd suggest any sort of job just now, bar work, retail, just while he adjusts and works out what to do next.

It might be an idea to ask for this thread to be moved to higher education, there are lots of people there with children currently in university and also people working in universities. They may have some more specific advice.

I hope your son is all right. I am sure he can build himself a good future.

Thanks all, you are all very kind and helpful. Titchy, we are Scottish but working in US. Sons back in Scotland (1 at work 1 at Glasgow University.
I am worried about his future and his mental well being. We are speaking tomorrow (our tomorrow - we are 6 hrs behind you) so its great to have all these ideas to share with him.

it's been a while but will he finish this final project and get the simple degree?
if he had that, he could contact a few other uni's in the usa (or canada) and see what credits they would allow transferred he could then continue with more education towards the degree he ultimately wants.
again most technical colleges usa or canada would assess for transfer credits towards a technological diploma (more hands on work).
i had a ds who took many years to get through uni, repeated several courses, switched to part time all sorts of scenarios.
ultimately what helped was coming home for a year, refocusing while delivering pizza...

Maybe check out Higher Apprenticeships (I think this may be Eng and Wales - sorry but I don’t know the Scottish equivalent). My sons intake included some graduates, some who started and hadn’t finished degrees as well as A level candidates. Good luck!

He could probably get some great aerospace training in the navy.

Could he resit the last year from scratch, projects and all? Depends how appealing that option is but if he pushes he may be able to.

Give a company called Astroscale a go, excellent benefits too

You could also post on WIWIKAU Facebook? I wonder if there might be someone on there with direct experience, it seems like there usually is! Good luck- it’s exhausting, I really empathise.

He's already repeated the year though? If he was allowed to carry forward an excellent project and labs, I'm not sure how appealing repeating the whole thing would be, even if was allowed which I doubt.

Hi OP, not sure what the regulations are at Glasgow (your son will need to take a look), but if he's had any health issues that may have (a) affected his ability to sit his exams and (b) affected his ability to realise he wasn't well enough to sit exams, he may be able to appeal his fails. (These would typically be issues of anxiety/depression, for which there's medical evidence.) If an appeal was successful he could take them again. That's how it works at my university.

This is all good solid advice and really helped us thinking about how to advise him - Thank you.

WarProf - When he failed his 3rd year (first time round) we thought being separated from us (by Covid restrictions across the Atlantic) might be exceptional circumstances but apparently not.