What kind of success have your teens had in choosing vocational courses post GCSE?

[paulkal]

A friend of mine has a daughter who has done well in her sciences and maths at GCSE but is not motivated to study A Levels. She has deliberated for a long time as to what to do next and did decide to do a BTEC course in a local college so that she was at least doing something constructive and in keeping with her skills. She has recently announced that she is no longer interested in that course and intends to drop out. In fact she has already told all her teachers. What other options could she usefully pursue?

Does she know what she wants to do at all?

I would advise (easy I know) that she keeps on at current course until she has a viable alternative lined up.

Apprenticeships can start at any time (I think) but she would need to know what she wanted.

For a good at science child has she looked at the Health & Social Care Btec?

My DD left school with reasonable GCSE's and took an apprenticeship as a Trainee Dental Nurse. After a year she realised this wasn't for her and went to the local college to study for a level 2 BTEC in Computing along with a re-take of GCSE English as she was one of those that just missed out on a C grade due to Gove's meddling. She completed the GCSE with a top grade C (unfortunately the whole class was not too good so they took a foundation exam) and a distinction at BTEC. She has now started the level 3 BTEC in Computing which would give her the chance of a University place or a better chance at an apprenticeship. I think the year working made her realise that she missed studying and focussed her onto what sort of career she would really enjoy. It also did her no harm as it looks good on her CV.

Thank you for your reply. I will pass your message on. I would agree with you that it is better for her to stay with her course until she has a viable alternative. Her mother is going to the college to see her teachers soon, so she will be asking their support in helping her daughter consider her options carefully. It seems to be a case of that she will pay more attention to her teachers' advice than she will to her parents.

Thanks for your reply and sharing your DD's experience. I will certainly pass your message on. I think that my friend's daughter would do well to consider apprenticeships at least so that as you say she can have some experience of training for something definite rather than being stuck in an indecisive state of mind. My friend is going to speak to her college teachers soon and will get their support in helping her daughter to consider her future more carefully.

DD is doing an engineering apprenticeship and loves it. They are crying out for girls too, so maybe worth seeing if that would appeal. Obviously if current BTEC is in engineering then probably not, and it's also worth noting that doing a relevent BTEC is part of many apprenticeships, so it is worth exploring what exactly it is she objects to in what she is doing now before jumping ship to something that may be very similar.

I'll be honest... at this point in the new academic year, I am looking to get rid of the students who are looking like they are not going to stay or achieve. We have another week to 'retain' students before the figures start to work against me and I get my bollocking from head of department for not being able to keep my students.

I would not want to keep someone who is talking about leaving already. I would be showing them the door.

Be mindful that the college staff will be thinking the same as I am.

And... I am not accepting any new students. My course is now full and too much work has been missed. Others will be feeling the same as me. It may well be too late for a transfer to another course for this year.

Thanks for your reply. You make a very good point about what she objects to. From what I can gather she thinks that her present BTEC in environmental studies will not lead to anything. Personally I think that it's a phase that she is going through and she will either decide to complete the course or choose something else that she does think will be useful.

Thanks you for your reply and the information contained in it. I will certainly pass your message on. It might act as a wake up call for my friend's daughter so that she makes a decision either to stay and make a go of it or leave and make alternative plans.