Post 16 options. No employers for apprenticeships

[MydogWillow]

Hi. Not been on here for ages but would really like to pick your brains please.

DS 16, Yr 11, last "formal" day next Friday. He is wanting to do an apprenticeship in soft landscaping/maintenance. We started looking for an employer early in February and found someone local who was very keen, had a meeting and they have been in contact with the college so assumed that it was a go-er.

However as time has passed, it looks like we have been let down by them as they have stopped communicating with the college and us also. However, they are exceptionally busy atm so we are trying to keep positive but time is ticking.

We are now looking at Plan B incase they definitely pull out but have found very few employers locally are wanting to take on apprentices. It would seem this industry is so busy that employers can't be arsed don't want to commit to training an apprentice particularly in the current climate. We are rarely getting responses at all, which I understand isn't unusual in that industry.

Travelling further afield is only as good as public transport allows (not reliable for early starts or late finishes associated with this work) or for cycling/moped.

While DS has enjoyed school he isn't naturally academic and so 6th form or college isn't for him.

So my question is:
If he finds somewhere suitable and they want to employ him but not through an apprenticeship, that will effectively mean he's NEET? And what are the implications of that?

We really hope the original employer comes through but my spidey senses are saying otherwise. We really thought we were sorted nice and early so this has taken us by surprise and are now panicking looking for other options.

TIA and thank you for reading.

Why dont you look into don't vocational qualifications that aren't apprenticeships? They do them in horticulture etc

An apprenticeship would still have academic work, though i accept, less classroom based.
I too would go for a plan B at an agricultural college if you have one anywhere near you.
Our local one Sparsholt in Hants also does accommodation for those who live too far away.

www.sparsholt.ac.uk/subject/horticulture/?f=full-time

Look at a college course in horticulture perhaps. There will be one in most counties, usually rural, and some have accommodation for weekly boarding

@EllieNBeeb

Why dont you look into don't vocational qualifications that aren't apprenticeships? They do them in horticulture etc

Many thanks for your speedy reply.

I've just rung our college co-ordinator and understand the vocational quals are for 19+. The new T-levels starting Sept don't cover horticulture unfortunately. It would seem the only choices are apprenticeship or full time college

Have you looked at the link I posted above?

Huge thanks for the link, I'll take a closer look as they are slightly closer than Berkshire College.

Sparsholt buses cover quite a wide area, here is this year's timetable.
www.sparsholt.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Campus-Bus-Timetable-20.21-from-02.11.20-002.pdf
(My DD is going in Sept).

Many thanks. Seems very well organised. We shall take a closer look.

I work in this area, definitely apply for college as a back up option. Have you looked on the findanapprenticeship.gov.uk website to see if there is anything in your area? I know I often see landscaping in our area, south east. He would be NEET if he isn't in education, training or employment in September and technically you should notify benefits office and child benefit would stop. I would also have a look at services for post 16 ETE support near to you as if he signs on with them you can get a 20 week roll on of child benefit whilst they support him back into ETE. Disclaimer, I have been on maternity leave for a while so this may be out of date advice but I doubt things have changed that swiftly.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-benefit-apply-for-extension-ch299

Sorry, I misread, if he were to be employed with no training or education attached then he would not be NEET but for the purposes of child benefit he would be and so previous advice would apply.

[quote InpatientGardener]I work in this area, definitely apply for college as a back up option. Have you looked on the findanapprenticeship.gov.uk website to see if there is anything in your area? I know I often see landscaping in our area, south east. He would be NEET if he isn't in education, training or employment in September and technically you should notify benefits office and child benefit would stop. I would also have a look at services for post 16 ETE support near to you as if he signs on with them you can get a 20 week roll on of child benefit whilst they support him back into ETE. Disclaimer, I have been on maternity leave for a while so this may be out of date advice but I doubt things have changed that swiftly.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-benefit-apply-for-extension-ch299[/quote]
Hi, I check the gov website daily and the college one too. DS applied for one which was a 10 minute cycle ride away, but he didn't get an interview sadly. So far, all the others are too far away to cycle or moped and public transport isn't great for early starts.

So, could he start employment without an apprenticeship attached as long as we notify about child benefit?

Yes of course, you can do what you want post 16 really, the only thing it changes is your entitlement to child benefit but there aren't any sanctions as such to not staying in some form of education. Its not like when in compulsory education and they might take you to court for non attendance. I know lots of young people who went straight into employment from school and thrived, and there's nothing to say he won't end up getting some on the job qualifications in future. I know some tradesmen are reluctant to take on apprentices because they've tried before and found them more hassle than they're worth, especially if they're young, not turning up, being lazy, that sort of thing. So some work experience and a reference might help him secure something for the following year.

@InpatientGardener

Yes of course, you can do what you want post 16 really, the only thing it changes is your entitlement to child benefit but there aren't any sanctions as such to not staying in some form of education. Its not like when in compulsory education and they might take you to court for non attendance. I know lots of young people who went straight into employment from school and thrived, and there's nothing to say he won't end up getting some on the job qualifications in future. I know some tradesmen are reluctant to take on apprentices because they've tried before and found them more hassle than they're worth, especially if they're young, not turning up, being lazy, that sort of thing. So some work experience and a reference might help him secure something for the following year.

Thank you. That's reassuring to know and a great option if a full time college course doesn't cut the mustard. We've heard of some people going straight into work but didn't know if this was "under the radar"

It's such a shame as he found himself a couple of his own regular customers over lock-down and has experience in handling tools, so he has a genuine interest and his CV is decent for a 16 year old. He ultimately wants to go self-employed so I have no doubt he will do fine :-)

Do you mean Berkshire Agricultural college in Maidenhead?

There's also Merrist Wood College near Woking, specialises in land and animal based courses.

Yes, we are in the triangle for Common Leys, Berkshire College and Sparsholt, so Woking is too far unfortunately, but many thanks.

Good luck, my DS is at 6th form, but would like to work in a land based career too, we are starting to explore post-18 options but it isn't straightforward.

I have no knowledge of the Horticulture course at Sparsholt, but for DD's course she has been told it is 3 days a week including half a day practical each week.

The staff there seem very friendly. I have had to have a couple of quite long chats and they have been informative and caring.

The grounds at Sparsholt are lovely and they are the home of Radio 4's original Potting Shed for Gardeners Question Time.

Technically (legally) he has so be in some form of education (which an apprenticeship would fall under) until he is 18 - but in reality no one seems to care.

I find it odd that the government changed the law around the age you are allowed to leave full time education, but there’s very little in place to actually support it - if you don’t apply, no one is chasing you.

DSS was the same, not academic, but couldn’t find an apprenticeship- he’s ended up doing two years of college, one year of a vocational course and one year of a business course.

The business course is ‘full time’ - which in actuality is 3 sessions a week and very minimal homework, so I wouldn’t discount college courses completely as a back up.

Couldn't agree more oreos and the repercussions of the sanction, loss of CB, tend to mainly impact disadvantaged and/or vulnerable families who need the support to keep their children in ETE. Most local authorities will have some sort of post 16 careers support though so it really is worth taking a look, its rarely advertised in my experience and so most people don't know anything about it until they get a call from the team offering support if its been noticed a young person didn't go on to ETE.

Could you 'home educate' him - so get him doing his usual jobs, build it up a little more and so some online modules, teach himself a landscaping program, watch garden rescue etc. Obviously not as fun as being in college and might not lead to a qualification but he would at least have a back up option. I don't think anyone will care but at least the boxes are ticked!

@Cattitudes

Could you 'home educate' him - so get him doing his usual jobs, build it up a little more and so some online modules, teach himself a landscaping program, watch garden rescue etc. Obviously not as fun as being in college and might not lead to a qualification but he would at least have a back up option. I don't think anyone will care but at least the boxes are ticked!

He would love to strike out on his own already as he's pretty motivated but needs to get hands on experience under someone's guidance and some certificates for chainsaw, poisons etc under his belt.

There's no shortage of opportunities out there. Infact he has another business idea he is wanting to pursue but of course this will have to be supplementary.

I am not certain of this but I think 'home educating' doesn't count if you only start after y11.

@TeenMinusTests

I am not certain of this but I think 'home educating' doesn't count if you only start after y11.

Agree, I believe the education has to be through a recognised training partner.

My DD left sixth form during year 12, worked in hospitality for a bit, then her job disappeared because of Covid. We got a text and an email from the local authority about six months after dropping out asking what she was doing and would she like any support, so I said some support would be great, thank you! And I never heard from them again.... That was seven months ago and now she's 18 so I guess that's that. She found an apprenticeship in the end, but I wouldn't really have worried if she just had a job, especially in a field where academic qualifications aren't as important.