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Secondary education

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Original poster

Not happy my 13 year 's class old had recruitment presentation from armed forces today

185 replies

isitmyturn · 23/09/2009 18:05

DS1 had a talk by someone from the Navy today. My gut reation is to be horrified with visions of my PFB going off to war.
I had no idea that "careers" advice started so soon and in this form?
He's just into year 8, very academic but worried that he doesn't know what he wants to do career wise. DH and I have tried to tell him not to worry, just work hard for now and he doesn't need to make a career choice until he's older.

OP posts:
PeachesMcLean · 23/09/2009 18:14

I'm not clear, is it armed forces presentations or any career presentations you object to?

Original poster
isitmyturn · 23/09/2009 18:37

Just the idea of the forces trying to recruit 13 year olds.

OP posts:
5Foot5 · 23/09/2009 19:19

Well they can't actually recruit him at 13 can they?

It's just a careers presentation. Don't stress over it.

piscesmoon · 23/09/2009 19:28

I think that they ought to have far more career advice so it seems a good idea. They are not recruiting, I can remember having a talk from all sorts of people - it didn't mean that it appealed to me.DCs do have minds of their own!

lou031205 · 23/09/2009 19:31

Many scholarship programmes are taken up at around 16, so a child who seriously wants it needs to know early so they can prepare.

notgettinganyyounger · 23/09/2009 19:32

seems very reasonable to me. I understand what you mean about worrying that your child might go to war if he enlists in the forces, but nopthing wrong with careers advice at that age.

Sometimes for certain jobs you will need to have particular qualifications at gcse or above, and the earlier they know what is required the earlier they can choose which qualifications to do.

spongebrainmaternitypants · 23/09/2009 19:35

I understand your anxiety - the armed forces do tend to portray the job as amazingly exciting and glamorous which, at the moment, seems to be misleading advertising .

As the mum of one DS and another on the way, I watch in agony all these young men being blown to pieces and would also be deeply concerned if my boys wanted to follow suit.

Don't know what the answer is though .

dogonpoints · 23/09/2009 19:36

How many other organisations are in giving careers talks? That's what I'd want to know. That would affect whatI thought of it

Sidge · 23/09/2009 19:39

A talk from someone in the Navy at the age of 13 is very unlikely to be a recruitment presentation. Do you know what the content was? I would have imagined it was more of a "day in the life of" sort of presentation.

I don't see an understanding of the Armed Forces as a bad thing (but then I am slightly biased) as I believe an understanding of the military has a place in relation to politics, world news, history etc.

deaddei · 23/09/2009 20:37

All avenues go into schools in yr 9 - police, charities, parents who talk about their jobs-I'd be more concerned if a someone from a City bank talked to mine [hmmm]
Some schools do cadets as well.

seeker · 23/09/2009 20:48

What upsets me is that the Armed Forces target their recruitment talks - they go for schools in areas of high unemployment and deprivation. So incredibly cynical.

piscesmoon · 23/09/2009 22:26

It is incredibly difficult to get into the services-you make it sound as if it is a religious cult that takes anyone! It is just a talk. Many schools have cadet forces-should those be banned?

EccentricaGallumbits · 23/09/2009 22:29

i'd agree to a talk about recruitment into forces.....

if followed by the 'Wounded' programme being shown on BBC1 tonight.

hf128219 · 23/09/2009 22:34

Of course men (rather than women) are more likely to be killed in the Armed Forces as there are more of them serving.

Anyway 13 is a reasonable age for children to start considering their future.

colditz · 23/09/2009 22:35

to be absolutely fair seeker, they are doing the school leavers in areas of high unemployment a favour.

The army will let you in based on an aptitude test - you don't need to pass your GCSE's.

Yes, you could get blown up - but I would actually rather risk that than sit on the dole until I retire because there's fuck all else to do because I didn;'tpass my GCSE's and parents won't support me through college.

I know a few 'boys' who joined the forces straight after leaving school, and they are all hugely, HUGELY improved by it.

hf128219 · 23/09/2009 22:37

The people in deprived areas can also have the sheer balls to get on with army life - and war.

TrillianAstra · 23/09/2009 22:39

"to be absolutely fair seeker, they are doing the school leavers in areas of high unemployment a favour."

I agree. My brother would have loved to be in the Army if it wasn't for his hearing difficulties.

hf128219 · 23/09/2009 22:43

The young guys I know who have served/serve in my dh's regiment are the salt of the earth. A lot of them come from deprived backgrounds and have really made something for themselves.

Some of their siblings are on the streets/in prison.

Drusilla · 23/09/2009 22:50

These talks may also make people realize that there is far more to a career in one of the services than being shot at in Afghanistan. Many people leave the forces highly qualified and employable in civilian life, often from backgrounds where this may have been harder to achieve off their own back. My DH is one of them.

YummyorSlummy · 23/09/2009 23:05

I agree with Drusilla, my dh is in the RAF as an administrator and on the upside of the obviously terrible things going on in afganistan the services can open so many opportunities that you don't get in civilian life and gives you the chance to make something of yourself. My dh wishes he'd joined younger. I very much doubt there was actual 'recruitment' going on for 13 year olds and I do think that when they are old enough to decide for themselves the services is something they should be allowed to consider. You see, otherwise, this country wouldnt have any armed forces and then we'd all be in the shit!

piscesmoon · 23/09/2009 23:15

It is another thing that DCs should be free to make up their own minds about and not have the parent forcing their own view.

seeker · 23/09/2009 23:32

Oh, piscemoon - my world is shifting on its axis! I don't agree with you!

Ozziegirly · 24/09/2009 05:15

I consider a career in the forces to be one of the most respected jobs that anyone can do. It is terrible when our young lads get killed, but firstly, there is more to the army than war (that could be their new tagline).

They can get excellent training in the trades, learn incredible teamwork skills, make friends for life etc.

Secondly, it is quite exciting - especially for men (some of them), who like doing things like camping, shooting, running, parachuting etc etc.

And certainly in deprived areas, the ability to have a relatively well paid, secure job, with housing and a decent pension is not something to be sniffed at.

nooka · 24/09/2009 05:32

We had recruiters from the Forces at both the private schools I attended, so they do go for the privileged too. My good friend and I complained about discrimination (women not being allowed in the front line) and were amazed that the female recruiter didn't think it was an issue at all. At sixth form (public school with girls in the sixth form only) the SBS came for the presentation and I seem to recall we were even more annoyed because I don't think they recruited women at all.

My BIL as in the RAF and came out with some very sellable skills, which given that he also was very poorly qualified going in have made an enormous difference to his life.

seeker · 24/09/2009 07:15

I would be very surprised if they go into the downsides in much detail - the risk of death or being appallingly injured, the risk of serious mental health issues after a service career and the fact that ex-servicemen are disproportionately represented among the homeless. Not to mention the risk of being caught up in action which results in the death of innocent civilians.

The recruitment talks will be about the excitement, the pay, the training, the travel - no wonder kids from disadvantaged backgrounds are attracted to the idea.