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Original poster

Any suggestions for a career for a colour blind 18 year old boy?

52 replies

FlyMeToTheMoonandMars · 28/05/2022 11:19

Hi,
My son is sitting his A-level exams and was hoping to apply for a role in the RAF (air traffic control or RPAS pilot). He has offers to study civil engineering at university but he came to me a while back and said his heart wasn't really in it and wanted to leave academia and start working/training in the real world. His offers still stand with the universities.
He is a bright boy and got 8's and 9's in his GCSE's with a strong background in maths. However, we always knew he suffered some form of colour blindness as I was suspicious when he was a child that he was and it was confirmed by a quick test at school and at the opticians. Had a chat with RAF recruitment and they said he needed to get the first 17 of the Ishihara colour blindness plates correct. I asked the optician if they could test him but they said no as they only had a few of the plates. So, I found a test site online and was able to donut from home. I got them all correct but he only got 6 and you could see he was really struggling to see the numbers.

So, it looks like the end for his RAF career. I've emailed them back as it is probably pointless even sending and application in.

So, I now have an 18 year old about to finish school and with no direction to go in.

His A-levels are maths, geography and product design. He chose the RAF due to his love of maths (and anything analytical), gaming and the need for speed! He is a very quick thinker!

Can anyone suggest a career that may suit him? My background is science so we are completely different in career choices!!

OP posts:
Original poster
FlyMeToTheMoonandMars · 28/05/2022 11:20

Do it not donut!!

OP posts:
Original poster
FlyMeToTheMoonandMars · 28/05/2022 11:21

3 male members of my family were/are colour blind btw

OP posts:
Alarae · 28/05/2022 11:22

This is a random thought, but has he considered engineering/strategy in motorsports? Some of the F1 teams (Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull etc) may do apprenticeships/graduate schemes. The teams are pretty much set all in one area though, I know Mercedes factory is in Brackley.

MenaiMna · 28/05/2022 11:24

With a bent for engineering could he do mechanical and work on the planes for RAF? It includes a lot of travel and RAF aerospace engineers are employable after retirement in the civil aerospace industry. Ask the recruitment people before you knock the whole thing on the head.

Original poster
FlyMeToTheMoonandMars · 28/05/2022 11:25

I don't think he wants to work with his hands. His civil engineering idea was more about the design of things. He was more into designing something than actually building it. Mentioned interest in airports and football stadiums.

OP posts:
JenniferBarkley · 28/05/2022 11:34

Presumably the people who design airports and football stadiums are professionals like civil engineers, structural engineers, architects etc so hopefully he will come back around to his original idea (natural to be a bit burnt out at this stage of the academic year I think). Has he done any work experience? Would he try get some over the summer?

SweatyChamoisPad · 28/05/2022 11:38

If he likes Maths would he consider an apprenticeship with someone like MI5 or GCHQ?

DontTripPoppy · 28/05/2022 11:39

He sounds like he’d be a natural civil or structural engineer.

i agree with a pp about being burnt out.. maybe he could take a year out to reset and have a think.

ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave · 28/05/2022 11:39

Does he know about BIM and CAD work? Technicians are in high demand and it sounds like the kind of work he might enjoy, very related to design.

If he's interested, please feel free to PM me with any questions. I work in a different area of construction but I can ask my colleagues.

Fuzzyheid · 28/05/2022 11:39

Architecture?
Building engineering or surveying?
Traffic management - by which I mean designing road systems and all that goes into it to keep Traffic flowing. I'm sure it's got a proper name.
Product design and development?
Mechanical engineering?

SweatyChamoisPad · 28/05/2022 11:40

There are also really suitable careers in things like sports related science - not just physio etc, but biomechanics, kit design, performance analysis etc. Olympic medals are sometimes won in the strength of a new bike design or training shoes etc.

ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave · 28/05/2022 11:40

If he's interested, please feel free to PM me with any questions. I work in a different area of construction but I can ask my colleagues.

Actually feel free to ask me about any role in construction - I work for a civil engineering firm.

DontTripPoppy · 28/05/2022 11:41

Ps there are some really good apprenticeships in civil engineering… anything from L3 upwards . He could get get to work right away if he got one of those.

FuoriComeUnBalcone · 28/05/2022 11:41

Programming / web developing?

Greatoutdoors · 28/05/2022 11:43

I depends where you live but Bae Systems do a lot of apprenticeships which could suit his skills and interests.

DontTripPoppy · 28/05/2022 11:44

@Fuzzyheid its Transport Planning. And it’s bloody fascinating. Not just managing traffic but studying and creating integrated systems.

www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/transport-planner

KangarooKenny · 28/05/2022 11:45

A friend of ours has colour blindness and is a pilot. It depends upon your levels, so a civilian pilot is a possibility. He should ask the CAA medical department about it if interested.

Mommabear20 · 28/05/2022 11:45

Might seem like a long shot, but what about reaching out to companies like Disney or universal? They have teams of people that do all the design work for the theme parks! My brother is very similar to your DS, colourblind, and virtually the same grades, he was all set to go to work for Disney but decided to get into a long term relationship instead 🤦‍♀️

Kanaloa · 28/05/2022 11:48

Ah bless it must have disappointed him a fair bit if that was his dream job.

But he’s 18. What does he want to do? I don’t think his mum researching careers for him is going to help massively - he needs to have the option to explore it himself at his age, as well as emailing etc for himself - was it not a bit embarrassing for him to have you emailing the RAF re his job prospects? Has he attended the career fairs and similar at uni/spoken with the careers officer? Brainstormed jobs he’d like and researched grad schemes in those areas?

Just wondering if he’s taking the reins on this himself or content to sit back and let mum sort everything.

JusticeForWanda · 28/05/2022 11:49

Orthotics?

lljkk · 28/05/2022 11:50

Off top of my head, ones I know/have known:

Very Senior military officer (in Army, was a pilot with private license, actually)
software engineer / electronics
(lecturer) Biochemist
(lecturer) Agriculture

Fuzzyheid · 28/05/2022 11:55

DontTripPoppy · 28/05/2022 11:44

@Fuzzyheid its Transport Planning. And it’s bloody fascinating. Not just managing traffic but studying and creating integrated systems.

www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/transport-planner

Thank you! I could not pull the correct name out of my head, and yes, it's fascinating. We all rely on it yet never crosses our mind that someone has worked it all out.

SoggyPaper · 28/05/2022 12:01

What about cyber security? I think he could probably do an apprenticeship through the security services if he wanted to. There are loads of roles.

given he’d hoped to join the armed forces, that might appeal to him. He could protect the country against cyber attacks.

Louise0701 · 28/05/2022 12:04

Construction!

SoggyPaper · 28/05/2022 12:06

Cyber and technical apprenticeships in the security services: www.mi5.gov.uk/careers/icanatmi5