6th form/A levels/College + all that bollocks

[Burndens Bogs]

Dowters at this age now and i must admit i'm finding it all a bit of a head shred.

Anyone done been through it with their kids lately? any advice would be much appreciated.

The options/choices/decisions to be made are so important, but they are so young to make those decisions that will shape their life.

I find it hard to give advice, as i left school at 16 and got a job because i wanted to earn. College/ Uni was just for the privileged back in my day.

She's much brighter than i ever was at her age, but nowhere near as streetwise - a bit wet between the ears maybe, but academically astute .

HBAHT? Still developing, future measurements uncertain.

Edited October 10, 2019 by Burndens Bogs

[leigh white]

My son stayed on for advanced education at 6th Form, it worked out well for him.

[Dr Faustus]

What is she happy doing? Against my better judgement, my eldest did a btec in sports coaching... I wasn't convinced as she had a real talent for graphic design, but I allowed her to follow her heart. 

2 years later she received distinction * across the board, has been coaching in Madrid, and had opportunities in Dubai. She's just started her degree at Edge Hill, and part of me hopes she'll stay to do a PGCE. Whatever she does, I just need to support her in any way I can. 

It's human nature to be protective, but she might be savvier than you think- certainly the case for me! If she knows what she wants to do, she needs to follow it. 

I'm 40, and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up (I'm waiting by the phone Keith!! 😂) 

 

This post is brought to you by Sluffy

[Biggish Dave]

Btec’s tend to be more coursework based, better for the more practical. A levels better for people who want more structure and are fine cramming for exams.

Both can lead to a degree course so basically go down whichever route suits

[bolty58]

Get a trade. The world needs more tradespeople. IT and marine biology are full.

Tradespeople will inherit the Earth (cue some WWays version of Zoon Light).

[Not in Crawley]

Never did me any harm - but these days you have to consider the debt of FE and HE, I left uni with only 6k of student loans and paid that off within a few years of working, the kids in the office now have 30-50 grand worth of debt before they even start work.

I did a course that I enjoyed, but even then took practical modules that got me into the career I’ve had - so go for what she loves to learn about but have an eye to where it might lead in terms of future prospects.

[Burndens Bogs]

4 hours ago, Dr Faustus said:

What is she happy doing? Against my better judgement, my eldest did a btec in sports coaching... I wasn't convinced as she had a real talent for graphic design, but I allowed her to follow her heart. 

2 years later she received distinction * across the board, has been coaching in Madrid, and had opportunities in Dubai. She's just started her degree at Edge Hill, and part of me hopes she'll stay to do a PGCE. Whatever she does, I just need to support her in any way I can. 

It's human nature to be protective, but she might be savvier than you think- certainly the case for me! If she knows what she wants to do, she needs to follow it. 

I'm 40, and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up (I'm waiting by the phone Keith!! 😂) 

 

This post is brought to you by Sluffy

She's very good academically, but sports is a non starter due to a long term injury, can't imagine her being one to work with her hands either. She likes (and is good at) Maths/English/Spanish/Biology/Geography type of stuff and can choose 3 or 4 of those subjects to take as 'A' Levels.

It's such a young age to start deciding career paths, but she fancies something like doing Forensic for the police or teaching - but her  career ideas can change on a regular basis.

Went looking at Runshaw College last night with a view to her taking her 'A' Levels there - was well impressed, it's a fantastic set-up. Anyone had any experience with the place? 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Burndens Bogs

[bolty58]

31 minutes ago, Burndens Bogs said:

She's very good academically, but sports is a non starter due to a long term injury, can't imagine her being one to work with her hands either. She likes (and is good at) Maths/English/Spanish/Biology/Geography type of stuff and can choose 3 or 4 of those subjects to take as 'A' Levels.

It's such a young age to start deciding career paths, but she fancies something like doing Forensic for the police or teaching - but her  career ideas can change on a regular basis.

Went looking at Runshaw College last night with a view to her taking her 'A' Levels there - was well impressed, it's a fantastic set-up. Anyone had any experience with the place? 

So becoming a plumber is out then?

[Biggish Dave]

34 minutes ago, Burndens Bogs said:

She's very good academically, but sports is a non starter due to a long term injury, can't imagine her being one to work with her hands either. She likes (and is good at) Maths/English/Spanish/Biology/Geography type of stuff and can choose 3 or 4 of those subjects to take as 'A' Levels.

It's such a young age to start deciding career paths, but she fancies something like doing Forensic for the police or teaching - but her  career ideas can change on a regular basis.

Went looking at Runshaw College last night with a view to her taking her 'A' Levels there - was well impressed, it's a fantastic set-up. Anyone had any experience with the place? 

Nephew and niece both went to Runshaw, nephew ended up doing Economics and sommat else at Newcastle uni, now got a decent job in Manchester somewhere. Niece has just started a sports science (I think) course at Northumbria. Nephew did A-levels, niece did Btec, both loved it and both got good grades. supposed to be a crackin set up

[ErnestTurnip]

Two of mine go to Runshaw and the facilities are excellent and the feeling I get is that the environment would prepare them better for uni than just going to a school sixth form.

They seem to be very flexible with courses and let you chop and change early on and if 4 A-Levels gets too much then they let you drop one etc. They are big on mentoring and you get weekly one to ones with a personal tutor and also in the first year of your A-Levels they have peer mentoring sessions run by the second years in your subjects.

They also run their own transport and if a bus doesn't show you ring em and they send another out.

If you've been to an open evening then you will have seen how organised they are, been to the equivalent of parents evenings and enrolment and things went that smoothly and efficiently I started wondering if the whole thing wasn't run by Germans.

[Burndens Bogs]

25 minutes ago, bolty58 said:

So becoming a plumber is out then?

Deffo a non starter that P, i don't think she'd enjoy donning a boiler suit and getting her hands dirty. 😂

19 minutes ago, Biggish Dave said:

Nephew and niece both went to Runshaw,  supposed to be a crackin set up

Fantastic set-up.£25 Million invested on the place in the last 10 years. It reminds me of a USA style mega campus, enormous place with loads of restaurants and state of the art equipment, in a nice woodland setting too.

Edited October 11, 2019 by Burndens Bogs

[Burndens Bogs]

11 minutes ago, ErnestTurnip said:

Two of mine go to Runshaw and the facilities are excellent and the feeling I get is that the environment would prepare them better for uni than just going to a school sixth form.

They seem to be very flexible with courses and let you chop and change early on and if 4 A-Levels gets too much then they let you drop one etc. They are big on mentoring and you get weekly one to ones with a personal tutor and also in the first year of your A-Levels they have peer mentoring sessions run by the second years in your subjects.

They also run their own transport and if a bus doesn't show you ring em and they send another out.

If you've been to an open evening then you will have seen how organised they are, been to the equivalent of parents evenings and enrolment and things went that smoothly and efficiently I started wondering if the whole thing wasn't run by Germans.

Yes i know exactly what you mean with it being a slick organisation - we looked at a 6th form in Bolton the night before and it was the polar opposite - absolute chaos.My daughter already seems to have her heart set on attending Runshaw College to do her 'A'Levels. Some very good info there E.T. cheers.

Edited October 11, 2019 by Burndens Bogs

[Tonge moor green jacket]

The only thing I'd say now, is that if she ultimately has her heart set on university, then get her to have a fairly good idea of what she wants to do afterwards.

Too many graduates, loaded with debt, looking around for the big paying job, without previously knowing what they wanted to do.

Sponsorships, modern type apprenticeships, etc worth exploring.

My lad is going to be in a similar position soon; I'm not sure how much he fancies continuing within academia, even though he's capable.

He's 'outdoorish' and perhaps something along the lines of myerscough will suit him. Mix of practical and academic.

[Burndens Bogs]

1 minute ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

The only thing I'd say now, is that if she ultimately has her heart set on university, then get her to have a fairly good idea of what she wants to do afterwards.

Too many graduates, loaded with debt, looking around for the big paying job, without previously knowing what they wanted to do.

Yeh couldn't agree more.

[mickbrown]

2 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Get a trade. The world needs more tradespeople. IT and marine biology are full.

 

I have no idea about marine biologists, but IT certainly isn’t full. Crying out for developers

[Burndens Bogs]

1 hour ago, mickbrown said:

I have no idea about marine biologists.

Might be full of 'em in Oz,i don't think there's much of a demand for them  in the Wiggin area 😀

Edited October 11, 2019 by Burndens Bogs

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Wigan will have a beach and marina in a decade.

[birch-chorley]

10 hours ago, Burndens Bogs said:

She's very good academically, but sports is a non starter due to a long term injury, can't imagine her being one to work with her hands either. She likes (and is good at) Maths/English/Spanish/Biology/Geography type of stuff and can choose 3 or 4 of those subjects to take as 'A' Levels.

It's such a young age to start deciding career paths, but she fancies something like doing Forensic for the police or teaching - but her  career ideas can change on a regular basis.

Went looking at Runshaw College last night with a view to her taking her 'A' Levels there - was well impressed, it's a fantastic set-up. Anyone had any experience with the place? 

Left Runshaw in 2002, loved it 

Bet it’s changed a lot since, certainly looks like it’s been developed 

I picked the wrong course and it set me back years, getting it right at this stage is key

I would say pick something ....

1) That you enjoy 

2) That will lead to a career you will be happy with 

I went down the science route at A level, realised early on at Uni that I would hate to be stuck in a lab for the rest of my days, wish I had done business now (which was the other route back when I was 16) 

[MancWanderer]

Both mine did A-Levels at Rivi. They went with what they were enjoying at the time. Made their career choices whilst in 6th form. Any earlier than that was too early

Both looked at Runshaw and were impressed, but it was the travel that decided against

Youngest initially went to Bolton College but it was fucking dreadful and she transferred to Rivi mid first term and never looked back

If a language is summat that she enjoys (you mention Spanish) I would definitely recommend. A second language definitely opens doors if she's interested in a business-type career from what I see at work

[dave2980]

1 hour ago, birch-chorley said:

Left Runshaw in 2002, loved it 

Bet it’s changed a lot since, certainly looks like it’s been developed 

I picked the wrong course and it set me back years, getting it right at this stage is key

I would say pick something ....

1) That you enjoy 

2) That will lead to a career you will be happy with 

I went down the science route at A level, realised early on at Uni that I would hate to be stuck in a lab for the rest of my days, wish I had done business now (which was the other route back when I was 16) 

I went down the science route too and started a degree in Chemistry but hated it.

I still get stuck in a lab from time to time, but only because my company builds them! 

[Escobarp]

I have to disagree with a lot of the comments on here. 

From personal experience I don’t think unless you’re going into something like medicine or an incredibly niche profession that your a levels or degree actually matter in terms of synergy   

Out of 16 including myself who were on my grad scheme in my job after uni only four of us had a degree that would in anyway have been deemed similar to the career we chose.

Of the 16 4 are in incredibly senior positions now spread across the globe. The most successful who I estimate earns in excess of 250k per year basic now had a degree in history and another who is now head of Asia for a large financial institution did geography. Why? Because they were good at it and enjoyed it. That’s the key for me. 

Edited October 11, 2019 by Escobarp

[mickbrown]

24 minutes ago, Escobarp said:

I have to disagree with a lot of the comments on here. 

From personal experience I don’t think unless you’re going into something like medicine or an incredibly niche profession that your a levels or degree actually matter in terms of synergy   

Out of 16 including myself who were on my grad scheme in my job after uni only four of us had a degree that would in anyway have been deemed similar to the career we chose.

Of the 16 4 are in incredibly senior positions now spread across the globe. The most successful who I estimate earns in excess of 250k per year basic now had a degree in history and another who is now head of Asia for a large financial institution did geography. Why? Because they were good at it and enjoyed it. That’s the key for me. 

I agree completely. 

Which is why it's such a shame that is cost so much now.

[RoadRunnerFan]

The best thing I ever did was knock Uni on the head. 

I wanted to be a football writer and got onto a journalism course at Central Lancs. (I turned down History at Manchester) I  was in the same year as Lost Voice Guy, Chelsea from Radio Manc and Derek Hatton's daughter. I was okay at the writing but wasn't cut out for digging stories out.I realised this early on but only quit 18 months after I should have 

I Bummed around for a couple of years and then went to night school at Bolton College doing accountancy at 23 which was the best thing I ever did. I've made a decent living for myself.

Moral of the story is that what happens at 18 is not the be all and end all, no matter what those with a skin in the game may say . 

[bolty58]

20 hours ago, Burndens Bogs said:

Deffo a non starter that P, i don't think she'd enjoy donning a boiler suit and getting her hands dirty. 😂

 

Fair enough pal - I was probably asking from a WA perspective where loads of lasses have moved into trades and are making a fucking fortune as FIFO workers at iron ore mines and ports.

I was up north in the Pilbara a couple of weeks back. Not all of em are as you'd expect (short back and sides, no make up, face like a bag of spanners) - there are some really attractive young ladies working as sparkies, fitters, welders etc.

Ridiculous money so you can see the attraction. $200K+ per annum and it's 2 weeks on, 1 week off, all food, board and flights to and from Perth provided!

If you could stick 5 years of that you are in good shape financially.

[birch-chorley]

Girls can walk into some apprenticeship schemes 

My mate is a software engineer at BAE, they have a scheme that starts at £23k and they put you through your degree. It’s all lads applying but they have a quota for X amount of girls so it’s basically a case of turning up and your in