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Post by fruitcake on Mar 25, 2016 2:19:36 GMT
My dd 19 is studying the first year of an A level course at a small private school (her choice) but really struggling, getting very low grades. She works hard in some ways but not very effectively and is immune to advice. She is quite bright (got 7 A and B grades at GCSE, though via home education and loads of input from me and procrastination from her) but has issues with poor attention and is very reserved and shy socially. (This is not due to home ed by the way: my other home educated children are very social.) I would describe her attachment as avoidant - quite secretive and with a tendency to lie to avoid trouble, save face or look good. Her background is similar to many of our children with issues of neglect and abuse. I wish she had taken our advice and done a vocational level 3 qualification instead as I think she would have coped much better with this.
She has decided that she wants to become a midwife and currently refuses to consider other options, though she is very far away from achieving the grades necessary - it is a very competitive degree to get on to. That is to say nothing about the appropriateness of such a career for someone with her personality and issues. Her school are being quite useless with advice. (They think she is wonderful: quiet, polite and studious, seeing none of the complexities.)
Can anyone point me in any useful directions as regards careers advice (either free or fee based), work experience opportunities or anything else that might help her develop more insight into herself and consider different possibilities? Thank-you.
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Post by pluto on Mar 25, 2016 18:50:46 GMT
Am I right if you do nothng she will fail the course over time? If you google 'private career test' you might get some ideas. You find those career test also free on the internet. Bt it might be better if done by someone with experience in complex people.
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Post by fruitcake on Mar 26, 2016 16:48:34 GMT
Thank-you both.
In a way I am over-thinking this as she simply will not get on to a university course unless she takes advice, so she will learn, rather painfully, from consequences. I agree that ANY work experience would be very good. She does volunteer at an old peoples' home once a week and enjoys this. I will strongly encourage her to look for a summer job (and try to let all this be more her problem than mine!).
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Post by lilyofthevalley on Mar 27, 2016 21:52:19 GMT
Hello fruitcake Your post brings back memories for me. When I was 21, I was working as a housemother in a children's home. I had dropped out of university after two years when I was 20. I had been doing a languages degree and was not happy. I had had no careers advice at my boarding school and had no idea what I might do. I thought I might like teaching in a primary school and had applied to teacher training college. But I was frightened of making a terrible mistake again. So I turned to the Vocational Guidance Association for advice and guidance. It cost me a lot of money but the advice was invaluable. I had all sorts of psychometric tests, questionnaires etc. I also had an extended interview with a psychologist. A lengthy report was then written. I was told that I had been doing the wrong degree and was advised to do a social science degree. I was also advised to become a probation officer. It changed my life. Fortunately for me, the Open University came along at that time so I did a part time degree in social science whilst still working. I then joined the probation service. I could not find the VGA that I went to in London but I came across this which appears to be very similar. www.careeranalysts.co.uk/about-us.phpGood luck! Lily x |
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Post by damson on Mar 28, 2016 6:15:45 GMT
Our DS is also in the first year of A levels, and is coming to the stage where university looms. Careers choices seem to be driven by a desire not to be trapped by poverty (I sympathise!) but always tend to lurch back to the Army when anxious. I think Lily's careers place looks very interesting, altho the price tag gave me pause.
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Post by pingu on Mar 28, 2016 8:18:55 GMT
Wish I had career advice like that company that Lily mentions, when I was at school, our career advice wasrubbish and useless !
The conversation began "So tell me, what are you inteested in doing " (immediate thought "i don't know - that's why I am here!)
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Post by damson on Mar 29, 2016 7:20:17 GMT
Yes, you'd be great at persuading salmon up artificial fish ladders  |
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Post by fruitcake on Mar 30, 2016 22:51:25 GMT
Thanks all. Lily - that was just the sort of careers company I was looking for.
I think dd would need to be on board to get the most out of it so I will need to let the midwife / nursing dream come to fruition or die a death first, but this could be really useful in the near future.
A lot of sitting in front of revision books happening - whether anything is going in is anyone's guess! |
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