degree no good

[jjaammeess]

My son always wanted to do practical work like carpentry or plumbing But his mother and Blair(education education education ) pushed him into getting a useless 'mickey mouse' degree.Has anybody any experience of how now that he is 22 years of age get in one of the trades which is what he always wanted to do.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Ask him to pop into his local careers advice bureau. It can be done, as a man I used to work with left to become a plumber.

[bymis]

Tell Him To Get an Apprentiship and aslong as he can take a bit of ribbing for having a degree then he would be ok,
i started late in my apprentiship and im on my way to a HND and a Degree in Engineering a degree that means something as my work is practally based?

im a engineer i cant spell im sorry.

hope this helps.

[Scarlett]

Blair is SO wrong. I teach hundreds of boys who really should be plumbers, electricians or carpenters, but they come to me to do Music Technology, because they want to be a DJ, or because they like METAL. It's not enough. 2 years down the line they have a BTEC in nothing, and are still no closer to getting a job. It;s high time practical careers were given the kudos they deserve. I SO admire builders, plumbers and electricians! Where would we be without them??!

[NiceCupOfTea]

They make good money too!

[jjaammeess]

Thank you all.The fact that other people are in the same boat and have made a change successfully gives me great encouragement.I have learned,painfully that you should not push your children into areas for which they are not suited.I think all the practical trades should be on a level with degrees and I think people are coming slowly around to realizing this.

[paulxlee90]

Hi there,
I think your comments regarding Blair and "Mickey mouse degree� were a little out of context.
At the end of the day people have a choice and if your son made the wrong choice then that�s no ones fault. Thank god we have a choice now, was not that long ago that it was only the wealthy that could get an education.
Anyway, I have a family member in a comparable position, she has extremely good grades at A level but now wants to progress into the beauty therapy industry. She has completed two years of A level and is now going back to college to pursue relevant NVQ's to gain the qualifications she needs. I suggest your son looks into this, it is never too late to get into the industry or learn a trade, thanks to the education system Blair has in place, we have excellent trade-man like schemes...
Good luck.