Warning! Rant ahead!

Gingernutty

I need another GCSE in Maths.

Since leaving school, I have always wanted to work in a pharmacy.

I have seen the perfect job on the NHS website for a Student Pharmacy Technician and I thought I met all the criteria.

However, I have applied for such jobs before and not got any reply.

This time, I contacted the advertiser by 'phone and sent her an email detailing my qualifications.

5 O levels
all at Grade C

3 CSEs
all at Grade 1

4 GCSEs
but with Mathematics grade 2

(I was one of the transition 'guinea pigs' back in the 1980s, who were accorded an O level or CSE grade depending on the exam board before the GCSE results were standardised to letters)

an ONC
including a Mathematics component surpassing a GCSE

most of an HNC
in a scienc-y subject with a large Maths component in all passed modules

and

an HND
okay, I'll admit, not a science-y one. I wanted to be a writer, sue me.

She passed them onto the NHS Trust Board who would be funding the position and and passed on their reply.

"Sorry Xxxx, its so tough today and competitive , we have to stick to the base line entry criteria’s requirements , additional higher entry qualifications cannot cancel this out.

Again I am sorry and thank you for your interest."

This isn't a case of failing Maths entirely and not needing it again. I have surpassed the original Maths GCSE with the ONC and HNC qualifications and studies.

In addition, I have spent almost 17 years in different laboratories - including making sterile radiopharmaceuticals for 6 years.

However, in order to be able to apply for this student position, I need to retake, and get, at least a GCSE Mathematics Grade B.

I know it's an employers' market and all that but JEEPERS!! :eek:

Savvy_Sue

Were you at the time given any guidance as to the 'equivalence' of that Maths?

Can the maths part of the Chemistry 'stand alone'? I'd talk to the awarding body about that.

I know someone who has the required 5 passes, in equivalent form: they have a Certificate of Extended Education in English, at Grade 3, which was a 6th form follow on from CSE, which is equivalent to a CSE grade 1 which they'd failed to get. They've since got a degree, but in the early days it was important to put that it WAS an equivalent to GCSE / CSE / O level.

Googlewhacker

this math component, does it only surpass GCSE in one particular area or is it across the whole of Math GCSE?

Gingernutty

Obviously, the maths part involves analytical organic and inorganic chemistry. Working out moles, molecular weights, percentages, dilutions etc. We weren't drawing triangles and measuring the angles, for example.

But for pharmacy work, one would have thought that that was the important bit.......dosages, dilutions, blending etc.....

I've since been told that my GCSE would be the rough equivalent of an O Level D (fail) but the ONC was supposed to be instead of A Levels and the HNC used to be thought of as between A Level and a degree.

This would have been back in the 80s and early 90s. Showing my age........

Oldernotwiser

Higher qualifications cannot compensate if a basic GCSE is required. There have been English graduates who haven't been able to teach until they get a grade C or over in GCSE English Language.

It has nothing to do with being an employers' market.

ferien_uk2011

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

There have been English graduates who haven't been able to teach until they get a grade C or over in GCSE English Language.

Surely they wouldn't let you onto the degree course in the first place if you didn't have GCSE English?

GothicStirling

ferien_uk2011 wrote: »

Surely they wouldn't let you onto the degree course in the first place if you didn't have GCSE English?

I would be appalled if they let you on any degree without GCSE English.

asparagusnextleft

I suspect you will find the modern day maths GCSE an absolute doddle. My ex husband failed his three times when he was 16, but decided to have another bash at it ten years ago. I saw the work he had to do and it was very, very easy yet he still struggled like mad and needed lots of help. He managed to pass it with a grade B though. I was quite shocked, he was clueless yet managed a B. GCSE's are not what they used to be.

getmore4less

GothicStirling wrote: »

I would be appalled if they let you on any degree without GCSE English.

I got into Imperial without English

There were only a few Unis at that time that would take people.


I have seen the current maths stuff helping my nephew, should be a doddle with a a bit of work for any one that has done some higher level stuff previously when they were harder.

Since the NHS is the biggest employer I would work on fixing this Math problem

Nice rant by the way have a thanks.


IT is very easy to get caught out by current qualification requirements especialy the degree(any) requirement, this is indirect age discrinination because in the old days more people bypassed the degree to go straight into work.

asparagusnextleft

getmore4less wrote: »

IT is very easy to get caught out by current qualification requirements especialy the degree(any) requirement, this is indirect age discrinination because in the old days more people bypassed the degree to go straight into work.

I never thought of it like that, but given the number of admin jobs where they demand a degree which is completely unnecessary, I guess that makes sense.

kittycatsam

Can you do an Adult Numeracy (City and Guilds) course at an Adult Ed centre? Would this suffice?

I did one recently and found it pretty straight forward. I took the Level 2 test and passed after 4 sessions. I'm sure they said it was equivalent to Grade C or above GCSE.