Further education

ree123

Hi all. Please be kind in comments. 
My brother is 23 yrs, he got his C&G 2 mechanics, he has learning difficulties, so it took him a bit longer to obtain (for the paper side not physical). For him to gain level 3, he needs an apprenticeship but every apprenticeship is saying they have to have GCSE A to C,  he hasn't got and will not obtain. He can strip an engine and rebuild, he builds PCs and other things, he's just not academic. Does anyone know where to go with this or advice. Many thanks 

pinkshoes

ree123 said:

Hi all. Please be kind in comments. 
My brother is 23 yrs, he got his C&G 2 mechanics, he has learning difficulties, so it took him a bit longer to obtain (for the paper side not physical). For him to gain level 3, he needs an apprenticeship but every apprenticeship is saying they have to have GCSE A to C,  he hasn't got and will not obtain. He can strip an engine and rebuild, he builds PCs and other things, he's just not academic. Does anyone know where to go with this or advice. Many thanks 

What do you mean by "every" apprenticeship?

Have you contacted local businesses and asked if they would be willing to take on an apprentice on the C&G program? Put a post on a local group on Facebook and see if any local company would be interested?

Have you contacted the C&G course provider to see if they can put you in touch with someone?

littlegreenparrot

The requirement for apprenticeships is that you have  GCSE at C or above in English and Maths, or have Level 2 functional skills. Or you can achieve one of those before the end of the apprenticeship. 

Given learning difficulties it would probably be best to achieve it before. I'd start by getting in touch with the local colleges and ask if they run Maths and English courses for adults. Most of them do and they are usually free. 

Colleges are used to working with people with different learning needs, and Functional skills are a different thing, I would not assume he would not be able to achieve. A college would usually do their own assessment for suitability anyway. I

If they can't help they will hopefully be able to refer you elsewhere, or on to careers advice about how to move on without it. 

Marcon

littlegreenparrot said:

The requirement for apprenticeships is that you have  GCSE at C or above in English and Maths, or have Level 2 functional skills. Or you can achieve one of those before the end of the apprenticeship. 

Given learning difficulties it would probably be best to achieve it before. I'd start by getting in touch with the local colleges and ask if they run Maths and English courses for adults. Most of them do and they are usually free. 

Colleges are used to working with people with different learning needs, and Functional skills are a different thing, I would not assume he would not be able to achieve. A college would usually do their own assessment for suitability anyway. I

If they can't help they will hopefully be able to refer you elsewhere, or on to careers advice about how to move on without it. 

OP has already said his brother 'will not obtain', so probably best to proceed on that basis.

Perhaps approaching local businesses where his practical skills could be put to good use might be no bad starting point, or contacting apprenticeship providers listed on https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/apprentices/browse-apprenticeships and asking if they'd employ him, emphasising what he can do/has achieved, rather than what he isn't going to do. In particular, they need to know that he can read, write and work with/understand numbers.

silvercar

Is there an option to complete C&G functional skills by course work only? There used to be and that suited some students better.

elsien

OP said their brother wouldn’t obtain the GCSE.
But he may find the functional skills learning style less onerous and it is certainly worth exploring as there are apprenticeships out there which will accept those instead of the more formal academic route. His level 3 options may be limited otherwise. 

He could also contact the careers service to see if they have any alternative suggestions?
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

NBLondon

elsien said:

OP said their brother wouldn’t obtain the GCSE.
But he may find the functional skills learning style less onerous and it is certainly worth exploring as there are apprenticeships out there which will accept those instead of the more formal academic route. His level 3 options may be limited otherwise. 

This.  The Functional Skills are rather more pragmatic than GCSE - so if the brother is mechanically minded rather than theoretical it may be a better fit.

  littlegreenparrot said:

The requirement for apprenticeships is that you have  GCSE at C or above in English and Maths, or have Level 2 functional skills. Or you can achieve one of those before the end of the apprenticeship. 

That's the requirement of the apprenticeship standard.  The employer can set the requirement as already having the GCSE if they choose to and that may be the sticking point with the places looked at currently.