I think English grade C or above is well worth having. The lack of it for positions where you need good English literary skills might be an issue, which covers a lot of jobs in the admin/office work line and anything where you might be composing reports - a lot of work positions.
I think English grade C or above is well worth having. The lack of it for positions where you need good English literary skills might be an issue, which covers a lot of jobs in the admin/office work line and anything where you might be composing reports - a lot of work positions.
To be honest though, it seems from the OP's posts she has a generally good command of English and is able to communicate well in writing. A good covering letter would do as much as an improved GCSE grade for the type of roles she will be going for.
Its certainly not going to hurt, but i think there are many more effective ways of making her employable, depending on what career she wants to pursue. Unless she gets an A or A+ its not going to make any difference at all imo.
Do you neccassarily need three level qualifications to have a good job? Or will GCSEs do that? What do the majorityof employers look for?
I think that really depends on what you want to do. Some occupations will require degree level qualifications whilst others will require level 1 or not necessarily any qualifications at all. I think you really need to have a think about what you want to end up doing and take it from there. You may need to try and find work that's not in your chosen field whilst you're getting qualifications that allow you to do what you want...
Do you neccassarily need three level qualifications to have a good job? Or will GCSEs do that? What do the majorityof employers look for?
No. You don't necessarily need any qualifications at all. You just need to get in somewhere decent and work hard. Qualifications help you specialise towards something, but you need to know what you want to work towards.,
You could have all the qualifications in the world and still be flipping burgers.
At 18 I used to work in a betting shop part-time. I passed GCSE English on second attempt. Went college and got a bunch of very poor A Levels. Went to an ex-poly uni and dropped out after the first ummm.... term.
Fast forward 20 years and I've a very well paid job with an international online gambling company, was it the crappy A Level's? Perhaps the crappy GCSE's? Nope, it was the experience of working in a betting shop which got me a position on the bottom rung and I just kept climbing the ladder.
Hard work and picking a job that involves learning industry knowledge/skills (rather than qualifications) and you can still come out on top.
I think that really depends on what you want to do. Some occupations will require degree level qualifications whilst others will require level 1 or not necessarily any qualifications at all. I think you really need to have a think about what you want to end up doing and take it from there. You may need to try and find work that's not in your chosen field whilst you're getting qualifications that allow you to do what you want...
I was just wondering. I`m still debating at the back of my mind what to do.
I sometimes wonder if it would be better for people to actually pay an employer to give them work experience rather than rack up a load of debt by going through university.
To be honest though, it seems from the OP's posts she has a generally good command of English and is able to communicate well in writing. A good covering letter would do as much as an improved GCSE grade for the type of roles she will be going for.
Its certainly not going to hurt, but i think there are many more effective ways of making her employable, depending on what career she wants to pursue. Unless she gets an A or A+ its not going to make any difference at all imo.
Unfortunately, many jobs have a minimum requirement of GCSE English Grade C. Without it, the application is in the bin regardless of other qualifications.
For graduate jobs, it's usually grade B minimum. I've had students with 4 A grade A levels rejected from jobs at the first step because they did not have B at English GCSE.
Unfortunately, many jobs have a minimum requirement of GCSE English Grade C. Without it, the application is in the bin regardless of other qualifications.
For graduate jobs, it's usually grade B minimum. I've had students with 4 A grade A levels rejected from jobs at the first step because they did not have B at English GCSE.
My advice is to get a grade C in English.
I'm surprised by that. In my experience A-levels or a degree supersede any GCSE qualifications. (of course actual work experience supersedes everything) Perhaps we have experience of different sectors. Its moot for the OP though as she only has GCSEs, with not great grades either by the sound of it. If someone has generally crap GCSE's, i cant see pushing the english above C helping at all.
To be honest i have more experience of recruitment for jobs that require degrees, but when we recruited our office junior one English GCSE certainly wouldn't have made any difference. We were looking for general common sense and a keeness to work hard on whatever crappy job we gave them.
Some entry level jobs even include college as part of the package
Relative of mine I used to work alongside retrained from IT when the economy went tits up a few years ago and went into education, he would attend college the odd day a week for a few hours and the rest at the workplace
It went on for a couple years but he was able to earn a basic wage and has pretty much set himself up for life career option wise (place where hes at is basically a launchpad)
@ OP you are young and have 50 years to think about a career
Went to the college today, got myself lost for a hour trying to find the place. I would like to do it but my family are still holding me back. I have a interview with the careers lady at the JC on Thursday so I`m going to ask her what other courses are on offer in and around where I live because I don`t think college is possible due to lack of money I would have If I did go.
I have enrolled myself on a GCSE English course though, so I will be looking forward to that.
Sounds good Emma, and glad you've enrolled on the GCSE English course. Despite what one or two posters are saying, there is a huge difference between Grade D and C in terms of employability, college courses etc - just because it's regarded as a significant threshold.
Hopefully you'll get some help from the Job Centre careers person.
Emma a couple of us have suggested evening classes. Why have you seemingly ignored that route?
I haven`t. I looked at the Adult Education list on the Norfolk County Council website and that`s where I enrolled, GCSE English is a evening class. I may even do a GCSE Maths which is a evening too.
But apart from them two all they had to offer and what the college had on offer was lipreading, french and how to fix a bicycle etc.
I haven`t. I looked at the Adult Education list on the Norfolk County Council website and that`s where I enrolled, GCSE English is a evening class. I may even do a GCSE Maths which is a evening too.
But apart from them two all they had to offer and what the college had on offer was lipreading, french and how to fix a bicycle etc.
I am going to ask on Thursday where else to look.
If you do all 3, you can get a bike, ride it to college and fix it if it breaks. Going forwards, you could start up a women's bicycle servicing business and from there the world is your oyster.
Emma, sorry to hear your family are still holding you back but I'm glad to hear you're on the GCSE English course at least. I wish you the best of luck with everything.
To be honest though, it seems from the OP's posts she has a generally good command of English and is able to communicate well in writing. A good covering letter would do as much as an improved GCSE grade for the type of roles she will be going for.
.
I agree with the bit in bold, but in general many employers will not ever see how Emma expresses herself in writing to the degree that she expresses herself in her posts here. Looking at her application, and seeing she has a below C grade, they'll just dismiss it, so she'll have fallen at the first hurdle.
Getting a higher grade also will open up more for her as regards employment possibilties for the future.
Very nearly on the brink of giving up with college when I got a email through for a job interview, it`s in the evenings, easily accessible as a train station is 5 minutes away.
Just a shame the interview is scheduled on the 8th and the last oppurtunity for courses is this Saturday.
Oh and this person has asked to bring any certificates of qualifications I have.
Went to go and see the lady at JC today. Didn`t help much. Basically told me I have two or so months to find a job before I go onto the work programme for 2 years which I really don`t want to do. Finding a job or going to college is my only way out at the moment.
She did say a Prince`s Trust group is starting up again soon and I can go onto that, she says the person does get you work but how would I know if that work would just be work experience and not lead onto anything. Stuck at a dead end.
I sometimes wonder if it would be better for people to actually pay an employer to give them work experience rather than rack up a load of debt by going through university.
They did it was called an apprenticeship. You actually paid the employer, to compensate for the teaching, and materials etc he was going to use, while you learnt.
Went to go and see the lady at JC today. Didn`t help much. Basically told me I have two or so months to find a job before I go onto the work programme for 2 years which I really don`t want to do. Finding a job or going to college is my only way out at the moment.
She did say a Prince`s Trust group is starting up again soon and I can go onto that, she says the person does get you work but how would I know if that work would just be work experience and not lead onto anything. Stuck at a dead end.
Tbh you'd be better off taking any job going so that you can build up work experience. That can look very good on a cv. It shows you can stick at something and not just give up at the first hurdle.
Tbh you'd be better off taking any job going so that you can build up work experience. That can look very good on a cv. It shows you can stick at something and not just give up at the first hurdle.
Plus it's always easier to get a new job when you have a job already. As employers assume you're looking to better your prospects rather than just being desperate for any job (and therefore liable to jump ship as soon as something better turns up).
I would say decide what careers you are interested in, get a job, anything you can, do your English and maths at night class then next year start looking at apprenticeships in your chosen careers. If you do this you will have a bit if money in the bank to help with travel costs.
Apprenticeships are tough to get and you need "something" about you to make you stand out to the employer, some make candidates do presentations for example, you need some life experience too.
Have a look at apprenticeship.org and see what's out there, yes you may be starting at the bottom of the ladder, but you can climb it, yes it may be poor pay but not all pay the lowest rate.
Ask for a national careers service appointment for advice or search on line for some free career questionnaires, they may give you some ideas depending on your answers, don't think too much when answering the questions, just answers the questions honestly and you might be suprised what comes up
Comments
To be honest though, it seems from the OP's posts she has a generally good command of English and is able to communicate well in writing. A good covering letter would do as much as an improved GCSE grade for the type of roles she will be going for.
Its certainly not going to hurt, but i think there are many more effective ways of making her employable, depending on what career she wants to pursue. Unless she gets an A or A+ its not going to make any difference at all imo.
Do you neccassarily need three level qualifications to have a good job? Or will GCSEs do that? What do the majorityof employers look for?
I think that really depends on what you want to do. Some occupations will require degree level qualifications whilst others will require level 1 or not necessarily any qualifications at all. I think you really need to have a think about what you want to end up doing and take it from there. You may need to try and find work that's not in your chosen field whilst you're getting qualifications that allow you to do what you want...
No. You don't necessarily need any qualifications at all. You just need to get in somewhere decent and work hard. Qualifications help you specialise towards something, but you need to know what you want to work towards.,
You could have all the qualifications in the world and still be flipping burgers.
Fast forward 20 years and I've a very well paid job with an international online gambling company, was it the crappy A Level's? Perhaps the crappy GCSE's? Nope, it was the experience of working in a betting shop which got me a position on the bottom rung and I just kept climbing the ladder.
Hard work and picking a job that involves learning industry knowledge/skills (rather than qualifications) and you can still come out on top.
I was just wondering. I`m still debating at the back of my mind what to do.
Unfortunately, many jobs have a minimum requirement of GCSE English Grade C. Without it, the application is in the bin regardless of other qualifications.
For graduate jobs, it's usually grade B minimum. I've had students with 4 A grade A levels rejected from jobs at the first step because they did not have B at English GCSE.
My advice is to get a grade C in English.
I'm surprised by that. In my experience A-levels or a degree supersede any GCSE qualifications. (of course actual work experience supersedes everything) Perhaps we have experience of different sectors. Its moot for the OP though as she only has GCSEs, with not great grades either by the sound of it. If someone has generally crap GCSE's, i cant see pushing the english above C helping at all.
To be honest i have more experience of recruitment for jobs that require degrees, but when we recruited our office junior one English GCSE certainly wouldn't have made any difference. We were looking for general common sense and a keeness to work hard on whatever crappy job we gave them.
Relative of mine I used to work alongside retrained from IT when the economy went tits up a few years ago and went into education, he would attend college the odd day a week for a few hours and the rest at the workplace
It went on for a couple years but he was able to earn a basic wage and has pretty much set himself up for life career option wise (place where hes at is basically a launchpad)
@ OP you are young and have 50 years to think about a career
Went to the college today, got myself lost for a hour trying to find the place. I would like to do it but my family are still holding me back. I have a interview with the careers lady at the JC on Thursday so I`m going to ask her what other courses are on offer in and around where I live because I don`t think college is possible due to lack of money I would have If I did go.
I have enrolled myself on a GCSE English course though, so I will be looking forward to that.
Hopefully you'll get some help from the Job Centre careers person.
I haven`t. I looked at the Adult Education list on the Norfolk County Council website and that`s where I enrolled, GCSE English is a evening class. I may even do a GCSE Maths which is a evening too.
But apart from them two all they had to offer and what the college had on offer was lipreading, french and how to fix a bicycle etc.
I am going to ask on Thursday where else to look.
If you do all 3, you can get a bike, ride it to college and fix it if it breaks. Going forwards, you could start up a women's bicycle servicing business and from there the world is your oyster.
I agree with the bit in bold, but in general many employers will not ever see how Emma expresses herself in writing to the degree that she expresses herself in her posts here. Looking at her application, and seeing she has a below C grade, they'll just dismiss it, so she'll have fallen at the first hurdle.
Getting a higher grade also will open up more for her as regards employment possibilties for the future.
Very nearly on the brink of giving up with college when I got a email through for a job interview, it`s in the evenings, easily accessible as a train station is 5 minutes away.
Just a shame the interview is scheduled on the 8th and the last oppurtunity for courses is this Saturday.
Oh and this person has asked to bring any certificates of qualifications I have.
She did say a Prince`s Trust group is starting up again soon and I can go onto that, she says the person does get you work but how would I know if that work would just be work experience and not lead onto anything. Stuck at a dead end.
They did it was called an apprenticeship. You actually paid the employer, to compensate for the teaching, and materials etc he was going to use, while you learnt.
Plus it's always easier to get a new job when you have a job already. As employers assume you're looking to better your prospects rather than just being desperate for any job (and therefore liable to jump ship as soon as something better turns up).
Apprenticeships are tough to get and you need "something" about you to make you stand out to the employer, some make candidates do presentations for example, you need some life experience too.
Have a look at apprenticeship.org and see what's out there, yes you may be starting at the bottom of the ladder, but you can climb it, yes it may be poor pay but not all pay the lowest rate.
Ask for a national careers service appointment for advice or search on line for some free career questionnaires, they may give you some ideas depending on your answers, don't think too much when answering the questions, just answers the questions honestly and you might be suprised what comes up