AIBU to be ok with this?

[happycrimblechuckie]

My daughter, who is 19 and severely dyslexic has struggled to find her place in life thus far, but she has decided to give up her full time job with our company and start a BTEC level 3 in Uniformed Services at college with a view to going on to the fire service or prison service. My husband thinks this course will be a waste of time and full of kids with nothing else better to do with their time and she is wasting her time starting it. Does anyone know about this course in particular and if it is recognised by the uniformed services as a qualification and whether it will give her a step up into the services. I am worried my DH could be right and she will be disappointed.

[Edinburghmummy12]

I would be pleased if my dc did this don't no about the course but I wish her luck

[Smilesandpiles]

Yes it is recognised and respected. She'd have a better chance of getting a job through that than she will some of other more popular routes.

She is not wasting her time at all doing this.

[HillyHolbrook]

Plenty of people in my year at school did this. One I was friends with is a PCSO and the other got an apprenticeship as a Paramedic with Yorkshire Ambulance Services. Of course it's a qualification, and at Level 3 it equates to A Levels and is the exact same in terms of UCAS points etc.

I don't like the view that BTECs are a waste of time and A levels and stuff are 'better.' I did one in Creative Media, y'know, that subject for time wasting idiots who can't be bothered getting real jobs got three distinctions, a first degree at the best university for my course and now have a well paid job in PR that I love. A boy on my course got immediate work with the BBC after leaving college. It was great! I don't suit exams, and I hate formal teaching as I struggle to concentrate and am easily bored, so a BTEC was best for me.

You get people wasting their time anywhere. If your DD is committed and does her work, she will do well. It's one of those things where you definitely need good self management because if the coursework isn't done, you fail. The end.

[MagratsHair]

If your DD is 19 then its her choice, not your husband's.

[HillyHolbrook]

^ and that. I hope he doesn't tell her it's a waste of time to her face.

[BabyMarmoset]

Is it going to get her into a top university... No
Will it guarantee her a job in the prison service or fire service... No
Is everyone in the course going to be amazing stimulating and dedicated people... No

Is it a good sign she wants to try something on her own and get out from underneath her parents... Yes

[SadOldGit]

My son has just done his first year (he wants to join the police). It is a mixture of fitness and lectures - some of the assignments on legislation and government are not easy.

It can get him to uni if he chooses, he has done loads of fitness stuff and team building, met a load of new people and most importantly having spent the previous year playing X box (when he realised A levels were not for him) he is now back in education, added to which he also has a part time job and as such is doing something with his life.

If she is keen encourage her - she may not end up where she plans but education alone is great - and I'm sure the college will give her support with dyslexia