[OneProudMum]

... if they were 14 and adamant that they were going to get a hairdressing apprenticeship as soon as it was possible?

The child is getting average grades but has a far more social interest in school.

Also, how would you feel about this? Would you try and talk them out of it? Or just accept it?

This post has been edited by OneProudMum: 15/08/2012, 12:04 PM

[raven74]

Yes, I would. What a child wants to do at 14 and ends up doing as an adult are often two very different things.

[Mozzie1]

I guess it depends why you sent them to private school. Was it because you thought they would get a well rounded education and private education would help them develop as a person? Or was it because you hoped they would be an accountant or a lawyer, and it's easier to get into the professions from a private school?

Answer this, and you will have your answer.

[aluminium]

I would encourage them to seek out the apprenticeship but to stay in school working hard until then. If they finish Year 10, they can get the leaving certificate of achievement, and that's nice to have some kind of educational recognition.

[LynnyP]

Absolutely. School is about so much more than the job you get at the end of it.

[OneProudMum]

Yes, I would. What a child wants to do at 14 and ends up doing as an adult are often two very different things.

That goes without saying but she has said for a long time that this is what she has wanted to do and she is now researching apprenticeships and preparing resumes etc.

I'm not even sure at what age they can start an apprenticeship as I don't have teenagers.

Would you offer encouragement or discouragement?

[MrsLexiK]

Yes I would, at 14 I think that is what I wanted to be. I really wanted to be it when I was around 16 or 17 (towards the end of yr 11) and my mother joked "all those school fees for something you could have left school for 2 years ago" She didn't mean anything by it and she wasn't paying the fees anyway so it wasn't her money. I knew there was not a hope I would be allowed to leave school until I finished yr 12 (I was also not going to be 18 until after yr 12 was over) and if I wanted to not go to further schooling after yr 12 that would have been fine.

Just to let you know these are the things I wanted to be:
lawyer
child care worker
hairdresser
events management person
legal clerk
teacher (primary)
youth worker
something with media
interior designer

I did end up studing legal for 2 years, I now work in Finance - not something I ever thought I would do in a million years.

[MrsLexiK]

DP

This post has been edited by MrsLexiK: 15/08/2012, 12:17 PM

[PrincessPeach]

It depends.

If the school will allow them to do a school based apprentiship, then yes. If not, then i'd be trying to find a school that does allow this - it's a great opportunity, because they complete year 12 & the 2nd year of their apprentiship at the same time.

[follies]

Get her some hairdressing classes. It is not as fun as it looks.