Brenda … Interestingly we have a new curriculum in our Scottish schools where: “The Scottish Government education strategy recognises that learning is lifelong, and aims to help learners develop the skills they need for learning, life and work” Maybe we will cater for children better this way - who knows but my children will find out.
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I’ve an O’Level in Art & Design, an MSc in HR Management and a Degree in Business Adminstration, bit of a late starter, as I didn’t get them until I was in my 40’s, the oldest in the class lol! I actually left school at 15 after taking only 1 of my exams the art one and got a job straight away, back in the day no one really bothered and I had no encouragement from the school or family, in our’s you were expected to leave school as soon as you could and get a job! so I really had no idea what university was all about, though I did want to be a graphic designer, never actually got there but I do still paint 
I am planning to do an Art Degree when I retire, only 15 more years to go then lol! A discovered after going to Uni that I actually enjoyed it and plan to do more, next year I hope to do the ILM Management Degree, a bit bonkers I know, but I like learning
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Over the years I’ve met musicians who love maths,and vv. Common core,maybe?
I think university can be so much more useful/relevant when going as a mature student.
My son has just finished a four year degree in journalism and is back home and working in a bar.
Since working in the bar he has discovered that what he’s really interested in is event management and marketing, which he wants to study in the future.
Many of his friends have also drifted back home, although I will say that the girls seem more focused career wise than the boys in his group.
I always encouraged him to take a year out BEFORE uni as I thought he’d be more focused/mature, but he went straight from sixth form.
Although he got a good degree, the fourth year was as the second year morphed into more of a party year, and had to be retaken.
I think there is too much emphasis and expectation in schools/colleges now that university is a natural progression for everyone doing A levels, and gap years are rarely encouraged.
I would love to study at university in a few years, and know that I would be far more focused now than I would have been in my teens.
This has been a really interesting thread to read!
Sarah x
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Problem is, I’ve never tired of learning and hope I never will. Out and out plug/promo…the OU is exceptionally good with learners of all ages and disabilities. My daughter currently doing her final year of Hons with the OU, has had both financial and extra time support, but also hardware to help her,comb bound books to make them physically easier to handle,a slope to bring the text closer to read, a nonparticipating companion to take notes and physical hands for Summer School (the OU paid a delightful lady to do just that,and she and our daughter have remained friends). As an organisation,they are providing some wonderful courses and all the support you could wish for,plus for things you’d not even thought of!
Just as an FYI on the all ages, when I turned 50 and went back to do a course just to prove I still could cut it, the oldest person on the course was 84, the youngest 19.
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I am a qualified dress maker and used to do it for a living making top London names but I am family/self taught at knitting and crochet which is what I sell online.
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I have a degree in maths. It’s really interesting to read this thread! Open university sounds like a good option, maybe I’ll look into it when my youngest goes to uni next year, I’d love to study fine art.
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I have plenty of qualifications, though nothing on paper for the jewellery I make! 
I love to read lots and lots of different ways to do something new, take the resin for example, I had read so many articles online, watched videos, and played with the stuff for two years before I let it anywhere near the public.
I have been making jewellery since I was 8, when I ‘borrowed’ a book from our school library and read it cover to cover many times, in it, it covered just about every type of jewellery to be made. Back in the olden days (I am now 35, so pre internet), you had to go to libraries and get books out if you wanted to learn anything, so I’d like to think I’m pretty qualified at what I do now, just no bit of paper!
I guess jewellery making is one of the easier crafts to do, I’ve tried so many and failed, lol, this was the only thing that I stuck with!
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what a shame about that young lad Roz and Hopefully he went on to do something brilliant…
I remember a tour around Liverpool where the tour guide told us that Paul McCartney had been kicked out of theatre school and years later, he went back and BOUGHT IT !!!..I love stories like that.
My daughter was bullied at school and we moved from London to Wales 2 weeks before her GCSE’s…so she didn’t take them. School told me that she would never get a job without qualifications. She is now 35 and has never been out of work. She works in Social Services for the local council and she loves it and they love her. I told her "Show them what you can do !"
Sonia…I would love to hear how the kids get on…
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I have art A level and a diploma in art and design with a specialism in jewellery making.
I loved my years at art college , we were trained for the Hatton Garden diamond setting trade , the tool skills were great to learn but I never had any interest in that kind of formal jewellery.
I also did a kind of apprenticeship for a jeweller in her workshop and galleries before going it alone.
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Sounds like a few of you had similar experiences to me. I was OK at school, but not guided to develop what I’m good at and ended up leaving at 16 with a handful of “soft” subjects at O-level and CSE. I took a Child Psychology GCSE at evening class when I was 19, and then after I had my daughter I took an English A-level as a private entry student. Then did 3 years with the OU (fabulous concept, I could not praise them highly enough!) before moving to a conventional Uni to finish my degree in 2 years. I then did 1 year on a PG Dip course in landscpae design but the money ran out and I wasn’t able to finish it.
My careers advice at school was woeful. I said I wanted to be a window dresser, and was told I would have to leave home and go to a college miles away. No alternatives offered, not other options explored.
In my day job now I’m able to help kids find the right HE course for them, but I would really like to be a careers adviser somewhere, except those jobs are very few and far between these days.
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I have a BA (Hons) Fine Art degree, can show my certificate and photos looking like I’m at Hogwarts in cap and gown if you want proof
I also went a bit later to uni, started at 20 rather than 18, due to an E at A level Art (oops!) I stayed an extra 2 years in college and did a BTEC ND in Fine Art which got me into uni. I think you do have more focus when you are a bit older and my determination to do art at uni came from a combination of the love of art, my ex boyfriend dumping me and proving my A Level Art tutor wrong and giving them both the finger that I could do better than they thought I could. I do think it’s pushed on people a bit young to decide what they want to do with the rest of their life and it’s easy to pick something because it can offer job security etc but it can not be good for the person as a whole beyond a pay cheque.
I know plenty of people from my course and similar arts courses who are the opposite now and do jobs not based on their arts degree in any way. I was always encouraged by one of my ND tutors to get as much education in before I had responsibilities that got in the way and I would love to do a MA in fine art now but don’t have the time/spare cash to but maybe one day I’m still young lots of life ahead to fit it in somewhere.
Interesting thread lots of varied experiences and ways of working but goes to show you don’t need a formal education in something to achieve what you want
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I gave up art at 14. I have a history degree but nothing related to jewellery. I might take a course one day but I have my hands full right now with my business, my family and the course I’m taking now. I’m studying Theology, Mission and Ministry - not even vaguely related to jewellery, I like to mix things up!
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I have a history degree and a PGCE, neither of which I am using now but I have to say I loved my time at university. Now I just love making things 
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Another scientist here. I used to like drawing and crafts when I was younger but was put off a bit by the art teachers at high school and never did anything further. Instead I went on to do a BSc in Physics. It was only after receiving a couple of handmade Christmas cards about 7 or 8 years ago I was inspired to get back into playing about with paper.
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I do have a degree in Graphic Design which has probably helped me to have a reasonable colour sense and sense of form. The craft I make is completely self taught though.
I have taught drawing on several occasions and was lucky enough to be offered a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTTLS) course through work. Haven’t made much use of it creatively though. I use it to help people with basic computer skills.
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I have a Foundation Degree in Art & Design. The course at my college was only the first 2 years of a Degree- with the intention that students then joined a 3rd year in a specialist course in another university. I was so tired of having been at college for 4 years already at that point that I felt it would kill my motivation doing another year. I leant a lot about myself and my creative process there but making art to tick boxes isn’t the same as making art to express yourself or tell stories.
Another Physicist here (well… former one anyway. Not a lot of call for an astrophysicist who didn’t even see a telescope during the degree course…)
I was advised at school in a round about way not to pursue the arts. Or RE. Or home ec.
(Oh, and my dad, in one of his early jobs, was asked if he could speak German. To which he replied “to a degree…” So they shipped him off to Germany for 3 months with the ability to ask for 2 eggs and 3 ham slices.)
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Is the piece of paper with qualifications important ? Buying a tea cosy no, having surgery or dentistry yes!!!
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I never said it was important (or not) Tessa, I was just curious to know if those with qualifications were using them in their businesses or not.