eddie007

OMG

Can you believe it? Theres this woman in Shockingham who took her son out of a school aged 14 so he can go to work 4 days a week and TAFE for one???

The kid was no trouble at school, ok, " disengaged" but not causing any trouble... Nice lad, captain of his primary school... In all the sports teams, footie, soccer, cricket, basketball... Well liked... Has LOADS of friends... Really good at most sports... WTF is she thinking?

Poor child

See him leaving the house with his dad at 0630 every morning and KNOWS he doesnt get home til 1630.... And he reckons he's happy?

What does she think she's doing?

Turban Explorer

Is that legal? I thought you can only do a work apprenticeship/work from 16 onwards.

eddie007

Apparently completely legal if the school agrees to release him and TAFE accepts him.... If not ere would have been a HUGE fight with the DEpt of ED

Suppose its nice to know its not JUST those kids that get themselves expelled or into deep trouble who can be alternatively educated

moneypenny20

Hmmmm so how much of his salary is he going to have to hand over? I'm surprised TAFE accepted him at that age but I guess he's still getting some sort of education What's he doing, cleaning chimneys?

eddie007

Unpaid (thpugh rumour has it the boss slips him a bit of pocket money)

None going to parents

The course is a pre apprenticeship course and requires two days worth of online self study and half a day attendence

Currently learning everything "the boy" does in a panel beating/ paint sparying workshop...

TAFE happy based on the fact the parents were proactive, the Department of Education sided with the parents and the kid had no adverse incidents or adverse reports, other than "we havea concern he has disengaged, not disruptive in anyway, just not "into" what we have to offer...

Apparently the ONLY objection was from the Head teacher who tried to put a gagging order on the kid, to prevent him from telling his mates, coz they'd all want to do the same....

Half way through year nine he is now halfway through a year ten equivilant that is a requisite for an apprenticeship program.


Bloody irrsponsible parents if you ask me

renth

I don't think it's necessarily that bad, maybe she's doing what she believes is right for her son. I think there are a lot of worse parents who would be happier for their kids to continue failing at school or worse, truanting.

I think if the boy is learning a trade then I think there's a good chance that he might do well for himself.

sonlymewalter

Agree mate. Some kids just don't do well at school and eventually disrupt the whole class

Learning a trade isn't new, beats algebra

Kim67

It was quite common when I was at school. Completely legal that if you had a full time job or apprenticeship, you could leave school at 14. Not everyone went to Uni in those days and it was seen as a good thing for a not particularly academic kid to be able to move into a good apprenticeship instead of staying on at school. I wouldn't want to do it to my kids but each to their own I guess.

I was watching a news show on the ABC a couple of months back about kids in Queensland (Dalby etc) who are leaving school at 15 and going to TAFE, then straight into apprenticeships on the tide of the booming resources boom and earning $100k at 17.

Wendy

Agree with you two.

brissybee

Agree. I very reluctantly gave in to a change of high school for my teen when she entirely disengaged from her previous school.

It broke my heart to see her leave all her friends but when a kid that age checks out, any education is better than none in my view.

I'm speaking from experience. I checked out and left school at 15 and worked a hell of a lot of crap jobs before making my way back to uni at 21.

If he's working and learning, I think that's good.

spartacus

Mods, can we please change the title of the thread to "Caring and Responsible Mother organises a trade-based education for her 14 year old son so he can go to work" . . . now that the full facts are known?

scottishcelts

Not unusual - the pikey's have been doing the very same thing for donkey's years, and usually at around age 12 to 13.

Bix

The disappointing thing is that this avenue appears to have dried up somewhat. In my youth it was the done thing for less academically minded kids to leave school at an earlier age to pursue things like trades. Less academical does not equate to less intelligent. Everyone aren't brain surgeons.


BTW I would not call you bogan Eddie.

renth

I is brain surgeon!

Bix

You're the one!

The forehead does look rather high in your avatar.