JamieR

Hi guys - would welcome thoughts on this please - I'm looking at returning to Dubai soon - and my 17 year old son (he left school after his GCSEs in the summer) wants to come with me as he is struggling to find an apprenticeship or meaningful work here in the UK and he is hoping he might be able to get some kind of work in UAE when he turns 18 in the summer.....does anyone have any views on this theory!?

Millhouse

Unless he aspires to be a waiter then he hasn't got a chance in hell.

Sorry.

christmasoompa

Can't help with the Dubai job aspect, but if he's only 17 then isn't he required to be in education for at least another year in the UK? I thought he had to have something arranged before leaving school, so maybe his previous school can help him? My daughter is doing GCSE's this year and all kids have to have something to go on to, whether that's A Levels or an apprenticeship, if the latter then the school are helping to arrange that. What kind of apprenticeship does he want to do, could he look at a vocational college course in it with an apprenticeship attached maybe?

JamieR

Hi - yes he is doing home schooling for this final year whilst looking for an apprenticeship or similar but he really wants to experience some time overseas and is wondering whether he could potentially get an opportunity in UAE given that I will be there.

christmasoompa

Doesn't sound as though that's an option from the response above. How about doing a degree or similar abroad if he want to spend some time abroad maybe?

Re: apprenticeships, not sure what kind he's after, but has he looked at National Grid's scheme? I assume he's already seen it, but they take on huge numbers of school leavers.

Millhouse

how about the army?

Norm_uk

My son is 19 and got an apprenticeship with Amazon.

However that took him about six months of rejections from dozens of firms despite great results from his 6th form, including letters of recommendation from the head of the Engineering dept...he was also ready to sign up for the RAF or Navy as well. It was extremely hard on him but he kept at it.

There's very little in the UAE for youngsters unless you run a business or know someone very well who would take him on. To be honest if I was that age I would stay in the UK and keep trying for apprenticeships and the Armed Forces right now.

N.