GCEs. These are otherwise known as O (ordinary) levels and A (advanced) levels. O level examinations were usually taken at 16 years of age. They tested knowledge of a fairly traditional range of school subjects and were seen as the gateway to further education or 'good' jobs. Five 'O' level passes including maths and English were the goal to which many school pupils and their parents aspired. The last O level examinations in UK schools took place in 1987. They have been superseded by GCSEs (General Certificates of Secondary Education). At one time, they were the 'gold standard' against which other examinations were judged. Few other public examinations have been held in such high esteem by employers so, if you've got a few O levels, put them on your application form and let people know.
General Certificate of Secondary Education
GCSEs are the current standard by which many young people are judged at the end of their compulsory school life. They replaced earlier GGCE and CSE certificates which came under increasing criticism from many educationalists, who argued that CSEs were undervalued because of the continued existence of the older more traditional GCE levels.
Many employers still place great value on the old GCE examination. They view GCSE grade C as an O level equivalent, and as a result they tend to pay particular attention to subjects where a young person has scored grade C and above. Four or five grade C GCSEs can be the key to a wide range of job or further educational opportunities, provided Maths and English are among them. On the other hand, few jobs require you to be good at English Literature and Biology and Media Studies and Computer Studies and Art and Design. In a letter of application or a CV you can emphasize your strengths by writing 'my best subjects were Media Studies and Art and Design (GCSE Grade B). I also took Computer Studies and English Literature (Grade D) and Biology (Grade E).'
From a young jobseeker's point of view, GCSEs can be a double- edged sword. Under the older GCSE system you passed or failed: either you got an O level or you didn't. Failure was no disgrace because the system was designed to ensure that the majority of people didn't get them. With GCSEs there is a broad band of grades that tell an employer how good or how bad you are.
For adults wishing to pick up qualifications, GCSEs are probably inappropriate. There is a variety of work-related qualifications which will probably carry more credibility with an employer. If you are intent on gaining traditional qualifications, though, GCSEs are available through evening classes and colleges of further education.
General National Vocational Qualifications
GNVQs offer an alternative route to higher education or employment. Each GNVQ is designed to test skills and knowledge within a broad area of work. The earliest GNVQs were offered in the fields of art and design, business, health and social care, leisure and tourism and manufacturing. Further subjects are being added all the time.
There are three levels of GNVQ, known as 'foundation', 'inter-mediate' and 'advanced'. Intermediate GNVQ is considered to be about the same standard as four good GCSE passes. It normally takes full-time students one year to complete. Courses leading towards Advanced GNVQ tend to be two years in duration. They are considered to be the equivalent of A levels, but this is where the similarities end.
GNVQs are made up of 'units' and each unit comprises a number of 'elements'. You gain the GNVQ qualification by showing an assessor that you have attained necessary skills or knowledge to meet the requirements of each unit. In an Intermediate GNVQ, for example, you demonstrate your ability in the use of Information Technology by showing that you can set up storage systems, input information, edit, organize and integrate information from different sources, select and use formats for presenting information, evaluate features and facilities of given applications, and deal with errors and faults on computers.
Each of the above is an element towards an information technology unit. With GNVQ your job is to collect evidence through project work, demonstration and study to show an assessor that you have gained the necessary skill and knowledge.
A person with a GNVQ should have gained the qualifications to continue studying or enter the workplace. They are still relatively new qualifications however, and so despite large-scale government investment in promoting them, they are not yet as embedded in the community consciousness as A levels are, for example. Despite the fact that 90 per cent of universities state they will consider applications from students with GNVQ qualifications, 93 per cent of young people entering university still follow the traditional A level route.
Grant-making trusts
If lack of training or qualifications stands between you and the job you wish to do, you could try to get a study grant or career development loan. The first port of call should be your local education authority. Staff there will be able to advise you on whether you qualify for a grant and the size and type of grant available for the course you wish to follow.
If you don't qualify for a grant from the local authority, don't despair. Go to the library reference section and get hold of the Directory of Grant-making Trusts. This book contains details of hundreds of organizations which makes grants for a wide variety of reasons. Many will offer financial support to individuals for educational purposes.
The Directory is updated regularly and is a mine of useful information. It gives details of the areas of interest, the size of grant available, and any special restrictions or rules about its use. It also reveals how to apply for grants and when applications should be made. Some trusts help people living in a particular area. Some are available to support students with an interest in a particular field of study, but others are much less clearly defined and trustees are willing to consider applications from people with a wide range of interests.
You don't need to be poor to apply for many of these grants but you do need to be able to show how the grant would benefit you, the community or your chosen field of interest. Some grants are available to support study, but others can be used to support travel - to gain experience elsewhere, for example.
