Free Online Genealogy Course with FutureLearn (Week 6)

[LizzieL]

  I am applying to work at my old Uni. If they want to see my GCSE and A Levels (no idea where those certificates are) I wonder if I can just say you had all that 35 years ago!!

Milly

I expect your old Uni would still have your details in their files, so would know you had GCSE's and A levels to get onto the original course. I went to Uni in the early 70's and needed confirmation of my degree for a job application about 8 years ago because I couldn't find the Certificate. London University were able to send me a copy within a few days. As you say GCSE's not O levels, you must have been at Uni much more recently than me!

[smudwhisk]

GCSEs started either 1987 or 1988.  I suspect Milly's is a typo and she meant GCEs.

[dawnsh]

or CSE's which I did for some subjects as I wasn't clever enough to do the o'level equivalent (1974-1978)

[smudwhisk]

Or for that matter there was the 16+ exam syllabus which gave you an O'level or CSE depending on what grade you got.  And I think from memory you got two certificates too if you got an O'level Grade C/CSE Grade 1.

[Ruskie]

Surely after all those years those results would no longer be a consideration, and would be superseded by any post school qualifications and experience?

The tertiary course I took no longer exists, the institution no longer exists, and the whole school system has changed - no one would have a clue what my results meant.

[KGarrad]

A couple of years ago, my wife applied for a job in Government, in IT.
She was turned down at the first hurdle, because she didn't have 5 GCSE's?!

Never mind 20 years IT experience, or the Microsoft exams she had passed!

It would appear that, to some people, the exams/certificates/diplomas you acheived at age 16 (or thereabouts) are far more importat than anything else in your life.

[millymcb]

Well spotted.... they said GCSE on the form and it was in my head... I most definitely meant the ancient O Levels.

I think for some jobs they do still insist you have maths and English (because it is on the job description) even if it was  30 or 40 years ago.

Milly