In 1967, just over three working class children in 100 would go to university. Nearly 97% of working class children had no opportunity to go for higher education. Boys had a better chance; only one girl in 100 would go to university. Once they got there, they would find that if they were in a university intake of 100 students, they would be lucky if two or three other students were from their social class. Universities were middle class institutions (except Oxbridge which had higher aspirations). Working class students, who did not share any of their ideals, would be lost, seen as quaint or odd, or simply ignored. https://50yearsago.today/about/ency...7, just over three,100 would go to university.
My father passed his Matric before the war but didnt go to University as "people like him didn't do that sort of thing". Joined the fish dock, then local government before volunteering for the RAF in 1940. Passed my 11 plus and went to Marist College Grammar school in 65. Went to Uni in 72 to study Chemistry, first in my family. My dad was proud as anything.
I only saw my school careers officer once, they asked me what I’d like to do when I left school, I said ideally I’d like to play guitar in The Clash. Miserable sod told me to get out and I never saw them again.
Of the 97% do you know how many of those failed the 11+? I was at Kingston High from 63-69, the mix of backgrounds was working class to middle class but mostly in-between, I think the old class boundaries were becoming a bit blurred by then. Anyway, students were definitely encouraged to see uni as the next step, not that many left at 16 and entry to uni was high for both boys and girls.
The issue is that for most jobs, apart from skilled manual and manual, you need a degree to get in the door - it's been determined by employers as the gatekeeper. I started 35 years ago with basic engineering skills learned over a three year stretch in the army, for which I was paid, and learned on the job - those coming into the same job/career now need a five year combined engineering degree and masters, that costs £50k plus just for the course fees, plus five years living expenses. The only ****ers are those that have caused this situation, who incidentally most likely benefited from free degrees, student grants and grammar schools, before pulling up the ladder.
Pity you never got the chance to follow your dream after Mick Jones got the bump!! I went to see them(mk 2) in the Barrowlands ballroom with White and Sheppard on guitars.Only time I'd ever turned on my heels and walked out of a Clash gig half way through...
Observing my daughter and her cohort entering the professional job market this is definitely the case, in fact an MA/MsC seems to be the starting point more and more.
I was at South Hunsley in the late 70's, O levels in 1980. Met with the careers officer in maybe the 4th or 5th form (old language so now years 10-11) and said I wanted to be an airline pilot. He looked at my grades so far and to say the least did not encourage me, in fact he was completely sceptical, said I should have alternative plans and realistic expectations. A few weeks later there was a general presentation by him to the class and he obviously didn't realise I was in that particular class as he used my example on a no-name basis as to expectations. Anyway moved down South with my parents and did sixth form there, and **** him, I applied and was accepted into BA's pilot training school at Hamble in Southampton. So seriously, ****, him! To this very day, **** him! The downside to this story is that BA closed the school to new entrants in the year I was going, so I never went, and couldn't afford to go the private route. Several years later tried the RAF and was offered a Commission as Navigator not pilot, which wasn't really my plan. In the meantime I had to do something so went to Uni in London (first in family to go although my brothers went the trade route with later trade degree equivalent qualifications such as Marine Engineer) and trained to become an accountant. I'm still an accountant to this day. I can fly a plane however, although don't officially have my PPL. Moral is, obstacles are often put in your way, but kids should always strive for whatever they are interested in, to whatever level they desire. If you don't try you won't succeed. And **** the career advisors at school!
About 20 years after that there were a grand total of 5 kids in my year who went to Uni from Cooper. All of us lads, from a year that had started in third year as 9 classes of up to 30 each and finished with 9 people staying long enough to sit A levels. For round here I thought I was pretty middle class, but when I got to my southern Uni I was disabused of that notion sharpish when I was surrounded by the children of Home Counties stockbrokers, doctors, architects etc. I made my way and found my tribe up to a point, as you do, but even allowing for that there were daily reminders that I was very much not from that world. Quaint, odd or simply ignored sums it up pretty well actually.
I've never heard a good word said about any school careers officer, (cue umpteen contradictory posts!), but what training do they get? I suspect bugger all. I can imagine the staff room on first day of the school year, 'right, whose turn for the careers gig?', mad rush for the exit, Mr Smith, arriving late, 'what's going on?' Ah, Smith, good man, you're on!
If you’d got the bus to Brid you could have had the 5 cigs AND joined in the card school at the same time. Grand times. P. S. I’m neither a smoker or gambler now, so my grammar school education worked out ok! P.P.S. Never did Uni, too thick even though passed 11+.
I know 2 or three people with degrees so crap they ended up working in call centres and Boots, all that money wasted, I’ve had a good career in plumbing and heating, and I try to encourage young kids to enter the building trade, it really is a job for life, decent money, in my case 32 years self employed, not lifetime debt unless you get a really good job, given that junior doctors are only on £15 an hour, for all their training is a disgrace.
I went to see them in Manchester, shortly after Mick (and Topper) had left and they were terrible, almost like watching a tribute act.
As far as I remember, our school careers officer just told all the girls they could be secretaries or hairdressers and all the boys they should be fitters at Blue Circle or British Aerospace. My mum still has my last school report, it says ‘he’s a dreamer, he’ll never achieve anything’, I always wondered if it was a bit of reverse psychology.
All I can remember of my meeting with the careers officer is that our form tutor had said to us that we must go in and tell him exactly what we want to do when we leave school. Mate of mine wanted to go in the Navy so he was advised to go in the Navy. Always struck me that careers officer was the easiest job in the world. I really wish now that I'd told him that I wanted to be a careers officer. On the subject of school reports; I've got one from Third Year English which simply reads 'Ernie is a buffoon'.
