Youth Employment UK Youth Ambassador Ben shares his views and experiences of Functional Skills.
During 2008 whilst I was at School I recall hearing about Functional Skills Qualifications, similar to GCSE’s. Functional Skills qualifications teach post-16 and adult learners how to apply practical Maths and English skills to real-life.
In July 2010 when I left school as I failed my GCSE’s, I unfortunately had  limited opportunities and so I became Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET). After a few months I decided to undertake a Business Course, surely having a Level 1 qualification would boost employment better than GCSE’s? So, in September 2010 I studied a BTEC Level 1 Business and Works skills Course and after completing the 1-year Course I attempted to apply for some Jobs and apprenticeships, but I quickly realised they all wanted GCSE’s.
During the Course I was given the opportunity to undertake Functional Skills again and this time I was given slightly more choice and I completed a Level 1 English and Entry 3 IT, although my skill is higher, but this is the only ones I was entered in for.
So, after applying for a few jobs, it was rejection after rejection and at the time I wasn’t too sure of my ideal career path, I was thinking between Business Administration and Media.  I went back to college and completed a BTEC Level 2 Diploma qualification in September 2011. Now surely employers recognise a BTEC Level 2 Diploma?
Fast Forward, about 3 years of nonstop applying for jobs (I think the total was about 3000 jobs), on benefits and Volunteering. I was getting increasingly frustrated as to why employers were not recognising higher qualifications such as a BTEC Level 1 and 2 or even Functional Skills as an alternative to GCSE’S.
Eventually I got a job in late 2015, working for a Legal Firm and 5 years later I am still working at the same place, although now I am looking for progression opportunities. Still to this day employers are not interested in a BTEC Level 1 or 2 Qualification
I also started looking at apprenticeships, however, it seemed all opportunities wanted GCSE’S, even though part of the qualification was to undertake Functional Skills in English and Maths.
Barriers to employment
Getting into employment young people can face many different barriers with each opportunity being different and requiring different criteria. A lot of opportunities still seem to all require GCSE’s with a high grade in Maths and English, I can understand the high requirement for this but 13 years on a persons ability is set through their skill level rather than just a grade.
