Web Design Course

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networkn

Networkn
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#138774 16-Jan-2014 11:40

Hi There!

My nephew who is about to turn 16, and who has tried to avoid school using any method possible, has decided he might be better off looking into courses for web design.

He is based in Auckland.

I might be a good idea, if the course was an intro course with a 3 month length for him to decide if it's for him.

Any recommendations on something that might make him employee able going forward?

jonb

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#968076 16-Jan-2014 11:45

He could try doing a free Microsoft Virtual Academy course, just using notepad++ for starters

http://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/training-courses/html5-css3-fundamentals-development-for-absolute-beginners

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#968088 16-Jan-2014 12:03

Is there a polytechnic in Auckland that might do a short diploma course.

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#968172 16-Jan-2014 14:05

What about MIT National Certificate in Computing (Level 3) (the level 2 might be a little to basic.

http://www.manukau.ac.nz/programme-data/business-administration2/national-certificate-in-computing-level-3

It's free, 22 weeks.

That being said has he talked to the careers person at school? They vary in quality from school to school (the one at mine is excellent).
Have his parents been in and seen the DPs to find out what the issue with his attendance is?
What is his actual attendance and is there a pattern, does he miss certain classes, days, mornings?
Does he have his level 1s? Literacy, numeracy? (80 level 1 credits with 10 from lit and 10 from num)

At 16, personally if I were you and I was concerned, I would

Have a sit down with his parents,
Ask the school for a copy of his KAMAR attendance (KAMAR is the attendence program which most schools use).
Get his parents to talk to the guidance councilor, careers adviser, whanau/house/level dean and Form teacher
Give your/his parents email address to the form teacher and ask for weekly updates
Request that he is put on a daily (most schools have some form of daily reporting form
Make a deal with him that if he can maintain his attendance above 90% of half a year then ... with a consequence if he doesn't
encourage him to look into part time jobs
have a look at the gateway programme

and only after all this has been tried encourage him to leave school

I know you were simply asking for a web course and you can take my advice or not, but unless the reasons why he is not attending are addressed and some personal engagement in his own future are taken, then you will probably see his poor attendance at school transferred to poor attendance at a course.

Good luck

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networkn

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#968205 16-Jan-2014 14:45

blackjack17: What about MIT National Certificate in Computing (Level 3) (the level 2 might be a little to basic.

http://www.manukau.ac.nz/programme-data/business-administration2/national-certificate-in-computing-level-3

It's free, 22 weeks.

That being said has he talked to the careers person at school? They vary in quality from school to school (the one at mine is excellent).
Have his parents been in and seen the DPs to find out what the issue with his attendance is?
What is his actual attendance and is there a pattern, does he miss certain classes, days, mornings?
Does he have his level 1s? Literacy, numeracy? (80 level 1 credits with 10 from lit and 10 from num)

At 16, personally if I were you and I was concerned, I would

Have a sit down with his parents,
Ask the school for a copy of his KAMAR attendance (KAMAR is the attendence program which most schools use).
Get his parents to talk to the guidance councilor, careers adviser, whanau/house/level dean and Form teacher
Give your/his parents email address to the form teacher and ask for weekly updates
Request that he is put on a daily (most schools have some form of daily reporting form
Make a deal with him that if he can maintain his attendance above 90% of half a year then ... with a consequence if he doesn't
encourage him to look into part time jobs
have a look at the gateway programme

and only after all this has been tried encourage him to leave school

I know you were simply asking for a web course and you can take my advice or not, but unless the reasons why he is not attending are addressed and some personal engagement in his own future are taken, then you will probably see his poor attendance at school transferred to poor attendance at a course.

Good luck

The problem is, those are things you can do with your own kids, and all things that have occurred for me to try or I have tried, but without the parents support it's hopeless. He has not been to school in 18 months, but is doing "correspondence blah blah" that he doesn't "really" do.

Trouble started when his mother bought him an iPad and Xbox 360.

BTR

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#968276 16-Jan-2014 16:10

blackjack17:

Ask the school for a copy of his KAMAR attendance (KAMAR is the attendence program which most schools use).

Not all schools use Kamar.

blackjack17

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#968300 16-Jan-2014 16:21

BTR:
blackjack17:

Ask the school for a copy of his KAMAR attendance (KAMAR is the attendance program which most schools use).

Not all schools use Kamar.

No but many if not most do, MUSAC the other main attendance has similar (if more complicated) features.

@networkn

There is nothing to stop you making an appointment with the schools guidance/attendance staff and outlining your concerns. They won't be able to give you any private information but they can red flag the student so that a call/visit home is made.

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networkn

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#968344 16-Jan-2014 17:10

blackjack17:
BTR:
blackjack17:

Ask the school for a copy of his KAMAR attendance (KAMAR is the attendance program which most schools use).

Not all schools use Kamar.

No but many if not most do, MUSAC the other main attendance has similar (if more complicated) features.

@networkn

There is nothing to stop you making an appointment with the schools guidance/attendance staff and outlining your concerns. They won't be able to give you any private information but they can red flag the student so that a call/visit home is made.

We are well passed that point now. He is 16 in 2 weeks and no longer required to attend. Various attempts to get him back to school were made but until you have parental support, it's next to impossible.

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blackjack17

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#968376 16-Jan-2014 17:26

networkn:
blackjack17:
BTR:
blackjack17:

Ask the school for a copy of his KAMAR attendance (KAMAR is the attendance program which most schools use).

Not all schools use Kamar.

No but many if not most do, MUSAC the other main attendance has similar (if more complicated) features.

@networkn

There is nothing to stop you making an appointment with the schools guidance/attendance staff and outlining your concerns. They won't be able to give you any private information but they can red flag the student so that a call/visit home is made.

We are well passed that point now. He is 16 in 2 weeks and no longer required to attend. Various attempts to get him back to school were made but until you have parental support, it's next to impossible.

Even with parental involvement it can be difficult, and without it can be damn near impossible. It really breaks my heart sometimes to see some of my students, get so little support from their parents, and they can be lovely kids, but without that bit of backbone from the parents, they can become almost lost causes in terms of school.

As they are family you probably don't want to get the police involved, the police can and will do house visits to find out why children are not attending school and they do prosecute parents (not nearly enough), if student's attendance falls below certain levels.

Well best of luck and while he might not thank you in the short term for trying to get his arse off the sofa, hopefully he will in the future

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networkn

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#968388 16-Jan-2014 17:37

blackjack17:
networkn:
blackjack17:
BTR:
blackjack17:

Ask the school for a copy of his KAMAR attendance (KAMAR is the attendance program which most schools use).

Not all schools use Kamar.

No but many if not most do, MUSAC the other main attendance has similar (if more complicated) features.

@networkn

There is nothing to stop you making an appointment with the schools guidance/attendance staff and outlining your concerns. They won't be able to give you any private information but they can red flag the student so that a call/visit home is made.

We are well passed that point now. He is 16 in 2 weeks and no longer required to attend. Various attempts to get him back to school were made but until you have parental support, it's next to impossible.

Even with parental involvement it can be difficult, and without it can be damn near impossible. It really breaks my heart sometimes to see some of my students, get so little support from their parents, and they can be lovely kids, but without that bit of backbone from the parents, they can become almost lost causes in terms of school.

As they are family you probably don't want to get the police involved, the police can and will do house visits to find out why children are not attending school and they do prosecute parents (not nearly enough), if student's attendance falls below certain levels.

Well best of luck and while he might not thank you in the short term for trying to get his arse off the sofa, hopefully he will in the future

Well the course is his idea, but he is pretty clueless and unmotivated to do things for himself and even if there is a 1% chance he will attend a course and get enough out of it to turn his life around, I care enough to help him a little with it.