Re-taking GCSE Maths - worth it?

[Bloodrayne]

Hi all,

I took my GCSEs over 20 years ago, but am now in a position that I would like to retrain and do something entirely new with my career; when I took my GCSEs I did not do particularly well - my result for Maths was a D, which means that many pre-qualifications listed rule me out.

However, I have spent the past 20 years or so doing a variety of roles in a professional business environment, so whilst this hasn't quite covered what I remember from my GCSEs (I can't remember the last time I had to calculate an angle, for example...) it does demonstrate that I am numerate and comfortable using numbers.

Is it worthwhile re-sitting the exam after all this time? Or will my professional experience cover this requirement for most?

Or does it really depend on what I want to do? (for example, as a teacher - the grade would be needed, but for other roles less pressing an issue).

Thanks

 

[Zefan]

Look up job adverts for the sort of roles you want, then make yourself that. Anything else is fluff. I'd be surprised if GCSEs are mentioned on anything but seriously entry level (as in, entering the workforce, not retrading) jobs, but others might know better.

Personally, outside of A levels/apprenticeships/the military/other organisations that hire straight out of school I wouldn't have thought you'd want to even bother mentioning it on your CV unless you did especially well or you haven't got much else to say.

 

[Sharkhouse]

It's absolutely worth redoing. It's frustrating how important GCSEs remain long after you've taken them but they're evidence of your ability. As such you need the evidence to prove you're a better hire than the next guy that comes along.

 

[Bloodrayne]

Thanks - I think it's a case of for any new role I'd probably want to retrain, so it's just in case training centres were sticklers for that sort of thing.

My GCSEs don't actually appear on my CV currently, and with good reason (long time ago, not great results!) - a friend relocated to the Middle East for a role and had to reapply to have his results sent to him, so I am just trying to rule out any such issues with low grades/poor performance in my distant past having an impact.

It's absolutely worth redoing. It's frustrating how important GCSEs remain long after you've taken them but they're evidence of your ability. As such you need the evidence to prove you're a better hire than the next guy that comes along.

Thanks - I was thinking this, and I think I could easily beat my previous grade (my teenage years were not brilliant), but it's just the cost involved - would learndirect courses leading to GCSE exam/award be the way to go?

 

[Sharkhouse]

The best route is likely to find what your local colleges charge for a GCSE exam and grab a couple of GCSE maths books such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M4L6BNV or AQA/OCR etc
Run through the chapters, where you don't know what to do or the questions are more difficult spend time there and not where you find it easy. Do it right and you'll be through the book in no time.
Then it'll be about practicing past papers which you can find on the exam board websites. Do these enough and you'll learn the patterns of questions they ask making learning even more streamlined.
Then if you're not a fan of the college look at the IGCSE route which is basically an international, typically online version of the GCSE run by Oxford uni that is in every way except the name identical to the GCSE.
Unlike a teenager you're probably way more disciplined to do 20mins of practice every day.

In essence practice questions then pay for a test. You don't necessarily need the teacher.

 

[chroniclard]

Do people that have been working more than a few years even have them on their CV's? I have not listed mine for a long time.

By all means if it is a requirement for further education otherwise is there any point?

 

[Steeps]

For GCSE I'd just get course approved textbooks to work through then run through past exam papers from the chosen qualification website. Find out which awarding body your local secondary or college uses and work towards those standards. If you're exploring the option of re-training using a college they might have a GCSE maths course which runs along side your chosen qualification, I know when one of my friends who insisted she didn't need maths to look after kids when she went off to do childcare at college found out she needed a pass in maths to continue beyond level 2 and did the extra work while studying for her level 3.

 

[randomshenans]

Do people that have been working more than a few years even have them on their CV's? I have not listed mine for a long time.

By all means if it is a requirement for further education otherwise is there any point?

God it's been so long, I don't think people even care about my A Levels at this point. I'm only 34 but it's certainly not something people care about that I have found, it's all about experience!

 

[dowie]

Or does it really depend on what I want to do? (for example, as a teacher - the grade would be needed, but for other roles less pressing an issue).

Completely depends what you want to do, are you looking at particular training courses/further education? If you’re just applying for new jobs then quite possibly not needed, I’ve not bothered listing GCSEs and A-levels on my CV for a while, granted if you have no other quals then you have nothing else to put in the education section of a typical CV, you could always briefly mention the school and number of GCSEs obtained.

With 20 years of work experience then many places might not be too fussed. Bit different perhaps if you’re 16 or 18 with no work experience.

On qualifications I believe you can start an OU degree with no qualifications as they offer different routes for starting out in order to bring you up to speed if needed.

You could always mention that instead, in fact you could use such a degree to change jobs even when part way through... like just put on your CV that the degree is pending, list the modules you’ve taken (maybe the stage you’re at at that point is equivalent to a certificate or diploma in which case you can list those too).

Suppose you started a maths or computer science or engineering degree with say the OU, complete a few modules... just stick that on your CV, you’ve now got some maths courses competed that you can point at if the question is raised.

Ditto to various other quals, I’m sure there is plenty of stuff at your local college that ticks the box for being “equivalent” to X number of GCSEs or ALevels etc...

There are also access courses if you want to study full time and degree apprenticeships if you want to get paid and earn a degree over 4 years... (perhaps a relevant A-Level equivalent course at local college or some sort of access course could get you onto a degree apprenticeship - might involve a pay cut to 20-something k but basically no tuition fees and your should end up on 30-something k + BSc + no student debt 4 years later. )

 

[Bloodrayne]

Thanks for all the feedback - to confirm that the only reason I would re-take my GCSE Maths would be if a training course required it, and would not take any of my 20 years professional experience as relevant. It's not something that appears on my CV (as my education ended at secondary school I tend to keep my CV down to two pages and focused on the much more relevant experience of the past few years).

I imagine I could get a better GCSE pass, but I am not sure it's the best way to spend time unless I first find a training course that insists on it (and as mentioned above, hopefully there would be some option to train alongside my chosen qualification).

I think the first step will be to actually figure out what I want to do, and again bemoan the fact that I didn't spend some time over the past 20 years getting a token degree...

Lots of results on the internet about changing career in mid-30s so I am not worried about that or taking a salary hit, but it's just finding something that is in demands, and fits around child care commitments that I have.

 

[ivrytwr3]

At 40+ i went back and did Maths/English iGCSEs - cost £125 each. Spent a week doing previous papers and then sat the exams (i passed).

Then went and did a degree in Computer Sciences - Geoff Hurst

So yes, i think they are worth redoing. One for your CV and future jobs/personal development and two, for sense of achievement.

 

[Gray2233]

Look into taking Key Skills Level 2 Math.

You can do it in a much shorter time frame and I'm guessing for less money, if it costs you anything at all. It's essentially an equivalent of GCSE Math at a C level if my memory serves, a lot of places (including some degree courses) are happy to take it instead of a GCSE.

I don't have my GCSE's listed on my C.V, never even been asked about them although I expect that depends on what qualifications you have.

 

[Semple]

Personally, outside of A levels/apprenticeships/the military/other organisations that hire straight out of school I wouldn't have thought you'd want to even bother mentioning it on your CV unless you did especially well or you haven't got much else to say.

Agree, you tend to put your highest level of qualification on your CV.

It's frustrating how important GCSEs remain long after you've taken them but they're evidence of your ability. As such you need the evidence to prove you're a better hire than the next guy that comes along.

That might be the case if GCSE's are your highest level of qualification. Anything higher and GCSE's become redundant.

 

[Bloodrayne]

Thanks again - some more food for thought - when it comes to education on CV, I have just neglected to mention this in recent CVs; as all I have are GCSEs my work achievements since then are much more impressive than what I did when I was 15.

I'm not thick (well, I don't think so...), but I lack the relevant bits of paper to offer re-assurances to anyone that may want to employ me... It amazes me that 20 years after doing the GCSEs I could still be denied opportunities because I opted to go minimal effort years ago (teenage me has a lot to answer for), and after the good fortune of consistent employment it is very strange to be in this position when thinking if I want to do something else.

 

[Narj]

For various reasons I ended up with a D at GCSE but it ended up being irrelevant after I did a BTEC with a higher level of maths for engineering.

I'd still quite like to retake the GCSE myself though to right that wrong - I'd toyed with the idea of getting a tutor and going for it at some point.

 

[Django x2]

It's absolutely worth redoing. It's frustrating how important GCSEs remain long after you've taken them but they're evidence of your ability. As such you need the evidence to prove you're a better hire than the next guy that comes along.

This is complete tosh. I've never ever had to present my GCSE results in any interview ever. I didn't even need to show my degree when I interviewed for a graduate role 12 years ago. Saying you just passed your GCSE maths that you took 20 years ago is only going to make people realise you've done very little with your life since leaving school...

Unless you're doing it for yourself, don't bother

 

[azazl187]

If you are good at numbers and think you can pull it off then just lie. They will never check that far back and if you get presented with a maths based question of which you do not know the answer Google it.

 

[malachi]

I took my GCSE's off my CV soon as I got my first full time job at 18 years old.

I'm 36 and never been asked for them.

Can you read? Yes
Can you write? Yes
Can you add, subtract, multiply and divide? Yes

So I dont see the point putting them a CV, unless you are still a teen applying for jobs or a course.

 

[HangTime]

Do people that have been working more than a few years even have them on their CV's? I have not listed mine for a long time.

By all means if it is a requirement for further education otherwise is there any point?

I do, as even if they get ignored in the majority of cases I don't see them doing much harm in being included, it's just one line on the CV now rather than a line per subject or whatever. Maybe it's just me but generally I want to illustrate that my prowess and aptitude is much broader than the confines of whatever jobs I've happened to have. Also when reviewing CVs if someone has a very good academic background (consistently scoring highly across GCSEs and A-levels) it might pique my interest. Conversely if people decline to mention grades then it makes me wonder if they might have not performed well.

 

[bakes0310]

Took mine off years ago, my achievements and experience outweigh what I done as a teenager.