In message ,
Tudor Hughes writes
On Monday, 22 February 2016 11:51:06 UTC, Graham P Davis wrote:
On Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:25:59 +0000

snip

Late in '62, I went for an interview for AXO but was told when I walked
in that they were only taking graduates. In '64 I applied for a bursary
to study for a degree and was turned down because I wasn't an AXO. I
got promoted later that year.

I think the percentage of people being accepted to go to uni now is
about three times as high as those who passed the 11-plus when I took
it. Overall, I think that's good but there really are some right
dipsticks getting degrees. Still, that's better than what it was like
in my day when some clever people were destined for menial factory jobs
for the rest of their life.

I'm surprised that you were told they were only taking graduates
for AXO's. I can distinctly remember being aware that the entry
qualification for AXO's was a pass degree *or* decent A levels and that
therefore the fact that I failed my (pass) degree didn't immediately
matter. The interview was in Nov or Dec 1963. As far as I can
remember none or very few of the XO's and SXO's in Bracknell had
degrees. They were quite highly regarded and had a practical background.

Tudor Hughes.

As a university drop-out, I applied for an AXO post at Bracknell in 1968
with only A Levels, and was successful. However I opted not to take it
up, as Bracknell was just out of practical commuting distance by public
transport and (being pretty immature for my age) I wasn't ready to leave
home.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones