24 replies to this topic

[cap'n crunch]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ion/5201866.stm

"University graduates owe on average £13,500"

your friend is an exception to that rule

[millsminis]

Cheers...most of you have confirmed what I was thinking...I would only go to uni for the sake of it, and what I really want is to learn the job practically. Is anyone here in the construction industry? I think I can see myself enjoying surveying and estimating as looking at the degree I would do as part of a job, it still focuses on project management and is fairly versatile meaning I could branch out into project management at a later date..i think!
I've spoken again with the company who may be offering me a job, and I'm going in for some work experience with their estimators, getting my expenses paid just to see if I like it. He also said (the MD) that he started out in a trade, then moved to project management and then on to management/directing, so it appears there are many paths to take. I'm sure it will just fall into place in the next few months, and I'll keep you all updated!

Hi Neon

Been meaning to reply to this thread.....

I'm a Building Surveying Technician....and like you are thinking about doing I am part way through doing a part-time/distance learning degree whilst working. I am doing my degree through the College of Estate Mananagement ar Reading University and can recommend it....even if it is very hard work!!!

With my education I did A-Levels at college and whilst doing it I did the City & Guilds CAD qualifications as ultimately that is what I wanted to do with my career. After that I did a 1 year National Certificate in Building Studies which gave me a knowledge of the building industry...following that I did a 2 year HND in CAD(Engineering/Building/Product Design). After doing that I looked for a job and came across a Junior Architectural Technician post with a Housing Association, after being there a year they turned around to me and said they wanted me to gain some more qualifications and suggested to me a Building Surveying course as an option...which I took. After a further 2 years I decided to leave that job but continued the course, and moved to a joinery company as their Lead Surveyor/Designer...unfortunately I got made redundant as the company closed, and have now got my current job.

Throughout my course I have had it sponsored by all the companies I have worked for and can sincerely say it is a very good way of doing it as ultimatley you are gaining the work experience whilst gaining your degree....this I find is an issue when many students complete their degrees that they struggle to find a job they want as they don't have the 'experience'!! I also find that the knowledge you get from working in the industry you can put towards your degree.

Sorry for giving you my life experience, but I hope it helps....PM me if you want any advice.

[Pie]

I might be changing my job, well not job but area of my job soon. Mums been talking about moving away from the malverns.

But im keeping hush about where for now, and hopefully so will the few that ive talked to about that area

[minimarco]

i've always liked cartoons and knew i was gonna be making cartoons ever since i was 4 or 5. i took a diploma course which is a 4 year into 1 type deal. i'm 21 now and have worked for 2 years. had a few promotions and pay raises and im happy where i am. but now im thinking of going back to a real school and just study random things im interested in, even though its of no use to the real world. its a privilege to live in a society to have education that is so easily accessible.

in the end, just do what you feel like and don't let people tell you what to do. but don't blame them if you chose the wrong path...

[Wessie28]

i went from my GCSE's and did a BTEc in motorpsort enginnering - i loved it because there was lots of hands on but still lots of theory, finished that course and had to decide between HND or foundation degree in motorsport engineering, i chose the HND and its great so far, a good mix of practical and theory.

[FiddyB]

I didnt do so well with school, not for accademic reasons but others best not discussed on a family forum.

Worst mistake of my life was not going to University, Im now 32 and very smart, smarter than your average Uni leaver but im working a dead end job in retail trying to save the money for an open university degree.

I have to say in my experience a degree does not gaurentee a good job, but it gauretees a better job than working in some job for "the man" that you hate and just looking forward to your days off and holidays,

Do some soul searching, meditate, read some books and ask yourself... What do i enjoy in life? once you have the answer, specialise in it and make money from it, do that and youll never have to work a day in your life.

My 1p (seing as ist 50p to the $)

Fiddy

[yorkshirechris]

I did what's the equivalent of A levels - an AVCE (formerly Advanced GNVQ) in ICT. 2 years at that, applied for a random job advertised at college which happened to be a 3 year telecomms apprenticeship - during the apprenticeship got myself a BTEC in Telecomms as well as an NVQ level 3 in communications technologies.. and a job at the end of it still here a few months after the finish of the apprenticeship with no real doubts of whether I want to stay or not.

And due to the 'hands on' nature of the job I haven't just learned this trade (telecoms) also learn a lot about ICT, electrics/electronics and stuff like that.

[yorkshirechris]

Do some soul searching, meditate, read some books and ask yourself... What do i enjoy in life? once you have the answer, specialise in it and make money from it, do that and youll never have to work a day in your life.

By the way I totally agree with that... one thing I was told ages ago was that you'll never make money working for a company, you need to work for yourself to earn proper money... not strictly true all the time but it steers you in the right direction

[morley]

I finished my GCSEs and went to 6th form doing some A levels, halfway through i thought to my self why am i doing this? the only way to get a proper job earning big bucks i would have to go uni, or just settle for a normal job in a supermarket or something. i didn't fancy uni because of getting in debt and wasting years of my life just learning basically. done my AS and so i did decided to go for a trade; a few of my mates were all doing apprentichips 2 builders, 1 mechanic, 1 plumber so i knew the what was involved in each job so i decided to go for being an electrician would suit me best, after aaaages of looking for someone to take me on as an apprentice i finally started a new job on monday - love it, i'm on my second year now, level 3 then just my portfolio, 17th edition, inspection + testing and am2 to go! which will take about a another year then qualified

go for a trade, skills for life

[Bean]

I left school with 11 GCSEs and left college with 5 A Levels and a BTEC. I then went to Uni to study Graphic Design, as I had wanted to do this for years!!

Everything was going well, until I went to start my second year of Uni. It just dawned on me that I really didn't like the direction that the course was taking me. Whilst I understood the subject and was getting on with the work, I really didn't agree with the thinking and the motivation behind it. By the end of my time at Uni, I had no idea what Graphic Design was anymore - it seemed to be more interpretation, and seemed way too broad to know what it really was.

And I hate working like that - I need to be able to say that 'This is what I do, This is why...' - I really hated the ambiguity of it all and having to work with loads of different media all the time!!


But anyway - I left University just before Christmas and I've not looked back since. I transferred from Loughborough University back to Hereford, to do a degree in Photography!! And I'm having an awesome time there!

I was never one to 'give up' on anything, and I'm still not - But I figured that I made a mistake and if I wasn't happy, then why am I doing it? It would total up to £21,000 in all, and I didn't want to spend that on something that I really didn't like!!



And all this 'Students don't do anything' and 'they owe loads of money' is a typical attitude from someone who's never been and doesn't know what it's all about! Students aren't stupid, they know full-well that they're working hard for a reason and they've got to put the work in to succeed. OK, we may be in debt, but who cares!? Degrees give you the opportunities, the equipment and the connections that you may not otherwise have access to! So what if I'm in debt at the end of it?? It's only money - I value my happiness and my knowledge more.

Money comes and goes, but experiences stay with you forever.


EDIT: Woah! How the hell did I end up bumping a thread from the 2nd!? Sorry!!