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My lesson has been; whatever you choose, do what you genuinely want to do, not what you [i]think[/i] you should. We can convince ourselves quite strongly and fixate on a narrow goal, but I think a broader direction close to your real interests has more mileage.
You'll only end up making the preferred choice after the wasted time, it's the life equivalent of buying the cheap bike part, realising it's a bit crap and having to get the thing you originally wanted anyway!
Study something you love with options, not something you like a bit with a specific goal. Hopefully as you learn you'll find out new things (that's the whole point right?) and there will be new opportunities available you are not currently aware of. Your grades suggest you have the potential and discipline for further study, learn as much as you can.
Take a gap year, gain some additional life experience, contact the sort of people you'd like to work for and ask them directly what they would want.
A strong sentiment in your first post is one of autonomy, working with others who are independently strong at what they do and the capacity to be creative with your problem solving. This will come when you are in the minority of holding knowledge about something and once you've found you're specialism. This is unlikely to be clarified soon, but is a good thing to keep in mind.
Maybe ask Hope if you can do a work placement? Go and stay in/near Barnoldswick for a bit, ride your legs off and play with CNC milling machines 🙂
Take a gap year, gain some additional life experience.
This. I can't believe it got to the second page before someone suggested it!
Doesn't really matter if you spend it working or shagging your way around Asia, it'll help you put things into perspective to get off the "educational conveyor belt" for a while, give you a maturity your peers won't have, and can be a helluva lotta fun!
It seems a big deal to lose a year at this stage, but believe me its not 'lost', and will pay back in time. In fact, I've taken three "gap years" at various times in my life (the last one was re-named a mid-life crisis 🙂 ), when I've been in a bit of a rut and needed to step back and take stock of things, and have never regretted it!
+1 for the gap year/traveling. Even just 3 months by myself in a different country made me grow up (a bit) more than 3 years at uni did. Gave me so much more confidence as well.
OP - good for you, that you are asking sensible questions. But my advice would be don't panic and don't rush. I would recommend staying in the excellent Scottish system as Unis give you greater flexibility in the first two years FWIW, I only chose my career in my final (4th) year at a Scottish Uni but the four years gave me plenty of time to learn, experiment and to have a good time. Some people have a clear view re vocations at your age. Others don't. Take your time and do enjoy youself before life gets really serious!
You're pretty much describing my job 🙂 Design Engineer for an oil service company working on downhole tools for the oil industry.
Get to work outside / in a big workshop building stuff occassionally when it goes on test. Design new innovative (hopefully) tools. Mobile - can be done anywhere in the world. Lots of jobs right now etc etc. You basically need to do a Mechanical Engineering degree for it or start as a drafter and work up (that's what I did with my employer sponsoring to do my degree). Graduate's start at about £30k pa sometimes with a signing-on bonus if you negotiate.
Where are you based? If you're anywhere near Aberdeen I could sort out a week or more of some work experience to see what you think.
Oli.
As an employer this worries me. I can't think of many jobs where some degree of teamwork / collaboration is not required at least some of the time. What I am hoping (?) is that this is because you are a level above your peers and so either they can slack knowing you will do it or you have higher standards/expectations than your peers. If so you need to learn some new skills to coach and get your peers up to your level - although I appreciate in many schools that attitude is likely to get you a beating rather than respect! If you pick the right uni you will find the technical abilities of your new peers is much closer matched. When you find a good team who deliver it is very rewarding.
As it's school, a lot of people tend to have a "that'll do" attitude to teamwork, which really annoys me. I am usually the really sad one that wants it to be perfect.. I do some sports coaching and have a leadership role in the school so often I do find it's possible to get some enthusiasm going, but it's awful hard work when people are constantly not bothering cause it's not cool, etc.
Software development?
I have a cousin who's very successful at this - hadn't even considered asking him about it! I'll look into it, thanks.
Take a gap year, gain some additional life experience
A gap year is something I've always wanted to take, but as I'm the sort of person who practically forgets how to write his own name after 6 weeks off for summer, I'm not sure if it's worth it for the time I might take to get back into it. Having said that, I could come back completely fresh and raring to go, filled with enthusiasm from my amazing experiences, I just don't know.
I would recommend staying in the excellent Scottish system
That's another thing, I think Scottish Unis are free for me but others aren't? I'm more likely to sway towards something that's free..
You're pretty much describing my job Design Engineer for an oil service company working on downhole tools for the oil industry.Get to work outside / in a big workshop building stuff occassionally when it goes on test. Design new innovative (hopefully) tools. Mobile - can be done anywhere in the world. Lots of jobs right now etc etc. You basically need to do a Mechanical Engineering degree for it or start as a drafter and work up (that's what I did with my employer sponsoring to do my degree). Graduate's start at about £30k pa sometimes with a signing-on bonus if you negotiate.
Where are you based? If you're anywhere near Aberdeen I could sort out a week or more of some work experience to see what you think.
Sounds great! I'm down in Dundee, so not too far off. Can you email me with any more details please? Possibility a short placement in Summer might be helpful. Email: poltheball AT hotmail DOT com
I think I'm also going to look into Civil Engineering, it seems to combine most of the things I enjoy. I know I'm not going to find a job that fits all of the points in my initial description, and the teamwork one was a bit of an exaggeration (made me sound like a right grumpy hermit), but they were just to help describe a bit of what I'm like to an audience of unknown people.
Again, thanks for all suggestions, some of these have been really helpful!
Any further advice greatly appreciated.
Just an example of one of many opportunities out there...
http://www.totaljobs.com/JobSearch/JobDetails.aspx?JobId=54931995&Keywords=&CompanyId=615%2c387
Sounds ok to me.
Take a year off before going to Uni. Try as many different jobs in as many different places as you can. You'll work out how to live independently and what work you like and what you do t like.
Basically, explore and try as much as you can.
From you A levels and interests it does sound like you should be looking at Engineering courses. Do you have a careers department who you could get advice from?
Failing that then start googling and read some prospectuses (or prospecti?)
If you do a Science/Engineering degree at uni you should be ok to get a job as you will have useful transferable skills. You should pick you degree based on something you enjoy. As someone said near the start, if you enjoy it then you will do well. Your degree does not choose you future career prospects. There are plenty of employers out there who take all degrees and then retrain them in specific roles. This is very typical of "graduate roles". I did chemistry and my first job was production efficiency improvement with a fruit juice company. My wife did biochemistry and now works in IT.
A gap year could be some good advice - make it worthwhile though. Either travel (working visa to somewhere like Australia or Newzealand) or get an internship to experiment with a career choice and get some valuable experience.
http://www.rolls-royce.com/careers/what_can_do/graduates/apprenticeships/index.jsp
http://www.woodgroup.com/our-people/students-graduates/uk-graduate-faqs/pages/default.aspx
http://www.weir.co.uk/Careers/WorkingatWeir/Ajourneytoexcellence.aspx
http://www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com/apprentices/be-part-of-it/?sType=071010
Thanks Macavity!
Either travel (working visa to somewhere like Australia or Newzealand)
That's the part of the world I'd be aiming for if I did take a gap year, as I know quite a few people over there (and I've heard the biking in NZ is pretty awesome..)
Do you have a careers department who you could get advice from?Failing that then start googling and read some prospectuses (or prospecti?)
Yes, I've got an interview set up which should be helpful. I've read a few prospect(i?) but I don't really know what I'm looking for. I'll be going to a few uni open days as well to see which atmospheres are good and suchlike stuff.
I completed a 4 year apprenticeship, followed by a BEng at University in automotive engineering
I'm now 37 and have been in an executive engineering role within a small aerospace company for 5 years. Stated 10 years ago and worked my way up
initially, i knew zero about planes, but i quickly learnt a lot and i'm still passionate and love getting up for work in the morning
What would i have done differently - i would have studied Mechanical Engineering, i would have done a year in industry and maybe not partied quite as hard at Uni
Also - teamwork - get used to it if you want to make money
Good luck mate!
Year out, travel the world, take your time deciding. And remember that you don't have to stick with one job/career for life.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pth0t
"Prof Robert Mair
Availability:over a year left to listen
Duration: 28 minutes
First broadcast:Tuesday 15 January 2013Jim Al-Khalili talks to Robert Mair, professor of Civil engineering at Cambridge University about his life as an engineer in academia and industry and his expertise on finding innovative solutions to the problems of building tunnels under already congested cities.
He talks about his innovative technique of 'compensation grouting' which prevented Big Ben from tilting and even cracking and coming away from the Houses of Parliament during Jubilee line extension.
Crossrail is one of the biggest engineering projects in Europe and involves constructing 26 miles of new tunnels underneath London's busy streets and under the existing tube network. Robert talks the latest tunnelling technology being used and the huge drilling machines with names like 'Ada' and Phyliss' which use high pressure to minimise ground movements as they drill and even have a kitchen and bathroom facilities on board.
He also talks about his latest work on how smart sensors which can harvest their own energy. And when built into buildings, roads, tunnels they could make sure the engineering projects of the future will be able to continuously monitor and report on their own safety."
When you find the answer let me know please.
29, Software Developer, hate it. Not been to uni, haven't got a clue what I want to do.
[i]It's better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb than half way up one you don't.[/i] Just need to find the right ladder.
http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/options/study/undergraduate/sponsorship/epsdegrees/
http://www.strath.ac.uk/na-me/undergraduatestudies/scholarshipssponsorships/
http://www.fnc.co.uk/Careers/StudentSponsorship/tabid/87/language/en-GB/Default.aspx
http://www.aggreko.com/careers/
http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/uk-development-manager-onshore-wind-945020150?src=search
http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/project-manager-christchurch-new-zealand-945073026?src=search
Take a gap year, gain some additional life experience.
That's another thing, I think Scottish Unis are free for me but others aren't? I'm more likely to sway towards something that's free..
Look at european courses. LOADS of free ones, including free ones taught in English. You're scottish, scotland has free tuition for EU nationals aswell as scots, the same free tuition often applies in europe. Look at german engineering courses! It's just the English which have a crumby deal with uni.