A-Levels

Post by **Dog Pants** » January 10th, 2007, 10:19

friznit wrote:Most jobs [...] really couldn't care less which A levels or degree I have as long as I have one.

I've been looking into doing another degree with respect to a better career when I leave the horses, and I've found this too. For around 80% of graduate posts (IIRC) the actual subject isn't important. Of course it can't hurt to have something relevant, but it's certainly better to have passed an unrelated subject than failed a related one. I would think that of the 20% of jobs that do need a relevant qualification a lot of them will be technical though, and I now know that the option I'm looking at falls into that area too

mrbobbins · Post by **mrbobbins** » January 10th, 2007, 10:38

The further away in your education/career you get from A-Levels the less important the subjects/grades are but I think they are important for which course you want or your first job after A-Levels

You have no work experience to rely on to demonstrate your abilities so the subjects and grades are important.

Once you have that first job the actual experience you gain becomes more important.

Post by **tandino** » January 10th, 2007, 11:26

MIkkyo wrote:You are all a bunch of educated cunts, I left school at 16 and am only now going to uni at 23 after drinking for the last few years.

Me too, Left school for a year in college at 16, fucked that up so worked for 7 years and am now in my second year at Uni as well as working. The easy route if you've got the patience to wait around for 6/7 years!

Fear · Post by **Fear** » January 10th, 2007, 11:27

Dog Pants wrote:I've been looking into doing another degree with respect to a better career when I leave the horses

AKAIK you have the best degree around. Statistically you are the most sort after professional in this country. Assuming you know your P doping from your N doping, join the IET (I can help get you in, as can any member) and you will be actively head hunted. The only people from my course that have struggled to find employment are the ones not taking a career in electronics.

You also get some funky initials after your name, "MIET".

You have to do what you enjoy. I am a very logical person so I am good at and enjoy maths, problem solving, and all that. I cannot stand memorising, essay writing, etc. If I was to have done a History A-Level / Degree I have no doubt I would have failed it.

That said, if you can bare maths, do it.

Post by **Dog Pants** » January 10th, 2007, 11:49

Fear wrote:
AKAIK you have the best degree around. Statistically you are the most sort after professional in this country. Assuming you know your P doping from your N doping, join the IET (I can help get you in, as can any member) and you will be actively head hunted. The only people from my course that have struggled to find employment are the ones not taking a career in electronics.

You also get some funky initials after your name, "MIET".

Ooh, really? I was under the impression that electronics was over-subscribed, but then I've never had the opportunity to become a professional. I finished top of my class with an award, although I'm a bit rusty. Also, I've only an ordinary degree, although I could possibly bung that up to an hons through the OU.
I've no idea what the people off my course are doing, but I know that some of the people who were on the HND that everyone else from my course came off got very good jobs with Nortel. I was offered one too, but I decided I'd rather join up

I'd be interested in any details/advice you can give me, either in my career thread, or PM, or my email clicky thing should work too...

MIkkyo · Post by **MIkkyo** » January 10th, 2007, 12:51

tandino wrote:
Me too, Left school for a year in college at 16, fucked that up so worked for 7 years and am now in my second year at Uni as well as working. The easy route if you've got the patience to wait around for 6/7 years!

Exactly what I am doing, more funding that way as well it seems as we ahave already paid tax and mummumy and daddy don't have to support our hairy arses.
Speaking of the working I got an early morning shift at a garage that finishes 30 mins before college starts. :D

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » January 10th, 2007, 14:13

University of Life, School of Hard Knocks, blah blah blah etc ....

Hehulk · Post by **Hehulk** » January 10th, 2007, 14:22

Spoodie, you powers of kitten pics do clearly know no bounds

Woo Elephant Yeah · Post by **Woo Elephant Yeah** » January 10th, 2007, 14:23

Hehulk wrote:Spoodie, you powers of kitten pics do clearly know no bounds

He has an A-Level in Impact Kittens<sup>TM</sup>

Post by **tandino** » January 10th, 2007, 15:04

Woo Elephant Yeah wrote:
He has an A-Level in Impact Kittens<sup>TM</sup>

Nah, at least degree level with those mad skillz.

Mr. Spoodie MIKfEO

(Master of Impact Kittens for Every Occasion.)

Sheriff Fatman · Post by **Sheriff Fatman** » January 10th, 2007, 15:28

Pretty much all of this

When I was doing the hiring and firing, A Levels were entirely unimportant. A degree was helpful, but an aptitude for the subject matter and experience were the most important. Just stick to something you enjoy and follow your true passion as much as you can on the sidelines.

pixie pie · Post by **pixie pie** » January 10th, 2007, 16:09

Dog Pants wrote:
Ooh, really? I was under the impression that electronics was over-subscribed, but then I've never had the opportunity to become a professional. I finished top of my class with an award, although I'm a bit rusty. Also, I've only an ordinary degree, although I could possibly bung that up to an hons through the OU.
I've no idea what the people off my course are doing, but I know that some of the people who were on the HND that everyone else from my course came off got very good jobs with Nortel. I was offered one too, but I decided I'd rather join up

I'd be interested in any details/advice you can give me, either in my career thread, or PM, or my email clicky thing should work too...

Apparently there are 2 jobs for everyone 1 electronicly inclined degree graduate. You will be sought after. As hopefully I will too.

Its the more IT inclined ones that are oversubscribed.

Post by **Dog Pants** » January 10th, 2007, 17:35

pixie pie wrote:
Apparently there are 2 jobs for everyone 1 electronicly inclined degree graduate. You will be sought after. As hopefully I will too.

Its the more IT inclined ones that are oversubscribed.

Apparently so. I've started putting in an application for IET as Fear suggested. Probably a bit premature, but worth seeing what I'm up against. Unfortunately is seems that in order to get the graduate level membership I'd have to be a comissioned officer, so I'm having to go in at HND level. You can apply as an undergraduate at a decreased student rate though, which might be good for you.

Now I just need a referee...

Sol · Post by **Sol** » January 10th, 2007, 18:23

Thanks for all the help guys, i aprrieciate it. You lot are proberly more supportive than half my teachers XD

I'm leaning towards doing somehting fun as a forth subject. There was a foundation BTEC course in Art & Design that i was quite interested, that involved a lot of grpahic and 3D design... Not sure how well BTEC's stand up in the real world mind.

It proberly sounds like ICT isnt for me, and seems quite a waste of two years... If i am going to waste two years i might as well do it having fun

Post by **Dog Pants** » January 10th, 2007, 18:30

BTECs are very good for getting other qualifications I've found, because the modules are all interchangeable. I had to do a BTEC (NC I suspect), an BVQ level 3 and a key skills course for my modern apprenticeship with the RAF (entirely pointless in my case, but we're all drones in their eyes so I didn't get any choice). I didn't have to do anything for the BTEC and very little for the key skills because of my HND, which is also a BTEC qualification. I don't know how useful they are in industry, but as far as I'm aware the 'Investor in People' thing is all BTEC based and so it's probably used quite a lot (because being an 'Investor in People' gets a company money from the govenment).

Lateralus · Post by **Lateralus** » January 10th, 2007, 18:36

I'm hoping/expecting that the investor in people thing will mean that the Council will pay for me to do my Masters course next year, but I just need to get a job contract off them first...

Post by **Roman Totale** » January 10th, 2007, 19:08

Have you thought of applying for the England cricket squad? I don't think they're too fussy.

pixie pie · Post by **pixie pie** » January 10th, 2007, 19:21

Dog Pants wrote:You can apply as an undergraduate at a decreased student rate though, which might be good for you.

Now I just need a referee...

Hehe, I have to be an undergraduate first, I can do it once I start my course. I've got an interview at Southampton tomorrow though, so we'll see how likely this is (I'm hoping very likely with my grades).

I think Fear was offering to be your referee, I may be wrong.

Edit:

Roman Totale wrote:Have you thought of applying for the England cricket squad? I don't think they're too fussy.

They're plenty fussy! You've got to be crap at Cricket first

Fear · Post by **Fear** » January 10th, 2007, 20:06

I can help you out Mr Pants. Not sure if I should, but I've gotten a Computer Science student in before.

BTW Pixie, I charge £10 per page of coursework. ;-)

Post by **Dog Pants** » January 10th, 2007, 21:37

Fear wrote:I can help you out Mr Pants. Not sure if I should, but I've gotten a Computer Science student in before.

BTW Pixie, I charge £10 per page of coursework. ;-)

No need to refer me just on evidence here, I'm more than happy to provide any evidence I can. I wouldn't like to think sub-standard candidates were admitted. I also have the option of having a reference from my line manager, but I think it'd be smoother if it was an existing member.