Help - Advice Needed!

[Lew-T]

Alright guys!

Just wanted some advice, information or even wise words from people to what paths I should take or go in the near future. In May I will be leaving education completely and will be entering the real world! I haven't applied for Uni as its something that doesn't interest me, I'm currently doing my A levels and still not sure where I should go after finishing. Any advice would be much appreciated from all ages!!

Thanks, Lew

[Keith_Lemon]

Hi Lew,

First of what are you studying? And what are you looking to do in the future?

I don't blame you for not going to Uni. It's more of a fashion culture now to go to Uni and enjoy the social side of it rather than the studying side. This day University degrees have lost value and you can learn the same skills in an internship/apprenticeship depending on what you want to do of course.

Always have a plan mate because you don't know how long you will be sitting at home or lazying about. Finding a full-time job is hard enough, but when your young with not a great deal of experience or the most creative C.V. it is even harder. Start looking at apprenticeships now if I were you in the trade you have an interest in.

If your not interested in doing a degree how about a foundation degree at a college?

Just do not leave it all at the last second mate, as I said above start looking now and look to get your career sorted before you leave 6th form and education for life.

Good luck with it all

Mr. Lemon

[Nibor]

I don't know what you like or what you're studying so can only give very general advice, but here are some general things that I see in the people I know most satisfied with their careers.

Do not get stuck working in some ******* call centre doing the same boring shit every day, ticking boxes and getting paid and counting down the hours. Don't hang around waiting for something to magically happen to make you successful, don't trust to a big company to sort your career out for you by handing you a promotion after x years.

No matter what you do, who you work for, where you do it: LEARN. Make sure you are learning something all the time, and if you're not, leave and find a job where you are. Take a pay cut if you have to, favour a job with real training over one without and make sure you find out from people already working there whether the company actually follows through or just pretends.

Early on in your career move every 2-3 years, favour jobs that take you to different places, travel abroad and get you working with people from lots different backgrounds. Variety of experience is worth a lot. You likely won't have as much opportunity to do this in 10-15 years time so make the most of it.

After you've worked four or five jobs, If you find something you love and get passionate about doing, stick with it. If you can, start your own business in that area. You'll do better financially that way and control your own future more.

[Lew-T]

Hi Lew,

First of what are you studying? And what are you looking to do in the future?

I don't blame you for not going to Uni. It's more of a fashion culture now to go to Uni and enjoy the social side of it rather than the studying side. This day University degrees have lost value and you can learn the same skills in an internship/apprenticeship depending on what you want to do of course.

Always have a plan mate because you don't know how long you will be sitting at home or lazying about. Finding a full-time job is hard enough, but when your young with not a great deal of experience or the most creative C.V. it is even harder. Start looking at apprenticeships now if I were you in the trade you have an interest in.

If your not interested in doing a degree how about a foundation degree at a college?

Just do not leave it all at the last second mate, as I said above start looking now and look to get your career sorted before you leave 6th form and education for life.

Good luck with it all

Mr. Lemon

Thanks for the reply mate. I'm currently studying Law, Sport studies and Public services. I have always been interested in the police force or fire service hence why I have taken PS as a course. I'm also interested in cricket coaching or football coaching young children but I'm not so sure that would be a ideal career.

Yep, I have been told to look into apprenticeships. I will look into that but at the same time I've recently looked at a foundation degree in Criminology, not something that would be my number one choice but if that's the only way to get where I want in the future like the Police for example, I will do it.

Thanks again!

[Fiale]

You could join the Army, Navy, Airforce - sign up for three years, learn a trade and save some money (they feed, clothe and house you) don't blow to much of your wages on stuff and nights out and you could leave with a tidy sum in your a/c, a trade (engineering / electrician / comms foe example).

[TRL]

Alright guys!

Just wanted some advice, information or even wise words from people to what paths I should take or go in the near future. In May I will be leaving education completely and will be entering the real world! I haven't applied for Uni as its something that doesn't interest me, I'm currently doing my A levels and still not sure where I should go after finishing. Any advice would be much appreciated from all ages!!

Thanks, Lew

Depends what your plans are Lew.

I would advise uni from my experience it gets you the interview, not tge job. Which leaves those without degrees struggling.

If you are adamant you don't want to go. What are you interested in doing.

I would suggest (not knowing what you are interested in) raf or Navy. Get some very good training, in a field you are interested in, which you can take into civvy street should you ever want to leave. And get to travel as well.

Bit more info needed.

Oh if you can take a year out and travel before life and job takes over, do it. You will learn some great life lessons guaranteed. And have a whale of a time doing it.

[TRL]

Thanks for the reply mate. I'm currently studying Law, Sport studies and Public services. I have always been interested in the police force or fire service hence why I have taken PS as a course. I'm also interested in cricket coaching or football coaching young children but I'm not so sure that would be a ideal career.

Yep, I have been told to look into apprenticeships. I will look into that but at the same time I've recently looked at a foundation degree in Criminology, not something that would be my number one choice but if that's the only way to get where I want in the future like the Police for example, I will do it.

Thanks again!

Have you got any coaching qualifications by any chance?

[Lew-T]

I don't know what you like or what you're studying so can only give very general advice, but here are some general things that I see in the people I know most satisfied with their careers.

Do not get stuck working in some ******* call centre doing the same boring shit every day, ticking boxes and getting paid and counting down the hours. Don't hang around waiting for something to magically happen to make you successful, don't trust to a big company to sort your career out for you by handing you a promotion after x years.

No matter what you do, who you work for, where you do it: LEARN. Make sure you are learning something all the time, and if you're not, leave and find a job where you are. Take a pay cut if you have to, favour a job with real training over one without and make sure you find out from people already working there whether the company actually follows through or just pretends.

Early on in your career move every 2-3 years, favour jobs that take you to different places, travel abroad and get you working with people from lots different backgrounds. Variety of experience is worth a lot. You likely won't have as much opportunity to do this in 10-15 years time so make the most of it.

After you've worked four or five jobs, If you find something you love and get passionate about doing, stick with it. If you can, start your own business in that area. You'll do better financially that way and control your own future more.

Thanks Nibor, very good advice and something I will take on board for the future. Thanks fellas

[Robbored]

Alright guys!

Just wanted some advice, information or even wise words from people to what paths I should take or go in the near future. In May I will be leaving education completely and will be entering the real world! I haven't applied for Uni as its something that doesn't interest me, I'm currently doing my A levels and still not sure where I should go after finishing. Any advice would be much appreciated from all ages!!

Thanks, Lew

Train to be a professional in whatever type of work you would enjoy. I went into the NHS and trained as a nurse and once qualified that opened various career options and I ended up spending 27 years having trained as an addiction counselor. A caring profession may not suite you but think about what the perfect job for you would be ( be realistic!) and work backwards from there.

[Lew-T]

Have you got any coaching qualifications by any chance?

Thank you Fiale and TRL! I'm currently doing a coaching course for my local cricket club. At the end of it, I will look to be a level 2 coach with a first aid qualification.

[Nibor]

I would advise uni from my experience it gets you the interview, not tge job. Which leaves those without degrees struggling.

My experience is the reverse of this.

Unless you're desperate to work in an academic field with no way in other than being a grad (law, medicine, research) then take a degree only if you are genuinely interested in learning the subject and you think that is the best way, otherwise don't.

Companies that disregard people without degrees are definitely worth avoiding so not having one is a convenient filter and after four or five years experience the piece of paper is largely irrelevant if you've been working in that field.

I've probably hired 50+ people in very technical work and I'd take someone with four solid years of experience over a graduate every time.

[You Do The Dziekanowski]

The police force would be your safest bet of getting a job, but you might want yo earn your coaching badges on the side just in case you find the police force boring or not what you expected

You'll have to take others advice on what courses to take for the police, and where the best places are to learn the trade,

I'm in the same situation as you at the moment, and the piece of advice I can give is always have something to fall back on just in case things change

Plan A- Police Force

Plan B- Coaching

[TRL]

Thank you Fiale and TRL! I'm currently doing a coaching course for my local cricket club. At the end of it, I will look to be a level 2 coach with a first aid qualification.

I was just wondering if you could take some coaching skills abroad. Cricket coaching in SA NZ and Oz.

With the job market here it could be worth having a look overseas you may even be able to go here on a student visa. Just a thought. Coaches are embraced well over there. You coukd then aim your course at Say Australian police work while doing coaching courses and coaching youngsters which is huge particularly in Australia.

The bonus is if you are not that keen over there, there are chances of transfer into uk police.

Just a thought. A bit different from the usual route. One I may well have taken if I have my time again.

[TRL]

My experience is the reverse of this.

Unless you're desperate to work in an academic field with no way in other than being a grad (law, medicine, research) then take a degree only if you are genuinely interested in learning the subject and you think that is the best way, otherwise don't.

Companies that disregard people without degrees are definitely worth avoiding so not having one is a convenient filter and after four or five years experience the piece of paper is largely irrelevant if you've been working in that field.

I've probably hired 50+ people in very technical work and I'd take someone with four solid years of experience over a graduate every time.

Clearly when you have work experience the degree means little. But for your first foray into the world of work it makes a big difference. I should have elaborated a little more on that. And it was aimed at lew who hasn't worked.

I wouldn't disagree with anything you have said once you have got a foothold in employment.

[Nibor]

Clearly when you have work experience the degree means little. But for your first foray into the world of work it makes a big difference. I should have elaborated a little more on that. And it was aimed at lew who hasn't worked.

I wouldn't disagree with anything you have said once you have got a foothold in employment.

I would take into account the cost - huge these days - and say there are probably more routes in than most people realise. The best approach would be to try and get into a chosen career without one and fall back if you must. It's a very expensive qualification that all too often doesn't apply to the job in hand.

[Lew-T]

I was just wondering if you could take some coaching skills abroad. Cricket coaching in SA NZ and Oz.

With the job market here it could be worth having a look overseas you may even be able to go here on a student visa. Just a thought. Coaches are embraced well over there. You coukd then aim your course at Say Australian police work while doing coaching courses and coaching youngsters which is huge particularly in Australia.

The bonus is if you are not that keen over there, there are chances of transfer into uk police.

Just a thought. A bit different from the usual route. One I may well have taken if I have my time again.

I've been to Oz and NZ before and I love both places! That's defiantly given me an idea so thanks for that. Also, seeing as Oz suffer with a lot of bush fires, the fire service could be a possiblilty too.

Thank you to all for your help. Much appreciated

[TRL]

I would take into account the cost - huge these days - and say there are probably more routes in than most people realise. The best approach would be to try and get into a chosen career without one and fall back if you must. It's a very expensive qualification that all too often doesn't apply to the job in hand.

Good point.

I forget how easy it was when I did mine. They just gave you money back then

[Rob k]

If I had my time again I would 100% learn a trade, electrician or a plumber, decent money and a good way to work for yourself.

[Gazred]

No matter what you do, who you work for, where you do it: LEARN. Make sure you are learning something all the time, and if you're not, leave and find a job where you are. Take a pay cut if you have to, favour a job with real training over one without and make sure you find out from people already working there whether the company actually follows through or just pretends.

Early on in your career move every 2-3 years, favour jobs that take you to different places, travel abroad and get you working with people from lots different backgrounds. Variety of experience is worth a lot. You likely won't have as much opportunity to do this in 10-15 years time so make the most of it.

That is very sound advice and matches my own attitude and approach. I don't have a degree but do the same job on the same pay as many that do within the company i work for now and previously.

The secret was making sure there was always something new to learn whilst in that job. Something to take with you when you leave. I started at the bottom with a basic qualification and little experience and have just leveled up job to job.

Whilst your young and have next to no commitments at home, see as much of the world as you can, work abroad if possible, broaden your mind and your horizons.

Life is there for the taking, it won't come to you.

[citymum]

Having read this thread, my advice would be to listen to everything Nibor says. I have read more useful advice from him than from any graduate teacher I have ever heard.

[WTFiGO!?!]

Alright guys!

Just wanted some advice, information or even wise words from people to what paths I should take or go in the near future. In May I will be leaving education completely and will be entering the real world! I haven't applied for Uni as its something that doesn't interest me, I'm currently doing my A levels and still not sure where I should go after finishing. Any advice would be much appreciated from all ages!!

Thanks, Lew

I'm not exactly qualified to give you career advice specifically, but I can speak about my own experiences.

I'm actually better qualified to tell you what not to do and that is: don't expect the world to come to you (when I was your age we weren't in recession, tbf), no one owes you anything so basically, don't sit on your ass drinking cider and doing jack shit for the next 10 years.

I'm just embarking on a career as a mental health nurse (poacher-come-game-keeper is the joke in my circles.. )but I've been a bit lucky to have the opportunity at 31 to go make something of myself. I've been pissing about for over a decade, now. But you're lucky in the sense that you seem to already have the motivation and discipline in place.

All the best.

[Henry]

I'm not exactly qualified to give you career advice specifically, but I can speak about my own experiences.

I'm actually better qualified to tell you what not to do and that is: don't expect the world to come to you (when I was your age we weren't in recession, tbf), no one owes you anything so basically, don't sit on your ass drinking cider and doing jack shit for the next 10 years.

I'm just embarking on a career as a mental health nurse (poacher-come-game-keeper is the joke in my circles.. )but I've been a bit lucky to have the opportunity at 31 to go make something of myself. I've been pissing about for over a decade, now. But you're lucky in the sense that you seem to already have the motivation and discipline in place.

All the best.

It is really pleasing to hear about your new career.

Fair play to you