I'm not sure what to do for a career.

T

thomas234

Big Geek
Hi,
I'm not really sure what career I'd like to do in the future. Probably something in I.T, but what I'm not quite sure, and I was wondering what you guys think.

I tend to be better with hardware than software, I learnt to programme Visual Basic 6 once when I was about 7, but I didn't do very well, and I've tried C# sevral times since and failed. I've also tried Linux sevral times and failed. However, I normally have sucess with hardware. I've chosen all the components, built and upgraded my own computer. I'm not creative in any way (eg I'm crap at Photoshop).

I've looked at what the IT Technichians do at school, and they seem to have a pretty easy job which I wouldn't mind doing. For GCSE I'm studying IT (Predicted A), French(Predicted A*), Geography(Predicted B) and Systems and Contol (electronics including programming PIC chips - Predicted A). I'm also studying the compulsory subjects - Maths(Predicted A*), All 3 Sciences(Predicted A), English(Predicted A) and RE(which with any luck I'll fail).

What do you guys do? I'm not really sure about whether I should go into IT at all, and I've considered Law before. Have you got any ideas as to what jobs area of jobs I could work towards?

Thanks, Thomas
 
Consider college and university first and see if theres any courses you'd be interested. Check requirements and if you really want to do something, then start on your own.

I've been programming for a few years now, i've started becoming actively involved in OSS and although its great, I think I'm going to go into computer engineering at Manchester university as I'm nearing the end of my first year at college. No disrespect to IT technicians, but they're not the only jobs available.
 
Yeah college would be a great place to go to next. University is a great experience as well as a great opportunity to learn (albeit a costly one too).

I'm currently studying Internet Computing at University (it's a BCS recognised course too - it's been called many things before such as 'Network Computing' etc). For our first year we're studying the same things as Computer Science, Software Engineering an Artificial Intelligence with Robotics. It's a great learning experience as the people who teach you are passionate about what they teach (well in my case they are) and this really shows through when they teach. If you want a career in IT but aren't totally sure what specific route you want to go then Computer Science might be an option as it's not really specialised and leaves your options slightly more open when you finish.

Myself I'm hoping to go into a career in Web Development or something, my dream job would be to run my own Web Design / Development agency / company but we'll see...

Anyway, it's a big decision to make but remember what course you study at College / University doesn't totally determine your career and you've still got lots more options than what your course is based on.
 
Over here our education system (generally) goes like this:

Ages 4-11 Primary School (Infant School and then Junior School)
Ages 11-16 Secondary School
Ages 16-18 College / 6th Form
Ages 18+ University
 
um, thats kinda like ours, just change names around, but no, i mean a Community college, which is college but. Ok so a university is a company completely funded by students for the most part. But a community college is a university that is partly funded by the state, or government.
 
Thanks guys, I was planning on going to college and uni (hopefully) anyway, and I'll probably do as you suggestedm and keep my options open. Are any of you planning on a gap year? I'd really like to tour America (but not like Borat!) and Australia.

Sorry about the time it took to reply.

Thomas
 
Some of my friends have taken gap years with the intention of going to Uni afterwards, most of them have now either decided to keep on working as they're earning and wouldn't want to put themselves into debt with Uni or they just plain realised that Uni isn't for them and want to leave it.

I went to Uni straight away as it's something I've always wanted to do and I just wanted to get to Uni and enjoy it, I'm glad I did come straight here as I've loved every minute of Uni so far. A couple of my friends are finding it hard to get work in the career paths they want and are currently doing nothing...
 
I think IT is a dangerous and exitingly unpredictable way to go. I think there will always be place for people with a computer based education but the posibilities are endless as growth and progress is going to be exponential.

I go to a high school called Maritzburg College and it is very very traditional and it still uses the "form" (2nd formers to 6th formers) system (we are the only school in SA that does) So my school was built 144 years ogo by the english so thats why we have english traditions. Its sureal to see someone use the term "form" cuz here, anyone who dosnt go to my school think we are crazy.

The dilema that Thomas is facing i think is become more common. hardly any of my friends know what they want to do including me. They say that a whole big chunk of the jobs that this generation will do are still to be invented so it may be wise to persue something that you enjoy and be open to that fact that you probably wont end up doing the thing you intended.

Thomas I think you may be experiencing the same kind of thinking as me. Not to sound boastful but we are both smart, straight A's and all that, so our options are left completely open and the chioce of what to do is completely ours. I sometines i wish i had an outstanding field of learning so that i dont have so many things sto choose from...

I am just planning to go to university (and i hope you do to) and start a general BSC (bachelor of Science) I dont know what you call it in the UK, i think its just BS for you ??. This gets you started at uni and once your there you can talk to lots of new people, look at what others are doind and formulate a better idea of what you wnat to do.

As for the gap year... I am a year young for my form and this has made me think about a gap year too. I have also talked to a few friends who did this and they all advised against it. Its too hard to get back into discipline and hard work that uni requires after you have been touring around, working at bars in other places and basically chillin.

All my friends at uni love it too. Its the best time of your lives thay say. You have almost as much freedom as you want and you dont have all the responsibilities of an adult. You get to enjoy life and party all of first year too :) well thats kind of the accepted thing where i live
 
HAHAHA, wow, yeah, you have way more responsibilities than you can imagine at a university. Lol, thats kinda the whole part behind higher education, learning responsibility, this is especially so if you are paying for school yourself. Well, its really all about how the person is, if some one is highly disciplined or just isn't completely sure about what they want, then taking a break is a great idea. Going to school and waisting money on classes isn't going to help anything. Most students do that and end up waisting a year or so anyways on classes that aren't really going to help them towards their major. Ask Big B, or i myself did this, jumped around for a year, did this and that, and now i finally figured out what i want to do a couple years later. But yeah, IT is a crazy field, but its not like its the only one. Granted, i didn't get my question answered, but here in the US, community colleges are great, takes some classes, gets some credits, figure out what you want to do, at the fraction of a cost of a University. Then transfer your credits later, it works out pretty well. But yeah, ask anyone, just going to school without any real aim or serious goals can be a real issue, especially if your not super super driven. In my opinion, taking a break and seeing to world is a good idea, expand your own world, see things, get a better understanding and come back ready for the hell that school is :P
 
Yeah. Its a good idea to use that comunity college thing if u can get into a descent one. Its basically a cheap way of getting your head straight. I wish we have that oportunity but my budget african counrty...
 
I just recently got accepted into college for a Computer Servicing course, i went into one of the classes with the chap who interviewed me and it looks great and the sort of thing that i definately want to get into when i leave, the best thing is that the college can help you get an apprenticeship at the end of your first year or your second year so the future seems very bright!
 
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