Dd wants to do Btec level 3 extended diploma music performance and songwriting

[Butby]

Just wondered if anyone has experience of this qualification?

My dd wants to study this at confetti institute in Nottingham. It says it's leads onto a foundation degree but I'm confused as I thought this particular Btec could get onto full degrees.

I'm concerned as my daughter is bright academically and unsure of what she wants as a career and really loves music and the arts. I don't want her to limit her uni choices if she decides she wants to study law or similar in the future but want her to be studying something she enjoys.

I also have in my mind that studying music may not lead to employment in the field and just become a hobby

[annandale]

Personally I think it sounds like a great idea - she must have her head screwed on.

A law degree is great if you like law but like many professional qualifications it might be better done as postgraduate study. It's also no guarantee of a job at all, far from it in fact.

[FelixFelix]

To be completely honest, I'd probably do as much as I possibly could to persuade her otherwise. Both myself and DP have degrees in Music (creative & tech) and both agree it wasn't the best career path to take. It's an extremely hard industry to get any work in, unless you're very lucky or have family that will bankroll you so you can work for free in London for X amount of years to gain experience. Out of all of our separate groups of uni friends who did music degrees, there's only one person who is actually working in the industry now. Everyone else ended up retraining or in random unrelated jobs. I don't want to put a massive downer on it but it really isn't the best path to choose if she has other options.

On the other hand, I did a course at Confetti and they are brilliant. A level 3 BTEC should get her straight on to a full degree course as its equivalent to A Levels.

[Greebosmum]

My oldest girl was a nightmare at school, but very able. In order to avoid her chucking it all away I encouraged her to do a BTec in fashion design (not sure what level, sorry).

She did that and did fairly well, cleared off to live in something akin to a squat in London for a year whilst working in a shop.

That convinced her that maybe she should do something better, so she got on a foundation degree course studying archaeology (on the strength of the BTec and her GCSEs). Stayed on for a further year to make it a proper degree (sorry I didn't go to Uni and don't know all the proper terms).

She then applied to go to Durham Universty to do a Masters which she successfully completed last year.

I hope this gives you some idea of what is possible from possibly un-promising qualifications.

Also of course, life is to be enjoyed and she may go on to have a full and exciting musical career, or decide she hates it after a fortnight and go off to do something different.

We all want our children to be 'successful' but they really need to do their own thing. Assuming she is still late teens/early twenties, there is plenty of time for her to work out what she wants to do and get the appropriate qualifications.

Good luck to you both. x

[Butby]

Thank you all. I was thinking for her to do what she enjoys in FE and then go on to uni to do something other than music or combined with music, or something still creative like marketing etc.

Have been really impressed with Confetti too, think she will love it there.

[FelixFelix]

Sorry I've just read back what i wrote and it sounds really negative!

I agree with greebosmum that she should do what she loves, as it's not the end of the world if it all goes tits up. There's plenty of time to change career paths (my DP is currently doing another degree via the OU so is another example of this). It's just in hindsight it wasn't a very good degree to choose in the first place. But hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it

[timeforabrewnow]

A good friend of my DH's did a music degree and now plays jazz (paid gigs) and teaches guitar in various secondary schools. Makes a reasonable living out of it and enjoys it.

Another friend did music at the Guild Hall and ended up singing in a Crooners band on cruise ships, but now runs his own music tutorial school in London and does rather well at it.

Just wanted to add that some people with a music degree do go on to do something related, not necessarily a pop star though!

[Butby]

No felixfelix, not at all.

It's alright reading about some of these fantastic degree courses but if they only have a slim chance of relevant employment then imo it needs careful consideration. Don't want her to have a huge student loan then end up in a job in a different field and a highly qualified hobby.

[ImperialBlether]

My son did a degree in Music and is now on an MA in Composing for Film and TV. There are some fantastic courses in Music now. A Distinction in L3 will get her on to the full degree, but her written music and her audition will have to be really good. My son did a foundation year before starting his degree and it was the best thing for him - came out with a 1st, which I doubt he would've done if he'd gone straight in.

[Butby]

She definitely doesn't want to be a pop star but loves music. I think as long as you know the potential pitfalls if she wants to do a music degree I will be behind her all the way ??

[ImperialBlether]

Some of the courses are really practical and a BTEC is good preparation for that, but she really needs to aim high with it.

My son did this course at Salford but also considered Light and Live Event Technology this degree in Sound, Light and Live Event Technology at Derby. You have to really have a good look at all of the universities - some of the newer ones offer great courses. For instance, Bucks offers Music Event Management which is very popular.

[ImperialBlether]

Someone else I know studied Music and then did the law exams to qualify as a solicitor working in music contract law.