do you (or your dcs) have a degree? what subject and what's your occupation?

[out2lunch]

and is your (or your dcs) degree relevant to said occupation?


trying to figure out dds future here

thanks

[louderthanbombs]

I have a BSc in biomedical science, I'm a biomedical scientist. I think DD should maybe work out her own future..

[out2lunch]

its a joint effort bombs

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

MA in history. I now work as a program manager for a private philanthropist but am a chartered accountant by profession. Not relevant, but worth knowing that accounting degrees are utterly worthless in terms of qualifying as an accountant. Most city firms still prefer ' good degree in traditional academic subject'

[out2lunch]

that's interesting richman - she is thinking of history degree that would be a traditional academic subject then?

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

Yes. my advice, especially if she doesn't really know what she wants to do is to do a traditional subject at the best regarded university she can get into. Many grad recruiters now only consider Russell group, for example, so if she can get into one of those she should think very seriously before giving that up to study somewhere else, even if she likes the feel of the lesser one.

[StellaNova]

Me English lit, DH Geography, both journalists.

Both did postgrad journalism course (different ones) for which you needed a degree. Any degree!

[freerangelady]

Egyptology. Farmer.

Degree subject is irrelevant for many careers ( unless of course it's something like engineering) definitely go for Russell group and best Uni in the subject you choose.

[singaporeswing]

My parents both studied Primary Education at a not great Poly. They both are at the top of what they do, on the board for primary national curriculum etc.

I graduated a few years ago, studying French & Business at a RG uni. Now a financial recruiter in Asia. DP is a mechanical engineer and being paid a fortune - I wish I was engineer-minded!

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

I have a French Degree and work as an accountant!

DH has an Engineering degree has his won IT company

My DS has a Maths degree and works in IT

My DD is about to graduate with a politics degree and go into Reas Estate.

[Novia]

Drama with English and work as a marketing manager for an investment bank!

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Public health and Work in public health- other People from same course work in various types of jobs public and private sector.

[FernandoIsFaster]

LLB Law and work as an in house lawyer for a bank. I dropped out of a Russel group uni after year 1 due to family crisis at the time and I was very unhappy there. Then went to a not so well regarded uni closer to home to complete my degree and my uni has never held me back in my career. I went on to find a training contact when loads of people from more prestigious uni's didn't. She should study a subject that she enjoya at a uni where she is happy.

[FadBook]

Business degree and I work in human resources (HR). At the time I felt it was a nice broad degree because I had no idea what I wanted to do; "business" has lots of different routes (PR, marketing, finance, planning, analysis, HR, psychology, teaching, economics, strategy). Then within each of those there are sub careers/divisions, so for HR you can go into Payroll, training and development, coaching, recruitment, employee relations, employment law etc.

DP has a law degree, he teaches at primary school (obviously has post grad teaching qualification)

[Callthemidlife]

Have interviewed hundreds of people in my various careers (big 4, banking, IT) and generally applicants are from all over the world, so people compete against MIT, Harvard etc.

At that level of competition, Russell Group is essential, and traditional subjects are very much preferred (not essential, but handicap you slightly in that it raises a ? In the mind of interviewer). Some vocational subjects you might think are good ones are not looked on that highly, even if from a good uni. These include accounting, business studies and stuff like marketing and HR. having them as courses within an economic degree is of course fine.

As a recruiter now for my own company I'm less snobby but would say that if you are not going for a russell/'good' uni, you need at least a traditional subject, or a first (I can be won over by passion & flair). A 2.2 from a little-known uni in a non traditional subject is, IMVHO, not of great value career-wise.

If you are looking at choice between two traditional subjects at a good uni, then go for the one that floats their boat most.

[JaquelineHyde]

Education and Eng Lit degree from a middle of the road uni.

I was going to go into teaching but then realised I would hate to feel so trapped.

I'm now doing an MA in Social Work at one of the top SW unis in the UK.

I would say choose your subject very carefully and then make sure you go to the best uni possible that provides it.

I don't think there is any value in just scraping a 3rd regardless of how highly valued your uni is. In this day and age you need good results as well, so subject choice is very important as your DD needs to know she can do well in her chosen subject and enjoy it otherwise it is so ease to just coast along and lose interest.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

Bachelors and PhD in Engineering. I did a few years of postdoc research and then changed career to become a software engineer. I would recommend it if you can't afford unpaid internships. We definitely pays our summer interns and new grads. Though are unpaid interns really that common outside the fashionable media?

I would say what I studied is relevant to what I'm doing. Our graduate program considers anyone with a numerate degree, not just computer science and IT ones. However if your DD is thinking of history, I doubt she would be interested in the physical sciences

[JimbosJetSet]

I did my degree in sociology, I ended up going back to uni a couple of years later to do a postgrad qualification in Occupational Therapy (and now Im an Occupational Therapist).

[Abigail9580]

I have a bsc in vet nursing, and now a vet nurse, my partner has a bsc in agriculture and is a farmer. My suggestion is to do a Uni course that trains you to do something, or gets you onto a course that does that. Otherwise Uni is very expensive and your no closer to getting a job at the end of it.

[thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts]

Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford. I've been in sales and marketing, local government and now work in the Church of England.

Callthemidwife's experience is the same as my husband when recruiting for trainee programmers. I don't think he ever employed anyone with a computing degree as he wanted people who could learn how to learn rather than been trained in one area. This was 15 years ago so I don't know it this applies but don't assume that a vocational degree from a less well known university will open the doors you would assume it would.

[InMySpareTime]

Physics. I then did a BA in Early Years.
I am now a storyteller. Go figure.

[worley]

Abigail - I feel old now ! when I did vn it was just part 1 and part 2! :(
now have bsc in diagnostic imaging and post grad medical ultrasound.
ds wants to do physics.. what can you do with a pure physics degree ? I was trying to steer him towards natural sciences but he only has eyes for physics...

[MothershipG]

I have a geography degree and pre children worked in IT. Post career break I'm working in a museum, right at the bottom, but the fact I have a degree is helping me be considered for a more interesting role.

[worley]

ooooh inmysparetime... is there a particular Uni that is top for physics? I'm only now looking in to this for ds.. he is 15.. what type of things can you do post degree?? apart from story telling.. but his other live is English!' and writing his own science fiction..

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

Spanish from Russell Group. Work for a telco, head of a big contact centre. Got a place on their grad programme back in '96!

[poopnscoop]

I have a 4 yr Design Degree but changed careers 7 years ago to go into Early Years... Still studying to further my EY knowledge.. Will never stop studying I think, love learning.

My one brother has Honours as an Environmental and Geographical Scientist... He's now at seminary to become a pastor.

Other sibs still do what they studied for initially... Teaching and Finance/Banking.