Suggestions for a degree for DS2.....

[BaconAndAvocado]

It’s a couple of years away but, although he said he’d like to go to Uni, he doesn’t know which degree to aim for.
He’s chosen Maths, Chemistry and Physics for A levels.
He has a kind of business/enterprise going, buying and selling trainers and he makes a fair bit of money (for a 16 yo) from it.
More importantly, he loves it!
I suggested a Business Studies degree but he said he’d heard they are a waste of time. No idea where he heard this as he doesn’t know anyone at Uni.

He is an intelligent boy, at a Grammar school but I’m not sure whether a degree apprenticeship might be a better idea?

In many businesses you need to know the business first so in engineering you need the science. The business part isn't so complicated especially if he is naturally entrepreneurial. He would do well if he takes sciences regardless of how he uses that. To really make the most of it him having access to see lots of applied science all the way through his studies will be helpful so he can narrow down what he wants to do.

My niece was very much inspired by the work experience she has seen even when it has been quite short and that helped her enormously to decide on her degree.

If your school offers FM then you pretty much have to have it for Oxbridge courses. From experience, not having FM or its equivalent (as Scotland doesn’t do FM) you’re going to struggle at Imperial.

Don't take a pure science or maths degree if he's entrepreneurial and business minded. The cohort will drive him mad and he'll find it stifling - I speak from bitter experience.

Entrepreneurs have all sorts of degrees

I would say most don’t have a degree at all.

There is the point of just not taking a degree at all.
If he is already earning from buying and selling trainers he could just expand that to include other things and grow his business from there.
Not everything is reliant on a degree and if he is struggling to find anything that suits then wouldn’t he be better to just get on with what he is doing now and running with that than wasting 3 years and £50k getting a piece of paper that means nothing. Talking to other business people, looking at different opportunities.
Couple of my dd’s friends are still not recovered to the position they were in before having to take 3 years out of their life and running up a huge debt because they were forced to take a degree they had no need for.

Sorry if already mentioned but take a look at PWC Flying Start degree’s apprenticeships. There are options in Tech, Accounting and Business Management. You get a degree, financial support, work experience, a professional mentor and a role at PWC at the end of it. Unlike most apprenticeships you do actually get to go to uni like a regular student for most of the time.

I would do something with accountancy, pretty sure they incorporate a computer science in the module as most accountancy systems are computer based. That way it can be incorporated into business aspects, government jobs or accountancy on its own. It's versatile and most firms always find someone good with finance, numbers and computers appealing. I was a P.A for financial advisors, they could also work from home freelance with their own clients most came from accountant backgrounds. X

Also look at apprenticeships, there are engineer ones which is about 20000 a year whilst learning and once degree obtained through work it's a very good wage. Engineering is very broad depending on route and specialism and there will always be a need x

Agree with @Foggie. That was my DS2s experience (school and I pushed him to study a science degree).

Some decent apprenticeship degrees with big tech companies too. https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/degreeapprenticeships/programmes/charteredmanager/. DS2 GF does this one with Amazon. There are engineering and data science equivalents.

Getting those apprenticeships is very challenging. It really is best to look at all avenues. Apprenticeships don’t have centralised applications either. Lots of applications and tests because they are jobs. Neither are they very flexible. You are in for the long haul .

I can tell from some posts that not many people have run a business! It really is not just about balance sheets! You really need a flair for business. That means you have to persuade clients to hire you or buy your services, or indeed your trainers. Finance bods simply don’t do that. They deal with the money after it’s been generated by the entrepreneurs. The key is knowing what you can “sell” and getting others to believe in you. You also need to know your value. You often need a niche in the market too. I agree a degree won’t do this for you, but it helps with direction of travel because you can end up with a skill, if that is what is needed.

The old myth about entrepreneurs not having degrees is still trotted out. In this day and age, it’s not true. Tech, engineering and jobs allied to the DCs A levels are dominated by degree holders. They often go on to start up companies when they have cut their teeth with an employer. They get an idea. They have knowledge. They spot a gap in the market. It’s way more difficult for a market stall holder to get on now. Gift of the gab helps on the Apprentice but most young entrepreneurs have way more skills than that.

Wow!
Thank you all for the great advice and tips. 💐💐💐
I will have a peruse around some of the websites mentioned.

It’s interesting re Degree Apprenticeships how difficult it is to access one.
DH has it in his head that it would be sooo much better than Uni.....mainly because of financial element but also as it might provide a job at the end.
I steer more towards the Uni experience as a whole but DS2 will make his own choice.
I’ve got a feeling his school won’t provide much help re Degree Apprenticeships. I think they prefer their students to take the more traditional Uni route.

He won’t be going to Oxford/Imperial but, if he chooses to go down the Uni route, hopefully a RG Uni.

@BaconAndAvocado ask the school if they participate in the Enterprise Advisor Network. Enterprise Advisors tend to get pigeon-holed as there when needed for work experience contacts, interview practice, etc. but this is the sort of area where they could provide some external careers advice.

I know it's not the stereotypical uni. But apprenticeships in government or nhs run through open uni. I was going to apply for social work and there was a list on the open uni site, and also nhs careers site or every now and again the local council has their interview list up. www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/nhs-apprenticeships

Here is the link to their ones and live vacancies. Think there are medical science based ones through there for info and an option.

Not sure if you can cover all bases, apply for uni and interview, if you don't get a place go to uni?

Linked an example, looks like the science ones go through a university anyway, so I'm guessing you get the uni experience with a wage and job at the end too? X

@bumblebee2235 I just tried the link and looked for apprenticeships in my area. I have two big hospitals within 10 miles. Not a single vacancy. Not one. I feel sorry for young people. At around £6 an hour, it’s not hugely attractive if you have to move away from home. Searching every employer is so time consuming.

Didn't realise this was a thing!
DS1 works for KPMG but went to Uni the traditional way.