Most profitable uni course to change career?

mrsbmartin

I just found it interesting...despite not completeing uni I am still able to decipher glyphs etc...to be honest my leaving uni was more to do with family issues. I now have zero contact with my family and haven't had contact for years so there is no danger of the same happening again.

I'm a true jack of all trades, master of few (none would be too harsh..). As I keep saying - I'd be happy studying a variety of subjects. For example, http://www.lancs.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/business-analytics-and-consultancy-bsc-hons-n2n1/ a course like this would be interesting and, with the project management route perhaps, would equip me well for many different roles. However, the worry is that I could get to a similar position in a company by starting as an administrator and working my way up in the time it would have taken to do the course...

mrsbmartin

ringo_24601 wrote: »

find a graduate recruitment fair, go talk to some companies there and ask what sort of person they try to recruit. That should give you a decent insight into a degree choice

I really like this idea, thanks!

Errata

What's your passion? What are you truly passionate about? What grabs all your interest?
I can't figure out any of the above from what you've written so far. What I have garnered is that money is very important to you, but you've done nothing academically so far that would increase your future earning capacity; free online courses don't award any qualifications.
Ringo's suggestion of graduate fairs is a good one, but it seems like you'd be happy with anything that eventually pays plenty of cash; is that your only motivation?
I apologise if I've misread your intentions, I don't mean to be harsh, just pragmatic.

phill99

If you are looking for a degree that will lead to a high salary, you may well be disappointed.

Given the skill base and intense learning, many professions are poorly paid, including architecture' civil engineering, town planning etc. there will always be people within these professions that are extremely well paid, but you'll find the rank and file are only a era gelt paid. Most people that do such degrees mainly do it as a career choice because that have an interest in the subject.

If you put a rewarding and interesting career ahead of income, then there are numerous professions that would suit. If you want a highly paid job, then you need to look at something like saturation diving or mercenary.

mrsbmartin

Errata...as I have previously stated...I am not passionate about anything really. Financial gain isn't the most important thing but I earn (including bonuses) approx £30k pre tax and it doesn't seem sensible to spend £27k on fees to then go into a position that pays £20k a year. I am a fashion retail store manager for a large fashion company & I manage sales in excess of £5million a year, have a staff of 28 year round with 20 extra temps at christmas. I am very good at my job but I hate it - I work with 18 and 19 year olds who bore the **** out of me, I commute for nearly 6 hours a day, I work very long hours, I have very little support from my area manager, I don't get to see hubby to be as he is a paramedic doing shift work - we can sometimes go 4 days without being in the same house as each other.

My partner hates that I do this job as he feels I could do more with my life and I am inclined to agree. I have just outgrown the role and recently found out that it is possible to return to uni and have the fees loaned by slc.

Given the opportunity to go to uni, and my age (25 isn't old but I haven't started my family yet and DH is 10 years older - he isn't getting any younger and I personally think it is healthier to have children before 30) I believe that if I am going to go to uni then I need to get my skates on and make the change.

My problem is that I am not particularly passionate about anything...I like to do diy, to read and to walk my dog - just normal stuff really. I am aware that online courses don't count towards anything - as stated, I just do them to prevent my brain from turning to total mush!!

I basically wanted to know if anyone had any insight into highly desirable undergrad qualifications that translate to a broad spectrum of career opportunities. Sorry - I should have just said that at the beginning...

somethingcorporate

I studied a degree quite similar to the one you posted, starting a Grad position in consultancy at a FTSE100 blue-chip tech company. Consultancy wasn't for me and I am now in finance being sponsored for my accountancy qualifications and earning around £55k including my car allowance and bonus at 28 years old.

The degree was broad, numeric and business-focussed. People from my course have scattered across lots of industries in lots of positions from marketing bods, civil servants, consultants (both self-employed and employed), accountants, lawyers and retail managers so it does give a useful toolbox to apply to whatever takes your fancy. The issue with gaining a broad degree is it still gives you a massive amount of choice and very little direction, you still need to apply that yourself!

Still, a degree is never going to be a guarantee of success. My wife got a 1st in law from Oxford and does very well, many of her Oxbridge peers are now teachers earning average teachers wage and some are very successful barristers on 6 figure salaries - just because they had the same background does not guarantee them vast sums of money upon graduation.

If you want money you have to be focused in terms of areas so consider medicine, law, accountancy, management consultancy etc. These areas are well paid but have incredibly high levels of competition. If you don't fancy the academic route have you considered air traffic control? Can be very well paid, very challenging and good fun (by all accounts) and does not require you to go back and do a new degree. Have a look here: http://www.nats.co.uk/

Good luck!

Errata

I think that as you want to spend more time with your OH and also start a family within the next few years, it would be worth your while trawling through the degree courses your nearest Uni offers, seeing what gives you a ping and then researching opportunities and career progression in that.
Do remember that what may be a low salary to start with may have an upper end high salary as you progress through the ranks. Don't dismiss the OU; many employers are very impressed by the motivation and commitment an OU degree demonstates.

mrsbmartin

Thanks somethingcorporate!!! I'm a motivated person, very goal orientated and I know what to say and do to get ahead in the game so I feel confident that the right course would open lots of doors and once I have studied a course such as the one above, some element should stand out as the 'follow me' pathway.

Thanks for the positive and inspirational post!!!

BTW - air traffic control sounds cool!! maybe too cool for me...I'm 25 going on 45...

mrsbmartin

Thanks Errata...I do wonder about the OU but it is reassuring that companies respect the discipline. As I said previously - I don't mind a paycut so long as I can progress. I just feel like this is the golden 2nd chance that would allow me to put my past (ie everything before I turned 20) to rest and set me and my family up for a new future.

Excited now...Thanks Everyone!!!

Errata

Best wishes and good luck to you. Just remember the highest salaries may not mean the most job satisfaction, which counts for a great deal.