University Courses with good career prospects

tunde10

I asked this question in the students thread but i think it is more appropriate here.

I was wondering if anyone can help me out here. I am asking on behalf of someone currently in first year of A-level and has no idea what university course to take.
He current does Art, Geography & History. These don't seem to be realistic courses that can lead to a job.

So basically i am asking for suggestions on University courses where once you finish, you can apply for a job and actually have a chance of getting one. So ideally courses/career where the jobs are available or even a growing need in the near future. Also courses where it is relatively easy to get in and do not need 4 A's etc.

An example from personal experience is Accountancy and Finance. On completion of this course, i got an office based job. This eventually led to an Accounts Payable role and professional studies towards being qualified. Once qualified, i expect to earn £38k+ in UK and also allows the opportunity to go abroad.
However even this isn't the greatest option as i know many people i graduated with with no jobs.

Any suggestions would be great then i will compile a list to send to the person where he will research further and find something they will like but also be of use.

Person_one

What kind of job does this person want? What are they good at? What do they enjoy?

A 1st in a traditional subject from a uni with a good reputation will look good when applying to most graduate entry schemes, they don't tend to specify a subject.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/graduate_employers.htm

There are no guarantees whatever they study these days.

tpl

Good thinking to start planning, I think many have made the 'mistake' (me included) of doing degrees that have not led to careers/jobs (in recent years there have been soooo many university courses that have not been very useful for this purpose!....although no learning or life experience is ever really wasted. But, planning wisely is a good idea, especially now, when most students leave university with a tonne of debt! But, yes he needs to do something that he is interested in of course, regardless of the end product, as otherwise he won't want to stick at it, or will regret doing it. So, perhaps he should go and speak to a careers advisor to try and get some direction.

There are lots of things to choose from, but I don't know about the grades you need for different fields. For example, he could use the A'levels he has got, and go onto teaching (eg. teach art or geography). He could do something in the social and health care field, if he is interested in that...which could lead to different health/social care professions (nutrition, physiotherapy, nursing, radiography...etc). He could specialise in a field, and go on to do postgraduate research/lecturing if that's is something he would want to do/has the aptitude for. He could do law (?) or sports science, or physical sciences/ecology (if he wanted to do conversation type work - though jobs are not easy to get...but still possible).

He could even not go to university (it's not compulsory and not always a good idea!) and learn a trade or skill that he could develop his own business with and/or work for someone else.

I would suggest he meets with a career development advisor who could help he identify want he wants to do, and what he has got the resources and aptitude for.

tunde10

Person_one wrote: »

What kind of job does this person want? What are they good at? What do they enjoy?

A 1st in a traditional subject from a uni with a good reputation will look good when applying to most graduate entry schemes, they don't tend to specify a subject.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/graduate_employers.htm

There are no guarantees whatever they study these days.

Thanks for the reply
The problem is he doesnt really know what kind of job he wants. He isnt thinking seriously about it like he should.
He enjoys the topics he's currently studying but it is likely to be a big mistake to study Art at Uni for example.
He actually had very good GCSE grades as he had 13 A-C's so is genenrally good at most subjects.
I am just looking to compile a list really and this would help him decide.

tunde10

tpl wrote: »

Good thinking to start planning, I think many have made the 'mistake' (me included) of doing degrees that have not led to careers/jobs (in recent years there have been soooo many university courses that have not been very useful for this purpose!....although no learning or life experience is ever really wasted. But, planning wisely is a good idea, especially now, when most students leave university with a tonne of debt! But, yes he needs to do something that he is interested in of course, regardless of the end product, as otherwise he won't want to stick at it, or will regret doing it. So, perhaps he should go and speak to a careers advisor to try and get some direction.

There are lots of things to choose from, but I don't know about the grades you need for different fields. For example, he could use the A'levels he has got, and go onto teaching (eg. teach art or geography). He could do something in the social and health care field, if he is interested in that...which could lead to different health/social care professions (nutrition, physiotherapy, nursing, radiography...etc). He could specialise in a field, and go on to do postgraduate research/lecturing if that's is something he would want to do/has the aptitude for. He could do law (?) or sports science, or physical sciences/ecology (if he wanted to do conversation type work - though jobs are not easy to get...but still possible).

He could even not go to university (it's not compulsory and not always a good idea!) and learn a trade or skill that he could develop his own business with and/or work for someone else.

I would suggest he meets with a career development advisor who could help he identify want he wants to do, and what he has got the resources and aptitude for.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply

I agree with teaching, that is one of the things i will suggest as i know certains fields such as Maths has a shortage.
I have added a courses that leads could teaching to the list, as well as law, sports science & health and social care.
He is quite intelligent and actually wants to go to university, he just hasnt thought about it clearly. I'm pretty sure he has already met a careers advisor but i will suggest he goes again.

Dunroamin

tunde10 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply
The problem is he doesnt really know what kind of job he wants. He isnt thinking seriously about it like he should.
He enjoys the topics he's currently studying but it is likely to be a big mistake to study Art at Uni for example.
He actually had very good GCSE grades as he had 13 A-C's so is genenrally good at most subjects.
I am just looking to compile a list really and this would help him decide.

Should? Who says he should?

tunde10

Dunroamin wrote: »

Should? Who says he should?

Well he already wants to go to University, so he should start thinking about what he wants to do.

Of course he could end up picking whatever course seems the most fun as some people do then end up with no real job prospects and over £30K debt which he will never pay back due to lack of employment!

I've seen many of my school friends make this mistake and now can't even find work in retail and unable to go back to University as there is no loan available for a 2nd degree.

Anyway i am just looking to make a list, i wont be forcing him to do anything. He's not even a family member, so i can't force him to do anything.

Person_one

tunde10 wrote: »

He enjoys the topics he's currently studying but it is likely to be a big mistake to study Art at Uni for example.

Didn't do me any harm! :rotfl:

If he's not passionate about anything, then he should study a subject he can excel in and enjoy enough to concentrate on for three years. If you disapprove of art for some reason then geography and history are fine. A degree in one of those from a redbrick will give him a decent start.

He doesn't need to have a 10 year career plan at the age of 17 though, not many people have their careers set in stone and a smooth path in front of them at that age.

tpl

tunde10 wrote: »

Thanks for the thoughtful reply

I agree with teaching, that is one of the things i will suggest as i know certains fields such as Maths has a shortage.
I have added a courses that leads could teaching to the list, as well as law, sports science & health and social care.
He is quite intelligent and actually wants to go to university, he just hasnt thought about it clearly. I'm pretty sure he has already met a careers advisor but i will suggest he goes again.

it is a difficult one, choosing your future when you are young, if you are not sure what you want to do!. i think if he wanted to do something like art it's not that he shouldn't do it, but to have passion,commitment, tenacity and talent, would be a good foundation... unfortunately, as you have alluded to, it's not the best path to get a traditional 'job' and earn a regular/decent wage though (but possible), if you are lucky/talented and get a break in the art world making/selling your own stuff...though he could go on to do other related things....graphic design, artist in residence somewhere, teaching, art or drama psychotherapy (employed in the health/social care sector).

tunde10

Person_one wrote: »

Didn't do me any harm! :rotfl:

If he's not passionate about anything, then he should study a subject he can excel in and enjoy enough to concentrate on for three years. If you disapprove of art for some reason then geography and history are fine. A degree in one of those from a redbrick will give him a decent start.

He doesn't need to have a 10 year career plan at the age of 17 though, not many people have their careers set in stone and a smooth path in front of them at that age.

Okay, thanks for correcting me. I don't know much about Art but it sounds like a career where i would assume most successful people did not have to go to University to study.

Also it's good to know that History and Geography degrees are actually valuable. But can i ask what jobs can someone apply for after graduating with this?

Also Redbrick sounds like them top universities which is currently not a realistic option for majority of people. That's why i suggested courses where is entry isnt so difficult.

Finally its not about having a career planned out perfectly. Like i mentioned, he currently doesnt know what he wants to do. That's why i was trying to ask for help to make a list of courses.

tunde10

tpl wrote: »

it is a difficult one, choosing your future when you are young, if you are not sure what you want to do!. i think if he wanted to do something like art it's not that he shouldn't do it, but to have passion,commitment, tenacity and talent, would be a good foundation... unfortunately, as you have alluded to, it's not the best path to get a traditional 'job' and earn a regular/decent wage though (but possible), if you are lucky/talented and get a break in the art world making/selling your own stuff...though he could go on to do other related things....graphic design, artist in residence somewhere, teaching, art or drama psychotherapy (employed in the health/social care sector).

To be honest, he;s not that passionate about Art. It's just an hobby he enjoys doing just like most boys enjoyed doing P.E at school. He hasnt said he was hoping to do a degree in it. But if he did i will use these suggestions.

It's just if he doesn't think about it now, he may end up just picking any course that comes to mind and end up dropping out and wasting one year. He's already wasted one year at college doing courses because his friends were doing it and had to retake first year1 A level doing the new courses.