Guest The Pom Queen Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Tell them to choose a career that you don't want them to do as that's how it seems to,work with mine, I've got use to using reverse psychology as whatever I say they do the opposite. Mind you I think I was probably the same when I was young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 I think some people on here are a little confused. I'm not trying to guide them towards any particular career. They are asking me for ideas. They will have to start making course choices in the next couple of years, and I would like them to have some idea what they are aiming for. One is thinking architect, one is thinking accounting. Architect sounds right, but the accountancy choice is based solely on the fact that he likes maths. From what I know about accountancy, it is more involved with the legal side rather than numbers. Actuary could be a better choice, but how do you become a actuary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Would never advise or put too much pressure on them to do well at school. All my parents said to me was if you get enough GCSEs to get onto the college course that I wanted they would pay for me to go to see my aunty in Australia. I've seen people so pressurised to do well at school, so much so that it back fired and the pressure was too much for them to deal with. I went onto have my hol in oz, then got onto my health and social care course, during this did voluntary work with an elderly blind woman etc. interests lead you onto the career path you should have, my parents supported everything I did, no pressure, just encouragement. Enjoying working with people is all I knew I enjoyed, applied for a job at our local college as an educational support assistant with learning disability adults and young people, then mainstream also...my boss then directed myself and my friend/colleague into teaching while training to be teachers...which we did..we team taught a group of male students physical, social education for a year, from this I knew I didn't want to teach, but directed me into pursuing social work, it's fair to say the group of lads were challenging, trying to jump out of windows, setting deodorant can on fire, fights..and on it goes. But basically from this I enrolled onto a social work degree course in my mid to late 20s..I love social work, but had to go on the journey I did to get where I was meant to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 (edited) I think some people on here are a little confused. I'm not trying to guide them towards any particular career. They are asking me for ideas. They will have to start making course choices in the next couple of years, and I would like them to have some idea what they are aiming for. One is thinking architect, one is thinking accounting. Architect sounds right, but the accountancy choice is based solely on the fact that he likes maths. From what I know about accountancy, it is more involved with the legal side rather than numbers. Actuary could be a better choice, but how do you become a actuary? Just wondering, but you were brought up in Australia weren't you? And I think in Australia children are pushed towards making decisions earlier or it seems that way to me looking at my colleagues track record, they all seem to have chosen something career relevant at 18 or so. But I think in UK, doors can be kept open for quite a long time as there are options to study academic subjects (e.g. History, English, Maths) whereas in Australia everyone I know has studied something really quite commercial (e.g. Finance, Commerce, Public Policy). I have a degree in mathematics and can tell you that by far the two most popular occupations people were looking into during third year were Actuarial and Accountancy. For Actuarial there would need to have been a strong focus on statistics in the modules selected during the degree. How one becomes an actuary or accountant is much the same, finish degree (actuary would definitely need maths, accountant could be anything), apply for a graduate trainee position and then spend 3-5 years studying whilst working full time. No, I would definitely not state that accountancy is mainly legal, people do sometimes thing that accountants spend all their time interpreting accounting legislation, in fact there are usually specialists for this and minority would spend minimal time on that. Accounting is not maths either, but being numerate helps with both and definitely accountants work with numbers a lot. Although at maths degree level, you won't see many numbers being used, just letters from the Greek alphabet. Edited March 29, 2014 by Rupert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I think some people on here are a little confused. I'm not trying to guide them towards any particular career. They are asking me for ideas. They will have to start making course choices in the next couple of years, and I would like them to have some idea what they are aiming for. One is thinking architect, one is thinking accounting. Architect sounds right, but the accountancy choice is based solely on the fact that he likes maths. From what I know about accountancy, it is more involved with the legal side rather than numbers. Actuary could be a better choice, but how do you become a actuary? Rupert's right. If he's interested in maths, then doing well in his GCSE, then taking it for A level will open doors for him at uni. He could do maths degree (although not necessarily) to become an accountant. He has a lot more time in front of him before he has to make any concrete decision. A range of good grades at GCSE will mean they can choose what to take for A level (many schools will ask for at least a grade B in a subject they want to take for A level). The Russell Group of universities have this - http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices/ which is really useful for making decisions about choosing A levels. There are what they call 'facilitating subjects' which are good for entrance to any degree. They only need to take one or two of these subjects to make sure they don't close any doors. You might find that their school takes part in a profiling exercise in year 9/10. Ours did this one http://www.morrisby.com. I'm not sure how useful they are for choosing, but they do show the student's strengths and likes and which careers would need those strengths. There were jobs in ours that I'd never heard of let alone considered! One thing I would say is that what they love now may well change over the next few years. Our eldest was always set on English, but is off to uni to take German, Spanish and Russian. The middle one was going to do biology or neuroscience, but from starting A level has LOVED psychology, so is doing a degree in that from Sept. That's why it's good to choose a wide range of subjects when GCSE options start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toodolou Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 think there is alot to say for apprenticeships , as you get to try out a job and be 'supported' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade17 Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 How one becomes an accountant is much the same, finish degree (accountant could be anything), apply for a graduate trainee position and then spend 3-5 years studying whilst working full time. Very true in the UK, but I think a little less so here in Australia. Unless you have done a commerce-type degree here, I think you would struggle to get that initial grad trainee position. Competition for these grad places is immense and a non-relevant degree here would rule all but the brightest out at the first hurdle. To the OP, I think there is nothing wrong with giving your kids a bit of gentle guidance on what's available as they begin to make subject choices at school. Personality is just as important to academic ability in most jobs and you know your kids better than any careers advisor. Pointless telling an arty creative child to become an actuary - the money might be good, but work life would be pretty miserable (no disrespect to any actuaries out there). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Very true in the UK, but I think a little less so here in Australia. Unless you have done a commerce-type degree here, I think you would struggle to get that initial grad trainee position. Competition for these grad places is immense and a non-relevant degree here would rule all but the brightest out at the first hurdle. Yes I know that and indeed I have mentioned that choices need to be made earlier in Australia. But OP and his children are in the UK.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 All I would say if your kids are in education in Australia is encourage them to study subjects they are good at and that they get the best marks in. We made the mistake with our eldest of pushing her to study maths in year 12 as it was a 'better' subject than something airy fairy and arty, and we thought the Unis would look at high marks in a 'better' subject as better than high marks in a 'soft' subject. Totally wrong. She is ok at maths but struggled the whole year through, needed a tutor to help her (admittedly she got a really bad maths teacher at school in Year 12, but even so...), and just scraped a pass, which brought her overall ATAR score down. My son on the other hand, in Year 12 now, also struggled with maths and science subjects, so we learnt from our mistakes and encouraged him to pick Year 12 subjects that he is good at, gets good marks at, and enjoys. He dropped all sciences and maths and is really enjoying Year 12, getting As and A+s, and needs very little prompting to complete assignments etc. As far as we can tell, apart from a few 'pre-requisite' subjects for some Uni courses, it's all down to the bottom line mark. Subjects are pretty secondary. He wants to study composing or classical guitar performance at the Con here in Adelaide, so entry for that is on interview/audition, with ATAR score used in a tie-break situation, but it seems most unis assume very little knowledge of the first years n whatever subject, and spend most of the first year bringing everyone up to speed regardless of what they did at school. My daughter's friend is studying French for example - some of the others on her course have done maybe a year of French before starting a degree course in it, while others have studied it all the way through school: they're all in the same classes at Uni! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade17 Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Yes I know that and indeed I have mentioned that choices need to be made earlier in Australia. But OP and his children are in the UK.... I don't know the OP well enough to know whether they are in Brighton UK or Brighton VIC, but this being a forum for people with a passing interest in Australia, I made my comment from a general viewpoint of careers down-under. Wasn't a criticism of your post, just a comment based on my experiences .... my apologies for joining in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 I don't know the OP well enough to know whether they are in Brighton UK or Brighton VIC, but this being a forum for people with a passing interest in Australia, I made my comment from a general viewpoint of careers down-under. Wasn't a criticism of your post, just a comment based on my experiences .... my apologies for joining in. Please don't be put off 'joining in', I doubt there is any real difference anyway & although you were responding to the OP everyone reading your post will gain from your experience 'down under' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Please don't be put off 'joining in', I doubt there is any real difference anyway & although you were responding to the OP everyone reading your post will gain from your experience 'down under' Actually there is a really big difference in how to get into this profession depending upon whether in UK or Australia. Blade is quite right that in Australia, the UK approach will not work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 I took my children to Monash Uni Careers, not sure whether it is still running though. It was worth the money, my son was told to be a teacher, he is a teacher, my daughter was told to work in a museum, she has a psyche/soc degree and post grad teaching degree and works in insurance so one out of 2 is not bad. Museum probably would suit her better though. As far as maths and science goes I think if you have maths and science English, lote and another soc type subject it will get child into most degrees and the ter changes from year to year for different degrees depending on demand, nothing to do with the brightest, unless it is a demand degree. Some degrees in Aus people have to have interviews for. However take heart, all is not ended with leaving school, many children do not get good enough ters and they go and work for a bit then go to TAFE and go to uni which is often a better option as they are older and know what they want to do. Always remember a teacher when my son was going into year eleven, at an evening seminar, he said some children take the direct route and others take the indirect route but as long as they get to do what they want in the long run then its fine. I never pushed my children in VCE, if they did not study it was their problem, after all I was not the one burning the late night oil and there was no pot of gold for getting good marks from us. Both of ours are fine and I am pleased to say they enjoyed their final years at school without the added parental pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 Yes I know that and indeed I have mentioned that choices need to be made earlier in Australia. But OP and his children are in the UK.... We are UK based, but my kids have dual citizenship, and relies that would happily put them up, so uni in oz isn't out of the question, assuming they meet any residency requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 One of the problems with Australian schools is they just love to get kids into high status courses like law etc because it looks good on their stats. My experience of career 'teachers' is - look elsewhere. Most of the ones I came across were hopeless and had spent their lives only as teachers. One notable and brilliant exception said to let my youngest follow her dream of becoming an artist. She did and has never looked back. If we had 'persuaded her' to do a law degree or medical degree ( she had very high marks) I am sure she would have resented us for years to come. My grandson has just started a course in environmental science at uni which he is loving- completely his idea, what he wants to do and so enthusiastic it does our hearts good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 For what it's worth I think you should encourage your children to do things they are interested in but not make them feel as though they should know what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It wasn't until after I had completed uni and begun working that I found where my real interest lay. I would actively encourage them to go to uni though as a degree qual is becoming more and more an entry level qual for most things these days. The only exception I would make to this is if they had an aptitude and passion for a particular trade that would be better served by an apprenticeship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 My eldest is thirteen, and he is starting to think about what he wants to do with the rest of his life. I am in IT, and having watched my industry get outsourced to India, I would never recommend anyone goes into IT, although I love my job. My wife is a teacher, and she hates the way that children are now classed as assets that can have education invested into them to later start producing for the economy. She loves to teach, but she would never recommend teaching to anyone. I'll give a brief rundown on their skills. Eldest (13) is okay academically - mainly b's with some a's. Very creative, very good at design. Good at empathizing with people, although not really a people person. Doesn't want to be rich - just wants to be comfortable. Middle child (12) - more a's than b's, very good at maths, very good with people, wants lots of money. Not very creative. Youngest is too young to think about it - but he is very bright, and very quick on the tongue. I would be interested in anything you thing could specifically interest them, or if you just love your job, please tell. love ,fun , security and life experience is all they need at this stage ...there is far too much pressure on them these days ....from parents and teachers trying to meet targets mainly . my eldest has just left home aged 22 .....not a tear or one iota of regret from me ....I didn't spend too much time at work ,or in the pub , or miss a school sports day or parents evening ....its her time now ..... she knows that she is loved , and that iam always there for her ....shes already been back to raid the cupboard and use the phone :biglaugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connaust Posted April 11, 2014 Share Posted April 11, 2014 I'm past 50 and still don't know what I want to do..... don't push them, let them experience life, travel, work and make up their own minds... too difficult to predict. However, there is a useful resource from Australian government for students to research, think and plan a little for future career and employment MyFuture. PS Living frugally allows lots of options too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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