Life after college...

holla!

Just wondering what everyone is planning to do after they finish up in WIT this year...

• Are you confident of finding work here in Ireland?

• Do you plan to emigrate?

• Are you pursuing a masters or PhD?

A few points I would like to raise myself..
I know that I am definitely going to emigrate. From listening to others and looking through job sites, I applied for a Canadian working holiday visa and I am pretty optimistic about securing a well-paid job! I was shocked to read recently that over 200,000 people will be after leaving Ireland from now until 2015. How can the country be expected to recover economically if all our bright young minds pursue careers elsewhere?

On the subject of masters/PhD programmes, does anybody question the ability and intelligence of people entering these programmes? For example, a person in my fourth year class didn't know that the end product of the breakdown of starch was glucose. A leaving cert (maybe junior cert) biology student could have answered that! The shocking thing is that this person is being approved for a post-doctoral research programme! Are WIT so focused on getting research done that they have completely ignored the absolute incompetence of people entering these programmes? Sickening...

Anywho, please share your thoughts on my comments and let us know what life holds for you after college!

RoyalMarine

holla! wrote: »

On the subject of masters/PhD programmes, does anybody question the ability and intelligence of people entering these programmes? For example, a person in my fourth year class didn't know that the end product of the breakdown of starch was glucose.

i agree with everything apart from this. lots of my friends are after completing courses and going onto do masters/phd's but if you asked them how to do anything with a computer apart from use facebook/watch porn they would stare back at you.

unless the course relates to say food science, then it really does not matter if they know that the end product of the breakdown of starch was glucose.

MitchKoobski

Currently pushing myself through this year and next year to get the 'ol piece of paper, then planning on doing a PLC in Journalism. Something I always wanted to do, and would be even doing it next year. Figured I'd put up with the other year of my course though, nothing else going on.

johnnykilo

I'm coming up to end of my 4th year. I'm relatively confident about finding a job in the IT/Software sector here, but it has to be the right job, if not I don't mind looking further afield, possibly Germany. I was toying with the idea of doing a Masters but i'm so sick of college at the moment I think i'll go get a job for a few years, then maybe do a part-time masters.

Just on the point you made about finding a well paid job in Canada. My sister is living there at the moment, she couldn't get a job after college so she went there, and from what she's said and from what i've read, while theres good opportunities there and the standard of living is generally higher, as far as I know salaries are less than they are here. So if it's purely a well-paid job you're looking for Ireland is still one of the highest paid workforces in the world, although obviously you now have to factor in the tax increases and the astronomical price of everything.

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

imported_guy

holla! wrote: »

How can the country be expected to recover economically if all our bright young minds pursue careers elsewhere?

why u leaving so? stay here if you care so much about the country.:rolleyes:

holla! wrote: »

A leaving cert (maybe junior cert) biology student could have answered that! The shocking thing is that this person is being approved for a post-doctoral research programme! Are WIT so focused on getting research done that they have completely ignored the absolute incompetence of people entering these programmes? Sickening...

you sound very bitter, u sure you've nothing against the poor fella?

theres people in a certain engineering course who dont know how to devide fractions, does that mean they're going to make bad engineers?

areyawell

holla! wrote: »

Just wondering what everyone is planning to do after they finish up in WIT this year...


On the subject of masters/PhD programmes, does anybody question the ability and intelligence of people entering these programmes? For example, a person in my fourth year class didn't know that the end product of the breakdown of starch was glucose. A leaving cert (maybe junior cert) biology student could have answered that! The shocking thing is that this person is being approved for a post-doctoral research programme! Are WIT so focused on getting research done that they have completely ignored the absolute incompetence of people entering these programmes? Sickening...

Anywho, please share your thoughts on my comments and let us know what life holds for you after college!

Im planning to move to England or Germany, recession isn't as bad there and have gotten an interview in both from my WIT degree.

"does anybody question the ability and intelligence of people entering these programmes? "

Seriously what are you like? These people who you are calling stupid have gotten a 2.1 degree(which is generally the minimum entry requirement for a masters or PHD). I think you are just jealous of the person or you dont have the marks for a 2.1 degree. Any one can forget something, no matter how simple it is!

dayshah

You don't need to be intelligent to get a 2.1. A lot of hard work and memorisation can do the trick. That, or leaching from people on group projects. I know one idiot who came out with a business masters from WIT (just a pass degree I think), and I know someone else who did a PhD there that certainly wasn't very intelligent (about average), but was willing to put in a lot of work.

I wouldn't advise WIT for a Masters, and certainly not a PhD. The undergrad degrees are of high quality (in business anyway), but the gap with the universities opens up for Master degrees and definitely PhDs.

I'd only do a Masters in Waterford if I didn't have the money to do it elsewhere or had some sort of family commitment. As for PhD, you can do that by distance elsewhere. I would only consider WIT if there was a good scholarship to go with it.

2 types of people do Masters in WIT. Intelligent people who can't leave Waterford for a year due to financial/family reasons, and those not good enough to get in somewhere else. When you apply for a job in a few years time an employer may put you in the latter category.

If you have the money I'd either do a Masters elsewhere, or go abroad for a year and try get some experience. You can always come back to do the Masters if Canada doesn't work out.

KINGVictor

dayshah wrote: »

You don't need to be intelligent to get a 2.1. A lot of hard work and memorisation can do the trick. That, or leaching from people on group projects. I know one idiot who came out with a business masters from WIT (just a pass degree I think), and I know someone else who did a PhD there that certainly wasn't very intelligent (about average), but was willing to put in a lot of work.

I wouldn't advise WIT for a Masters, and certainly not a PhD. The undergrad degrees are of high quality (in business anyway), but the gap with the universities opens up for Master degrees and definitely PhDs.

I'd only do a Masters in Waterford if I didn't have the money to do it elsewhere or had some sort of family commitment. As for PhD, you can do that by distance elsewhere. I would only consider WIT if there was a good scholarship to go with it.

2 types of people do Masters in WIT. Intelligent people who can't leave Waterford for a year due to financial/family reasons, and those not good enough to get in somewhere else. When you apply for a job in a few years time an employer may put you in the latter category.

If you have the money I'd either do a Masters elsewhere, or go abroad for a year and try get some experience. You can always come back to do the Masters if Canada doesn't work out.

I stopped taking you seriously after reading the bolded above...how could you possibly refer to someone as an idiot...do you know the meaning of the word?

I agree that WIT naturally would not be on par with the universities in relation to teaching quality and facilities but that will be largely due to funding constraints...I completed a masters in WIT last year and 90% of my colleagues have got very good jobs even in this difficult economic climate. I am not been biased but I think the course was very beneficial and I learnt a lot and most students agree with me. Your assertion that people only come to WIT if they are not good enough for other colleges is ridiculous, I was admitted to UCD and trinity but I chose WIT because the course was exactly what I was looking for. The UCD course was too general and trinity only offered the course on a part time basis.

WIT has a long way to go to be a well renowned educational institution but it is certainly not as bad as you claim.

dayshah

KINGVictor wrote: »

I stopped taking you seriously after reading the bolded above...how could you possibly refer to someone as an idiot...do you know the meaning of the word?

I agree that WIT naturally would not be on par with the universities in relation to teaching quality and facilities but that will be largely due to funding constraints...I completed a masters in WIT last year and 90% of my colleagues have got very good jobs even in this difficult economic climate. I am not been biased but I think the course was very beneficial and I learnt a lot and most students agree with me. Your assertion that people only come to WIT if they are not good enough for other colleges is ridiculous, I was admitted to UCD and trinity but I chose WIT because the course was exactly what I was looking for. The UCD course was too general and trinity only offered the course on a part time basis.

WIT has a long way to go to be a well renowned educational institution but it is certainly not as bad as you claim.

Yes, I know the meaning of the word idiot. I have access to dictionary.com. I can refer to the person as an idiot because that is what he is. The reason that particular idiot managed the masters was a combination of memorisation, help from others on his projects, and being in with a good crowd for group projects. Being in with a good crowd for group projects can be a huge boost to someone's final grade, and pushed him into pass territory.

I don't know what area you are in, but I was referring to the business school, but it would apply to most of WIT. So the course in WIT suited you better. Fair enough. But if that course was offered in UCD would you have gone there instead?

I never asserted that people only come to WIT because they can't get in anywhere else. I was referring to Masters level courses and specifically mentioned family/financial reasons. Perhaps you should read more carefully before getting all defensive.

I never claimed that WIT was bad. I'm proud to be an ex-student of WIT. However the quality difference opens up at Masters level, and is very large at PhD level.

spadesaspade

areyawell wrote: »

Im planning to move to England or Germany, recession isn't as bad there

I think germany is going through a boom stage

holla!

imported_guy wrote: »

why u leaving so? stay here if you care so much about the country.:rolleyes:



you sound very bitter, u sure you've nothing against the poor fella?

theres people in a certain engineering course who dont know how to devide fractions, does that mean they're going to make bad engineers?

Well firstly, I never said I care so much about this country. Don't get me wrong, I love Ireland but why would I stay in a country with massive unemployment and very few opportunities in my field and have to settle for a mediocre job when I know I could be doing something better?

Secondly, I am most definitely not bitter about anything, especially considering I'm heading for a 1.1 honours degree. I apologise if I'm coming across as an elitist or a snob but you have to acknowledge that the academic ability of undergraduates entering college seems to be decreasing each year. I mean, there's kids coming out of schools with the reading ability of a 12-year old nowadays and college courses are being dumbed-down to suit them. I also find it absolutely amazing that the number of first class honours degrees being conferred is increasing each year. In relation to those people in engineering who can't divide fractions, yeah they will most likely be crap engineers! Dosen't mean they won't get a job and be good at it, just that they're not the kind of people who we can rely on for innovation and entrepreneurship, which is the only way to get this country back on track!

Roomic Cube

Finishing up in Graphic Design, hoping to head to Canada even if it's just a working holiday, but could find design work over there if i was lucky, other then that it'll probably be Germany or Holland the capitals of European design.

Design jobs in Ireland seem limited at best although they are certainly there

Nolanger

holla! wrote: »

How can the country be expected to recover economically if all our bright young minds pursue careers elsewhere?

What do you mean by bright? Most people would say high IQ and I doubt WIT has too many Mensa members studying there!

holla!

Nolanger wrote: »

What do you mean by bright? Most people would say high IQ and I doubt WIT has too many Mensa members studying there!

Most people wouldn't say high IQ actually. Did you never hear the expression bright young minds or something? Anyway, the original topic was what you plan to do after college just in case you want to make a contribution.