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picking a college course

24

Comments

  • #32
    Cody Pomeray
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,648 ✭✭✭Cody Pomeray


    I have to say I cringe when I hear universities and colleges obsess about employment.

    I'm a postgrad right now and I've been at lots of orientation meetings and seminars given to first years over the last week or so. It's really disheartening that you're standing there in a room full of bright, ambitious young people, and there's a committee of bright, eager academics looking back at them, and all the academics want to talk about is how previous graduates have "won" (grr!) jobs at X, Y and Z.

    By all means, employment is a vital and important aspect of education in today's society.

    But if you take your life seriously, you would be foolish to plan your career in 2030 based on the economic circumstances of 2013. Similarly , you cannot base your future happiness on how many previous candidates have "won" (again - grrr) jobs with KPMG or city firms.

    Most people only get one shot at 3rd level education. Don't waste it by investing in other people's needs.

    Sorry for the rant. This sh1t really grinds my gears.


  • #33
    thecatspjs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 519 ✭✭✭thecatspjs


    Do maths, Irish or science. Science is the best though because it's interesting and useful. If you study it, then people will think you are also interesting and useful; even if you're not.


  • #34
    bezerk
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 148 ✭✭bezerk


    EdCastle wrote: »
    I don't think it's funny either.

    It's normally thrown around by unimaginative cretins who have a superiority complex to everyone else. They are normally the same types who can't think their way out of a paper bag and rely on 'mammy & daddy' to bail them out on a regular basis.
    Larianne wrote: »
    Because they are usually boring, unfunny and have nothing interesting to say so have to fill the silence somehow.

    I work as a .Net Developer on a very good salary so don't need "Mammy and Daddy" to ever bail me out. I am also not a "cretin". The truth is Arts degrees are not employable. Science is on the increase, I.T and business are booming. A lot of people who do Arts want to be teachers but that is gone downhill. I think a lot of people who do Arts would not be able for I.T or business so they are the ones who cant think there way out of a paper bag


  • #35
    MadYaker
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,341 ✭✭✭✭MadYaker


    bezerk wrote: »
    I wasn't trying to be funny, its one of the least employable course. Teaching is gone to crap and whats the point of learning two subjects that are never going to be used?

    Very hard to get a job now but if he starts next year he won't be qualified until 2018 or 2019, things may well be better by then.

    A lot more of the "were all screwed" attitude in this thread I see. If you get a first class honours degree in science or engineering or I.T you will be getting job offers before you even graduate. I have friends who this has happened to. If you do a sh!t course or only come out with a pass degree then you're f*cked. I don't want a real job yet so I'm doing post grad because college is mad craic altogether.


  • #36
    thecatspjs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 519 ✭✭✭thecatspjs


    bezerk wrote: »
    I work as a .Net Developer on a very good salary so don't need Mammy and Daddy to ever bail me out. The truth is Arts degrees are not very employable. Science is on the increase, I.T and business are booming.

    How can anyone say that? There are so many subjects to study as part of an arts degree. If someone does an arts degree in French and computer science, they will find employment. Likewise with maths, geography, Irish, economics. Obviously of you do theology, philosophy, anthropology you may struggle to find something in a related field; but at least you will have enjoyed studying and it can help broaden the mind.


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  • #37
    reap-a-rat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,013 ✭✭✭reap-a-rat


    OneArt wrote: »
    I've never heard of a competent school guidance counselor.

    When I first went to secondary school, older friends told me the guidance teacher's only advice was to not become a teacher because it was rubbish. He left, and the one I had only ever wanted us to do engineering, because there was some grant for women in engineering the time... It didn't matter if you really wanted to be a nurse or a lawyer, engineering was the only way to go. Shocking stuff!

    As for the OP, I hadn't a clue what I wanted to do really until I went on work experience to Armagh Observatory. One of the PhD students there was teaching others how to code and it looked interesting, so I started thinking about Computer Science as an option. Then, flicking through that Career Journal thing you have in LC, I came to technology and answered yes to all the Questions so I put IT in NUIG down first choice and never looked back. Work as a developer now part time while doing a masters in ISM. Didn't do it for the job at all, but have had no trouble getting one when I wanted one in the field at all!


  • #38
    bezerk
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 148 ✭✭bezerk


    thecatspjs wrote: »
    How can anyone say that? There are so many subjects to study as part of an arts degree. If someone does an arts degree in French and computer science, they will find employment. Likewise with maths, geography, Irish, economics. Obviously of you do theology, philosophy, anthropology you may struggle to find something in a related field; but at least you will have enjoyed studying and it can help broaden the mind.

    What job would you get in Irish and geography? Maths and Computer Science are employable but what I mean is people who pick say Irish and Philosophy, what bloody job are you going to get?


  • #39
    MadYaker
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,341 ✭✭✭✭MadYaker


    Do a Phd in Irish and some arts college in the USA will give you tenure as a lecturer no bother. A lot of yanks with irish heritage want to study it in university but they are lacking people who can teach it at that level.


  • #40
    cena
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,396 ✭✭✭✭cena


    I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.


  • #41
    Cody Pomeray
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,648 ✭✭✭Cody Pomeray


    bezerk wrote: »
    What job would you get in Irish and geography? Maths and Computer Science are employable but what I mean is people who pick say Irish and Philosophy, what bloody job are you going to get?
    Sorry but you've got a badly out-dated view on careers.

    This isn't 1950. Employers don't look so much at the headline degree program as the skill-set associated with it. Philosophy might be associated with logical analysis, criticism, capacity for processing complicated abstract ideas, and so on.

    Geography would require quasi-scientific skills of analysis or rational thinking, I would assume.

    I would have thought most people under the age of 50 would be over the "if it isn't a job title it isn't an important degree" nonsense by now. One of the best barristers/ legal academics in Dublin has a degree in English literature.


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  • #42
    thecatspjs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 519 ✭✭✭thecatspjs


    bezerk wrote: »
    What job would you get in Irish and geography? Maths and Computer Science are employable but what I mean is people who pick say Irish and Philosophy, what bloody job are you going to get?

    There are a fair few openings for Irish teachers I believe, also there is always translating to be done and I can bet the Gaelteacht (sp?) regions take on people regularly. Geography graduates would make fine cartographers.Like I said, philosophy and the likes won't benefit too many people in the jobs market but I would say most philosophy students know that.

    You're not guaranteed a job with any degree. A lot of it comes down to the person's motives and how they apply themselves. Someone with a decent degree in philosophy might turn out to be a quicker learner and more versatile thinker than some lazy fúck with a pass computer science degree . In many areas that is more important.


  • #43
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,226 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    AnonoBoy wrote: »
    I heard an ad for a degree in the property crash recently.

    Honestly.

    A degree in the property crash?

    What are you going to do with that. Just hang around and wait for another crash so you can step in and say, "Hey - I studied this. Stand back while I write an analytical article about it."?

    So y'know, don't do that sh*tty degree anyway.

    A whole degree based on it? How the hell are you going to drag 18 modules out of that?


  • #44
    MadYaker
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,341 ✭✭✭✭MadYaker


    cena wrote: »
    I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.

    What subjects did you do for leaving cert? Ar would you be applying as a mature student rather than through the CAO?


  • #45
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,226 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    bezerk wrote: »
    I am also not a "cretin". The truth is Arts degrees are not employable.

    :confused:


  • #46
    ruaille buaille
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 123 ✭✭ruaille buaille


    My advice to u would be to wait until u know what u want to do. Maybe take a year travelling first.
    Also, I wouldnt advise u to do a general degree in something like arts or business. Made that mistake myself and never got a decent job from it. Choose something specific that will lead u towards a particular job. You dont want to spend 4 years studying something and then go back to getting the same jobs u were getting before u graduated!


  • #47
    Larianne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,954 ✭✭✭✭Larianne


    cena wrote: »
    I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.

    Do a sports science degree and see if any do a year erasmus programme.
    I'm sure the fundamentals of sports coaching is the same. You'll just have to do one of your placements up the North. Or talk to people from the Irish Ice Hocekey club. The one thing I've found is that people who have the same interest as you have no problem talking about it and love having newcomers talk to them.

    Never say never!


  • #48
    bezerk
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 148 ✭✭bezerk


    thecatspjs wrote: »
    There are a fair few openings for Irish teachers I believe, also there is always translating to be done and I can bet the Gaelteacht (sp?) regions take on people regularly. Geography graduates would make fine cartographers.Like I said, philosophy and the likes won't benefit too many people in the jobs market but I would say most philosophy students know that.

    You're not guaranteed a job with any degree. A lot of it comes down to the person's motives and how they apply themselves. Someone with a decent degree in philosophy might turn out to be a quicker learner and more versatile thinker than some lazy fúck with a pass computer science degree . In many areas that is more important.

    So a company would take someone on as a programmer who has a philosophy degree over someone who has a pass degree in computer science hmm


  • #49
    resnatop
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24 ✭resnatop


    cena wrote: »
    I like music, games, and I love ice hockey. I would love to do a coaching course in hockey. But a lack of ice in ireland doesn.t help.

    There might be ice in Ireland again, since DKIT have taken over the old ice dome and JJB complex.

    (DKIT 1st Years got told about it this week.)


  • #50
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    thecatspjs wrote: »
    How can anyone say that? There are so many subjects to study as part of an arts degree. If someone does an arts degree in French and computer science, they will find employment. Likewise with maths, geography, Irish, economics. Obviously of you do theology, philosophy, anthropology you may struggle to find something in a related field; but at least you will have enjoyed studying and it can help broaden the mind.
    Computer science and maths arent necessarily BA.


  • #51
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,226 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    bezerk wrote: »
    So a company would take someone on as a programmer who has a philosophy degree over someone who has a pass degree in computer science hmm

    You are attributing far too much importance to degrees. They're not worth that much on their own these days anyways, whether its arts or computer science


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  • #52
    bezerk
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 148 ✭✭bezerk


    Celly Smunt wrote: »
    Computer science and maths arent necessarily BA.

    True, I'm talking about the BS subjects like philosophy, geography, Irish, English, Classical studies, English with Drama, Linguistics, Art History,sociology and the likes


  • #53
    cena
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,396 ✭✭✭✭cena


    MadYaker wrote: »
    What subjects did you do for leaving cert? Ar would you be applying as a mature student rather than through the CAO?

    Be a manture student. I'm 28. Does it go in your leavin cert results.


  • #54
    bezerk
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 148 ✭✭bezerk


    Deleted User wrote: »
    You are attributing far too much importance to degrees. They're not worth that much on their own these days anyways, whether its arts or computer science
    Cody Pomeray wrote: »
    Sorry but you've got a badly out-dated view on careers.

    This isn't 1950. Employers don't look so much at the headline degree program as the skill-set associated with it. Philosophy might be associated with logical analysis, criticism, capacity for processing complicated abstract ideas, and so on.

    Geography would require quasi-scientific skills of analysis or rational thinking, I would assume.

    I would have thought most people under the age of 50 would be over the "if it isn't a job title it isn't an important degree" nonsense by now. One of the best barristers/ legal academics in Dublin has a degree in English literature.


    Yes they are, Programming and networking are booming and Ireland is struggling to fill these roles. Business and Science are also highly employable


  • #55
    cena
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,396 ✭✭✭✭cena


    resnatop wrote: »
    There might be ice in Ireland again, since DKIT have taken over the old ice dome and JJB complex.

    (DKIT 1st Years got told about it this week.)

    Where did you hear this?


  • #56
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    You are attributing far too much importance to degrees. They're not worth that much on their own these days anyways, whether its arts or computer science

    I disagree,for people 40+ they dont hold much significance as they generally have experience in the field by being employed prior to the influx graduates.
    For many many jobs a degree is minimum these days, in 10 years time jobs will probably be even more dependent on third level education.


  • #57
    cena
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,396 ✭✭✭✭cena


    I wouldn't mind I.t work. I would love to move to the states.


  • #58
    Zillah
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,369 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    Do something you feel passionate about and tell everyone else to go to hell. Your parents don't have to live with the consequences of your career for the rest of your life, you do. Passion gives motivation, motivation gives expertise and expertise becomes profession.

    Many people hate their life, work is a torturous chore, and they want everyone else to suffer with them, because hey, why should you get off easy if they can't? Don't listen to anyone who doesn't seem happy.


  • #59
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    cena wrote: »
    Be a manture student. I'm 28. Does it go in your leavin cert results.

    Interviews are the main thing for mature students.Colleges are generally highly receptive of mature students due to their higher output and commitment.


  • #60
    resnatop
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24 ✭resnatop


    cena wrote: »
    Where did you hear this?

    I am a DKIT first year. They hope to buy it within the next fortnight from the people who the assets. A deal has been reached. http://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/lifestyle/entertainment/scene-and-heard/dkit-given-green-light-to-purchase-jjb-1-5430904


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  • #61
    thecatspjs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 519 ✭✭✭thecatspjs


    bezerk wrote: »
    So a company would take someone on as a programmer who has a philosophy degree over someone who has a pass degree in computer science hmm

    Obviously not. You're missing the point. If it's a non specific role in an advertising company or an insurance firm for example. Most places look for intelligent and well adjusted people. Not everyone who studies computer science wants to be a programmer. Often people go into jobs that have no relation to their degree whatsoever. Just by studying for 3 or 4 years tells the employer a lot about you.


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