where to go after year 11?

G-MAN2004 said:
Aspirations to become a system builder? Aiming a bit low aren't you?
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Some people dont know exactly what they want to do when they leave school, not everyone has that drive

When I left school its exactly what I did, it came along, and it seemed perfect for a first job rather than just filing paper in an office...Especially when its what you're interested in as well
 
Dunks said:
DO NOT aspire to be a system builder. It's really not something you'd want to do as a career...
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This. You are are interested in computer hardware and actually want a career in it then you really want to be doing A-Levels. Definitely maths, and then choose between physics, computer science, further maths, chemistry...

With these subjects you'll actually be able to understand how computer hardware works, will be able to do a degree in computer science (or more usefully in my opinion physics or (electrical) engineering). With that background you'll have a good chance of a decent career involving computer hardware. Building computers is essentially an unskilled factory job.
 
I've done a BTEC ND and am over half-way through my A-Levels, and I'm just going to put it out there that A-Levels are better. They're more interesting in that you actually learn a decent amount of stuff from them, and they're better in that good universities will actually accept them by themselves. BTECs on the other hand just seem to be a big failure, they pretend to offer you skills that might be applicable to a work placement, the fact is that they do nothing of the sort. The only thing I learnt over the course of my BTEC was how to write copious amounts on completely intellectually devoid subjects.

I honestly can't express how boring it was to screenshot and explain the process of clicking 'next' several times during the course of several installation processes of basic utility tools. On the plus side, with my new perspective gained by this level of monotony, I now consider mathematical problems fun by comparison.
 
memyselfandi said:
Personally I think that attending a college is better than attending six form in your school because it allows you to an interim between the strictness of the school environment and the freedom of university. The majority of the people I saw go off the rails and over do drinking etc at university were those who went to six forms and hence were not use to being self motivated and just couldn't take the new freedom.
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It isn't as simple as that. I stayed on at Sixth Form with some of my friends, and others went to a local seperate Sixth Form college (with a much better reputation).
Except, that college got such good grades because it gave its pupils less freedom than in high school- case in point being the massive detentions it gave out, or how much teachers were on your back, and so on. As a result, the people there generally worked harder.

Where as my Sixth Form was a lot closer to a university environment- i.e. somewhat less strict than high school- it put a lot of responsibility on you doing the graft and keeping up to date.

Come AS results day, those friends at the college came out with ridiculous grade sets AAAB, AAAA, AABB etc.
But, things flipped around again come A2 results day. Personally, my poor AS results spured me (and other friends) on to get some great A2 grades. Yet at the college, the great AS results had made almost all of my friends complacent, and ultimately underachieve, given the almost perfect platform they had earned at AS. That AAAB for example turned into ABCD.

So freedom at A level isn't straight forward, it is very much swings and roundabouts. I cocked up my AS levels because I wasn't given enough insight into how important they were, nor was I told how much effort was really required to get the top grades compared to GCSE. Now for me, this pushed me to work very well independently at A2, get good grades, and also prepare me for the University environment. Others at my sixth form cocked up both years. And some of my friends at the college did really well for the whole of A levels but didn't do great in the first year of university because they couldn't get round not having people chase them up all the time.

To the OP- like everyone has said, doing system building for the next 50+ years isn't going to get you were you want to be in life. It is a practically skill devoid role, that has little opportunity for advancement. Do your A levels, get some good grades in decent subjects (for example IT and computing?), and then look at your options of a career or further education.
 
Lightnix said:
I've done a BTEC ND and am over half-way through my A-Levels, and I'm just going to put it out there that A-Levels are better. They're more interesting in that you actually learn a decent amount of stuff from them, and they're better in that good universities will actually accept them by themselves. BTECs on the other hand just seem to be a big failure, they pretend to offer you skills that might be applicable to a work placement, the fact is that they do nothing of the sort. The only thing I learnt over the course of my BTEC was how to write copious amounts on completely intellectually devoid subjects.

I honestly can't express how boring it was to screenshot and explain the process of clicking 'next' several times during the course of several installation processes of basic utility tools. On the plus side, with my new perspective gained by this level of monotony, I now consider mathematical problems fun by comparison.
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I won't shoot down your opinions, because it's not proper - but what I will say is its entirely down to the person what learning style they prefer.

As for the BTEC not being accepted as Readily, below is a post I put in another thread just like this one this morning:

I took a BTEC, as I wasn't sure what I really wanted to do. I am now at Reading Uni studying Comp Sci - I had offers from Kent, Loughborough, Bristol and Southampton as well, but stayed in Reading due to family commitments at the time.

What I will say, is if you want to progress to uni, you need to do really well in the BTEC, which isn't at all hard as long as you are methodical and picky with all the assignment criteria. I achieved a DDD (before you could get D*D*D*), and still had plenty of time to enjoy myself.

I had no exams, all coursework - this is really down to what suits you, personally I didn't miss the exams one bit.

Also make sure you check out the exact spec of the BTEC you do, as you have probably seen BTEC FOR IT PRACTITIONERS for example can come in any flavour from "PROGRAMMING" to "NETWORKING" - I was always advised that something more generic/software/software engineering would make life at Uni easier, and 100% honestly almost all the stuff I learnt at college has popped back up at some point since I started Uni (2009). Hope this helps.

EDIT: To gain entry onto some courses, some universities require that you do a separate maths course, or that the BTEC includes a maths module. Mine was the latter, and hand a module "Maths For IT Prac" which contained some algorithms/logic/binary systems, needed a Distinction in this to be eligible for Comp Sci/IT/and Cybernetics.
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All qualifications are the same, if you are willing to put the effort in and go for the top grades, as long as the UCAS points add up, its no harder than A-Levels to gain a Uni place.

I will also mention that a large amount of the content I studied at BTEC has returned in my Computer Science course - which has been extremely helpful and has so far made my work a lot less stressful.

As I said, its horses for courses - a BTEC may not be appropriate for Oxford/Cambridge - but in my opinion some of my offers were from fairly credible universities (Kent, Reading and Loughborough being well recognised for CS)
 
Do A-Levels even though you're not interested, doss through it and then doss through uni as well then complain about paying money back and/or failing! too many people think they HAVE to do a-levels and HAVE to go to uni, cos its almost the cool thing.

Or work hard at A-levels or do something you are genuinely interested in.

I did an IT hardware support course and it got me this job, although I didn't really learn anything from the course, just gained the qualifications, aah good times.
 
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Im in a very similar situation, I honestly do not want to stay on at my current school and am currently considering going to a college, or finding some form of apprenticeship, as i feel that i could get similar qualifications to A Levels and some experience at the same time, i'm also looking at the Zenos courses which look very good on paper, but will be going to an open day to get the proper feel,

To the OP, have you decided yet, if so what are you planning to do im also looking at some form of IT career, and the help zenos seems to offer looks great
 
memyselfandi said:
Not all schools have a 6th form but the people who are posting to go to one probably did so that's what they are used to. In the town where I grew up there were three main secondary schools and none of them had a sixth form so we all went to the six form college.

Personally I think that attending a college is better than attending six form in your school because it allows you to an interim between the strictness of the school environment and the freedom of university. The majority of the people I saw go off the rails and over do drinking etc at university were those who went to six forms and hence were not use to being self motivated and just couldn't take the new freedom.

To the OP, as ha been said system building is fine as a hobby but it's not a good idea to make a career of it. Look at what courses are available to you and note that it probably isn't a good idea to specialise to early.
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Hmm, thanks - my school does have a sixth form but i have been considering college since i'm sick to death of the school system and i feel i need a change. If i did go to sixth form then i fear if i would do the same thing as my brother - that is drop out after the first year then transfer to college.
 
Freddie589 said:
your all saying it, but why not :) it sounds like a great job i love building and doing it for a job would be amazing :)
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im in year 11, and sorry to say but this is just one of those phases when you think you want to do something, turns out to be a stupid idea.
just like when everyone wanted to be firemen and ect......

i would advise you to stay on at 6th form and if you need to go to college afterwards, if you need to.

trust me you want to drag out your education as much as you can, i may sound like some school enthusiast weirdo but im not as im only on like c/b's, just listen to the more wise people here.

it may sound good but it the long run you would regret it
2 choices
(1) build computers and be on mcdonalds pay
(2) stay in school, do well, get a great paying job and bobs your uncle simples :D
 
If you want a job as a IT Technician, then go on an apprenticeship (NVQ). Then try and and a get a job where they are asking for someone with a car. That way most days you get to drive out to people/businesses to repair/set up new equipment. Is quite a fun job for me at the moment.
 
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