where to go after year 11?

Freddie589 said:
need some help guys,

I'm currently in year 11 and finish school in September! (16 on 2nd august) i got offered a place today at a collage which would be a networking and computing BTEC level 3 diploma, but i have to pay £400 to build my own system with them! and it has to be with there chosen components! i mean the facilities are brand new etc.. all neat clean RFID tags to get though doors etc.. but i want to work in gaming hardware, i want to be a system builder for OCUK :), is this the right course for me or should i look at apprenticeship? or even go straight into work! so whats the best road for me guys?

thanks
fredide589 :)
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Hey Freddie

Does your school have a sixth form?
What subjects do you enjoy?
What subjects are you good at?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What are your salary expectations?
Are you good at doing things you don't particularly enjoy if there's a reason?
Do you like working with your hands and being creative?
Do you have good interpersonal skills - are you confident with people you don't know well?

We need more information to give you anything approaching sensible advice IMO.
 
Go to college, meet new people and open up a bit - seriously, you already know everyone at your school who will be in the same year and A levels are so broad its un real.

If you want to work in IT (i wouldn't advise becoming a system builder) then take a BTEC in Networking / Sys Admin / Project Management / Computer Repair and Diagnosis.

This will give you a good broad view of the skillset required for a job in IT not friggen English, Maths and Science which is pointless imo. I took this path and after 3 years i left college on the friday and started my first job in 1st / 2nd line system support on the Monday.

I'd love to be a system builder but lets think a bit logically here, how many people are on this forum? how many enjoy building and maintaining their pcs? exactly... keep it as a hobby or you'l hate it.

My 2 pennies.
 
Same boat here. I'd recommend staying 6th form, getting some A levels and then seeing what the market is like after you've got them. If you've got the cash and want to go to uni then go to uni as well. My brother always said don't get a job based on a hobby you do or something you like as you will soon begin to dislike it. If you like building computers why not aspire to work for Intel or nVidia or someone and actually be on the team that is bringing out new graphics chips or CPU's? Much more fun, skilled and interesting IMO.
 
Hey Freddie

Does your school have a sixth form?

*Yes its meant to be the best in the area

What subjects do you enjoy?

I.T and that's it.

What subjects are you good at?

I.T And business communication systems*

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Working with top end computer hardware*

What are your salary expectations?

20k-30k never really thought about it*

Are you good at doing things you don't particularly enjoy if there's a reason?

If there's a reason then I will try and get the job done

Do you like working with your hands and being creative?

Yes

Do you have good interpersonal skills - are you confident with people you don't know well?

No not really :(

We need more information to give you anything approaching sensible advice IMO.
 
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I'd love to be a system builder but lets think a bit logically here, how many people are on this forum? how many enjoy building and maintaining their pcs? exactly... keep it as a hobby or you'l hate it.
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sounds weird but I love building and maintaining pc's any pc i can get my hands on old or new I will strip it rebuild it wipe it and then turn it into a server or something and I love every bit of it :)
 
Hey Freddie

Here's my two cents.

The very fact that you are asking these questions and posting sensible responses puts you in the top few percentiles of your peers. I think you should be ambitious and set some fairly stretching goals because I have the feeling that you can achieve them.

If you enjoy IT and are good at it then it sounds like you should be looking for a good career in IT. However, building computers isn't going to pull in £20k to £30k pa.

At your age many people aren't really giving any meaningful thought to what career path they want to follow. I don't work in IT myself, but I work alongside lots of IT people on financial services projects and my brother has been an IT contractor (Oracle) for many years. He left school before sixth form but went back to college and then uni and got a degree in systems analysis as a mature student. Admittedly, he is now a bit fed up with IT and wants to make a career change into film making, but at least he has choices and some financial security.

You need to give yourself some options. A good educational foundation may sound dull, but it has massive advantages in the long term. I think looking towards a career in building computers is probably not going to stretch you enough. For me, job satisfaction comes from being asked to do difficult things which other people can't do, and then exceeding the expectations of the person who has set you the task. If it comes with a good salary then that's even better.

My advice would be to do A levels and try and go to university. Once you have achieved good qualifications a lot more doors will be open and you can take your pick.

Whatever you choose, best of luck.

P.S. if you do go into IT, never wear trainers with a suit, it makes you look like a w@nker. Good shoes are essential whatever career you choose.
 
Freddie589 said:
sounds weird but I love building and maintaining pc's any pc i can get my hands on old or new I will strip it rebuild it wipe it and then turn it into a server or something and I love every bit of it :)
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But for how long would you enjoy it? It's something that's great as a hobby, but what people are saying is that it becomes a remedial task - pretty much anyone will get bored of doing the same thing day in, day out.
 
If you enjoy working with computers that much you can work as a PD (Product Development) engineer, the ones at Viglen got to order the latest kit, try and bodge it together and if it worked it went on sale. Obviously a lot more to it than that but I suspect it would be a much more rewarding career.
 
Freddie589 said:
sounds weird but I love building and maintaining pc's any pc i can get my hands on old or new I will strip it rebuild it wipe it and then turn it into a server or something and I love every bit of it :)
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Try doing that 50 times a week for the next few years. I can guarantee you wont like it any more. Heck i like sex but i wouldn't want to do it 50 times a week at minimum wage for the rest of my life.
 
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sanaxe1 said:
Try doing that 50 times a week for the next few years. I can guarantee you wont like it any more. Heck i like sex but i wouldn't want to do it 50 times a week at minimum wage for the rest of my life.
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I'm not sure I physically could.

Well, if she was really hot ... :p
 
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