Hello Well I am coming to the end of my degree in architecture and well I think I chose the wrong degree as an Architect is not what I thought it was and not what I want to be. So I was wondering obviously a degree gives you a range of skills you can apply to other fields of work so what have you gone on to do after your degree? Me I think I may look into the film and game industry to become a scene designer.
I did Games Design at uni and ended up [for various reasons] with a worthless piece of paper... and 18 months later I'm still looking for a job...
I've got a degree in mechanical engineering and one in precision engineering, both specialised in 3D-CAD...(a bit over ten years ago) Since then I've worked as a technical translator, as a manufacturing engineer and as a process engineer. Never touched a CAD PC again. Your Architecture degree may open you doors into jobs you like. In Germany at least, it's said it doesn't really matter what you study, but that you've (showed the dicipline to) studied at all.
Never finished my degree so for the last 10 years ive been working in retail. So my advice is get a degree at least it will open doors for you
Got a degree in computer security and forensics, am now the most qualified (technically) web developer at the company I work for. The degree was not entirely worthless, but the company hairs based on skill not qualifications. Did I have the skills necessary to do my current job before the degree? No. Did I have them after university? Not entirely. Did University directly teach me the skills I have? Some of them. Would I have the same skills I have now without University? Probably not. All in all, University definitely is a good thing, but try to get a slightly more generic degree (e.g. Computer Science) or only specialize a bit (Computer Science and Media) if you are doing a technical computing degree.
Here's some advice: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/may/08/architecture-degree-graduate-careers I studied Elec and Mech engineering, then a PhD in Aerospace. Now I lecture Aircraft Design to postgrad students. What Xir says is true in UK too - the transferable skills you learn are important. One of my classmates went into accounting and finance. Lots are not engineers, despite their degrees. A Masters degree may help you get into film and game, if you find the current economic climate makes it difficult to get the employment you want. Good luck!
I think the pieces of paper are just about getting your foot through the door. It represents a level of ability, not necessarily reliable though. Me with an NVQ in engineering, a junior to a degreed up PQS (project quantity surveyor), working together as QSes (quantity surveyors), and he was asking me what to do! Architecture, yup, pretty picture drawing, doesn't fit well with my idea of a bit-techer. Structural engineer on the other hand, I have respect for. Also there is public sector work as planning permission denier, works inspector etc. Then after that it comes down to how creative you can be with applying the curriculum was to whatever job you're going for. Like I crossed over safety from engineering to construction among other things, I don't think it's a problem if you can come up with good reason(s)/conviction for changing profession (at any time in life).
I did 2 years of an architecture degree before ditching it and doing photography. That got me a job as a clinical photographer on a decent graduate salary, and paid for a post-graduate qualification. A few years later I then used my NHS experience and degree to apply to graduate-entry medicine, which is where I am now.
If you want to get into a different indistry than your degree, look into volunteering or helping out in that industry before you start looking for a job. I'd assume a scene designer is something they have in theatres? Maybe find you local amateur dramatic society (quite easy at this time of year as they are all doing the pantomimes!) and see if they have a section for set design. Showing that you have a passion for doing something and have given your time for free will get you major brownie points in an interview! I never did a degree, and went down the apprenticeship route but have plenty of friends and family who have got a job based off what they did outside university rather than the specific degree they got.
I did a degree in Film Studies, I now work in IT. Couldn't afford to move to London and a few local production places turned up nothing, so took a path in something I enjoyed. Got a paid trainee IT job at a school, and 9 months later I'm in my second IT job. I don't know how much my degree counted towards either jobs, but I'm sure it must have helped somehow. Still not 100% if it's really what I want to do, but going to go on some training courses soon which will hopefully help me decide where next my career will take me. If going against your degree though definitely try and get some experience if you find it hard getting a job - be it paid or unpaid my lack of experience when I was first applying for jobs stopped me from getting quite a few jobs.
Couldn't disagree more - I've worked at various things for 10 years and none of my employers could give two hoots about my degree. A degree CAN open doors for you, but in the current economic climate it's hard to get work doing what you are qualified to do and employers are far more likely to look at skills/experience and suitability for the job than they are to give a toss about your qualifications. To answer the OP, my degree is in Music and I was a professional drummer for 7 years. Since then, all the work I've done (and do) is completely unrelated to my degree.
My BSc was in Zoology (no, that does not mean I can work in Zoo's ) and I took a year out to complete military service in Finland. I came back and jumped head-first into the deep end with a PhD in Environmental Engineering. It's built upon what I did as my research project for my primary degree and I now have a full-time job lined up when I complete the PhD and offers for internships in either Tampa, Florida or Queensland in Oz. I've played it all by ear doing what I enjoy and find interesting and it's gotten me this far. It was a toss up between Zoology and Computer Science for my BSc, but I dropped Comp Sci when I took a long hard look at how I was performing in the subjects previously and how I thought I would do in the future. I had started out in a general science degree, so I had Comp Sci, math, chemistry and Biology for year 1, dropped Chemistry for year 2, then in 3rd year I had to specialise. Friends of mine from Uni have roughly split into 3 groups; 1) Continued education with another degree, be it general, masters or PhD 2) Found work that is completely outside what they did in Uni but found their degree to be useful in some way. 3) Gone abroad to follow their degree or travel. A degree is not a surefire way to land a job in what you studied, but like others said, it opens a lot of doors and gives you a better mindset on how to go about things.
I became a chemistry teacher. Right now I'm watching the Big Bang Theory with the last of the kids in the science dept, waiting for half past two for the Christmas holidays to begin. Best job ever.
I just finished school (4 years worth) and got 2 degrees, one in Small Business Management with a concentration on Entrepreneurship and another degree in Marketing. I applied for a scholarship for the graduate program and got it. So now I am staying another year or two for my MBA... hey why not, they are paying for it.
I've got a degree in Maths and I graduated in 2000 and whent straight into a graduate IT role, now when looking for jobs people are much more interested in my experience rather than my technical qualifitactions or my degree but I certainly wouldn't have even been considered for that first job without a degree of some sort.
Computational Physics Degree Now I am teaching Physics So I used the Physics, but not the computational - there is still time though
Computer Network Engineering, and now I'm an IT Consultant at a massive international tech company. Degree taught me about 15% of what I use, and I have far surpassed what I've learnt at Uni. It's a really stimulating job for me, and am looking to move into IT Architecture which will be even more challenging. Additionally the company I work for don't care what degree I had, as long as I had at least a 2:1.
"Do what you love and the money will follow." I graduated with a degree in Photocommunications (a big fancy word which here means "Photography with an emphasis on the journalistic and communicative aspects"). I minored in Studio Art - Photography emphasis (a phrase which here means "Photography with an emphasis on the artistic aspect"). According to my degree papers, I can tell a story through pictures, and those pictures will look nice. After I graduated, there were no jobs available in the photographic arts, so I worked as a staff trainer within the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. After we moved back to Houston, I freelanced as an artist for a while. To put it another way, I was unemployed so I found odd jobs painting murals and doing other similar things. Today I produce videos, do graphic design, and help manage anything imagery related on the ISS. Why did I lead my post with that particular quote? If I had it to do all over again, I would not have spent 4 years getting a degree in photography. I would have done a two-year program at the North Bennet Street School and gone into woodworking. Technically it's not too late, I suppose, but once you get settled down - and especially when you have a family to consider - completely changing course mid-career isn't all that stable. I do wonder if there is too much emphasis on degrees today. Nobody appreciates a good plumber or electrician (at least, not until it's too late).
