Study vs work experience

[LouiseK]

Hello

I apologise if this kinda of thread is repeated over and over but after reading the others i still feel at a slight loss as to what i should do

I completed my A-levels just over a year ago, getting BCC (inc Biology) and an A at AS-level. I went onto uni to do Environmental Science but quicky realised i really didn't want to do another 3 years of full-time study and left after a term.

I would love any kind of job that involves interacting with animals, preferably wildlife, or the environment. Advancement and salary increases aren't much of an issue to me as that always means more office time which i'd prefer to keep to a minimum

My problem is that i'm unsure whether i should go to college and do a year course in a relevant subject, even though it probably won't be a higher standard of education than my A-levels OR whether i should get stuck into some voluntary positions that provide in job skills and contacts OR if i should bite the bullet and go and get a degree.

Any advice is much appreciated

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by LouiseK

Hello

I apologise if this kinda of thread is repeated over and over but after reading the others i still feel at a slight loss as to what i should do

I completed my A-levels just over a year ago, getting BCC (inc Biology) and an A at AS-level. I went onto uni to do Environmental Science but quicky realised i really didn't want to do another 3 years of full-time study and left after a term.

I would love any kind of job that involves interacting with animals, preferably wildlife, or the environment. Advancement and salary increases aren't much of an issue to me as that always means more office time which i'd prefer to keep to a minimum

My problem is that i'm unsure whether i should go to college and do a year course in a relevant subject, even though it probably won't be a higher standard of education than my A-levels OR whether i should get stuck into some voluntary positions that provide in job skills and contacts OR if i should bite the bullet and go and get a degree.

Any advice is much appreciated

you will find it very difficult to get a job in the environment without a degree or at least hnd , but i would suggest that you do a year or sos volunteering then see how you feel as you will need both experiences and a qualification and it doesnt really matter in which order you get them

also a cautionary word - it is very easy to say "salary and advancement arent important" when you are young and idealistic , as indeed I did when i chose environment as a career path when I was 21 - however now aged 34 and only pulling down £23k after ten years paid experience ( much of it spent earning less than £10k) i cant help wondering what if - particularly when i see freinds who arent any cleverer than me pulling down 3 or for times as much in other walks of life

[Paul mabbott]

As Eeyore says - both! You really need some academic qualification - there are plenty of interesting ecology/environment degrees courses but also having practical working experience will ensure that you get a job. So have a gap year? Do week end volunteering? Go on a degree that has work-placements?
You shouldn't need to rush and there's a lot to be said for having a year out (some people forget how to study!) as long as you're not starving ...
Good luck with whatever you decide ....

[LouiseK]

Ah ok, bummer

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated. I just saw a few jobs knocking about that didn't stipulate a degree and thought the experience might give me an adequate edge to get in on the bottom of the ladder.

I wasn't being young and idealistic btw, my situation doesn't leave me wanting for anything but some spending money And no, i don't live with my parents

So what kind of course should i be looking at? I think the closest place is Sparsholt College which offers a few courses...
Would a foundation degree be sufficient? It seems to be the first two years of the BSc.
Would a Wildlife Management degree be suitable for the large majority of jobs?
Are they after you having specific knowledge or simply the fact that you could get a degree?

Thanks again

[almostnormal]

hello.

quite often the FDSc is either the first two years of the BSc, but be careful because sometimes if you do decide to do a third year you need to do bridging modules over the summer to bump up the FDSc to make you ok for dissertation etc. in my experience as long as you have enthusiasm and experience, that can often make up for the lack of theoretical knowledge. someone once told me that you can spout scientific references til you're blue in the face but if you don't have any practical experience you don't get anywhere. how true that is i don't know, but its definitely easier to get a foot in if you have a relevant qualification and some experience under your belt. i did an FDSc in Ecology and Conservation Management and 2 years worth of digital mapping, survey analysis and events, which seemed like a lot, but it was worth it, i'm now in my dream job.

its worth saying, as well, try to volunteer for a sector you're interested in. that way you make connections in a field you're into. so if you want to go into reserves, start with you're local one. if a job comes up people will know you already and that can be a big help! you still have to compete but you definitely have an advantage.

sarah

[Bushcraft]

Sadly you need both, but I know so many who get a degree and don't have a first clue what to do when they get a job as they have no experience. Work ex is far more important BUT in this day and age the potential employers often only call those in with a degree. I have 12 years volunteering experience and a degree (in a few weeks), but, its still not easy getting jobs in the sector and quite often when you do its behind a desk! hence the reason I now work for myself. On the other hand I know people with no experience or a degree and they get a job right away, so a large amount of it is luck! Be very picky with your degree if you go for it, as they quite often make them look very attractive but underneath it all the course content often revolves around business studies and politics. Of course politics is very relevant, but it all depends on what area you want to get in on.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

Best wishes
Kris