Who here has a degree?

[silver75]

What you got?

Got a graphic design one which has been about as much use to me as the plague.

 

[JustSports]

Computer Science mate, bit nerdy i know, but has financed my lifestyle well over last 10 years ! I moving out of computers now, all the programming work is heading abroad .... in my last job i trained some programmers from mauritius !! they were getting 5 grand a year !! i cant compete with that !! I think you can get 3-4K a year off the Dole !! lol !

 

[ScoobyA4]

Justsport, go freelance! move in to contracting. they only want UK peps. it what i did in March after being asked by my last company (a large UK / International IT Services company) to head a project to off-shore the 30guys working for me, plus all the others in the company and tehre by do myself out of a job. they gave me no hope for the future and basically said i would have no job at the end of it as they would all be abroad!

Told em to get stuff. had been there 7yrs and loved it to. never been happier or better off than i am now. and i have no degree!

 

[rodenal]

I've no degree either, but might do it through my work just now, went to uni just didnt really put much into it at the time!

 

[JustSports]

Similiar story for me, didnt see a future in it, im opening a new business next week !! dont want to say too much now but im taking over the operations of a well known brand in the IT game, I will be the only offical UK Supplier for the product !! Once its setup i'll link my site on here ....

IT is dying because of cheap labour abroad , similar to manf industry in the 80's ... Just feel sorry for Kids that getting IT degree's now ! What a waste of time ! lol !

The lads i trained up from mauritius were sound guys and very good at there jobs, i feel sorry for them becasue they are just being exploited ....

 

[Bash_A3]

I didnt bother, not worth having one if you are going to work in Media/TV... it even puts employers off I've noticed - especially for the entry positions as they would rather have a lower paid candidate.

 

[Rocko]

Ive got one in Applied Chemistry.

Currently working as a sales accountant. I mean come on, CHEMISTRY!

 

[ScoobyA4]

Similiar story for me, didnt see a future in it, im opening a new business next week !! dont want to say too much now but im taking over the operations of a well known brand in the IT game, I will be the only offical UK Supplier for the product !! Once its setup i'll link my site on here ....

Well if you need a PM let me know (there is also someone else on here who is a PM in Manchester!!)... this contract is up at end of July and i want to be local to home (Rochdale). currently travelling 1k miles a week between Stirling and Reading. I've got all the relevant experience and accreditations. i'm sure we could agree a good rate!

 

[SamDude]

Computer Science here as well.

Graduated in 2001 - just after the dot.com bubble bursting and just before 9/11. As much use as a slap in the face with a wet fish at the time...

 

[icenutter]

3 BEng, MSc and PhD. And a PGCE as well.

 

[ScoobyA4]

3 BEng, MSc and PhD. And a PGCE as well.

Work at Tescos then?

 

[marriedblonde]

No degree for me either. I have 4 GCSE's - maths, english, photography, science and thats it. It hasn't stopped me. I work as a technical architect for an operator here in the uk.

I'm a contractor and haven't had any problems getting work due to the lack of degree.

 

[batwad]

Computer Science for me too. Who'd have thought there'd be so many geeking on an internet forum? My degree's served me very well as I'm now a rather excellent software engineer.

Interesting to see some of the comment about IT dying due to work going abroad. Having worked with some outsourced operations that have been the absolute pits I see things swinging back the other way as businesses realise that it isn't the silver bullet and that you can't beat a good UK worker.

 

[arthurfuxake]

Ah, ScoobyA4, I think I know who you are. Yep, I'm a PM in Manchester, have no degree though. Need to do a PM course as soon as I know which way my company is going. They've spent thousands on trialing Prince, but have changed their minds. Just as well I didn't do the Prince course.

 

[Boydie]

im working on getting an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering - only one year to go (hopefully!) Can't wait to leave Uni!

 

[ScoobyA4]

arthurfuxake, spot on mate, you got me in one!

ITIL is the way forward at the minute, but thats for service mgmt peps... IT is easy to get in to, and no degree needed. when technical i specialised in Mainframes, and i dont think you can get a degree on them.

 

[nky_84]

2:1 in computer Science for me too, graduated last year an still unemployed...... Worked for a building contractors for 6months after uni earning a **** load (hence unemployed s3 driver). Struggling to find an graduate IT job in Edinburgh though, although in saying that im trying about as had to get a job as i did at uni work!

 

[Biglockie]

feel thick now not got one, feel left out!!

 

[marriedblonde]

feel thick now not got one, feel left out!!

Don't worry your not a lone

 

[batwad]

I'm currently studying for one of these.

 

[Rocko]

Ill sell you mine. It about as much use as a chocloate teapot

 

[MikeA3]

got one in surveying - probably quite useful seeing as i'm a surveyor and all

 

[jojo]

I bought mine off ebay

 

[inigoj]

Computing (again), with Software Engineering Honours

Got bored of IT and mainly sell cars/parts now lol.

 

[Les 51]

Nothing here, I got 3 cse's because itwas more fun to enjoy your time at school!
I'm now an equal owner of our own engineering company.

 

[MikeS4]

I failed my 2nd year of a Product Design & Manufacture degree and did'nt complete it, still it has'nt affected my career much.
Would you like fries with that?

 

[davidhodgkinson]

BEng as well (Electrical & Electronic engineering)

 

[benw123]

I did two years of a Computer Science degree, and after struggling through the exams at the end of the second year they wouldn't let me complete the final year. So I had to drop down to the HND level instead, which was much better as everything we did was "applied", rather than looking at how electrons flow around chips and working out how logic gates work.

After I left, I took a temporary job driving a library van, and filled this job description into my post-grad Uni questionnaire. They must still think I'm doing it, although shortly afterwards I got a break working for an IT contractor who started his own business which was eight years ago. Now work as a software developer.

Experience counts more than qualifications. There's too many people studying at Uni these days.

 

[L1 HCS]

I've got HNC Building Studies

 

[JustSports]

Well if you need a PM let me know

Thanks mate but there's 3 of us and were on a budget ! Weve all got different experience, the other 2 have already run their own companies but are looking for something new ......BUT if we make it , im sure i'll need a good PM, i know where to look ! Networking is everything in business, its good to know people and what they can do.

Interesting to see some of the comment about IT dying due to work going abroad. Having worked with some outsourced operations that have been the absolute pits I see things swinging back the other way as businesses realise that it isn't the silver bullet and that you can't beat a good UK worker.

I agree mate, but my last company didnt see it that way, they wernt a IT company as such but IT dept had 200 employees so you can see the saving they make (200 * 25000 each average UK, 200 * 50p India rate!!)

I got my degree in the mid 90's so I caught the IT Buzz and did well out of it, no complaints, but after 12 years of it ...... think it happens to everyone no matter what your job!

Experience counts more than qualifications. There's too many people studying at Uni these days.

Degree dont mean anything , i learnt more in 1 year working than the whole of College and Uni. I think it was time wasted as well, but kept me off the streets and out of Strangeways !!! lol !

 

[Ed]

No degree (couldn't afford to put myself through it lol), but would have loved to do a computer science degree.

Have been working for a software house since i left college and have exceeded technical knowledge of my friends doing computer science degrees atm, I think they will have alot of trouble getting a well paid job after uni.

I don't think degree's mean a whole lot these days, maybe they meant more when it wasn't so easy to get one!

Very interesting comments about offshore coders, but I don't think it will affect the industry just yet. We've just got rid of half of the programmers we had employed in India and got a few more in house coders, we're eventually going to get rid of all off them! They work really hard and are quick to deliver, but the stuff that comes back is so varied (from really good to terrible) meaning that we normally have to re-write half of it!

 

[chazzy]

B.Eng Elec Engineering, Then PGCE, currently a Head of Physics, ups and downs to the job, but the holidays are great.

You need "a" degree to enter teaching, but i don't really use it. Being AT uni was great though

chas

 

[RobinA3]

I got a BEng in Automotive Engineering.

Got me where i am now which is working at Bentley Motors in Crewe as an Engine Development Engineer within the Engine Test Facilty.

 

[nivagh]

Yeah, 'fraid so: MA from Cambridge and an MAI from ESC Bordeaux.

 

[205man]

ive got one as well, ive a BSc Honours Degree in Horticulture, i was lucky thoughthe company i worked for paid almost for all of my degree, but i was made to sign a contract to say id work for them for min 3 years after i finished it.

but it was worth as i have my own company now

alan

 

[enda1]

BEng in Mechanical Engineering
MSc in Polymer Science and Engineering
I work in Medical deivces as a project lead designing stents (the things they give you when you've blocked arteries instead of bypass surgery)

 

[stoakseya4]

BEng in Civil Engineering, also working as a PM, dan saff... Left engineering many years ago, as it was too much like hard work! Moved over to client-side as PM as much more civilised!

Currently managing an Academy, 3 Health Centres, a new private school, and hopefully about to be awarded a new hospital... As you can see public sector is where I usually work.

With reference to Prince software 'Arthurfuxsake'. This is only really any use if you're going to be engaged on government type work. Otherwise, not worth having. Better to go for APMP certification, which is more widely accepted IMO...

 

[Bascule]

Another geek - have been in IT for about 15 years, after conventional electronics and radio engineering background - am now Head of IT for a multinational, manufacturing robotic instruments for biopharmaceutical and clinical research.. v interesting.. but no degree!

 

[icenutter]

Work at Tescos then?

A teacher.

 

[ScoobyA4]

Brave chap! The wife is a teacher, high school. i personally dont know how people can do it! i would end up slaping one of them!