Getting educated.

[_Iain_]

So,

Thanks to BCF's employment advice I now have a stable job, stable income & a nice little flat.

I'm now looking to further improve on what i've got. Have always wanted to be a mechanic, however I dont have the qualifications bar GCSE's (4 above C and a pass on a GNVQ which should be the same as 4 C's at GCSE grade). I don't want to take any time out and bugger up my current job or anything, however I'm very much happy to study from home, travel hours to get to college for a day or two a weeks practical work or generally anything that gets me qualified.

From what I gather i'll need a level 3 qualification, and all the people I've spoken to at work tell me that Merton Tech is the best place in the country & that i'll get the most out of it. The other thing that had appealed was a degree in Motorsport engineering, or some form of automotive engineering. Not realy got any major career plans, but it's skills i'd desperately like to learn. I realy dont know, but then again I dont have any A levels.

College seems ideal for the short term, but long term A levels and uni engineering qualifications would be better, and A levels are doable from home on distance learning meaning i'd not have any issues with work. So theoreticly more practical too. But then I understand nothing of UCAS applications, points etc. Research required.

Could anyone offer any pointers? Just realy do feel like I want to learn new things & have a potentially brighter future rather than punching numbers into a computer/stacking shelves
____________________
Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[SQL]

You will probably find that qualifications will mean fuck all mate, you just need to get a break and do i, start off at your place doing the odd mech bit, then get some experience.

Experience talks in the real world, qualifications look good on paper.

[Mark_F]

Depends on how interested you are.

You can get qualified in what you like, but that doesn't mean you'll get the break you need. That said, if mechanics interests you enough, you might want to learn something regardless (then any future break you get would be a bonus).

Think about the odds of it working, and your interest in the subject then balance with what you have lost if you don't get the break.

In the meantime, phone whichever college(s) you are looking at for info (course availability, costs, likely timetables, things you'll need etc etc) and weigh it all up.

Home learning is hard (very easy to keep putting things off when life gets in the way), takes a lot more discipline than turning up at college once (or twice) a week.

Longer courses leave you knackered (I did a 4.5 year night course, 1 night a week whilst working full time) at the end.

Can still be very worth it if you are properly interested though, and you'll also be more confident in whatever skills you pick up which will have uses outside any potential work.

[fatpies]

[fatpies]

[gavcarter]

Dealer trained mechanics are always highly thought of. A levels mean fuck all on your uni applications i am assuming they mean the same everywhere else lol.

[-Matt-]

Take this with a pinch of salt as i have fuck all idea about motorsport and mechanics industry so it may be redundant advice.

If you are interested in going into uni though, first thing to be aware of is a lot of them don't consider old gcse's relevant after 3 years [gcse's are a joke essentially] so you may be required to study a similar level course in maths/english/science for example to meet the uni/course requirements.

Good way around this particularly if you don't have many or sufficient a-levels for your course is an access course. Its done at college usually over a year, 'fulltime' but you could do some part time work if you can commit a decent chunk of your spare time to it. They comprise of 4 self picked subject modules, a bit like mini a-levels you could say [plus additional maths and english gcse if required]. This again though is were you may have some issue - i don't know if there are enough mechanic-relevant modules available within access courses for them to be as helpful as they are with other courses.

[G]

Have you checked exactly what is needed for your Uni qualification?

When I've looked before, despite only having 6 GCSEs, I'm confident I could get myself on to a masters course with 'industry experience' (and the relevant fee, of course ).

If you want to learn skills more than you want to get a bit of paper, I'd also look to that.
University courses, especially gard seem to be generally more focused on that bit of paper.

I have happily conversed with various recent graduates on their subject from my own research in to the area. Sure, I don't have the breadth of knowledge - but I haven't spend the three years learning.
I did my mum's "programming project" for her (business) IT masters when I was 11 from having (mostly) taught myself programming.