BCF life coaches needed!

[Calco]

Me so far:
Left school with average grades at GCSE
Got a few jobs here and there
Joined the army at 17
I'm now 20, 21 next April

Having been in the army 3 years now, I have been promoted and have, to be honest, quite an easy life. I'm due to get an advanced apprenticeship early next year, which is something to show for all the training that I have done (aeronautical engineering).

Here's the thing - After the apprenticeship, that's pretty much all the qualifications the army supplies in the trade path, so I was looking to get out for next September and study something that I have always wanted to study, business.

I have looked into it, and I could study an access course in business management to give me qualifications with A-level equivalency, as well as GCSE maths to give my grade a boost. That would take one year. I would then look towards a business degree, somewhere like bath/Bristol or City university London.

Basically, its quite a leap in another direction and I just wanted to get some opinions and advice.

Cheers
-Calco

[P.]

Respect for joining the army

Erm, no one can really tell you what to do tbh, if you want to study business, work out why.

Will studying business use the skills you have learnt from being in the army. Especially as you talk about engineering... Im sure there are engineering jobs that you could progress in?

Obviously if you wanted to start your own engineering business, I could see your tact

[Clanger]

Any chance you can stay with the Army and learn your new skills through them? If yes, I would advise you to stay with them and do it that way.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[bazza]

Stay in, get the degree through the OU without getting up to your eyeballs in debt.
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[Skudd]

Stay in as there is bugger all outside.
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Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Oldie]

I'm thinking that a Business degree will be worth bugger all to you. If you like the idea of business, and it's a good way to make money, then check out the BBC website for ideas about how to get started.

However, I'm sure that there is more that the army could teach you, or help you with external exams (maybe accountancy) which will pave the way for more intensive study when you decide to leave. Always study for a job-specific course as the country's full of folk with rubbish degrees that nobody's interested in (they're usually a lot easier which is why folks study them).

Having said that, 20 years in the forces will produce a nice pension at an early age.

[Calco]

Time is the issue with staying in though, basically not here for 6 months of the year, so studying courses then takes forever. Yes, it might be alot cheaper, but it'd also take almost double the time
If I did leave the army, it would be a year from now, which gives me time to do a shorter course prior to leaving, or to get ahead on something that I want to start. Also I could save a fair wedge to put aside for the future.

Oldie, how comes you think that it'd be worth bugger all?
For an example, this type of course was the one I was looking at:
https://www.bath.ac.uk/management/courses/undergraduate/bba/index.html
Also, on your other point, you think it'd be better to study something like accounting and finance, or something more specific than the degree I linked?

One thing I do know though, is that I do want to get out of the army at some point in the near future, so sadly the pension is not an option

Anybody done an OU course?
How exactly do they work?

Thanks for the input so far

[Oldie]

Calco, that particular course is better than most as it involves placements. That is a definite advantage. However, the course details are too vague to add further comment. One thing for sure though, business administration itself is probably not much use.

I have a family member who has just completed a 4 year course at one of the top business schools and picking your specialisation is crucial. The right course leads to great job prospects, but my earlier comments about "business" degrees in general stands. Ask the army about accounting - deffo the way to go. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Tenko]

If you are going to train, best to do something vocational - this country is full of people who can talk a good job atm...

[Frost]

Bristol does good aeronautics degrees

[JonnyFoxtrot]

Sorry to be slightly offtopic and hope you dont mind me asking but whats making you want to leave so badly?You sounds quite set on going no matter what?

Only reason I ask is I'm thinking of joining up next march at 22 years old after three years behind a desk in the civil service but am always really interested to hear peoples good/bad opinions of being in the forces?
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[Fawbish]

Life coaches needed > Ignores the cohesive and singular thought process of the advice.

It wasnt gonna go any other way I suppose.
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"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[Clanger]

[Calco]

JonnyN, i'm looking to leave as its not what I want as a career. I don't dislike the job [aside from the bullshitty stuff]. I just figure that if I want a career in business as my life career, what am I doing here.

Clanger, seriously, still unemployed Thats worrying...

I thought full time university courses are more recognised than OU courses, or am I wrong?

Hearing all the opinions against leaving is making me think its a hell of a risk.
Just a question of is the risk worth it with the prospects here as opposed to college->uni....

Hhmmmmm

[Oldie]

A lot of people forget just how good paid employment is. It allows you to consider your options at leisure, allows you to investigate other opportunities, weigh them up and ask for honest opinions.

Jumping out of paid employment is risky as hell. Don't ever do it unless absolutely necessary. Use your current position of security to maximise your potential, and going into full time education is not, to my mind, the best way of doing that.

If you haven't fully explored what the army can do to improve your situation then ask around whatever forces forums are out there. Got to be something that they can teach you which will be of value on civvy street. Become a chef, drive a bulldozer, I don't know, but surely there's something better than a business degree?

Going back to your desire to work in the "business" community, I'm all for that (been self employed for 18 years). Maybe start thinking about what you can offer that's not out there at the present time. For example (and perhaps not the best example, but just to get you thinking) I asked my wife why we couldn't buy a curved floor mat to match the curve of our shower tray. She said "you can't buy them" and I thought - "now that has to be an opportunity". Happens every day and some smart buggers do something about it. Just sayin'

[Calco]

The general consensus seems to be that a degree isn't worth it.
I thought that a degree in business/accountancy/management would set you up for a much brighter career than if you just did a part time 2 year course in it and then looked for a career?

Accountancy/finance over business administration/management as its less broad?

[WannaBeDude]

Have you checked you can leave that early after completing apprentiship ?
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Jogging on, destination living.

[Calco]

Thats what I am currently in the process of doing.
If I cant, its a few years until I can get out, which would mean smashing out the courses. Whereas if I can get out for term time next September I think I'm heavily leaning towards a course for this year within the army and then college.

Been reading and researching for a good while now, and career prospects wise I really like the look of:
https://www.bath.ac.uk/management/courses/undergraduate/baf/index.html
as opposed to the business administration course. Placements sound like a ridiculous opportunity to pass up.

Got plenty of interviews/chats next week to get a full view on the army side of things too. So hopefully will be closer to a decision by then

[WannaBeDude]

You will afaik not be able to leave soon after large amounts of training, they don't spend thousands on training for you to leave on completion.

Look into it, i could be wrong, but i doubt it.

In fact, this is my guess, if your apprentiship is classed as your SITP then it's four and half years from age 18 or end of SITP whichever is later.
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Jogging on, destination living.

[Asharin]

Stay in the army, 22 years, leave as a Sgt or better with a nice lump sum, and decent qualifications (if you're smart) and then get a decent civvy job. Wait til 55, get full whack pension, scaled in line with current wages, and profit.

That was my plan...but army cutbacks are a bitch

[bazza]

[BigTobyD]

Do you know what 'business' you want a career in? A career in 'business' doesn't mean much. What do you actually see yourself doing and what experience/knowledge is that view based on?

You'll be unlikely to get any job off the back of a generic 'business' degree without some skills specific to the business stream you want to work in.

I employed a graduate to do some general office duties, she had a 1st in marketing but can't find a relevant job for live nor money.
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[The Shaggy D.A.]

Stay in. When the shit hits the fan you'll have better access to ammunition.
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[Calco]

Well going on the advice on here, I think I would look down the route of accounting and finance.
Looking about general, broad degrees dont offer much in the sense of opportunity or direction.

[Clanger]