BBC Focus Magazine

[nath2099]

Hey all,

Just wandering if any of you are late entries to academia? I am a university trained Operating Department Practitioner but due poor life choices at school I had to study for this course via an access course. Now I am realizing the lack of A-levels and GCSE's is seriously holding me back and my current job (though a good career) is not for me.

I think I would really like to do something in Engineering in particular Aerospace Engineering. Is anyone here in a similar situation or been in one like this? I'm 28 and kinda feel I have to get this decision right and do it relatively quickly before it just passes me by through indecision. I'm currently researching distance learning GCSE's in Maths, English and Physics to get the ball rolling.

The £9,000 fee's make it extra essential to get it right!! Luckily my job pays ok and will work on a locum basis to fund this.

I just want a career that challenges my inquisitive side and pushes my boundaries.

Any advice or comments welcome,

Nate

[M Paul Lloyd]

A subject very close to my heart this, being as Aero-space Engineering was my subject of choice.
I cannot claim to being in the same situation but I do appreciate where you are coming from.

If you don't mind I'll give a bit of background to let you see my record and judge accordingly.

So back in the late 1960's I had this great plan to get a job as a rocket engineer, not a rocket scientist you understand because rocket science isn't all that much fun and besides I have always prefered designing and building than experimenting and writing.
And thereby hangs the sorry tale.
Back then English was an absolute essential to get into Uni' and I struggled to manage a grade 3 GCE at O level, so I took my A level, Maths, Physics, Technical Engineering Design and Engineering Workshop Practices off to the Royal Air Force where the ability to spell and string words together eloquently were not quite so important, and on the whole I feel it was the right choice for me.

Of course when I came to leave the forces and settle down I found, much like yourself, that my lack of qualifications (despite a not inconsiderbale amount of experience, and dare I say, some small expertise) counted for nothing in the civilain world and I can well understand your desire to bring yourself up to speed. I have to admit that a lack of spare cash and having a young family to support was not conducive with full time study and payment of fees when what was really needed was a steady income, but I have no regrets.
Ironically I managed to land a job that has kept me going for a good many years on the premise that I was cheap and had I been endowed with all those qualifications they could not have afforded me a position.
Lifes full of ironies like that I find.

However if you do not have domestic distractions, are able to do the study and pay the fees then I say do so and work hard at it and be a success.

Your choice of GCSE's is sound enough, although I would consider adding a technical design course of some sort and these are usually offered (or used to be) as part of a study package whereby each subject helps support the others through common themes, but don't take my word for it as I am a fair bit out of date.

One bit of advice that I think is of use, and current, that I would like to give you is that if you can get there then I can think of no better place for studying Aero-space Engineering than Southampton University. It is, in my opinion, second to none in that field.

Hope that's of some help?

[nath2099]

Just the fact you are positive is very helpful!! So many people are quick to put me/ others down. I am also Ex-RAF. I was a Medic. I do have a family but my wife and family are extremely supportive. This will be a challenge but we always find a way to get through things and having my ODP qualification is quite a nice safety net and whatever happens I have that and my family.

Irony is awesome, sounds like you got the nice kind!! I will look into the technical drawing. I think there is an evening class near me doing that or graphics, can't remember which but will have a snoop around.

I'm not sure where this will take me. I think space travel is the challenge of the century so working within that would be my dream but anything that pushes me and let's me feel satisfied with a days work is a winner!

Thank you for your positive vibes!!

[M Paul Lloyd]

A genuine pleasure Nate, only you are the best judge of your own ambitions so let no-one else hold you back.
So glad you have your family behind you, mine were willing enough but resources (and more importantly the wider, so called, 'family') just didn't stay the cousre. I wish you all the best with it though.

As for my own ambitions, well, when I was eight years old I had this plan to be the first person to grow tomatoes on Mars, hence my interest in jet propulsion. Sadly the race into space we were engaged in back then ground to a shuddering halt in the 70's but hopefully things are picking up again slowly and although Mars is probably a bit ambitious I would put good money on the Chinese having a Lunar base of some sort within the next couple of decades.

[nath2099]

For sure, I really think it is going to be an exciting century with exploration taking the limelight. We need some space age Sir Francis Drakes and Ferdinand Magellans!! I always liked the idea of being involved in some kind of space exploration vehicle and naming it the Golden Hind, a nod to the original heroes of exploration. I have a model of the Golden Hind and of the Space Shuttle Discovery, unlikely relatives, but relatives all the same in my eyes!!

Thank you again for the encouragement, maybe I will set my own firm up!! Fancy a job?? The RAF taught me the important things in all things aerospace........keep the biscuit budget topped up!!

[KingPhillip]

Curious. Did/does the RAF offer foreign languages as part of the training?

Given the trend towards global collaboration, not just with English-speakers, would having a foreign language in one's pocket enhance one's opportunities?

BTW, I consider Math as a foreign language.

[Shadowwolf]

Just wandering if any of you are late entries to academia?

As it happens, yes and just a couple of years beyond where you are now. Btw as I'm Irish there are likely some differences to how our respective systems work. Left a dead end job back in 2008 after more than a decade out of formal education to go to uni and get some additional qualifications and switch career paths. It was a smart move as I reckons I'd have been let go during the impending financial collapse and prospects were practically zero regardless, leaving myself meant I had everything in place. As I had not been to university prior I was fortunate to avail of the state to pay all related fees for the entire degree program. With the other half employed and the state picking up the tab I was able to tackle uni without any other distraction. Don't know how it is in the UK but have a good look around for what assistance there may be to ease the financial pain, sure to be something even these days. As for requirements, I qualified as a mature student and thus my Leaving Cert (GCSE equivalent) results were not relevant, all I had to do was fill out the app then complete an entrance essay and in I went. Again, I'm sure there are differences with the UK but check and see what options exist for entry, there's likely to be some form of mature student program as universities tend to like em what with being there specifically to learn and not just get hammered all the time

Now unlike yourself I went down the Arts & Humanities route with history as my sole focus as I don't think my math was quite sufficient for the hard sciences. Thus I just had to demonstrate a capacity for writing; the hard sciences did have other technical oriented entrance exams for prospective mature students. I've graduated this past 2011 after a three year program with a BA and am now on the MLitt / PhD research path as my intention is to probably remain in academia in a teaching role.

So it is quite do-able and I'd say go for it. However, as you will also be working it is going to take a lot of dedicated work to get your coursework done and manage your employment requirements alongside your life. I know a few lads who were in the same position and the good news is that they managed just fine, it won't be easy but it can be done. One thing I'll say is ensure that you get some free time on a regular basis, do not merely work and study as your chances of burning out shoot up. With no play I can guarantee that your academic work will suffer some, probably not catastrophically but perhaps not the best you could have achieved so be mindful of that.

Anything else, just ask and best 'o' luck.

[M Paul Lloyd]

Curious. Did/does the RAF offer foreign languages as part of the training?

Given the trend towards global collaboration, not just with English-speakers, would having a foreign language in one's pocket enhance one's opportunities?:

Not in my day KingPhillip and I'm not sure it is so even today as the assumption is 'everyone else will speak English anyway' which winds the French up a treat who refuse to do so even though they can and so both sides end up ignoring each other. It is something that should have been addressed back when the joint defence alliances such as NATO where instigated, but even then the sort of people who join the armed forces are rarely recruited for their linguistic skills.

BTW, I consider Math as a foreign language.

Its supposed to be an international language.

[nath2099]

I served 2003-2007. The thing with the RAF is they would train you in anything that benefits them and aides you in your role. The thing about languages is that often you needed the language to get the job that requires the language in the first place if you know what I mean? Though the sneaky beaky guys flying above places with there ears open often would learn extra languages as the places they are needed change a lot, I think you have to demonstrate a natural linguistic ability to get those roles.

To summarize: Yeah but no Sorry if this made no sense.

[M Paul Lloyd]

I can imagine the operators of covert vehicles and listening devices would certainly benefit from additional languages but as you suggest Nate probably something for natural linguists.
Goodness knows I struggled enough with English let alone anything else.

Mind you I can read/interpret technical drawings along with circuit diagrams be that pneumatic, electric or hydraulic plus a lot of technical papers which are often written in a language that seems to have little or no origin in any human language... so perhaps my small quota of skills is focused elsewhere?

[KingPhillip]

I brought forth the topic of a foreign language primarily from reading the editorial and Catherine de Lange's cover story in the New Scientist, May 5-11, 2012 issue.

It seems English is lingua franca in much of the world, such that many English speakers remain monolingual, while non-English speakers learn English and other languages and benefit cognitively.