Advice on tertiary study

Forums › Off topic › Advice on tertiary study

peter7

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#105200 29-Jun-2012 08:35

Hi, my name is peter and i am new to this forum. I am 22 and have a business diploma which I completed 6 months ago. For the last 6 months I have been working in a low paying factory job just passing time and enjoying having money.
I am considering continuing my study to do a bachelor of management studies majoring in marketing.

I am not certain what i want to do in life but know the general area and considering many people change careers / say they do not want to do their current job for the rest of their life I am not worried about that.

My situation financial / living is such that I can continue studying if I want to, I am just weighing up whether it is worth it or not. I feel it would give me a better foundation. It is 10 papers study ontop of what I have already done.

I would not mind having a sales position in a shop and eventually becoming store manager or equivalent. I also would not mind starting my own small business such as car grooming when I have more money. I also enjoy marketing and may want some sort of marketing job when I am older.

I assume there are many business minded people on these forums, some of which are even employers and/or work in the marketing industry so it would be great to hear from those people and any other advice opinions people may have. All responses appreciated.

I am wondering things such as..

what difference would the bachelors degree make compared to a diploma when trying to become a store manager or marketer? Would it significantly improve my chances?

How would I become a store manager or marketer if I did not continue studying and do a bachelors degree?

keewee01

1737 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#648008 29-Jun-2012 08:51

That's a hard one!

My own personal situation is that I went off the Uni and studied Geology, got BSc. It was a topic I was really interested in and wanted to get a job in. After BSc took a year off and applied for hundreds (yes, hundreds) of jobs. Best I was getting was bar work and working sole charge in a dairy (I lived in a moderate size town, not a city). Of my graduating class 50% continued on with Masters or Hons, 25% were unemployed and 25% had jobs in anything and every thing except Geology. At the end of the year I did get a Summer job working in Geology as a support person.

Following year I started my Masters and each holidays I did get a job as a support person working in the field of Geology and then half-way through the year a full time job came up working as Technical Support for Geologist. Applied and got it, but within 2 years I was working full time in IT (within the same organisation).

Today I am still working in IT, but I still have an interest in Geology.

If something interests you enough, then follow you dream - just know that it may not be where you end up. :)

Good luck.

ETA - Oh, and to you questions; not sure what difference if any a tertiary qualification would make to becoming a store manager or marketer. I think it is more about experience. Therefore, with that time you were planning to put into tertiary study, instead find a good marketing intership somewhere - tell them you'll work for peanuts, you just really want to learn the ropes. Make sure it is somewhere large, where there is a good chance you could ultimate land a job if you prove yourself. Even if you don't land a permanent full time job there, it gives you the training and experience (and referees!) to give you a good shot when applying for other jobs.

I know a large number of store owners and not a single on of them has tertiary training - they are all on-the-job and up-thru-the-ranks people.

Jaxson

8018 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#648032 29-Jun-2012 09:43

Yeah really depends on your future plans. Polytech/industry training is typically more targeted/practical. However, depending on your future ambitions, a degree certainly can act as a key to doors as you go and more than anything shows you are capable of learning to a certain level. Often the tertiary/degree type courses cover the history of a subject etc as well, so they are wider scoped, but not necessarily targeted to providing a certain skill to a high degree, (if that makes any sense sorry?!).

crackrdbycracku

1168 posts

Uber Geek

#648066 29-Jun-2012 10:41

My two cents would be that if you are not sure what you want to do and you can afford it then study is a good choice.

I studied politics at Vic, worked initially for a Government Department, then did more diverse jobs than I care to list finally landing in a media services job where my degree has useful applications and sets me up for future advancement.

The flip side of that is I have met a lot of unhappy people in their mid-thirties who feel trapped in jobs they find boring. They feel don't have the qualifications to do something that would interest them and that it is 'too late' to return to study. Basically say they have commitments and don't want to deal with the income drop being a student would bring. I'm not going to make a comment on whether this is justified or not.

I haven't studied at a poly-tech so I can't comment on the differences between that and university. However, degree courses can also open up opportunities outside of New Zealand such as teaching English and so forth. A degree can also make you eligible for many post-grad courses in really diverse fields, such as teaching, you might want to do at a later date.

Bottom line is I think, if you can afford it, further study is a good idea because it will probably open up possibilities you hadn't thought of yet.

Didn't anybody tell you I was a hacker?

khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek

#648087 29-Jun-2012 11:23

The difference between a bachelors degree compared to a diploma can sometimes be as simple as a course being offered in one over another. Diploma's are usually for shorter duration. A bachelors degree will take 2.5-5 years

From a practical perspective, getting a bachelor's degree/diploma will only get you enough into the interview room. A bachelors degree may also be preferred over a diploma depending on the nature of the job.

Some employers will prefer experience over qualifications some wont. A bachelors degree will also be more accepted internationally should you end up wanting to work overseas. A qualification is not a requirement, but it does make the job search easier.

I have 2 degrees in BSc and BCom from the University of Auckland, 3 majors with first class honors and ended up work in IT even though I have a Marketing degree. In truth, I value work experience and working with others more and would hire people who actually have worked in Maccas and the hospitality industry (at some point in their life) who show initiative. Being at university and having a degree is meaningless if the candidate has no idea how to articulate or work together.

Being 27 now I can say I live a very comfortable life although I feel the injustice the government has dealt to the 80% of the population.

peter7

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#648179 29-Jun-2012 13:17

these responses are really helpful please keep them coming, i appreciate all opinions

if i certainly don't want to be pizzing around with loss of income etc in my late 20's going back to study, it has to be now

I know and appreciate the value of real world experience too, if i study i plan to try and get a part time weekend sales job, if i cannot do that i will have a weekend job at maccas or similar anyway