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Thread ID: 60435	2005-08-01 11:21:00	Career advice	george12 (7)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
377353	2005-08-01 11:21:00	Hi, I'm currently in the middle of Year 11 (5th form) at school, turned 15 in May, and doing Yr 12 Chem, Physics and Maths. I want to start looking at the career path I will be following, because after this year is when I need to begin making decisions. The kind of skills I have are in the areas of business management, and computers/electronics. Over the last 15 months or so (stopped a couple of months ago) I ran a serious business selling computers & parts to customer specs. I don't do it any more, because it took up too much of my time and when customers starting taking PCs back, and suppliers turned bad (warranties), all that money went down the drain anyway. Now I'm working at New World for $8.50 an hour.... Totals about $90 a week. I have constructed myself a simple but ingenious ;) plan for saving in which I AP $30 a week into a separate bank account with good interest, so it's there before I even see it, which works great because I don't miss money if it never reaches the bank. That will grow at about $1500 a year, and then start compounding..... I enjoyed managing the business I ran, and this looks like a likely career path for me. But it would be nice to incorporate the skill I have accumulated with computers and electronics etc as well. I'm after advice on what kind of job to look for in the not-TOO-far away future, and what kind of qualifications etc I should take on the way. Anyone have any comments?	george12 (7)
377354	2005-08-01 11:33:00	Does your school have a career path advisor? The fact that customers were brining computers back is not a good sign. You may consider a different supplier and the same sort of path.	Elephant (599)
377355	2005-08-01 11:40:00	2 customers brought back. One with a minor problem (a fan), one with a dead motherboard one time, and Ram another time. Yeah, it was a CRAP supplier. Terribly cheap, crap parts. It was all learning. One thing I learnt is to buy reliable brands. Anyway, I think I will see the school career advisor tomorrow while it's on my mind. Just wanted some more free advice from here. I didn't find the computer retail business very profitable. I started with $270 in the bank, and finished with $400 in the bank. A YEAR. Of course, I'm ignoring the fact that I got a celly 2.4, 512mb, 160gb... out of it, and that we have a pile of old 333mhz celerons lying around. But still, for the time it took me I'm better off pushing trolleys :(	george12 (7)
377356	2005-08-01 11:41:00	From what I imagine, you must have special abilities in the more 'Science' subjects. Therefore, my first thought is ... do conjoint Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Commerce You will be able to use your skills in science and combine this with the business aspect of things. This, no doubt, will pay you more than $8.50/hour :D	techie (7177)
377357	2005-08-01 11:56:00	Yes, my two absolute best subjects at school are Maths and Physics (which go together quite nicely), and also Accounting, which is no surprise. It would definitely be the best thing to combine my skill areas. Thanks for the suggestion. Edit: One thing I forgot to mention - The top 20 students (out of 120) in the year in Physics get to do a scholarship class next year (Lvl 3 / Yr 13 / 7th form), and I am coming 5th. This may or may not have a good result in regards to qualifications later on. I might talk to my teacher about it to see what it really means.	george12 (7)
377358	2005-08-01 12:06:00	This (www.otago.ac.nz) is the kind of thing that interests me if done in combination with something to do with my technical skill.	george12 (7)
377359	2005-08-01 12:10:00	2 customers brought back. One with a minor problem (a fan), one with a dead motherboard one time, and Ram another time. Yeah, it was a CRAP supplier. Terribly cheap, crap parts. It was all learning. One thing I learnt is to buy reliable brands. Anyway, I think I will see the school career advisor tomorrow while it's on my mind. Just wanted some more free advice from here. I didn't find the computer retail business very profitable. I started with $270 in the bank, and finished with $400 in the bank. A YEAR. Of course, I'm ignoring the fact that I got a celly 2.4, 512mb, 160gb... out of it, and that we have a pile of old 333mhz celerons lying around. But still, for the time it took me I'm better off pushing trolleys pressf1.pcworld.co.nz OK. So you did not earn $$$$$$ in your enterprise. My thought here is that you were able to build computers and you have learned to use a proper supplier. You have also learned to spell and put the problem out in English. You have also learned to make calculations and what Profit and Loss is all about. I'm not sure what the Career Advisor would say. After all He/She will know your school record better than I. Pushing trolleys is still a job and earns $$ per week and good luck in your future enterprises. If I had a job going here I'd give it to you. Go for your dreams.	Elephant (599)
377360	2005-08-01 22:35:00	You were on the right path, with your business. But you were under capitalised. Need a little bit more capital to get you through the rough times. Save a bit more and it may work out again. Be aware tho with PC's now so cheap, sub-$1,000 is not much per unit, may not be the business for you. You have a head for business, don't waste it. Be also aware you learnt another lesson, being self-employed takes a lot more time than being just employed. And certainly in the startup phase, the first few years.	KiwiTT_NZ (233)
377361	2005-08-05 12:19:00	A Bachelor of Engineering will be good especially from AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY or I prefer Cantebury. What I did was this I finished school in 5th form and studied a "National Diploma in Electrotechnology" with CPIT. Once I finish I will probably look for a job if not I could go to CANTEBURY UNIVERSITY and if lucky could get 2 years of cross credit for the Bachelor of Engineering program or a year either way I am going to finish faster than my friends who have continued with 6th/7th form. While they enter the intermediate year at CU I will be already in my professional year with a diploma behind me and as part of my course industry IT certs too. This way it has been quite good for me. But hey dont try this unless you are 100 percent dedicated to it, its quite a tough thing jumping directly from Level 1 to directly to Level 6 but it pays off. You seem to be a pretty talented guy and I would not like to see you in your 30s fixing PCs nothing worng with that but rather would like to see you working as a "TELECOM ENGINEER" or a "HARDWARE ENGINEERING".	thenzengineer (8172)
377362	2005-08-05 14:05:00	I'm doing a BCom/BSc at Auckland University . Majoring in economics and compsci I think . Commerce is lame . Seriously . I'm bored out of my mind because its easy and hardly interesting . They can't teach you management, its an experience thing . Do engineering or science, (don't conjoint engineering with anything unless you have a fond dislike of sleep; and I mean that) . Also if you do engineering, prepare to be ridiculed by virtually everyone else on campus for the four years you're there . No one likes engineers . Gain the experience in Real Life, most people don't seem to see it that way though :) . Lol and don't think $1500 a year is going to get you far at uni, I'm paying $8000 a year for everything . Although I found my friends bro just left uni with a BCom and got offered a job starting at $82,000 a year . So you earn it back with dividends :) .	DangerousDave (697)
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