What Is Best Demanding Degree One Should Study Right Now?

TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 11:49
Last edited 19/08/2015 - 11:49

Hello OZB's, I've got my cousin willing to come here from overseas. And So this question pops up, What is the best field/course/degree he should enroll in?
I've asked him what he want to become, but he don't have any particular Goals/Interest. He wants to become a footballer which he can do while doing his degree. Let's take football as his hobby and he don't mind getting into any profession as long as it's well paid and demanding. I was thinking about Mechanical Engineer or IT or petroleum. Any other advice? I've tried googling it shows up health care, accountants, plumbers, etc.

In case this matter he is 23 years old and have just finished his high schools. I hope it's not too late for him to get into those degrees.

Education & Work

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 12:02
    -5

    Process or petroleum engineering degrees are pretty good to have in the current job climate and a process degree is quite demanding.

    • mskeggs on 19/08/2015 - 12:13
      +18

      I think you might want to look again at the current petroleum employment market!

        • mskeggs on 19/08/2015 - 12:22
          +8

          Maybe, but the oil companies have almost all just cut exploration by 50%. This must decrease the employment prospects.
          I actually think this will backfire in 3 years time when depletion leaves everyone scrambling, but it can't be good right now.

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 12:26
          +3

          @mskeggs: Yes his course will take about 4 years to complete.

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 15:58

          @TurkishDelight:

          Thanks for saving me typing that very response!!

        • DealzEddy123 on 19/08/2015 - 16:46
          +4

          bad advice. his cousin, even after a degree will not be considered qualified/experienced.

          so while the market may be good for qualified petroleum engineers, it might not be relevant to someone considering starting a new degree

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 21:53
          +5

          @edwinlin88:

          Bad advice? I just stated my thoughts on an industry I have a fair understanding and experience of.

          Anyway, no new graduate will have much/any experience but I'd certainly consider them qualified.

        • Tech5 on 19/08/2015 - 21:58
          +11

          A qualified and experienced university graduate. Interesting contradiction

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 22:04

          @zhuang281:

          I don't understand your comment

        • Tech5 on 19/08/2015 - 22:08
          +10

          @Mattress:

          As in most university graduates are neither qualified nor experienced. For the first part, the teaching never matches up with the job- you always learn on the spot.

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 22:13

          @zhuang281:

          If you possess the qualification, I would argue that you are indeed qualified. Now, whether or not you know your arse from your elbow in that discipline is another matter entirely.

          Sorry, with respect to your earlier comment, I though for a second that you were claiming that I said that a new university graduate was 'qualified and experienced'.

        • Davo1111 on 19/08/2015 - 22:48

          There are still plenty of projects active and many in the pipeline. Jobs are in abundance, if you are qualified/experienced

          lol, no there isn't

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 22:59

          @Davo1111:

          I can only speak from my own experience. I've recently been offered a position elsewhere and I've seen several colleagues leave the company in the past few months. All jobs were on new projects.

          Oh, and I have recently applied for five jobs…again, all on new projects.

        • Davo1111 on 19/08/2015 - 23:02

          @Mattress: hmmm, maybe i don't have enough experience. All oil and gas companies wont touch me with a 10ft pole.

          Most of the big players have done massive layoffs. Chevron dropped 400 in may, all the others are similar.

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 23:06
          +1

          @Davo1111:

          Really? I'm ex Chevron and I am fairly confident that I can get a start over at Wheatstone or Gorgon.

          Inpex and Shell are after people now (Perth/Darwin/Korea and Prelude). Then again, others are too. Granted, Santos and Chevron may well be laying off but they have huge projects due to come online over the next year or two - Gorgon, Wheatstone, Curtis Island. Maybe they've finished their main recruitment drive but people will always come and go, chasing the money.

          Which 'big players' have had massive layoffs?? Santos are hardly a big player. Are you talking about contract and construction positions??

        • Davo1111 on 19/08/2015 - 23:18
          +2

          @Mattress:

          Mainly referring to geology and geophysics positions. I don't think i've heard of anyone hiring, and people i know who work in the industry have told me they've been slimming down those departments significantly.

          chevron and recently chevron USA

          inpex dropped 1400, but as you said was construction

          schlumberger 20,000 world wide at the start of the year.

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 23:28
          +1

          @Davo1111:

          OK, fair enough. I don't work in either of those departments and let's be honest, they've never been that stable and are probably affected by the price of oil more than any other discipline in the O&G industry.
          I've a good mate who was a geologist for BP and he got out and took a job in operations. He still says that it was the best move he ever made, even though it was a wasted education.

          Perhaps I should have been clearer. In the operations department, there are jobs aplenty. My initial thoughts about the OPs mate's choice of degree was based on this…..although who knows the state of the nation in four or five years from now?? They may be looking for geologists and firing operations personnel!!

        • DealzEddy123 on 20/08/2015 - 07:12

          @Mattress: having a degree does not make you qualified for a job.

        • [Deactivated] on 20/08/2015 - 07:23

          @edwinlin88:

          Not in every case, I agree but generally a relevant qualification will often tick the 'qualified' box. It's the experience, or lack of, that's often the issue.

          Let's just agree to disagree. It's obviously something that's affected you on a personal level.

        • DealzEddy123 on 20/08/2015 - 07:38

          @Mattress: sigh obviously :(

        • Serapis on 20/08/2015 - 21:19
          +2

          @Mattress:

          You've been in the game for a while which is why you can easily get jobs… if the market continues the way it's going atm, a person starting that degree now will be unemployed when they finish as companies would not want to waste resources training a newbie.

          Pretty much no grad positions during market downturn.

        • [Deactivated] on 21/08/2015 - 00:01
          +1

          @Serapis:

          I don't have a crystal ball so I really have no idea what the future holds. Who knows, maybe it will all turn 180 degrees in the next five years…..or maybe it could get much, much worse?

          I tell you what, I will retract any advice given. It seems that few people on here have any faith in degrees anyway, but one thing is for sure, you won't get an engineer's job without one.

    • sareth on 20/08/2015 - 21:44

      You have to be kidding… I know one process engineering graduate this year who has a job - and it's in food engineering.

      • [Deactivated] on 21/08/2015 - 00:03
        +2

        Of course I am kidding. You're one example out-trumps my umpteen anyway!

        • spackbace on 21/08/2015 - 00:21

          Uh oh, mattress had enough of being jumped on.
          He must be feeling very flat.
          He doesn't have a spring in his step any more.
          He's tired of being single-d out.

          Punny :)

        • Sleeken on 22/08/2015 - 10:29

          I know many process engineering grads (being one myself). I'd say its very challenging to land a grad job at the moment. Its been a 50/50 split between those employed and those who aren't, for both mining & Oil & Gas.

  • spackbace on 19/08/2015 - 12:10
    +16

    No one can predict what will happen 3-4yrs down the track, when you freshly graduate with your new degree just hoping to get a job. Likelihood is that whatever is in demand now, people will go and study, so in 3-4yrs there's a sudden influx of graduates in that field and not that many jobs to go around.

    Just do what you love. (Not along the lines of professional sport but a degree that interests them) It's 3-4yrs of full time study, then trying the job out for another few years before you work out you hate it.

    He wants to become a footballer which he can do while doing his degree.

    Yeah, good luck with that! Even a hobby sport + casual job + study would be very demanding!

    • mskeggs on 19/08/2015 - 12:16
      +1

      I agree this is a problematic approach.
      But if you want well paid and demanding, how about Physiotherapy? Could tie in with sport.

      • scotty on 19/08/2015 - 12:54
        +5

        My kids' school friend's dad is a physician for an NRL team, and that seems to be on pretty good pay. The only problem is that the team is not local and they have to cheer for the team no one at school is cheering for.

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 13:12

          they have to cheer for the team no one at school is cheering for.

          haha

      • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 13:12

        thanks it seems to be a good profession. Considering its demanding.

    • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 12:31
      +1

      Hobby sport won't make him for living. Alright, I will make him get a casual job in like Kmarts or so. What about his future?
      He can't just keep doing this for his entire life. NO QUALIFICATION= No FUTURE.
      I don't want him to end up doing a cookery or nursing (No OFFENCE) but I mean a decently valued degree.

      • spackbace on 19/08/2015 - 12:37
        +6

        NO QUALIFICATION= No FUTURE.

        Want me to point to all the threads of uni graduates struggling to find jobs? Your cousin will come out of uni at 26-27yo with a piece of paper and be going up against 22yos with the same piece of paper. Not to mention the tradies out there that will have had a steady income for 10 years or so before your cousin is even ready for a 38hr work week.

        Any trade is valuable right now and will likely serve him better than taking a punt on a uni degree, especially if he's not into study (we haven't been told the reason why he's only just graduated high school @ 23yo).

        A trade allows someone to work for themselves, do cash work on the side, and still work right up till retirement.

        Alright, I will make him get a casual job in like Kmarts or so.

        Again, good luck with that. You can't just 'make someone' work. They want to have to do it.

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 12:43

          -.- I mean I can help him get a job in Kmart or so. As once I've worked there. He didn't manage to get degree @23 because he started his school late and wasted 2 years for no reason starting his own business (which he is no good at).
          So it's late for him to study now? I saw few people doing degrees at 30 something.
          Isn't there anything like he can do Mechanical Engineering/ Aerospace on a Fasttrack?

        • spackbace on 19/08/2015 - 12:46
          +1

          @TurkishDelight:

          Mechanical Engineering/ Aerospace

          Woah. Just woah.

          Anyway, at the end of the day, it's your cousin, not your partner. You can suggest things, but you can't make him actually do anything. The last thing you want in your life is to feel responsible if he fails or doesn't like the degree that you pushed him into. Same to with the job, don't go pushing him into a job alongside you if he doesn't want to be there, that will look very badly on your part to your boss/es.

          Just suggest things to him, but don't map out his life. It's not yours.

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 12:51

          @Spackbace: I Agree. I am just trying to guide him a little. He would not mind doing any course for sure, but I am just gathering some knowledge and googling around to enlighten him.
          Mechanical/ Aerospace are a very interesting field. Also, I know my cousin he loves thing related to technology, cars or military stuff.

          I am not going to force him to pick a particular subject. Being responsible and guiding him most accurate information I can provide. I've been in Australia from last 4 years and they all count on me.

        • spackbace on 19/08/2015 - 12:52
          +1

          @TurkishDelight:

          How'd he go in his studies? Was he in top classes?

          How long has it been since he worked 38hrs/week? What's he doing currently?

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 12:57

          @Spackbace: He is alright in studies and is a hard working, guy. I don't know when he worked 38hrs/week, as he always tried to a have business so I he never had a job for real.

        • spackbace on 19/08/2015 - 12:59
          +2

          @TurkishDelight:

          'Alright' wouldn't cut the mustard in engineering. If you said he'd excelled then fair enough. Most uni's require the student to be in the top 15% of students to even get into engineering.

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 13:02

          @Spackbace: I am not trying to defend him or so. You have a point but he is mature now and he might be willing to take his degree studies seriously. I don't see a problem getting enrollment in a decent uni.

        • jaybmate on 19/08/2015 - 13:22
          +8

          @TurkishDelight: Of course enrolment won't be a problem when he is a international fee paying student.

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 13:25

          @jaybmate: Sad but true.

      • iridiumstem on 19/08/2015 - 12:41
        +2

        Hmmm, I am not sure whether qualification holds as much strength as some other places in Australia. The gist I've gotten from Australia is that job experience holds as much strength as qualifications do (unlike places like my home country), which does put me slightly in an awkward place (International students usually get 20 work hours per fortnight restriction).

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 12:46

          Work Experience is a great alternate. But no one would just hire with Zero knowledge of his field.
          Is it worth studying in Australia and getting employed in some other country?

        • sane on 19/08/2015 - 13:36
          +3

          Nah, Australia has qualificationitus and doesn't think much of you unless you have the right piece of paper.

          Other countries are much more interested in what you can do.

        • iridiumstem on 19/08/2015 - 14:21

          @sane: I am from a country that's worse than Australia (university entrance rate is 80%), where your rating on online dating sites are dependent on your university and your degree, so maybe I don't see Australian situation as drastic as you are suggesting.

        • sane on 19/08/2015 - 14:47
          +1

          @AznMitch:

          And I come from somewhere where if you have got a degree you are considered to know enough to be dangerous, and to be taken seriously you need at least two years of practical experience under your belt.

          Thus if you were comparing someone with 5 years real world experience, and someone with a degree and no experience, you'd forget the degree.

          Far too many McDegrees in Australia.

        • iridiumstem on 19/08/2015 - 18:22
          +2

          @TurkishDelight: Yeah, but what I was trying to imply was no qualification =/= no future in Australia. I know people who are doing fine without a degree (they've tried hard to get where they are, but that said it's possible). If they were at my home country, no degree would almost mean no future (TAFE would not get you a reasonable paying job and people with undergrad degrees are having hard time finding a job because of sheer number of people who have a degree).

        • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 21:39

          @AznMitch: Right but my cousin will need to study something as we planning to apply for his student Visa.

        • iridiumstem on 19/08/2015 - 22:48
          +1

          @TurkishDelight:There was an article that looked at whether industry is likely to be replaced by automatrons and such if you want to google them, that said I don't think there is a future proof industry. If you are one of the best in the industry, you'd not starve at the very very very least. My father did history/archaeology in his undergrad years, and he've told me stories about his collegues who is earning decent amount of money in the industry.

          Psychology, I've read, is likely to not be replaced by automatrons, there is a lot of combinations (double degree) that work well with it as well. That said, you need to take psychology to at least master level if you want to go into the industry that solely focuses on psychology. Doctors earn a lot, but you need to pretty much spend your 20s studying. Engineering, the sheer amount of workload I've seen my brother go through puts me off from recommending it.

          I think you probably could see what I want to say, let him choose his path. Anything that's "future proof" usually means that there is a barrier to entrance. If you want to not do it, usually they are hard to get through. You could make him take courses like Psychology 101 or Economics 101 in the university I suppose, and let him tell you or his family what he likes since most of the degrees have electives and you'd probably able to sneak those 101s as electives. At least in my university that's possible, I've seen a lot of kids taking 1st year psychology course to see whether they wanna do it or not.

        • TurkishDelight on 20/08/2015 - 15:20

          @AznMitch: Great Info thanks.

      • [Deactivated] on 20/08/2015 - 22:21

        Chef these days are more like celebrities. Check out those cooking shows :-)

        • TurkishDelight on 21/08/2015 - 00:42

          @ro-bot Chef is a really challenging and skilled job. It needs passion and love for the item/ food you are going to make.
          No passion= Fail. Especially if you are a chef.

      • DavidFong on 23/08/2015 - 00:43
        +1

        I think you already realize this by now, but a nursing degree is of much higher value than you seem to give credit.

        I am a general practitioner of fifteen years experience, and I am still routinely value the guidance and advice by specialist (and general) nurses when it comes to management of my patients.

        There are many jobs that a nurse can do better than a doctor.
        I have seen nurses with far better clinical judgement than most doctors.
        Anyway, in my line of work, I don't have the time to do all the things I could potentially do, even 'ordinary' nurses are invaluable for completing the care provided.

        If you grew up in another country, your attitude towards nurses might not reflect current reality in Australia.

        The pay for nurse is reasonably respectable.
        There are good promotion prospects for nurses. Particularly motivated male nurses.
        Plenty of men do nursing degrees in Australia.
        Nursing is a portable job. A person with an Australian nursing degree could also work in the United Kingdom, Ireland or the United States, also with good pay.

        Your direct experience of nursing in aged care may not be very positive, unfortunately conditions and pay for nurses in the aged care sector have not followed the conditions of nurses in other fields.

    • Musing Outloud on 21/08/2015 - 10:11
      +2

      For a fit guy this is very doable, just depends on whether the sport part is professional, or just for fitness.

      Key thing is to do what you enjoy because you are going to be doing it for a very very long time…

      Aptitude for certain types of work can be roughly identified using many of the available online tools using a google search. This is a current 'free' Australian one http://www.postgradexpo.com.au/whats-new/my-future-finder/

      If technology is an interest then engineering is one way to go. There are many but one growing field is mechatronics. This would set you up for the robot future: http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/view/industrial_robotics_market…

      Mechanical, mechatronics or electrical engineering would set you up for future roles in engineering projects, manufacturing, logistics and with some breadth of experience - consulting. Or even technology sales.

      Another alternative is Civil engineering. there are always buildings and infrastructure being constructed and it all needs designing, engineering and construction.

      Steer away from manufacturing as the opportunities have shrunk in Oz - much went to Asia.

      I'd steer away from the law as it is about to be automated, plus there is a serious oversupply in this field.

      Business studies is another generalist area if technology isn't his bent. This can lead into many diverse roles.

      Don't discount trades such as bricklaying or plumbing, both are in significant demand.

      • TurkishDelight on 21/08/2015 - 11:19

        very informative thanks. What are your thoughts on
        1)supply and logistics
        2)statistics

  • shaybisc on 19/08/2015 - 13:08

    Has any professional soccer player ever made their way into a top team via full time university study? All the famous ones I've heard of seem to have left school at 13 to go into a soccer academy and never read a book thereafter.

    • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 13:15

      I don't want to look down at him but it's more likely his hobby. He plays football because his friends do.

  • 28kb on 19/08/2015 - 13:15
    +4

    Do a degree that you are willing to work on in your spare time, (i.e your own small project or be part of a university group in that field) to get ahead of the 1000 other people doing your degree. Something I wish I knew before I started uni.

    • anth0888 on 19/08/2015 - 14:16
      +3

      That's good advice everyone should take on board. At the end of the day, you need a job that facinates and challenges your inherent skills without feeling like its a drain on your life. I'd suggest going to TAFE though, instead of university, and obtaining the practical work experience and then once you feel you are ready in which ever career field, you can seek further studies.

      • freefight49 on 22/08/2015 - 16:23

        I personally went to take before starting my degree and it really helped me get a better appreciation for my field.

  • sane on 19/08/2015 - 13:49

    What you are looking for is a degree that in a field of increasing demand, that's not a sexy field, cannot be automated or outsourced to India, but is needed in any geographic location (so you can live where you want). You also want it to be easy to get - not to much remembering facts etc.

    Looking forward many jobs are going to get automated. Law, accounting, driving, etc. are going to be a bloodbath. Resources jobs are looking very uncertain (and tied to locations). IT is hard to excel in (and easy to outsource).

    Depending on aptitude I might look towards Sales and Marketing, or more specifically the big data driven analytics side of things. Currently hot, you can get part time roles doing what you study whilst at university to get experience, always seem to be needed and positively rolling in the bllsht so nobody knows if you are any good.

    • anth0888 on 19/08/2015 - 14:21
      +1

      Speaking from someone who experienced outsouring my self. My job was out sourced to Thailand (of all places). I used to work in international shipping and now having been fed up by the ongoing trend of International out sourcing in the corporate world, I'm studying a Diploma in Community services work.

      I chose that area of study and work, as it's an area which can never be outsourced as it requires face to face and interpersonal community relations - similar to how nursing, doctors, firefighters, emergency services and social workers are all essential human services which not only are required in the community but have a greater demand for jobs.

      At the end of the day like 'Sane' mentioned, the emergence of international connectivity via the internet means that someone working for 4 dollars a day in India, can take over jobs from Australians getting paid 100+ a day, with different labor laws and conditions. It's an unfair playing field, but these days corporate managers will do anything to save money and your loyalty to the company means nothing - especially when it comes to dollars and cents.

    • rt1111 on 20/08/2015 - 09:25

      Law will be automated to the degree that it will be a 'bloodbath'? What absolute garbage.

  • mightyfes on 19/08/2015 - 14:37
    +2

    Tell him to become a medical doctor. I mean there are risks associated with the profession with malpractice and what not but I cant imagine people will stop getting sick 7 years from now.

    Also don't worry about his age regardless of degree; he's old af and 5 years behind most students but ageism is illegal and maybe he'll get an opportunity to sue and never have to work again.

    • shaybisc on 19/08/2015 - 15:04
      +6

      Sure, why not? I'm new in australia, I think I'll study medicine. How hard can that be? I've got my Turkish HSC. When can I start?

      • mightyfes on 19/08/2015 - 15:25
        +2

        Welcome to Australia. You can start tomorrow.

        • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 15:59
          +1

          At the TAFE

        • snapper on 19/08/2015 - 22:51

          @Mattress: If they're still around…

    • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 21:41

      A medical doctor is a good option. Will keep in mind and will also check about fees and things before suggesting him.

      • hayne on 23/08/2015 - 00:18
        +2

        Hate to burst your bubble but if he's "alright in studies" (your words), he won't get in.

      • DavidFong on 23/08/2015 - 00:21

        I did my MBBS (doctor's degree) in Melbourne, and my post-graduate training in general practice (FRACGP and additional diploma qualification in obstetrics/gynaecology and parallel fellowship in rural general practice), in total twelve years before completion of training. The full undergraduate degree at UniMelbourne is now seven years, so you can add another year to completion time if he goes there, or to any 'post-graduate' medical course.

        Add another year or two or more if he wants to be a doctor other than a general practitioner.

        Be aware, that in a act akin to racism, the Australian Medical Students Association has demanded that the public hospitals hire 'Australian' graduates ahead of overseas graduates (who went to the same Australian Medical University) for the first year of work (internship), which needs to completed before a qualified doctor can receive 'general unconditional registration'. What the definition of Australian graduate is, you best ask them. As a result, excellent graduate students do not find positions to work in Australian hospitals, even if they out-perform local graduates.

        Why Australian medical graduates, who mostly already come from privileged middle-class backgrounds, and have received years of heavily subsidised education, need to be further molly-coddled by a government-guaranteed job in an institution which is funded, but not managed, by government is beyond me.

        (oh, I was an 'Australian' graduate myself. But I know the reason the Australian Medical Student Association behaved in this way had to do with students from, for example, Melbourne, who studied in Adelaide swearing black and blue during the entrance interview that they loved loved South Australia and would consider work there, could not stand the thought of actually staying in South Australia a single minute after graduation.)

        Do take in mind that the medical course, the work, and post-graduate course IS hard and intellectually demanding.

        Also, to work independently, your cousin will need to obtain a post-graduate qualification after the primary medical degree. Due to a rough doubling in the number of undergraduate positions across the country, it is not clear that enough post-graduate training positions will be available (historically, the number of graduates and post-graduate training positions was roughly equal).

        Over the past few years I have seen an increasing number of Chinese students who majored in, say accounting, change their major to nursing when in Australia, because of considerably better job prospects. That includes male nursing students, when in China itself there are virtually no male nursing students and nursing is considered a rather lowly profession. Unfortunately for your cousin, apparently the Chinese nursing student tsunami is well under-way.

        As for the million-dollars-per-year for general practitioners mentioned by a practice manager below, my own practice has almost five full-time equivalent doctors, and the gross income of all doctors combined would be about $2 million dollars, before practice expenses. But my practice is a very low-throughput practice. I am also a supervisor. Generally the teaching times I submit are not a complete fantasy.

        But it is true that there are many imaginative ways to exploit the system, particularly since the patient does not care (or may not even see) the cost of what the government is being charged.

        • McFind on 23/08/2015 - 15:15
          +1

          Would you say that you 'wasted' your 20's studying?
          And how would you explain the stress levels you encountered whilst studying?

        • DavidFong on 24/08/2015 - 00:29
          +1

          @McFind:

          Not at all, I think medicine is a very rewarding career, if you like working and helping people.
          Even for a fraction of the 'glamour' income that various people might quote as being potentially possible.

          I am working overseas at the moment, with HIV orphans and children with disabilities, and after returning to 'normal' general practice (with people with schizophrenia, refugee background, some people with drug problems etc.) will have an opportunity to work a little in Kenya next year.

          So, no, all that study is not a waste. It is possible to be a reasonably versatile doctor.
          The study wasn't easy! But I didn't find the study stressful (individual experience might vary in that regard). The work is far more challenging than the study. But, if it suits the individual, it is possible to narrow one's area of work until they become a 'specialist' in a very small field.

        • McFind on 24/08/2015 - 01:06
          +1

          @DavidFong:
          Thanks for the reply,I'm interested in becoming a doctor and travelling overseas to different countries to learn and help the community.I like the role of the GP as they get to build close relations with the community.

          Now to see where my final year of school takes me :)

        • TurkishDelight on 24/08/2015 - 11:57
          +1

          @McFind: All the best..

    • Tech5 on 19/08/2015 - 22:00
      +3

      A lot of jobs make a lot more money than doctors with far less effort. 9-10 years of training goes into it, most of it minimally or not paid

      • TurkishDelight on 20/08/2015 - 01:07
        +1

        Please Enlighten me to those job lists.

      • Kevin07 on 21/08/2015 - 15:45
        +4

        this is true, we do hours of overtime each day and cannot claim it. instead we pass it off as a 'learning experience'. When we get home we have probably 3 hours of personal time of which mostly consists of studying for trainee exams. And finally the "studying" will not end after 9-10 years as even at a consultancy level you need to be on top of your game as you hold the most responsibility and have to be up to date with the latest guidelines and research. Also as a senior you work many more hours than a junior doctor. My advice is don't go into medicine for the money.

        • GameChanger on 21/08/2015 - 16:48

          How many hours do you work?

        • mightyfes on 22/08/2015 - 10:45

          Hey pubby, become a GP then you can work part-time and still be better off than most people in the AU. I know because I used to be a practice manager at a relatively busy place. The doctors that worked full-time(well maybe more than full-time, like full-time and a Saturday) made around 20k a fortnight after the practice fees but before tax (they were responsible for their own tax). The other doctors that worked only a few days made at least 7k a fortnight, and the registrars made around 90k a year. The doctors that oversaw the registrars got extra money because the practice was paid an incentive so we gave them a %. They had minimal supervision and most of the reporting for them had to be done online; the doctors reported all kinds of bs about the supervision and over-reported the hours they spent teaching (I had access to the online portal as the practice manager, I think it was called WAGPET? cant remember now). I don't want you to think I am judging though. I have been to the doctor when I needed a doctors note so I have robbed the government in a way too. I just know when tax payer dollars are being handed out some doctors take as much as they can.

          The doctors also had ridiculous repeat visits from the same people, like to a point where some would never see new patients. These people were bulk billed and I guess they didn't have many other commitments and mostly kept their appointment. I'm not medically trained so I cant tell you if they had to be seen every week, but it made being a doctor there pretty cushy, some visits were even less than 5 minutes and I'd see them get billed for a regular consult or even a checkup. The doctors there loved billing for "check-ups" for diabetes cycle of care and other health checks that gets them a larger $$ from medicare. They did it whenever they could (you can only do a couple per patient per year, if you do any more the gov doesn't cover it and the patient has to pay; our medical software kind of tells what they can bill for during that year so it's easy to manage). We also spent stupid amounts of money on stamps, printing, other direct marketing stuff, I mean it's ok if their tests were in or something but most of our mail was just about reminding them to come hang out, maybe get a check up. Even my mom who isn't particularly sick visits her GP too frequently, they do enable her but I know that she's a part of the mess too.

          I'm going to stop writing now because I can go on about how easy it is to abuse the health care system but I said all that to say this. I understand not all people that get into the profession do it for the money. However that doesn't mean by getting into it you cant make a very comfortable life for yourself, while doing either less or equal amount of work than an average Australian.

        • hayne on 23/08/2015 - 00:22
          +1

          @mightyfes: $20k a fortnight? i.e. $520k a year? Were they locums? What state was this practice in?

          The majority of GPs don't make half a million dollars a year.

        • hayne on 23/08/2015 - 00:28

          @hayne: In 2010-11, the average GP earned $139,997. Type "general" into the keyword search box on this SMH article and it comes up with generalist medical practitioner.

          http://www.smh.com.au/data-point/road-to-riches-paved-with-g…

          It's probably gone up slightly since then but not at multiples.

        • mightyfes on 23/08/2015 - 23:39
          +1

          @hayne: Nope not locums, in WA. I've found most people underestimate what GPs make.

          http://www.alectoaustralia.com/gp-jobs/relocating-to-austral…

        • TurkishDelight on 24/08/2015 - 12:00

          @mightyfes: That's lots of money. Study must be undoubtedly hard.

        • hayne on 29/08/2015 - 23:11

          @mightyfes: That's interesting, I actually find most people overestimate how much GPs make. I'm familiar with an organisation with a roster of about 80 doctors on locum salaries and 95% of them did not make the equivalent of $520k a year.

          The link you provided suggests the average salary is about $260k = $300k a year (which is about right in my experience, as well as the 60 - 65% they take of gross billings). The $520k a year of the doctors in your practice is almost twice that level - maybe it's a WA thing but it's certainly not common

  • DealzEddy123 on 19/08/2015 - 16:50
    +1

    I would recommend Statistics and data science.

    assuming he has good people skills as well, my prediction will be a continued demand for skills in that area.

    we're living in a digital world, and data will increasingly drive decision making in fields where traditionally haven't been so data reliant.

    programming as well. not sure what degree teaches u that though. It's more a skill.

    • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 21:42

      do you mind to explain in few more words?

      • DealzEddy123 on 20/08/2015 - 09:24
        +3

        hmm things like wearable tech, automated manufacturing, self-checkout, loyalty programs, self-driving cars, medical robots, increasing using of mobile and web applications generate increasing amounts of data.

        the data generated will be used to understand things like how customers behave, impact on industries like insurance etc and ultimately how to optimise profit / revenue models.

        knowing how to look at data, test correlations between different sets and sources of data, and translating it into actionable insights for a business are highly valued skills. of course the degree just teaches you how to apply methodologies and use the tool. translating into something a business can use is through experience.

        generally you try to enter as an analyst, and then choose to continue your career down an analytical/ BI kinda path, or get your foot in the door, make your own network and diverge into a chosen direction.

        of course this is assuming your cousin want to enter a "commercial" kind of field / his mind is geared towards this kind of thing?
        personally I hate coding / horrible at statistics and all that stuff lol

        He could also consider a trade? Plumbing, building etc. There will always be demand for these.
        Or even consider the army. There are both professional tradesmen in the army as well as your soldiers etc

        • magikz on 20/08/2015 - 20:24

          Hey edwinlin88 this is really good advice. I personally am looking to learn more programming skills even though I didn't originally study comp sci (but my mech degree did expose me to some of it).

          I'll be choosing the HTML, CSS, JS, PHP path and I have a way to go

        • DealzEddy123 on 20/08/2015 - 21:21
          +1

          @magikz: hey buddy. those are more web development programming languages, correct me if im wrong. there's definitely opportunities in those areas, but i was more referring to database programming and languages like python, sql etc.

          but at the end of the day try to think of the future when you're developing your skills, not what made people successful in the past.

          you want to think ahead of times.

        • magikz on 20/08/2015 - 22:01

          @edwinlin88: Thanks man. I haven't delved much into Python, all I really know is that it's very readable and that it's become quite popular. I believe Javascript has analytics too, and eventually I'll learn some databasing stuff like SQl.

        • TurkishDelight on 21/08/2015 - 00:47

          @edwinlin88 Thanks for elaborating. I will keep it in mind and do more research.
          Finding a career with Defence Australia requires citizenship. They do have an option for international/overseas applicants but I will have to check their requirement list.

    • This Guy on 21/08/2015 - 01:45

      But most of that is well known formulae implemented in code. The advances have already happened. The big data miners already have their engineers. For smaller organisations there are plenty of large software firms that will sell well developed packages.

  • AssamLaksa on 19/08/2015 - 17:57

    Tell him to really think long and hard what he would like to do. I kinda regret not doing that and just going with the flow and did a degree I didn't enjoy. Even though I survived uni, I didn't enjoy my course and wasn't interested in learning. I just wanted to score decent grades and graduate. Only after I finished was when I thought "Mannnnn, should have studied that instead". If he's interested in football, definitely should try and find a course that could tie it in, even if it isn't playing it. He'll be much more motivated to do it and enjoy the learning experience in the process.

    • TurkishDelight on 19/08/2015 - 21:44

      Great suggestion but he is already 23 and already behind from others. If he joins soccer academy now it will be way hard to be a pro and also he isnt that good. Its just his interest and a hobby.

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