OzBargainers, Which Degrees Can You Recommend and Which Can You Advise against for Studying in 2016?

LAFC 23 on 06/10/2015 - 09:42
Last edited 06/10/2015 - 15:24

As the title suggests. What expertise/advice can you share with those looking to commence study.

I already have a path that I am keen on taking. But numerous friends and soon to be school leavers could do with some direction/ general advice - we could have asked for this on other forums, but really value the voice of the OzBargainer.

We've all heard "follow your passion" and "do what makes you happy" before, and while this might be sound advice for some, lets put this aside when considering:

What do you see a future for?

Do you have any experiences with a course that you regret? E.g. Changed courses half way through or required to go back to study after graduating.

And for those with no intention on studying at all, what advice can you give?

Cheers.

Edit: I finished my VCE studies in 2014, and have since spent this year working in a variety of fields. Many people around me jumped straight into a generic uni degree. I know that VTAC preferences are due in soon, hence many people could do with some guidance.

Education & Work

Comments

      • ajdlinux on 07/10/2015 - 22:23

        There's a lot of room in data science right now - it's definitely a hot area. While analytics software is becoming more and more advanced, I think most businesses right now are merely starting to pick the low hanging fruit - the increasing levels of automation right now just mean that data scientists can spend their time looking at harder and higher-level problems. I don't see the field slowing down in demand for at least another decade.

      • Powershopz on 08/10/2015 - 07:50
        +2

        This is completely not true.

        The reason why data scientists are in such demand is because of the huge financial impact they can have on businesses.

        A big part of being a data scientists is analysing data and putting them into laymans terms and usable intel that can improve performance.

        Sure - some aspects of the job can be automated but if you're smart enough to be able to create those automated processes (machine learning and such) you'll be able to earn $150K+

        Fantastic industry to get into if you're switched on.

        • zealmax on 08/10/2015 - 11:48

          Completely agree.

    • od810 on 07/10/2015 - 23:59

      I have a massive problem when people mention Data Science as a degree i.e. Monash offers Master of Data Science, but the content for the degree is quite disappointing - I highly doubt any graduate from the degree can actually do Data Science work. Data Science is basically a fancy name for Stats + decent programming skills.

      • lplau on 12/10/2015 - 11:27

        Haha, Well thats what it really is though Data Science.
        I work in that field.

        It basically is Stats + Programming. However sadly there is a part of data science which nobody can teach you and you just need to learn it yourself.

        How do you combine your findings to convey it to the business? That's where the REAL data scientist lays.
        From my experience, not many people can do that, they are either one of the following:
        1. Awesome Programming + Analytical Skills - No Business Communication so they don't know wtf you are on with.
        2. Good Communication, knows what to convey which will actually interest the business.

        Rarely do you find a person which has all 3 skills under their belt. If you are that person then you are in for a good ride with salary and jobs.

      • rmamila on 12/10/2015 - 17:27

        After working in world largest cooperates for few years in US and in IT for 17 years, I am really concerned why people bother too much about getting a degree in Australia when the demand and money is for Tradie jobs. In US it all make sense as IT and any Professional get paid far better than blue collar jobs while in Australia Professionals are there to pay Tax. However we can wear good suits to earn far less than a Brick layer or even a non-skilled construction laborer in city earns these days. Master builders announced the non-skilled construction workers past 12 month average earning as 135k - 172k. Brick layers, Plumbers, Electricians are far better. For a person who is not happy to stretch a career for too long they can always make a fortune by working b*t off for few years in the boom and then retire for the life. I know a brick layer who earned over 100k a month (mostly cash) during 2010 - 2011 and worked all 7 days during the boom and charged the average rip-off rates at that time and happily retired by 39.
        IT specialists on the other hand you won't even have a job after 50 if you stay in Technical job no matter how good you try to keep your self upto date with industry. I have seen this bad thing as well happening in the industry. You may think you can work till 70 as this is a desk job but the problem is your employer would not think the same way unless you move into management at the right age.

        Data Science, yes this was in the rise in US for a while but nothing much in Australia no matter how hard some guys try to make things happen in here. The main reason is that you have tiny little companies in Australia compared to the cooperates in US who use big data. It's very difficult to find right use cases even in big places like Telstra and CBA in here. So we have inherent problem in adopting big data in this small market hence the number of jobs in that side is very small. We normally have a gap of 5 - 8 years after something become big in US and getting adopted in our market. However big data is having other reasons not to be big in here. By the time we find some use cases in here there will be data scientists guys retiring from US coming down here to take those jobs. This field is not like Tradies, we get enough supply with migration and job visas.

        Once you sepecialise in an area like data science you don't have many positions in the market and your employability is very limited. Once you loose a job it's highly unlikely that you find the next one any soon.

        If you consider a career in IT I would stay where the numbers are. You may not earn 10% higher instead you will get average however you will be able to find a job once you loose one. Don't go by those comments who say you can get 150k+. It's possible but they are not talking about average. Average is far less and when you start you will be far low compared to most of those unskilled jobs. It takes time to climb slowly until it stops completely :)

        So look at the market and see where the demand is and where the supply is. Pick something you see massive demand and less supply not just because it's big in US as it doesn't have same market conditions to become big in here.

        • od810 on 12/10/2015 - 17:39

          It's true that the market here is quite small. But I'm quite happy with what I'm currently having with my job as IT professional. It's not normal to see a person with 5years+ experience to earn 110-150K. Maybe my sample is a bit bias, but that's what I observe from the people around me. As for Big Data, you are right we are still far behind the US but its time will come eventually. I'm fortunate to work for organisation that process few tens of TBs per day so I'm not complaining. There needs to be someone to start it, right?

        • rmamila on 13/10/2015 - 10:06

          @od810: You are right, some one should do it. However I don't advice anyone to learn any of these specialize skills if their intention is to stay in Australia for the life. And on the other hand if the money is part of your equation you better do a certificate course for a Tradie skill. Few weeks course for a brick laying and earn a fortune at the right time. You don't need decades of experience to get to that sort of income.
          If you are happy to move to a bigger place like US later, build the skills in some Professional job by all means.
          Blue collar jobs don't even get you enough food on the table for most people in US.
          In Australia mostly these money making blue collar jobs are only suitable for guys. For girls you have to study hard and build a career and settle on a professional job.

        • sd4f on 26/10/2015 - 19:15
          +1

          I definitely agree with this. Just drive around some of the suburbs west of the Sydney CBD, where median house prices are around 1.5-2.0 million, and more often than not, you'll find a commercial vehicle parked there, be it a ute or a van. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you have a trade, some business nous, and work for yourself, you are instantly going to be much better off than a large proportion of white collar workers.

          As for data science, I think the same thing. We just don't have the businesses here who are able to collect the sort of data that would offer them any sort of idea of how to make money from it.

  • 28kb on 07/10/2015 - 13:59
    +4

    Note with maths, science, education and nursing degrees you can pretty much have your hex paid mostly for you by government. https://www.ato.gov.au/Forms/HECS-HELP-benefit---Overview/

    • TopCat on 08/10/2015 - 13:51

      Are you sure the government pays for your HECS\HELP?

      I followed some links and it reads that the HECS payments are reduced, not necessarily that the government covers you off:
      'The HECS-HELP benefit provides an incentive for graduates of particular courses to take up related occupations or work in specified locations by reducing their compulsory HELP repayments. You may be eligible for the HECS‑HELP benefit if you have graduated in one of the following fields and fit the listed criteria.'

      Have you or someone you know completed the linked form before?

      • 28kb on 08/10/2015 - 14:01

        I said mostly not all there are examples in the link of how much u get reduced

        • TopCat on 08/10/2015 - 15:13

          I had a look at the examples- just trying to understand what it is truly doing…
          I looks like the HECS/HELP payments are reduced and prolonged, not necessarily that the government will subsidise the amount or give you free money.

          As in the example:

          Block-quote Anna completed an eligible nursing degree in November 2010 and worked as a registered nurse from January 2011 to June 2011 for a period of 26 employed weeks in the 2011‑12 income year. Anna incurred a HECS-HELP debt of $12,000 upon completion of her nursing degree. Anna lodges her 2011‑12 income tax return in August 2012 and applies for the HECS‑HELP Benefit at the same time. Her repayment income is $50,000 and her compulsory repayment is $2,000 (please refer to the loan repayments section for information on how to calculate the repayment amount).
          Anna’s HECS‑HELP Benefit amount is calculated as follows:
          Maximum Benefit* ÷ 52 x weeks employed = Benefit received
          $1,635 ÷ 52 x 26 = $817
          Anna's accumulated HELP debt is reduced by $817. Anna is required to make a HELP debt repayment of $1,183 ($2,000 - $817).

          Anna pays a reduced amount during this tax time, but she now has a HECS debt owing of $10,817 instead of $10,000.
          The government doesnt actually give you anything, and a larger amount of HECS is indexed next time around (eg, 10,817 is indexed instead of 10,000).
          I suppose this is good if you need money sooner, but in the long run you end up paying a bit extra due to indexation.

        • 28kb on 08/10/2015 - 15:29

          @TopCat:

          I think I was wrong saying mostly.. but the government does give you money.

          from whirlpool

          It's pretty straightforward when you see it in practice.

          Throughout the year you pay X dollars in HECS repayments. At tax time the ATO calculates how much you should have paid over the course of the year and adjusts your tax return accordingly. For anyone who doesn't have the HECS-HELP benefit, the story ends here.

          For those WITH HECS-HELP benefit, the fun continues. You put in your application and the ATO determines how much you're eligible for. In my case, it's about $1600 annually. They then send you $1600.

          In essence, the ATO is paying for a percentage of your HECS for the year and refunding you your share. So your HECS loan is paying off at exactly the same rate it would be without the benefit… except you've now got a cool extra bundle of cash that you can use as you see fit. You can put it back into the HECS to pay it down quicker, or you can do as I do and blow it on something arbitrary and redundant.

          http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1946272

        • TopCat on 08/10/2015 - 16:05

          It looks like its a cash benefit but its drawn down from your HECS owing (and already contributed during your tax assessment), not free money from the government.
          It would be good if someone in that thread posted their HECS before tax, HECS after tax, and HECS after the benefit.

          This guy has it right (it only reduces the amount you owe for that financial year):
          http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1946272&p…

          In summary, you arent actually getting any money from the government ($0 in fact), you are just prolonging your own HECS repayments by contributing lower amounts for the financial years that you submit the form.

          Hopefully that makes sense.

        • 28kb on 08/10/2015 - 16:27

          @TopCat: Ah yeah you are right.. okay I am not so sad I don't qualify for it anymore. So the only benefit is paying your hecs back more slowly?

        • TopCat on 08/10/2015 - 16:33

          Pretty much, yes.
          If you need more money in your pocket soon (maybe unexpected bill), then it might be a good option for some (think of it like a slightly safer pay-day loan).
          The disadvantage is there is more HECS debt that can be indexed later.

  • lost69 on 07/10/2015 - 14:21
    +2

    Double major in Philosophy, from whence you can elucidate Kantian metaphysics whilst being stoned all day every day. Verily!

  • starvingartist on 07/10/2015 - 15:14

    I'm doing law + arts (visual arts), but if i wasn't doing law then maybe medicine/vetinary science/pharmaceutical science? people and their animals will still be getting sick in the future, so there will be a job somewhere. and with IT stuff, yes it's great to have a degree but you can really teach yourself that for free, whereas uni is going to charge you heaps so i think it's best to do something that can qualify you better than the internet can :-)

    • Kevan2 on 07/10/2015 - 21:27
      +1

      Look at how many Law graduates each year come on the employment markets.

      Uni's supply a a little bit of paper or a big bit of paper and maybe a network of peers.

  • antzz on 07/10/2015 - 16:52
    +1

    Industrial design will become a big thing very shortly. Look at all the big companies trying to copy good design from Apple and how mediocre product with good UI and design becomes big very quickly. Also, this is one area where robot can not and will not for the foreseeable future replace human.

    • ankor on 07/10/2015 - 19:51

      Its apparently a hyper competitive market in aus. What are your career options?

      • antzz on 08/10/2015 - 18:39

        Look for startups instead of existing bluechip companies. Also with design, you are not required to work in the city where they actually build the stuff. This is why High Speed internet will be a necessity in the near future.

  • od810 on 07/10/2015 - 18:02
    +7

    If I had to do a degree again, I would pick Math/Statistics Degree. It's so hard to find Stats people now. Everything is about data nowadays, stats is a very high demand skills (at least from where i work).

    P/S: I did a computer science degree and work on large amount of data so I can be a bit biased.

    • AFC 23 on 07/10/2015 - 18:52

      Thanks for your input. Lets say average students in the standard year 12 maths wanted to study Statistics at uni. Would they struggle? Do you have to have maths in your blood or is it manageable? (With hard work).

      • iridiumstem on 07/10/2015 - 18:58
        +1

        In my opinion, the workload from Maths course (I've taken one as it was part of my electives) is far higher than what you'd expect from other degrees like Economics and Psychology (at least in my university). Both in quality and quantity.

        Since it has been few years since I've done serious maths (since year 12, where I've down advanced level Maths (Maths C), normal maths (Maths B) and Physics), I might be slightly biased, but the maths courses in university level was too much for me (I think I may have felt differently on difficulty if I've done it in the first year though). The funny thing is, I didn't even look at the honours level that some of the Engineering students have to take (that thing looked f!@#ed up, it gave me as much confusion as the time I first saw algebraic equations).

        • ajdlinux on 07/10/2015 - 22:26

          I did honours level maths in first and second year… definitely the most painful of any of the courses I did, though on the other hand some of the ideas they teach you in uni level maths can be fascinating.

        • AFC 23 on 08/10/2015 - 07:52

          Thanks for the response. Did you do stats or just maths? I mean, would a Bachelor of Statistics be considered just as difficult as your maths units were? My reason being is that Maths and Statistics can be offered as two different degrees.

          Thanks!

        • lenlynn on 09/10/2015 - 20:34
          +1

          @AFC 23: I completed a degree in Statistics before going into healthcare and I found it much more difficult actually. The salary, benefits and bonuses I got from working in a major bank for the first two years was more than in health care too.

          I quit eventually cos it got really boring and the hours not as flexible.

        • Kevin07 on 10/10/2015 - 09:20

          do medicine if you never want to do maths or write an essay again

        • AFC 23 on 19/10/2015 - 16:51

          @lenlynn: Sorry, did you mean you quit healthcare or working in the major bank? Cheers

        • lenlynn on 20/10/2015 - 10:44
          +1

          @AFC 23: I left banking and went into Healthcare. Really enjoying it now.:)

        • AFC 23 on 20/10/2015 - 11:26

          @lenlynn: Nice! What section of healthcare if you don't mind me asking? :)

        • lenlynn on 21/10/2015 - 15:48
          +1

          @AFC 23: A branch of medicine. I considered dentistry but switched out as I thought it would be more interesting meeting different patients without them being intelligible.

      • od810 on 07/10/2015 - 22:04
        +2

        I can't say for sure whether you will perform well in it. But I've seen average people in high school who then performed really well in Uni. The bottom line question is that will you like Maths. Maths can be quite dry, especially Stats. But if you have good blend of theoretical and practical work you will find it enjoyable. If you pursue stats career, make sure you know how to program as well. The industry is hungry for high quality statistician with decent programming skills.

        I always believe that coursework degree is manageable if you invest enough time and you like it. It's not like research degrees in which you might not know the directions of your research.

      • [Deactivated] on 07/10/2015 - 23:21
        +3

        A HUGE help is living with people who study the same field as you.
        My roommates and i met in a Maths class and it made life so much easier for us all - we could help each other study, with assignments etc. Not just the subjects we did together but other subjects too.

        I am horrific at Maths but my roommate is very good at it. I would say I was above average for the HSC (Extension 1) but university maths has a lot of assumed knowledge so had difficulty there.

    • ajdlinux on 07/10/2015 - 22:25
      +1

      The one mistake I made in my computer science degree was not doing any statistics courses. I regret that, as almost every field in computing/IT benefits from at least basic statistical knowledge, and there are some very hot areas like machine learning and data mining that are almost more stats than CS.

      • od810 on 07/10/2015 - 23:44

        We are on the same boat :). I'm a bit fortunate because the company I work for has a lot of data modeling work, so learn heaps of stuff from it. But it's never too late to go back to Uni. I'm planning to go back next year doing Grad Diploma in Stats.

  • gimli on 07/10/2015 - 18:38
    +1

    Agriculture.
    It tends to be the cheapest degree.

    • AFC 23 on 07/10/2015 - 18:47

      Something I considered a while back through a passion for food and produce, but ironically was turned off at the thought of farm work. Was I wrong though, is there more to it? What careers do you see stemming from completing a course in Agriculture?

      • gimli on 07/10/2015 - 20:44

        haha. I was more thinking it is the best "bargain" for a degree.

        • AFC 23 on 07/10/2015 - 20:54

          Haha! excuse my comment then!

  • Sleeken on 07/10/2015 - 19:08
    +2

    Avoid: Chemical Engineering. I can only speak from my own experience but unless you have your heart set on the field, it is very challenging to land a grad role.

    Aside from that my uni experience was very positive. Made some great friends, met people from around the world and picked up a range of skills (social, teamwork, critical thinking) that come in very useful for everyday life.

    • caradpam on 10/10/2015 - 18:08

      Which uni did you do your degree at if you don't mind me asking?

      • Sleeken on 10/10/2015 - 22:45

        I went to Curtin University, graduated last semester this year

  • ednamekin on 07/10/2015 - 20:29
    +6

    Safety: Civil or Electrical Engineering - tough to get into, but there is some safety. If you choose your courses towards electronics, the Electrical Engineering degree gives you programming skills. Both degrees will also teach you at least 1st-year level project accounting, and you will also learn project management. I studied in Auckland and the electrical degree turned out to be super versatile jobs-wise; I had friends going into law as patent engineers, Big 4 as numbers people (since electrical was so math-intensive), IT, electronics, consulting etc. Only medicine for obvious reasons was not broken into, unless you count medical devices.

    And now for the important message: your degree is nice to have, but what matters more is what you do beyond the degree. Too many students seem to finish degrees with zero work experience and zero volunteer / leadership experience, then go "but I hold an X degree!" Well you do, but so do the other thousands of graduates. If you want to do programming, have a Github account, and contribute regularly to it. If you are interested in professional services, make sure you attend networking events from the 1st year, and try to have committee positions in the industry-related clubs. I was fortunate to have a good job lined up before finishing my degree despite being a B-student, and I reckon most of the credit goes towards being club treasurer for a professional organisation's student branch.

    For the 'follow your passion' spiel, I'm against it. There's a book by Cal Newport called 'So Good They Can't Ignore You' which breaks down why it's not good advice.

  • mousie on 07/10/2015 - 20:42
    +4

    Stats.

    90% of statisticians agree.

    • gimli on 07/10/2015 - 20:54

      rats

      90% of rats agree.

    • Ughhh on 08/10/2015 - 00:53
      +2

      90% of the time, statisticians agree all the time

      • lenlynn on 09/10/2015 - 20:35

        The question is, is that significant? sig level 0.05

  • Sweetnsour on 07/10/2015 - 20:56

    Gain life experience or work experience prior to studying. If you are business minded, you can start a small business. Or learn about starting a business. Some of the best things you will learn in your career do not happen in a lecture.

    • SydneyLockOutLaw on 07/10/2015 - 21:15

      So, should i study at the university of life?

      • Sweetnsour on 07/10/2015 - 21:46

        University of life has free enrolments daily and has award wages.

    • Kevan2 on 07/10/2015 - 21:29

      And look at career choices of people you may admire ie Prime Minister, and so on on on.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/10/2015 - 21:40

    What do you see a future for?
    Accounting.

    Do you have any experiences with a course that you regret? E.g. Changed courses half way through or required to go back to study after graduating.
    No.

    Advice.
    You are at university to study, not party. Decide the average you want at the start of your degree/semester and react accordingly. If you want a Credit average then balance your work/social life with your study. Don't think you can get a D average and make no social sacrifices.

    • sparkles on 08/10/2015 - 02:48
      +1

      I partied my way through uni, worked crazy hours in retail to pay the bills and buy the books, and scraped by academically, even failing some subjects. No regrets. The marks I got during the course of my degree are irrelevant now.

      • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 08:24
        +3

        BECAUSE you got a job out of it.
        It totally depends on your industry and like I said the marks you wanted. If you wanted those grades you wouldn't have been unhappy pondering if you didn't get jobs you applied for because of your grades.

        My point was pick your goal and keep to it so you have no regrets.

  • Gina Rinehart on 07/10/2015 - 22:42

    Do something you actually want to do, not just something that someone tells you to do :)

    But now I am telling you to do that, so do you listen to me?

  • sparkanum on 07/10/2015 - 23:10
    +6

    I'll throw in my usual recommendation for actuarial studies / actuarial science. It's hard to get through the exams, but there's strong demand for it globally, it pays very well, lots of options as your skillset is very transferable (mixes stats, finance, complex problem solving, business, IT, data science, the list goes on) and you can work in an amazing variety of fields.

    You can do the bachelor's degree or just start work and do studies on the side. Some employers will fund even those early exams if you're the right candidate.

    • slix_88 on 09/10/2015 - 00:08
      +1

      Came into thread expecting a post mentioning actuarial studies. Was not disappoint.

      I recently qualified and could sympathise with what sparkanum has written (btw, are you an actuary as well?). Pay is very well, but that shouldn't been your main motivation. Only consider it if you love doing maths and stats (and if you're really good at it too) because otherwise it could end in disappointment.

      • sparkanum on 09/10/2015 - 07:48
        +1

        Yep, I'm an Actuary as well. Congrats on qualifying! I qualified a couple of years ago and can confirm that not having to study anymore makes life 1000% better. :-)

        But you're right - only worth it if you enjoy/are good at math and stats.

  • p1 ama on 08/10/2015 - 00:48
    +3

    At the end of the day, it comes down to this.

    Do what you are good at and where your strengths are. If you go into something you hate and don't have the aptitude for, you're going to do badly and guess what, you won't find a job because others are better than you. Go into where you have something to offer and where you can differentiate yourself from other candidates.

    Just remember that you'd rather be the best at something with relatively low demand than the worst at something with relatively high demand. Just choose wisely and you'll be fine. To be honest, everyone I know who did reasonably well at uni all ended up getting jobs, the ones who didn't just simply didn't put in the effort, didn't care enough or were just downright lazy or bad at what they were doing.

    A little bit about me, I was a medical student for a few years, didn't like it, ended up graduating in Econometrics, worked with the ACCC for a little, now a graduate student in Econometrics.

  • sierra-juliet on 08/10/2015 - 01:36
    +5

    Please, for the love of god, do not do a Bachelor of Aviation that includes a pilot license (read: enormous HECS/FEE-HELP debt) without seriously seriously considering whether you want to see it through. It is without a doubt one of the toughest fields to pursue given how few jobs there are in Australia.

    • jumppilot on 08/10/2015 - 02:29
      +4

      As a BAv graduate I can't agree with this enough. I didn't even have the option of putting the flying fees on FEE-HELP when I did it.

      • sierra-juliet on 08/10/2015 - 18:04

        It's a really good tool for those who don't have the cash but do have the drive, but I think perhaps a little too often the people using it have neither. Glad to hear you must have had both! When did you do your BAv?

        Also, love the username :)

  • iSamurai on 08/10/2015 - 09:07

    Take a look at this article

    http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34066941

    But whichever degree you decide to study, you must know that you're at least good at it, will enjoy it and know that you're able to solve problems that arise (e.g. could just be a mathematical problem, or a problem dealing with clients or patients).

  • Taita on 08/10/2015 - 09:51

    Data Mining.
    Engineering.

    Bachelors degrees are mostly generic, even if it's in Engineering or anything else. I think a Bachelors degree is supposed to give a basic idea about that industry. Once you work in that industry for a couple of years, then you get a better idea about what (and if!) you really want to study. Sooner (or, in most cases, later) you should choose what you have an interest in.

    And for those with no interest in studying now, start working. It may take a bit longer to find the work you like, but once you do, then you can decide if you want to study further or not.

  • antler on 08/10/2015 - 10:08
    +2

    If you already have an idea on what you want to pursue, and want to be great, do a base degree first then specialise on it with a Masters.

    For instance, if you want to be a great programmer do a Bachelors in Maths and a Masters in Computer Science. If you want to be a lawyer, do a Bachelors of Arts (English, Creative Writing or something that really tests your use of the language) and then pursue a Masters of Law. If you want to be a doctor, do a degree in Pharmacy then do the MBBS (graduate entry).

    Of-course this wouldn't apply to all fields, but it gives you a good proficiency in your area and makes you really stand out from the crowd. I wish I'd done this myself.

    Edit:
    Don't do degrees with fancy words in their title such as "data mining" or "data engineering" or anything of the sort. This just sets you up for failure in the long term. Most of the courses offered in these "data" degrees barely touch upon the fundamentals of data analysis. They just breeze through shit in airy-fairy courses. These "degrees" bring in easy money for the uni through buzzwords. They're easy to prepare and deliver. Any one can easily learn the techniques they teach in their own time. Proper data analysis requires a good understanding of statistics. If you want to learn it right, do a statistics degree. It will help you a lot more in the long run.

  • mr_asstight on 08/10/2015 - 11:13
    +1

    My advice is if you study something because you're passionate about it but the skill isn't valued in society then you'll likely be struggling financially later in life. The thing is to pick a skillset that is in demand and can be cultivated within that degree or discipline. You have to study what society demands and offer it.

  • Bunnyburger on 08/10/2015 - 12:00
    +1

    Law.. just don't, there are 500pages worth of material on Whirlpool about hopeless law graduates

    • lord henry on 11/10/2015 - 18:28

      A law degree is very valuable…law itself is just a very competitive industry and I wouldn't recommend it as a career.
      A combined law/commerce degree from a go8 makes you very employable in a wide range of fields.
      I basically have my dream job through it (I work in policy).

      • Bunnyburger on 11/10/2015 - 19:43

        It's very valuable to those who have excelled in their degree. If you're the normal sort, it's near impossible to find a non-rural job. It's not about being picky either, a lot of the entry law jobs like paralegal and legal secretary postings explicitly do not accept law graduates.

        • lord henry on 12/10/2015 - 13:51

          I'm suggesting law degrees are very good for non-legal jobs.

        • Bunnyburger on 12/10/2015 - 14:56

          @lord henry: Hahaha I know they are. I wish employers saw it that way.

  • arescarti42 on 08/10/2015 - 13:45
    +2

    Two things I'd be considering if i were looking to study for a career

    -Is this job likely to be automated in the future?
    -Is this job something that will eventually be off-shored to another country, or could be done by someone on a 457 visa.

    Jobs in the medical profession are extremely unlikely to be automated, but risk having wages and conditions eroded as the floodgates are opened up to foreign workers.

    The safest jobs will be those that require a lot of creativity and non-routine thinking, people skills (e.g. management and communications) and local knowledge and skills, so you're not competing as much with overseas workers.

  • RolandWaites on 08/10/2015 - 14:53
    +3

    From what I've been hearing, engineering is becoming a dead end for student graduates. Figures, really, when you consider how many people have decided to take up studying engineering over the past decade. There seems to simply be a surplus of qualified engineers, and the inexperienced ones get ignored.

    Another issue with engineering is apparently a lot of institutions require you to complete work placement at a firm before you are eligible to graduate. With the issue mentioned in my first paragraph, firms simply aren't interested in taking on students for experience. I've heard stories of students having finished their coursework 12 months ago, but because they haven't been able to find a placement they still cannot graduate.

    • Powershopz on 08/10/2015 - 16:23
      +1

      This is quite true - I myself studied engineering, searched for a job for 24 months after I graduated (probably submitted 75 applications of which I only got responses back to about 5) and then gave up looking after that.

      I'm now working as a data scientist in an unrelated field to engineering.

      I don't regret doing the degree though as a lot of the professional development and sections of the course are things I can apply to other areas. Problem solving and a good head will take you far.

  • Hotpotcorn on 08/10/2015 - 16:19
    +1

    hey guys what about commerce/law? thinking about doing commerce and law as a double degree!

    • shaiguy on 09/10/2015 - 17:42

      If you do Commerce (Actuarial Studies) / Law and do very well at both you will get picked up and paid very well. Most are generally only good at one or the other and it is extremely rare to see people good at both - the few I know have done extremely well globally.

    • lord henry on 11/10/2015 - 18:29

      It's a great combo for employability. I did a finance major.

  • smpantsonfire on 08/10/2015 - 19:10

    Study what you love. Simples.

    • booboo on 08/10/2015 - 22:35
      +2

      I disagree. I know many friends who spent years and have a $30k HECS debt who never got a job in their field and wasted it all.

      I'd say study something that will get you a job you don't mind, and then over time you'll enjoy it more and more as you get better at it. I read an article the other day that had a study that said that, can't find it. This has definitely been true for me - as I get better in my field, I love work more and more. I'm glad I didn't study astronomy or marine science or arts or I'd be working at maccas still :P

  • Cheap Steve on 08/10/2015 - 20:48

    Finance. If interested there is a great doco you should watch called The Wolf Of Wall Street.

    • shaiguy on 09/10/2015 - 17:44

      It is funny, having interviewed people who studied Finance I ask them what Finance means. You should see the blank looks I get and hear the fumbling, bumbling answers.

  • dannyeei on 08/10/2015 - 21:38
    +1

    I think this post proves that you shouldn't just blindly follow advice on here. There are so many things on here that are blatantly incorrect and every second comment contradicts another one. The best advice I ever got was to not take too much advice.

    • AFC 23 on 08/10/2015 - 21:56
      +1

      That's my favourite bit of advice too. If you read my post you would see that I'm actually in no need of advice personallly - but rather I was hoping for people to share some real life experiences/ tips that are unique to any other information supplied by uni's etc that could be eye opening and/or helpful for my peers. If that makes sense. :)

  • RefusdClassification on 08/10/2015 - 22:08
    +3

    Become a tradesman or a miner or a train driver instead. I read an interesting news article recently. It is about the situation in America, but is probably largely applicable to Australia since we love to emulate the US.

    "New research released Monday says nearly half of the nation’s recent college graduates work jobs that don’t require a degree.
    The report, from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, concludes that while college-educated Americans are less likely to collect unemployment, many of the jobs they do have aren't worth the price of their diplomas.

    Of 41.7 million working college graduates in 2010, about 48 percent of the class of 2010 work jobs that require less than a bachelor’s degree, and 38 percent of those polled didn’t even need high school diplomas, the report found. Authors Richard Vedder, Jonathan Robe and Christopher Denhart said that the country could be overeducating its citizens, and asked if too many public dollars are spent on producing graduates that the nation's economy doesn't need.
    In 2010, 39.3 percent of adults between the ages of 25 and 34 had a post-secondary degree, up from 38.8 percent in 2009. While the rate has creeped up steadily since 2008, underemployment has kept pace, according to Vedder's research — the report found that the number of college grads will grow by 19 million between 2010 and 2020, while the number of jobs requiring that education is expected to grow by less than 7 million.
    In the report's executive summary, the researchers claimed that 15 percent of taxi drivers had at least a bachelor's degree in 2010, compared to 1 percent in 1970."

    So that's 3+ years at university earning no pay while at the same time accumulating a large HECS debt. Too many people go to university which devalues the degrees.

    • booboo on 08/10/2015 - 22:29

      Yeah I agree, I sort of mention that in my comment below - a lot of people automatically think they should go to uni when you can possibly get a more money, job security and flexibility doing something like an apprenticeship.

    • AFC 23 on 09/10/2015 - 07:57

      If people want to look at train driving as a career how do they go about doing this?

    • AFC 23 on 09/10/2015 - 07:58

      And yes, I for one can also see the flaws in the university system!

    • Oddmog on 09/10/2015 - 15:26

      You're not wrong but you're not necessarily right either.

      The bracket creep is making it so that a bachelors degree is the new high school certificate as well and people are pretty silly about people needing a high school certificate for even the most menial jobs.

      Being a tradesperson is no sure thing either as it is remarkably easy to end up pigeonholed and stuck working for a specific niche and once that job is gone, it's gone.

  • booboo on 08/10/2015 - 22:27
    +4

    I did IT engineering and have been working as a developer for the last 15 years - I love it. A very exciting field that's only growing, when a lot of other jobs are at risk of being redundant. You can fairly easily go into project management, a solution architect, etc - all about $150k/yr

    That being said, I often recommend that people consider doing an apprenticeship - an air con installer, electrician, even mechanic etc. The guy who installed our air con would work very hard over summer but was on well over $200k/year. $500+ for a 2 hour install. Could work just half the year and be on a very good income. All for a 4 year apprenticeship, and no way those jobs are going anywhere any time soon. Our mechanic charges $110/hr + markup on parts - he works 3 weeks then has a week off in Bali.

    Another idea is dentistry. Apparently by 35 they can just work part time and still be on enough for their merc and fancy house ;) I always wondered why my dad kept pushing me to do it!

    Often people go to uni to study something purely cos they're interested in it - really bad idea I reckon. So many friends did dead-end degrees with no job at the end - like arts, marine science, etc. Do something that gets you a solid job, pays the bills, then you can spend the rest of your life reading and learning all sorts of interesting things. 3 years and $25,000 is very expensive for a personal interest study.

    I'd always ask what actual job is at the end of a degree and work backwards from there. e.g. an arts anthropology degree may be very similar to a social work degree, but the first won't qualify you for government social work positions, so isn't nearly as useful for actually getting a job.

    Anyway, all my 2c worth :)

    • Cynicaloflife on 08/10/2015 - 23:17
      +1

      Watch out for dentistry !. I am doing dentistry and I find it is quite specialised and you really need to be interested in the work. No point in driving a merc, if you hate working every day.

      The advantage of dentistry is that you can run a business and hire people to do the work, whilst making a revenue. With the saturated dental current market, the OP might as well do something more interesting such as Software Engineering as others have suggested.

      Overall, I would suggest engineering as it broad and well rounded. An excellent engineer any day makes more than a dentist or other health professional. A lot of the world's richest men are engineers.

      • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 23:21
        +1

        Are you breathing too much laughing gas? A full time dentist in private practice in Melbourne or Sydney makes $750k a year. An engineer makes less than $100k.

        • Cynicaloflife on 09/10/2015 - 08:41
          +3

          That is pretax and if the practitioner owns the practice with fully booked appointment slots (the most successful).

          The majority of dentists are associates and earn around $250k (pretax). There is no way that an experienced engineer earns less than $100k. I know a couple earning around $200k even in this recession.

          Ultimately, it does not fall down to income. The OP should also like the profession. Engineering with an excellent MBA, is a killer combination.

          Some successful engineers include - Elon Musk, Larry Page and Satya Nadella. Now show me one dentist who can match them in earnings. If the OP can break through the initial oversupply of graduates then the grass is green. If he is worried, about getting his first job, then do something like business and become a banker.

          Keep in mind that, engineers are often undervalued in Australia. Overseas, they are highly respected.

        • Powershopz on 09/10/2015 - 09:08
          +1

          thornton82 - "There is seriously something wrong with someone in a $5000 car that isn't on P plates."

          I thought I'd post some more of the absolute garbage this user posts.

          Full time dentist doesn't earn anywhere near that - one of my good friends is an orthodontist working in private practice and earns 220K. The money is great but it's no where near 750K.

          If you know an engineer with 5+ years experience that is making less than 100K then they're probably quite average at their job and don't have the ambition or drive to push for career progression.

        • Cynicaloflife on 09/10/2015 - 10:50

          @Powershopz:

          Agree with you! Orthodontist's also have an extremely low overhead and are highly specialised, more than a general practitioner.

        • [Deactivated] on 09/10/2015 - 13:10
          -2

          @Powershopz: No way an orthodontist in Melbourne or Sydney only earns $220k, Orthodontists earn significantly more than dentists with wages up to $1 million a year. Your friend is either lying to you or he is really shit.

        • [Deactivated] on 09/10/2015 - 13:15

          @mandok: There is an engineering oversupply in Australia, I have several friends in the field in their 30s and 40s earning under or just above $100k, working for major companies.

        • Cynicaloflife on 09/10/2015 - 14:37
          +1

          @thorton82:

          Fair enough. As I stated previously, engineering is undervalued in Australia. This is mainly due to the fact that a lot of managers (that engineers work under) don't have a formal degree. They have achieved their position mainly by experience and a lack of competition. Hence, as a result your friends might not be getting the earning that they deserve.

          This is all changing, engineers will take up higher positions as more and more people are receiving degrees and the tradies are retiring.. This will ensure that their skills are appreciated. Australia will follow the path of US very soon.

          Yes, there is an engineering oversupply but if someone is good then it should not be a problem. Moreover, if the OP is interested in working in US or Middle East, the opportunities are endless for an Australian degree holder. These countries value skilled workers.

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