Jobs/Courses and Help

[snax]

Took me a while to read all of this, Thanks for all your help guys , However the talk about uni makes me cringe i dont think im going to go to uni , its just not for me if im honest.

Dark warrior, Yeah but with a 17 year old with NO income at this moment , i couldnt gather that much for a month in such little time due to the job paying monthly, And i atteneded a 5 man tourni this time last year and a pump for funsys, But this year playing mills D2.

Robbo a arsenal Supporter , But seriously my handwritting is like a 4 year olds, and i practice it every day cause it would be so bad if i turned up to a interview with the handwritting i have now.

My plan whilst sipping on some fanta is, Finish my course, then do A-Levels for Media, History,Film studies/Graphics then attempt to go into full time employment, or a voluntary or apprentership whilst tearing it up on the field.

 

[Lovetone]

Sid, hopefully my older lad will be studying forensic science next year in UNI. He has all 5 offers from UNI's around the UK. With a lot of hard work, fingers crossed he will get the grades he needs to be accepted a place.
What was it like being in the forensics department. Whats the pay like. What was the main reason you decided to change jobs ?
Sorry for the questions, just trying to get more insight from someone who has been there.

Hi Alan

I would advise against studing forensic science if he wants to go at it from the BIOLOGY perspective (ie science, not the law side).
Instead, get into a red brick uni preferably and study molecular biology or similar.
However I might be way off and would need to see the prospectus of the course he is looking into

I have not worked in forensics but I know people who have and its far from glamorous or anything like CSI on tv.
the pay poor to average at best.

Studying Forensic science these days largely involves molecular biology techniques, I wont bore you or others with more in depth than that
suffice to say, a better way to go would be a more generalised degree such as straight up Molecular Biology for example, which will leave you with a broader knowledge and more options, but still the ability to move into forensic science if you want to.

LAb researchers for in the biotech industry average wage would be starting around £18k up to mid twenties in my experience
If you work as a researcher in academia (in a university) then this would be less most likely.

Moving to pharma with a couple years experience might bumop you up to £30k if you are lucky, however, Big Pharma eg Glaxo and AstaZeneca are laying off thousands of people right now (!)

If you need more info or a chat, or your son does, let me know.
happy to talk online or phone.

Ian

 

[tomo110290]

Have you not thought of going to uni ? I just left college in July of last year and am now a fully trained car mechanic level 3 after 3 years at college i am now looking for work but there is nothing out there as i don't have any experience so no one will give me a job. I am now going to uni in sept to do mechanical engineering. The moral of the story is i think you will find it hard to get someone to take a chance on you and give you a job as companies want people with experience is a vicious circle

PS i ain't great at spelling or hand writing but practice makes prefect

tomo

 

[snax]

This post i can relate to so hard, Due to wanting to find a job but they want people with a levels and degree's etc or at least 6 month experiance, Yeah fully agree with the vicious circle, And true it does it does

 

[Lovetone]

On topic

I studied Biology Chemistry and Geography at A Level
Then I did a 4 year degree with indistrial experience in Biology at Manchester University.
For my year placement I worked at AstraZeneca in Molecular Toxicology using microarrays to asses genes affected by toxic drugs in the liver.
After Uni I worked back at AstraZeneca on temp contract developing ELISA assays for Kinase inhibition
Previously I worked at a Biotech in Manchester running an Affymetrix Microarray platform for Gene Expression in scarring / wound healing
Currently I work for Affymetrix as a Field Applications Specialist doing training / teaching / tech support in the UK and some of Scandinavia (maternity cover).

At the age of 26 Ive got a pretty decent job now after having worked up about 4 years lab experience.
At the peak of my previous job I was on £24k as senior Research Associate, but the work was pretty routine. I started on £17k.

Currently I earn a lot more and have a bunch more perks (company car for example) and get to do a different thing each week.
It involves a lot of travel and long hours when working away, but other than that my office is my bedroom and I work from home half the time on average.
I think this is the ideal job for a younger person like myself, I never fancied staying in academia and doing a PhD tho I could go back to it if I wanted.

Dont think this helps the original poster, but in my experience, you get back what you put in and things happen for a reason.
I have many less academic friends one of whom is doing very well working for a leading retailer working his way up the management roles.

 

[Sid Sidgwick]

On topic

I studied Biology Chemistry and Geography at A Level
Then I did a 4 year degree with indistrial experience in Biology at Manchester University.
For my year placement I worked at AstraZeneca in Molecular Toxicology using microarrays to asses genes affected by toxic drugs in the liver.
After Uni I worked back at AstraZeneca on temp contract developing ELISA assays for Kinase inhibition
Previously I worked at a Biotech in Manchester running an Affymetrix Microarray platform for Gene Expression in scarring / wound healing
Currently I work for Affymetrix as a Field Applications Specialist doing training / teaching / tech support in the UK and some of Scandinavia (maternity cover).

At the age of 26 Ive got a pretty decent job now after having worked up about 4 years lab experience.
At the peak of my previous job I was on £24k as senior Research Associate, but the work was pretty routine. I started on £17k.

Currently I earn a lot more and have a bunch more perks (company car for example) and get to do a different thing each week.
It involves a lot of travel and long hours when working away, but other than that my office is my bedroom and I work from home half the time on average.
I think this is the ideal job for a younger person like myself, I never fancied staying in academia and doing a PhD tho I could go back to it if I wanted.

Dont think this helps the original poster, but in my experience, you get back what you put in and things happen for a reason.
I have many less academic friends one of whom is doing very well working for a leading retailer working his way up the management roles.

Can't beat a good ELISA damn I miss my HPLC.

 

[NitroBall]

Thanks to Sid and Ian.
As Jordan tends to stay away from forums, i showed him this thread which has opened his eyes wider, and has helped him gain a little more knowledge for possibility's of what he could expect for his future.
Ian will see how Jordan gets on, he might take you up on that offer buddy.

Snax, im glad your thinking about your future now, that old wise man got through to you eventually. Good luck on your studies.

 

[Sid Sidgwick]

Thanks to Sid and Ian.
As Jordan tends to stay away from forums, i showed him this thread which has opened his eyes wider, and has helped him gain a little more knowledge for possibility's of what he could expect for his future.
Ian will see how Jordan gets on, he might take you up on that offer buddy.

Snax, im glad your thinking about your future now, that old wise man got through to you eventually. Good luck on your studies.

If he needs a hand with anything mate or some more info just let me know.

 

[Cook$]

I sell drugs.

 

[chuckwood]

I started in the Booze industry back in Australia and at the age of 25 went to University to get my Business Degree whilst still working. Took me 5 years to do my degree and I then moved to the UK eventually landing a role with Nestlé as an entry level 'Business Development Manager'. Within 2 years of working for Nestlé I was a Junior National Account Manager responsible for £3m worth of accounts. I am now a NAM for another FMCG company and get the usual perks also and I do business consulting on the side etc.

Snax,
My advice mate is to do the tried and true method of getting your college to allow you to do some work experience within the industry but you need to identify who you want to approach and send the letters. Media work is long hours and you obviously can work with some bigwigs in the future!
PR is dominated by agencies of course and do your research on which firms there are out there and where they are located. Most are based in London. Most of the studios are also located around the London area and they usually have the technical firms in them [film, effects, props, editing equipment etc]

Paintball industry is small, small, small here in the UK and what do you want to do in it?

Good Luck!