Tertiary and Continuing Tradie interested in going to University!

[HirdyLannister]

Hey guys n gals,

I’m looking into changing careers as my current employer won’t be around forever but I also need a sea change. I’m a fitter and turner by trade and I have been doing it for 8 years (26 of age), I like the idea of doing a degree that would complement my trade for future employment so I’m thinking of doing civil or mech engineering. I completed year 12 VCE with an average score (mainly due to English), I also did general math and physics which I did ok with.

It’s been 8 years since I’ve seen serious theory as the apprenticeship/trade school equations were insulting but I feel like I need a refresher course in year 12 physics and do math methods one as well instead of general. Where can I do these types of courses if any? I live in Geelong (willing to travel to Melbourne) for evening/night classes.

If I do go to university I’ll do it the regular way not during night/evening classes, I want to experience it the real way but I'll also get it done as quick as possible where evening classes can take double the time.

If anyone has any advice or what I should look for ill appreciate it!
Cheers

 

[DrKrieger]

Keep in mind most engineering degrees are 4 years, so make sure you can afford that long of part time/casual wor. Go for scholarships if you can.

Most unis run a refresher in maths, physics etc in the weeks leading up to start of semester, I did it (did one semester of mechanical engineering before landing my current job and put uni on hold), found it helped a lot with the maths courses. Didn't go to a Melbourne uni, so hopefully someone with locql knowledge should be able to point you in the right direction there
there. Expect lots of differentiation and integration in whatever variant of engineering you do.

 

[Pykie]

Mechanical Engineering sounds great in theory, I found it a bit of a blow when I had cross overs into it.

Depending on what areas of fitting and turning you've mainly worked in, something like Industrial design could even appeal to you.

If you've built the nuts and bolts on any robotic manufacturing systems, Mechatronics could be of interest to you, it's basically electromechanical engineering and designing the very manufacturing systems you may have welded up.

I suggest you try something that has crossed over into your trade, whilst you said it would be good to have a "fresh start" you'd have a distinct advantage in thinking through some of these degrees if you have a few years experience in it.

You will probably find it more enjoyable, more interesting as you have that many years experience behind you.

From personal experience, when I did my eng degree straight of of high school, I absolutely hated Civil, thought it was boring as bat s**t.

Now, I hold a CBU, DBU and own a large construction company, there's nothing more than I would love, than to do a Structual Eng degree, purely because I find it interesting now.

It's funny how things change.

 

[Herbs]

The maths can be a killer, it was for me. Enquire about doing a maths bridging course so you can get up to speed on what you would be doing at uni so you know if this is what you really want. Keep in mind that you can do better financially as a fitter/turner than an engineer, though you'd have to work away from Metro Victoria to do that. This is from a bloke who tried an engineering degree straight out of school, realised it wasn't for me and did an electrical apprenticeship instead. Best thing I ever did.

 

[Rioli magic]

If you're going back to uni you can really do whatever you want, it doesn't necessarily have to "tie in" with the trade. It certainly won't have been a waste if that's your fear, or continue down a similar path.

I was actually in a very similar position to you, very similar. I also was a fitter and turner and went back to uni. I ended up doing accounting and law, a compete change and it was the best decision I've made.

Deakin have a campus in Geelong which may be a good option to look in to.

 

[HirdyLannister]

Mechanical Engineering sounds great in theory, I found it a bit of a blow when I had cross overs into it.

Depending on what areas of fitting and turning you've mainly worked in, something like Industrial design could even appeal to you.

If you've built the nuts and bolts on any robotic manufacturing systems, Mechatronics could be of interest to you, it's basically electromechanical engineering and designing the very manufacturing systems you may have welded up.

I suggest you try something that has crossed over into your trade, whilst you said it would be good to have a "fresh start" you'd have a distinct advantage in thinking through some of these degrees if you have a few years experience in it.

You will probably find it more enjoyable, more interesting as you have that many years experience behind you.

From personal experience, when I did my eng degree straight of of high school, I absolutely hated Civil, thought it was boring as bat s**t.

Now, I hold a CBU, DBU and own a large construction company, there's nothing more than I would love, than to do a Structual Eng degree, purely because I find it interesting now.

It's funny how things change.

My job involves the heavy fitting and turning side of things. My brother who is a chem eng says I would have a huge leg up on the other engineers in finding a job since I have a trade back ground, similar to him as he was a rigger in construction for 5 years while studying. He says being able to see things work not just on paper like most engineers do is what employers look for.

The maths can be a killer, it was for me. Enquire about doing a maths bridging course so you can get up to speed on what you would be doing at uni so you know if this is what you really want. Keep in mind that you can do better financially as a fitter/turner than an engineer, though you'd have to work away from Metro Victoria to do that. This is from a bloke who tried an engineering degree straight out of school, realised it wasn't for me and did an electrical apprenticeship instead. Best thing I ever did.

I've started doing VCE math methods this year and so far coping pretty good, will do specialist next year hopefully. Agree financially I might be better off as a fitter but like you said it could be 4/1 FIFO or something like that, currently I live in Geelong and work for Ford at the Research Development Center (RDC) where we test the products. They say we have atleast 6-10 years of work atleast here but Im looking for a change and to get out of Geelong, plus it aint going to last forever. I rather go to uni in my mid-late 20's full time instead of mid 30's!

If you're going back to uni you can really do whatever you want, it doesn't necessarily have to "tie in" with the trade. It certainly won't have been a waste if that's your fear, or continue down a similar path.

I was actually in a very similar position to you, very similar. I also was a fitter and turner and went back to uni. I ended up doing accounting and law, a compete change and it was the best decision I've made.

Deakin have a campus in Geelong which may be a good option to look in to.

Don't fear it would of been a waste, I have my trade ticket and no one can take that away from me. I just don't know what else would interest me, I honestly can't think of anything. Maybe school teacher but that would be because of of the 12 weeks holidays a year but that is the wrong reason to get into teaching lol. Engineering is my field I feel, my old man was a boiler maker and brother is a chem eng its the only thing that interests me and I guess thats why i did an apprentiship as a fitter and turner.
Very cool, how long where you a fitter for before you went back to uni? Did any maths/courses before going back going back to school?

 

[quickstraw]

Surveying. Can do at Tafe if desired.

 

[paul09]

If you speak to the uni they should be able to help you out with bridging stuff - I know mine had a couple extra 'beginner' versions of subjects designed for people who didn't do them in year 12 or who needed a refresher, they're supposed to be basically the equivalent of year 12 just fast tracked to a single semester. Otherwise they also offer a tafe bridging system designed for people who didn't do VCE at all or just need to re-learn from scratch which is streamlined into the uni degree (pretty sure it also gives credits for a couple of the first year engineering subjects in the degree).

I'm doing electrical engineering myself, about a year ago I was lab partner with a 27 year old guy who was an electrician and had decided to go to uni and do the electrical engineering degree. He was 1.5 years into it, was getting good marks and said he was really enjoying it.

By the way I found the first year/first semester maths, physics and chemistry (I did chemical engineering first then swapped) subjects were pretty similar to year 12 (maths being very similar to yr12 specialist) so if you can cope with the year 12 stuff you should be alright to jump right in.

Good luck

 

[manboob]

+1 on what all others have said. Another option might be something like Open uni or https://www.coursera.org which you could start now / before uni starts again. Might give you a head start and save some time in the future. Not the same as being there but it's something. Also RMIT have a bunch of tafe courses you can spin off into a undergrad degree.