Course opinions

[Pete]

Well I've decided to go back to college to get better qualifications as I'm sick of being in a dead end job,
Looking on what courses were available in motor vehicle (I have NVQ level 2)
And stumbled across a motor sports course, it's building and designing a kart to start off with and then progressing further.
Would doing the course pay off in the long run rather than doing my level 3 and so on?

[G-nova]

speak to a collage careers adviser is my advice mate

[Jack]

Progressing further where though? I was under the impression people in that line of work say the motorsport angle is pretty bleak. I'm sure MK999 has commented on it before, might be worth asking for his opinion.

Might find yourself ending up in kwikfit!

[Connor]

I am currently in my 2nd year doing Motorsport tech at derby uni.
Imo i think the motorsport courses are not really a great advantage if wanting to get into motorsport, obviously there are advantages doing the course but for what you pay to do the course, and now the course fees are set to raise, i think you would be better off trying to get work placements somewhere.
Lads off my course are struggling to get work after finishing etc, not sure if this applies everywhere or in every circumstances. But i honestly believe especially with you having the nvq lv2 in motor vehicle mechanics then i would be applying everywhere for placement. The difference in experiences in my course is unreal, have people from motorsport trade coming back to uni to get the grades, then there is quite a few lads coming from motor vehicle trade, i came from a mechanical engineering course, and then there is lads on my course that came straight from a-levels who have never touched a car in there life. So i think because of this that motorsport students are not very rated as you do not really know what experiences they have had. I think they would rather pick someone who has work placements and experience than someone with a degree. I mean i do not regret coming as i have learnt quite a bit but some of the lads who came from motor-vehicle say that they still haven't learnt anything lol. But this is only one persons opinion, probably better off talking to someone in student advice, or maybe someone in the trade.

[Grey]

Dont forget your nvq levels are just as good as A levels

Also the city and guilds nvq is more key skill based to so that gives you advantages of adapting...

I was a machine/digger driver and plant engineer before current job. im now a parts advisor/supervisor at a honda garage.

[TeddyThom]

Well I've decided to go back to college to get better qualifications as I'm sick of being in a dead end job,
Looking on what courses were available in motor vehicle (I have NVQ level 2)
And stumbled across a motor sports course, it's building and designing a kart to start off with and then progressing further.
Would doing the course pay off in the long run rather than doing my level 3 and so on?

I'm doing a BTEC National Diploma Level 3, you won't be able to go lower than that I believe. But yeah probably well worth it.

[mk1nova_rich]

Dont forget your nvq levels are just as good as A levels

Only level 3 and above

[db_1.2]

I have an nvq 2 in vehicle maintenance or something. I looked at jobs in the motor trade, I'd never ever even think about being employed in the motor trade. The hours and pay is ridiculous. I'll give my reason. When I was 16-20 I earned about 14k a year, now I'm 21, my salary is 20k, but If I worked Saturday's I'd earn 25k at least. But the most important thing is, I work from 9.30am, to about 2ish I'd say on average. If I worked in the motor trade, I wouldn't be earning anywhere what I am now, and have to work my cheeks off.

[Jack]

0930 til 1400 for 20k, I want your job lol

[MK999]

Progressing further where though? I was under the impression people in that line of work say the motorsport angle is pretty bleak. I'm sure MK999 has commented on it before, might be worth asking for his opinion.

It's getting better, Porsche have been tipped for an F1 team in 2013 possibly (obviously they'd need to start designing a car this year or next or at least have a skeleton team ready to take a customer car) Aston Martin are competing in an (Impressive looking!) Aston designed LMP1 this year and going into it strong with intentions of beating Peugeot and Audi in the Le Mans 24h! BMW, VW and Saab joining WRC, Subaru looking at WTCC as I assume their domestic car sales have dropped through the floor since they're no longer rally cars lol as well as F1 teams ramping up their operations, there are places out there, and more than one person this year is getting placements!

However coming from NVQ kind of levels isn't gonna get you anywhere but onto a degree course imo, it's hard enough trying to get into placements with a bachelors and lack of experience, let alone a job.

Depends what you want to do obviously, but if you're looking to make a living you need to be prepared to dive into 6 pages of calculus imo. Even then I'd be prepared to work in motorsport for a year or 2 and then jump to domestic performance cars to make enough to pay off a mortgage etc. Unless you're planning to be the next Geoff Goddard and turn a 250k company into a multi million 1500 staff corporation with some chunks of aluminium and some chewing gum to net 30 brake out of a C25XE lol

[db_1.2]

0930 til 1400 for 20k, I want your job lol

It's pretty good I will admit, I'd like to earn more, but I couldn't get used to doing any more hours now lol. In reality, it is a seriously physical job, and you do really have to have a pretty reasonable amount of strength and co-ordination. And there's none of this "break" nonsense, but that's kind of optional, we just do the work, and go home.

I lied anyway, I just worked out my net profit last year. £19750ish, but with the economy as it is, that's not a busy year at all, I'll be looking forward to the future when things do pick up, and I should be all moved out by then too :)

[Dayle_]

I have friends who have studied Motorsport at Myscough College and out of 6 of them 1 of them earns a small amount of cash at the weekend spannering for a clubman rally team. Job opportunities in this area are pretty bleak at the moment.