I can pretty much guess that I am not going to get anything in Australia, not because of visa status or anything like that. Mainly because over here all work experience and two week internships are done when students are ideally in year 13- 15 to 16 year olds. I only decided that I would like to get into publishing, specifically production, about a year and a half ago. Over here there seem to be a lot less students that I have discovered who don't have a plan. Even if it's just to go onto a masters, or another course, it's still a plan. I think perhaps the monetary cost of universities over here, and in America, means that most students don't seem to go unless they have a clear idea of what they are going to do with a degree. In the UK it seems more people go to university at the moment because there is nothing else on offer. In Australian terms I am exceedingly slow off the mark, not only not having done any seriously future applicable work experience/internships, but also to not specifically decided on career options which has resulted in me being given a lot of strange looks.
Personally I don't feel that there is anything wrong with not knowing your future career. I know ideally in 20 years where I would like to be, but if I don't get there then I'm confident I will have found a different direction/employment that is just as suited. Or, perhaps it's just my loathing to make decisions. The last few months, what with picking my final year UEA modules, forming dissertation proposals and actually having to think about life post-uni I am becoming more and more stubborn when it comes to making potential permanent future decisions. Everyone I know who has finished uni/is finishing this year hates it, they are telling me awful stories of unemployment, dole, indecision and generally warning me against the impending doom that is the end of university. Surely it can't be that bad?
As a naive first year I vowed never to leave uni, to stay in education as long as physically possible. However, it's come to the point now, that no matter how much I love education, and I'm not going to lie I am a geek and I love learning, I need to get away from university. Even if it is just to unemployment (which is looking the most likely option with the state of the UK at the moment).
So, with the purposeful launch of work experience and internship applications I am making one of the first delves into a post-uni world. Perhaps it will be my belated New Year's resolution. A new April resolution?
No comments:
Post a Comment