Struggling to find an alternative path...

[PinkCrush]

Hi there.
I am finishing my FDA Photography degree in June and am not very keen on continuing onto my BA top up year. Rather than going into photography, I would quite like to find some form of training in a graphic design or exhibition curating so I can start earning almost straight away. I already have a weeks voluntary experience in a gallery but that was doing holiday art clubs for children and am having no luck finding potential opportunities that don't require some form of particular qualification or previous experience. Help me...

 

[Ryan]

Firstly, welcome to the forum!

It's great to hear you're looking for an apprenticeship. Aside from searching on the Apprenticeship Vacancy Matching Service website, I would try emailing local companies to see if they're willing to take on an apprentice.

Hopefully as the forum grows, so will the responses to your thread!

 

[PinkCrush]

I have checked it several times in the last few months and the right opportunities never seem to arise. I don't want to feel pressured into doing my third year, but I fear if I don't and don't have an apprenticeship to fall onto, then I will have put myself in a worse situation.

 

[Ryan]

I was in a similar (well in a way..) situation. I completed my Level 2 in I.T, but I didn't want to go on to Level 3. It was drawing so close to me having to make a decision about what I was going to do, and I was finally offered an apprenticeship.

Just don't give up looking, have you seen if there's some companies in your local area who specialise in graphic design or exhibition curating?

 

[PinkCrush]

I'm not having much luck really. I am considering going to talk to a careers advisor at my uni as I don't want to fork out money next year on a course I don't enjoy. I could try and change course but I feel even if I did, the degree I get would still not get me into a good career. I have considered taking a year out, but my parents are against the idea as once I leave education, they think I won't return. I am going to have another look on the apprenticeships website for vacancies and see how that goes for the minute. I just worry about being a failure in life...

 

[Ryan]

Talking to a career adviser is definitely a good option! The good thing is, they have a lot of contacts, and could potentially get you in touch with someone who could have just what you're looking for!

Don't ever think you're going to be a failure in life, you're trying so hard to get into the right career, that's someone thinking smart in my opinion! I really believe with your determination you'll get somewhere

 

[PinkCrush]

Thanks! In terms of the apprenticeship website, no luck...oh well! So what apprenticeship did you end up doing?

 

[Ryan]

I first took an I.T Sales apprenticeship, and was there for 2-3 months, however it took over an hour to get there, so with travelling times and costs, it wasn't worth it in the end!

I'm now in a business and admin apprenticeship for a printing & design company! I really enjoy it, and I mainly chose business and design because in the future I would love to run my own business, so I wanted to see how the company ran and what made it spin really

I was working as a crew member at McDonalds before this apprenticeship though, pretty strange career change for me lol

 

[Mariik]

Hello