COPR for myself and my betterhalf came through last week, Yay!! I'm over the moon and was surprised how quick things went, only 6 months to process at Ottawa via the PNP

Now I've been thinking of a new career for a little while and can't think of a better time to change than now. I'm early 30's, we'll be PR'S and I might aswell train in Canada.

Has anyone on here gone back to Uni or started an Apprenticeship and can offer some advise?

If anyone had to choose again would you choose the same career and same path to it? Or do something completely different

I can't decide between the 2 and am weighing the pros and cons of each up.
I'm looking for a job where I can be outdoors but also has an academic challenge, can travel a bit and will pay well long term. I have no problem moving around at the drop of a hat and can make both options work financially.

Degree's I'm looking at Geology with maybe a move into oil/gas at the end.

Or Apprenticeship's maybe BC Hydro's powerline apprenticeship or something else smiler. I like practical stuff and I'm going to do BCIT'S women in trades course to get some ideas anyway.

Geology degree I guess there's debt and job searching at the end but Canada loves you to have bits of paper. Maybe it's a better long term option with better long term pay? Seems alot of the work is consultancy type and maybe not so secure though? Any Geologists out there to give an opinion

Apprenticeship I can earn straightway and more than likely have a job at the end already but I'm thinking long term and want something which will offer progression. I also hurt myself recently and it's made me think for when I might be older and maybe can't do such a physically demanding job which alot of trades are.

I'd love to here any opinions or from anyone who has made the decision to retrain in Canada Thanks

I personally am glad that I chose an apprenticeship over a degree. However I came straight out of school and done it, as opposed to starting later on as a new career.

Had I gone to University, I'd have come out with a degree and no work experience probably. I'd also have had student debt and no guarantee of a job afterwards.

As it stands, I have an SVQ3 in Aeronautical Engine Overhaul and Test, and an HND in Mechanical Manufacturing Engineering. The credits that I have from those courses would allow me to skip the first 2 years of a BEng, so I'd have a degree in 2 years if i wanted to.

Also while all my schoolmates were in university I was out working, gaining hands on experience and getting paid for it, I know some of them who came out with Honours and Masters degrees who couldn't get jobs in their fields for love nor money.

I wasn't guaranteed a job at the end of my apprenticeship, not many people are, but its pretty normal that you are and I was earning tradesmans money at 21 years old.

I may still go back to University eventually and get my degree, but at the moment I don't see it as essential, I've only been "on the tools" for 7 years, and at my old place back home, it was kind of accepted that the 10 year area was when you moved into the desk jobs if you wanted to.

That's just my view, I'm sure there will be other people who have gone the other way and had it work out for them, however I don't think i'd have gotten to Canada if i'd only had a degree and no work experience!

Why if you think its useless?

I didn't say it was useless...

You implied it, so why would you bother to do one now?

this is the key sentence in my post, and i've underlined the operative word.

I've noticed recently that employers are putting "Degree in XYZ" as a requirement now for the positions i've looked at. I don't know if this is just to weed out the riff-raff or whatever, but having the Vocational qualification and work experience to back up the degree would make me a hell of a lot more employable than someone with the equivalent degree but no experience in the field.

I've personally found that I still get an interview even though I don't have XYZ Degree which is mentioned in the job description like you said experience is worth a considerable amount and having a degree just doesn't offer that.

I'm the same as you though, I work as a Engineer, it could be different in other fields but experience rules in Engineering.

I think its a trend set by lazy and rather unimaginative HR departments. For most physical jobs, practical experience/training must be far more valuable to an employer than a degree.

I saw a job advert today for a receptionist in London (UK). The ad stated that candidates must have 'at least a 2.1 degree from a Russell Group university'.

For a receptionist's job FFS!

There is no greater university than life itself.

By the way what on earth is the Russell Group???

A mafia style syndicate set up to extort all the grant money available.

Do they have apprenticeship schemes in Canada then?

I thought that Canada don't use/recognise vocational qualifications?

i don't think it's quite as advanced as the UK system, but yes there are apprenticeship schemes in Canada

My work has 9 apprentices right now, although in my eyes the program they're doing isn't very good

I also know a couple of apprentice plumbers and an apprentice car mechanic

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Group

Why on earth they think somebody with a 2:1 degree from one of those would be happy with a receptionists job is beyond me!