windward

Pfft. I'm 21 and I'll be 40 by the time I can afford to get on the UK housing ladder alone -_- tbh if I had a house here I'd keep it anyway as bricks and mortar on our little islands seem to be one of the best investments money can buy.

As for funding three years I guess it's doable.. the 'rent and grandparents are selling up and buying a pub in Somerset so I could try and loan it from their equity!! .lol. It's only (!) about £18k for a good uni which isn't much more than the UK. Are Canadian degrees recognised elsewhere, or seen as on the same level as UK ones??
It seems there are two stories to the job market over there.. my Canadian ex has a Masters in Art History and yet is back at school studying for another 3/4 years to get her teaching diploma in the subject she wants. It's only a rich family (same goes for her friends - and yes I am jealous! - that has allowed her to spend the entirety of her life so far in education
But like Hangman says, sometimes degrees aren't worth the paper they're written on in the job market.

I've thought about tradesmanship... A few of my friends are chippies/sparkies and are doing rather well for themselves. Though I don't have an ego-problem over manual labour, I have a reasonably useful brain and have been encouraged to use it by family and friends.. but then all that really matters is whether you're happy in life or not right? Not your alma-mater or what letters you have after your name... I will take a proper look I think.

As for the latter - I have the proverbial T-shirt. That's pretty much the only reason I know anything about Canada. She was 5 years older, beautiful, intelligent, but as fickle as the wind and I was foolish enough to think she could be happy with me here in England. It ruined us

... I'd feel like a manwhore anyway. Already have a distasteful image of myself 'Well hellaoh' -ing in a bar; pimping for a visa.

...Nasty.

Confusion still reigns but it's wonderful to speak to people who know the terrain. Thanks guys

Atlantic Xpat

Well I guess the career advice will suit for both UK and Canada.....

My 10 cents. If you want to do a degree think about what you want to do afterwards. i.e. If you want to do a 'commercial' type job - Sales/Marketing/Purchasing/Business Managment etc then a Bachelor of Commerce (in Canada) or BA/Bsc in Business Studies in UK is more useful to you than say a degree in fine arts, or liberal studies or similar other non-subject. If you want to be an engineer or other similar technical profession then you will need a technical degree B Eng etc.

I think a good relavent degree be it Canadian or British will be recognised in either country. If you are set on Canada then I'd waver towards the Canadian degree as that will give you the leg up for getting work in Canada. You also get 3 or 4 years of networking/career services from the Uni which will help. Check out study work permits because I seem to recall you can do some limited work to help offset some of the costs.

The 'Trades' route also shouldnt be discounted, particularly at your age. In fact I'd say the is more chance of making signficant money quicker as a sparkie/plumber/welder/CNC operator/carpenter etc etc than a graduate in business. Certainly more chance to be your own boss if that appeals.

I find that the Terry Thomas/Leslie Phillips 'I say' & 'Ding Dong' approach works well too. You of course are far to young to know who these people are!

hot wasabi peas

FWIW, my nephew, the high school dropout, was tested as a 'gifted kid'... ( I knew something was wrong with him when he kept correcting me when I read him his bedtime stories. )

Do what makes you happy, IMO (and I should take my own advice!).

Tiffin Tease

So yep - i'm up sh*t creek then eh? All my experience counts for nothing.... jeeze i'm depressed now....

windward

ROFL I watched a bio of him on sky a few months back. The man is a legend! A true Englishman and an Islander to be proud of. Could do worse than turn out like him I think!

Too bloody true... All well and good being able to quote Kafka at people but if you're poor and miserable in a job that doesn't take advantage of your skills what's the point in that? ... Out of curiosity, what would you be doing if you did follow your own advice HWP? Your job sounds pretty cool to me, and you have someone to keep you warm on those cold Canadian nights

Nah mate. I think personality counts for a lot. Do you interview well?! You could prolly charm your way into your field in no time

Tiffin Tease

Nah mate. I think personality counts for a lot. Do you interview well?! You could prolly charm your way into your field in no time [/QUOTE]

Awww ty for the confidence

BC Hopefuls

I think CIC are cottoning on to that one now too........http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/facts/marriage.html

hot wasabi peas

"Marriages of convenience"

.... "Citizenship and Immigration Canada recognizes that even genuine marriages can fail. However, if a person enters into a marriage of convenience and comes to Canada as an immigrant, enforcement action can be taken. This enforcement action could result in deportation, and is the responsibility of the Canada Border Services Agency."

So, if your immigrant spouse gets on your nerves, you can have them deported! Well, that is convenient!

Jerseygirl

My daughter is an international student at U of T....in addition to tutition fees we have to pay for healthcare...which is several hundred $'s per year alone. We have to pay this even though she is covered by our private US healthcare insurance. There is a residency requirement for Ontario...can't remember what it is but its nothing like the 3 yr UK one.

U of T is ranked 24th worldwide according to an independant study by Shanghai Uni.

http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2006/ARWU2006_Top100.htm

Atlantic Xpat

Ssshhhh! Don't tell Missus AX that!

Tangram

Ian's issue about points is quite true, at least in my situation. I have the years of experience but no degree only a diploma in a related field. I have had both telephone interviews and face to face interviews for jobs in Canada and for the most part, the potential employers have craved my experience, especially the two positions in Nova Scotia. My Canadian family is too distant ( no pun intended ) and we are therefore 1 or two points shy. Not enough time to wizz a degree under my belt before application is assessed and would likely fall into an oilder category anyway by the time I had done it.

So it's unlikely that we will get in. But that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Canada2006

This is a bit of a chicken and egg situation. In the UK it's easier to climb teh greasy pole without a degree (but this is getting harder). You need to know how the hiring system works in many companies:

1. Need a person, hiring manager asks HR
2. HR asks for a job description
3. HR looks for candidates/ job ad stuff / puts on monster etc
4. People send applications...
5. First HR screening - compares applications against job descriptions
6. Screened applications go to hiring manager...

Where you trip up with not having a degree is stage 5. The job description will ask for a degree, ANY degree, you don't have one, application goes in the bin ;(

Lets say you do have the degree and your application gets to the hiring manager - he's generally interested in your experience.

So here's the catch - your degree is not important for the job, but experience is - yet not having a degree can block you from getting to the stage where your experience is valued... and don't get me started on your soft skills.

So what should you do? If money is no object -> go to McGill or another internationally know Canadian university. Investigate using your experience to gain some courses. As recommended, follow a course that will be useful to your career. Unless you want to be a specialised engineer, I'd consider Business Administration...

Another thing to think about, is to try to get on an MBA programme (check prices and perception of the programme). MBAs are shorter (1 year UK, 2 years Canada/US) and will give you more useful training for your career. (this is a long shot, but worth a try).

Conclusion: degree will always just tick the box so your more useful experience can be appreciated.

So, if you can just network around HR you can get your experience to a hiring manager!

Now let's see who disagrees

And for the record I have a Masters from a top UK university+MBA

C2006

hot wasabi peas

Today I'd go back to bed (mattress on the floor in the living room) and watch The Big Lebowski over and over again.

Actually, I'm generally very happy with my life. I could be happier but I've a mental block that needs chipping away first.... and I'm about to do some of that chipping in the next day or two by dealing with some family issues ... maybe... hopefully... if I don't chicken out...

Keeping me warm? I'm the Canadian!

You mean an anthropologist? That's what I am according to some pieces of paper ( and a sociologist too but sociology sucks ass ) but I don't make a living at it... it's more of a vocation, well an avocation, at this point. I make my bread through investing and trading stock - things I'm highly unqualified to do... apart from being able to withstand substantial risk of financial ruin.

Sorry to hear about your t-shirt getting.