02 Nov 2017

Some of us know exactly what we’re going to do after high school. Some of us have already made our minds up about uni, too. We’re either going (and we’ve enrolled, picked subjects, dreamed about the babes in our classes etc.) or we’re not, going down a different path instead.

But then there are those of us who love the idea of uni, but have a heap of hesitations about it. Here are some tips if you’re one of the following three types of people:

1. I have no idea what the heck to study

You know you have skills and talents, you know you’re passionate and smart, but you don’t know what to do with it. You don’t want to pick a degree you’ll hate and you don’t want to pick a degree that will become irrelevant in a few years.

What to do?

Write down all the skills you think you could offer a business or an organisation. Write down some of the skills you’d like to learn or develop further. I think we need to start seeing our future careers in terms of the skills we need as opposed to the tangible learning things (unless you’re going into science or law).

Start looking at degrees that you think will enhance the skills you have, and introduce you to the skills you think will make you more attractive to an employer.

E.g. I am good at solving problems. I want to know how to solve problems in a more creative, innovative and strategic way. I might look at a Business Degree and their majors or double degree offerings.

2. I have an amazing business idea but no idea how to make it happen. Do I need to go to uni?

You’ve been chewing over an idea for what feels like years. You lie in bed at night and think about it, you draw mind maps behind your maths notes in your exercise book at school. You’ve probably already set up an Instagram account or bought a domain name or maybe you haven’t got a name yet but you’ve got a good FEELING.

What to do?

Think about what you need. Think of the dream and work backwards. What will you need at each point? How will you develop the app? How will you establish a legitimate business? What skills do you need? Do you know how business works, what to do about legalities? Maybe somewhere along the way, you might need to study something so you can wrap your head around the crazy world of business, meet likeminded entrepreneurs and network the life out of the opportunity.

3. I want to work in a cool company for a brand I love 

Maybe you’ve been following a brand on the gram and you think their work culture is really sweet, or you’ve been buying a certain company’s clothes or watches or stationery and you think yes–that is what I want to immerse my 9-5 life in.

What to do?

It’s time to give the company a lurk on LinkedIn and check out some of their staff–what are their positions? What do their roles and responsibilities look like? Which position interests you most based on your stalking efforts? Don’t be afraid to shoot them a message and ask them your questions. Be honest and polite. Let them know you’re trying to figure out what you want to do at university, but that their experience and position really interests you. Ask them how they got there, or what they felt would be the best way to get there in today’s landscape.

The great thing about something like a business degree is that it encompasses all three groups of people. Sometimes people assume a business degree is for people who just want to start their own business–like people assume you have to be able to draw to do a Visual Arts degree (not the case).

Ducere Global Business School, in partnership with the University of Canberra has built degrees that align to all three people. It’s online, so you can keep your day job and your social life, it’s only 2 years and there are two international trips involved (holla Asia and America). They offer degrees such as the Bachelor of Applied Business (Management), Bachelor of Applied Business (Marketing), Bachelor of Applied Entrepreneurship and the Bachelor of Applied Entrepreneurship (Social Entrepreneurship) and there are Commonwealth Supported Places and HECS-HELP and OS-HELP available too.

You can build your business alongside your studies if you want to (they encourage it but it’s not mandatory), you can gain the skills you need to work in your fav brand and you’ll figure out exactly what ignites your passion. If you’re interested, head here.