Gas mark 5
Member
- Messages
- 225
- Location
- Leeds / Harwell, UK
As the title says really, I'm in the final year of a Physics BSc at the University of Kent and I don't really know what to do afterwards, so I thought I would ask the collective advice of this forum.
Of course, being a member of this forum, I am interested in welding and metalwork, and most forms of engineering really. I can MIG reasonably well now, especially on thin metal after building two 2CVs, but I don't have any qualifications. I can get by with stick, TIG or oxyacetylene for simple joins but don't have much experience. A very brief summary of my interests:
Based on this rather jumbled assortment of interests, can anyone offer any suggestions whatsoever as to where I should be looking at starting my career? I expect I will end up trying many different things, but I just don't know where to start at the moment.
Of course, being a member of this forum, I am interested in welding and metalwork, and most forms of engineering really. I can MIG reasonably well now, especially on thin metal after building two 2CVs, but I don't have any qualifications. I can get by with stick, TIG or oxyacetylene for simple joins but don't have much experience. A very brief summary of my interests:
- Mechanical - any old cars or machinery I love fiddling with, cars, motorcycles, engines of any description. Picked up my first lathe (a tiny little Grayson 3.5") recently, which I am now using to build an equally small manual/CNC mill.
- Electrical - Just finished modifying an old inkjet printer to print circuit boards for me, going to have a lot of fun with that, I'm looking at making an electronic ignition for my Condor based on an AVR chip, as well as a designated control board with drivers for my CNC mill, which leads on to
- Programming - I have only really gotten involved in the last couple of years, but found it fascinating. I can get by in C/C++, Python, Perl, Fortran, I'm starting to look at some concurrent programming languages like Erlang.
- Physics - I was always certain I wanted to be a physicist when I was younger. I am less certain now, university feels like somewhere I have to spend three years to get a letter on a piece of paper at the end. Learning for the sake of learning, or any independent thought is discouraged (anyone read Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance?). Part of me would be interested in pursuing it further, maybe even looking at doing a PhD or similar, but so far I have found my education rather off putting, and I don't know if that is telling me something .
- Aviation - always been fascinated by flight, have taken up gliding since I've been at university and I get such a great discount. Might look into paragliding afterwards, I like the idea of having my own kit and more choices of places to fly. I also fly model aircraft, but largely because they're so much cheaper than the real thing .
- Cycling - Zagreb to Berlin last summer via 7 countries
- Photography - Both digital and conventional, and now I'm looking at combining it with aviation.
- Structure - I have worked a few times for our neighbour in Somerset who designs and builds bridges, which I have always really enjoyed. I am beginning to understand how little I understand about the subject, but it is fascinating nonetheless.
- CAD - I have done 2D work before in various open source applications, but having just discovered that as a student I get free access to Autodesk software I'm having great fun in 3D with Autocad.
- Environmental Science - largely the energy and transport issues, although I find the whole subject interesting.
Based on this rather jumbled assortment of interests, can anyone offer any suggestions whatsoever as to where I should be looking at starting my career? I expect I will end up trying many different things, but I just don't know where to start at the moment.