• Question: What career paths would you recommend to someone who has always been interested in science, but isn't the best at making decisions?

    Asked by Kayleigh to Aaron, Ananthi, Ashley, Christopher, Emma, Lea on 9 Nov 2017. This question was also asked by JD, ore.
    • Photo: Emma Stevenson

      Emma Stevenson answered on 9 Nov 2017:

      Thats a great question. I would definitely take A-levels or a college course that means you will be able to go into a science career, even if you dont do it straight away. If you are unsure about what area of science you like you could always get some experience in different labs to see what you like. Lots of uni courses offer a wide variety of modules you can do in your first year, so you can get to experience a whole different variety of science. If you investigate a few universities you may be surprised at what they offer. You can then specialise as you progress on your course.

    • Photo: Ananthi Ramachandran

      Ananthi Ramachandran answered on 9 Nov 2017:

      I would say work experience! If you’re interested in science but you’re not sure what you’re interested in, contact you local university, ask if you can visit some labs for a day or 2 to see if you like what you see? You can also do the same if there are local industry places near you, like pharmaceutical companies?

    • Photo: Lea Carlesso

      Lea Carlesso answered on 9 Nov 2017:

      I do agree with Ananthi, work experiences are the best to do your first step into sciences. I know some research institutes are keen to welcome undergraduates or even college students for working placement. You would stay there for a determined period (from a week to a year depending on your project) and you will then gain some experience and also see if science is something for you.
      The best way to get a placement would be to ask your science teachers if they know someone from a research institute or to contact the institute directly.

    • Photo: Christopher Richardson

      Christopher Richardson answered on 10 Nov 2017:

      I agree with all the guys above! work experience is a great idea especially in the summer when you can really get an idea of day to day life and get involved!
      I would say though not to worry if you don’t think your the best, GCSE and A-Level science I believe were some of the hardest lessons and exams I’ve ever taken and you have to learn all sorts of topics. When all that’s over though and you maybe decide to go to university its worth keeping in mind that you don’t have to learn all the other stuff in science you don’t like or find boring or find hard! For example when I was in school I was rubbish at photosynthesis, I never could get it right but I was really good at anything to do with the digestive system or the brain, which was unfair because it would mean I didn’t get the best marks or grades in tests. But as soon as I started my A-Levels I took “Human Biology” as my subject which meant no photosynthesis!!!! YAY! Then even better when I started university I chose to do microbiology because that was an area I was good at and enjoyed and I didn’t have to learn about things I wasn’t interested in or bad at!
      So I would say don’t worry, try your best in all your exams and as you get older you’ll be able to pick the areas of science you like and are good at as your main subject!

    • Photo: Aaron Brown

      Aaron Brown answered on 13 Nov 2017:

      Practice makes perfect! Try and get work experience in as many different areas of science as you can. There’s so many different areas that one is bound to suit your interests. And always always ask for help if you need it 🙂

    • Photo: Ashley Otter

      Ashley Otter answered on 15 Nov 2017:

      I agree with the rest of the guys, see what interests you most in science, work hard and try to get some work experience to see what you would like to do as a career. There will always be lots of help with science in A-levels/GCSEs from teachers too, if you find it tough 🙂

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