Turning Insight into Inspiration: Recent Episodes
Derek Joy
Find out what STEM degrees are really like STRAIGHT from the students that study them. I want to cut through the noise to deliver insights to YOU.
Reach out to me on: dp16854@alumni.bristol.ac.uk
What's it like doing CompSci without any coding experience? Find out how James obtained offers from two companies after losing his initial one due to COVID. Why did Cyber security catch his eyes?
What do you do if you don't know what exactly to study? What do you need to consider when choosing a university? What is it like to be part of a small cohort of 20 people? What's harder Chemistry or Physics? All these questions AND more in this episode with Jack.
We talk with Walid. He did Engineering in France, did a phD in England and then went on to do a post-doc at Oxford Uni... so a pretty smart guy. He talks about why he DISLIKED his internship at Toyota which led him to pursue research. But is there any money in research? Lets find out!
Today, we speak with Vinny. He was set on a path to become a DOCTOR. Find out how he had a change of heart. He switched to Economics in Texas, USA. He now works for Baker Hughes in the finance department.
Show Notes
01:23; Doing Economics after trying Biology.
04:03; What do you like in your course?
06:10; Course structure in the US.
07:24; How much of your degree do you use in your job?
08:40; What's your future plan?
09:45; Work in the US v the UK.
11:46; Investment banking/Consulting/Corporate banking.
14:05; How was the job hunt after your studies?
17:02; Interview Advice.
18:14; Advice when choosing a degree to study?
19:38; Changing subjects at uni.
We uncover the perils of not having mentors or guidance when you are young. Wanna find out how to have a LIFE when studying a difficult degree? He holds a Masters in Aerospace Engineering. Currently he is doing a PhD in Advanced Composites (sounds fancy). Nuhaadh, gifts us with some great gems.
Show Notes
00:35; What did you do in school?
05:55; Why Engineering?
08:50; What was first year like?
10:40; What did you dislike?
12:55; What's the future for you? Why?
19:55; Words of wisdom for when you are in uni.
23:48; Importance of finding balance.
Sinko candidly shares his torturous journey through Aerospace Engineering. He shares some of the pitfalls people experience at uni. Find out what led him to fail 2nd year. As fate would have it, Sinko happens to be one of the first ones to be employed in our cohort. He now works as a software engineer at Capita.
Show Notes
00:40; Why did you choose Aerospace Engineering?
05:26; When did you figure out you didn't like the course?
09:20; Did you consider switching your degree?
16:39; Resitting a year at university.
19:57; When did you discover you liked programming?
25:29; What does the future entail for you?
27:15; What is an important quality to have?
35:37; Identifying personal strengths and monetizing them.
Today we talk to Alex. Learn about his unusual route into his vocation.
Show Notes
00:22; Journey to studying Medicine
02:40; Why did you want to do Medicine?
03:00; Interview tips
11:35; What is some of the things you found most interesting?
14:07; Difference between early stage and late stage of Medicine?
15:18; People in Medicine
16:36; Feelings on the lifetime of studying?
22:24; What are the hours as a Doctor?
23:40; What is the progression as a Doctor?
26:44; What is the pay like?
29:20; Do Doctors have an air of arrogance?
33:16; Any final words of wisdom?
We talk with Rob. He studied Physics, and went on to work with one of the largest defence contractors in the world. He returned to university to complete a PhD in renewable energy.
Show Notes
00:24; What subjects did you do and why did you do them?
02:51; Expectation v Reality of doing Physics
09:30; The University community.
12:15; What did you do after university?
15:47; Why did you do a pHD?
20:20; What was your pHD in?
Today we talk with Zain. He has a Masters in Aerospace Engineering. Find out why he has forsaken his brothers in engineering.
Show Notes
00:50; What A-levels did you do and why?
01:28; Why did you choose Aerospace Engineering?
03:16; What does Aerospace Engineering involve?
06:20; Why are you NOT staying in Engineering?
08:42; What is the difference between Russell group and non-Russell group uni's?
10:32; A strategy for university.
13:50; What did you do in your internship?
16:24; Why should you do Aerospace?
20:20: Why do you think you would have preferred doing Maths?
23:17: Advantages of Aerospace?
28:38; Why finance?
29:05; Favourite aspect of the degree and of university?
31:20; Any advice for choosing a degree?
34:33; What advice would you give to your A-level self?
I talk with Jack. He studies Psychology at the University of Bristol.
03:45; Did 1st year match your expectations?
10:22; Which niche in psychology do you want to specialise?
10:56; Is doing psychology fulfilling in itself?
18:32; How do people grow in university?
23:55; How to approach university life.
I talk with Adam who studied Electronic and Computer System Engineering but who is now a Software Engineer.
00:58 ; How did your love of engineering manifest when you were young?
04:10 ; How did you know what course to pick?
07:33 ; In which ways does a university degree differ from a job?
11:40 ; Why did you decide to do something different to your degree?
13:16 ; Overview on software problems you may encounter.
16:04 ; What advice can you give to someone who may want to pursue electronic or software engineering?
18:18 ; What made you a good engineer in the eyes of your employer?
20:59 ; How were you put in charge of a project as an intern?
23:07 ; Why did you get fired from your job?
28:12 ; Any piece of wisdom for work life?
How do you figure out if a certain degree is for you? - From Shona, a 5th year Engineering Design student
Find out about:
How you can figure out what subjects to choose at A-levels.
How to know whether you will like to study/work in Engineering.
Some of the factors that you need to consider when choosing a University.
The challenges of being in a male dominated field.
I talk with Yunus, a 3rd year Mechanical Engineering student who DOESN’T plan on staying in Engineering after he graduates. Did he make a mistake?
Find out about:
How you can satisfy your creative side whilst doing a Mechanical Engineering degree.
Career options available if you don’t want to go into the technical side of Engineering.
How Yunus manages his side hustle successfully whilst in a demanding degree.
I talk with Kheeran, he is a 4th year Computer Science/Maths student.
Find out about:
Why he chose to travel halfway across the world to study in the UK.
Find out if you need a knowledge of programming before starting this degree.
The doors Computer Science helped Kheeran open.
Struggling to figure out what type of engineering degree to do? Or even what it is?
In this episode, Patrick details how choosing this particular degree can open doors that you never even thought possible at first glance.