The Student Room Group

Brother’s a failure; does that mean I am going to be one too?

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Original post by Smack
You're being a bit disingenuous here by comparing the starting pay of one career to the pay that one from another would receive once fully trained and qualified. A graduate engineer on £28,000 typically isn't much use to the company yet, whereas the tradesman on that wage will be of an experience level that they are in fact useful to customers.


iirc you work in petroleum engineering, which is especially well paid, but I am told that at a number of companies the ~£30k mark is the salary for a fully qualified, but non-supervisory engineer.

Management tends to be where salaries go up and that is more open to engineers than tradesmen, since there is more project and programme management, with engineering-related skills required, than in repairing boilers, which is mostly piece or batch work.
You might end up being a bigger failure than your brother.
Original post by Zerforax
You might end up being a bigger failure than your brother.


What makes you say that?
My 'ex' friend brother is studying Physics at UCL
my 'ex' friend on the other hand dropped out of his first year of doing a BTEC in car vehicle or something, and now doing some labour work.

so no, to your question.

Also my Uncle only got BDE in A levels, and a 2:1 from University of Liverpool, he's now earning roughly £50-65k in the IT industry
(edited 9 years ago)
Of course not OP. You can't genetically dictate effort, initiative or ambition.

Its more likely you'll fail because of your lack of self belief.
Original post by Anonymous
What makes you say that?


You're your own person and your actions will determine what your future will be (irrespective of your brother).
Original post by Rakas21
Of course not OP. You can't genetically dictate effort, initiative or ambition.

Its more likely you'll fail because of your lack of self belief.


I wish it was the latter..
Original post by Zerforax
You're your own person and your actions will determine what your future will be (irrespective of your brother).


If I had results then I would not be doubting myself. But I have nothing.
Original post by Anonymous
He got CCE at A-levels in 1999, although he says that they would be worth AAA now. He got a 3rd class in Biological Sciences at Kings College in 2002 and struggled to find work for several years. Finally, he sustained a job as a teacher for four years, but then got fired for some reason. He is now living at home, 33 and jobless.

In contrast, I got BBBB at A- levels and went to Birmingham University to do the same degree that he did and got a 2:2. However, I have struggled to find work for three years and thus have succumbed to the pressure of up taking a master’s course to support my CV. Like him, I am 25 and still living at home with parents.

I am worried that I have the same level of intelligence that he has and thus will be confined to the same fate as he.



Does it *******s mean you'll be a failure. My brother is completely lackadaisical towards almost EVERYTHING important. We're starting uni this September (both of us) although he is a year older.

I don't think he'll fail, but I also don't know if he'll put the effort in to get top grades. But my point is that just because he doesn't seem arsed about it doesn't mean I'm the same. I intend to ace uni... or do the actual best to my ability.

Your siblings don't restrict you, you are your own person.
Original post by xmertic
Does it *******s mean you'll be a failure. My brother is completely lackadaisical towards almost EVERYTHING important. We're starting uni this September (both of us) although he is a year older.

I don't think he'll fail, but I also don't know if he'll put the effort in to get top grades. But my point is that just because he doesn't seem arsed about it doesn't mean I'm the same. I intend to ace uni... or do the actual best to my ability.

Your siblings don't restrict you, you are your own person.


My concern is that we share the same gene-pool..
Original post by Anonymous
My concern is that we share the same gene-pool..


So? I share my brothers gene-pool... doesn't hold me back.
Original post by Observatory
iirc you work in petroleum engineering, which is especially well paid, but I am told that at a number of companies the ~£30k mark is the salary for a fully qualified, but non-supervisory engineer.

Management tends to be where salaries go up and that is more open to engineers than tradesmen, since there is more project and programme management, with engineering-related skills required, than in repairing boilers, which is mostly piece or batch work.


(Sorry for the late reply.)

It's true that in many cases engineering doesn't pay particularly well, but a large amount of those jobs are situated in areas where salaries in general aren't particularly high - I'd wager that the engineer on £30k is more is on more than most tradesman in said area.

Also remember that there is quite a big shortage of skilled tradesmen in the UK. If, for example, you want to call out an electrician, you've got to pay quite handsomely for it. And when you move into the industrial side of things as opposed to the self-employed, the work that tradesmen do is often every bit as valuable to the company as that of an engineer; merely being university educated doesn't necessarily warrant a higher salary.
Original post by Smack
(Sorry for the late reply.)

It's true that in many cases engineering doesn't pay particularly well, but a large amount of those jobs are situated in areas where salaries in general aren't particularly high - I'd wager that the engineer on £30k is more is on more than most tradesman in said area.

Also remember that there is quite a big shortage of skilled tradesmen in the UK. If, for example, you want to call out an electrician, you've got to pay quite handsomely for it. And when you move into the industrial side of things as opposed to the self-employed, the work that tradesmen do is often every bit as valuable to the company as that of an engineer; merely being university educated doesn't necessarily warrant a higher salary.


Exactly. So if OP has a lot of below average marks at A level and university - but is no doubt easily intelligent enough to be an electrician or plumber - he should seriously consider that option.

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