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access to he course

I'm currently 19 and realised after dropping out of college during my second year of A levels that I actually want to go to university for a degree. I'm currently working a standard retail job, with me starting my course in business/law next year. Any tips from anyone on how to pick a degree/career that won't be erased by AI ?

Reply 1

ErasistratusV

You're going about this the wrong way.

Work out which career/vocation you want to work in

Find a University and course that suits this, and which accepts Access to HE diploma

Find the right Access course to fit the above

Doing a course without any clear intention in the future is a waste of time.

Reply 2

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post

by Dsfrdc

Hi there!

I understand your concerns the growing prominence of AI, it is often involved in news discussions recently and it does feel a bit like it is everywhere now! Personally, I would focus on pursuing what really interests you and you will value studying. Job markets and careers may always change to incorporate new technologies or shifts in society, the most important thing is working on your own skills, experience and getting a good qualification to make yourself valuable to employers too 😊

An access course is a great way to work on your academic ability and to get yourself into university. I did one myself in social sciences and absolutely loved it - plus I found my academic skills such as essay writing, critical analysis, reading journal articles and referencing were really strong by the time I started my degree.

The next steps would be to visit some universities and see what degrees take your interest. Open days are the best way for this, you'll get to speak to academic staff and ask all the questions you need - particularly if you want to ask about AI and how it may affect the careers you'd be working towards. You can also speak to other students and get advice on their experiences and career aspirations. There may be less dates for open days now until Summer but it's worth having a good search to see, some unis also offer more bespoke campus tours (here's a link to ours) where you can have a more personal visit, or you could get in touch with the universities themself to ask questions too. We have a Course Enquiries team who are available to answer a whole range of questions, which many unis will have a similar version of too.

You could explore the Prospects website too, I particularly like the What can I do with my degree? pages some useful tips. It's a great way to look at careers and work backwards to see what steps you'll need to take, or to look at a specific degree and work forwards to see where it could take you and how.

Focus on your own interests, what will keep you engaged and encourage you to work hard, what skills and personal development you can acquire along the way - these are all what employers will be looking out for and will help you to get the job once you get to applying for them. There are lots of graduate jobs out there too which require any degree, particularly for areas such as business, and will be more focused on who you are and what you can offer as a person for you to then be trained in a specific job area.

All the best,

Becky
University of Salford Student Rep

Reply 3

ringi

Often university expect you to have been out of school for 3 years before taking access course. Personally I think an apprenticeship is better for now, then reconsider in a few years.

Reply 4

PurpleDiva

Original post

by Dsfrdc

Honestly, I wouldn’t stress too much about finding a degree that’s “AI-proof” because no one really knows how things will look in 10–15 years anyway. What is pretty consistent is that careers which involve people, judgement, communication, and decision-making tend to adapt rather than disappear.

Business/law is actually a solid combo in that sense. AI can help with admin, research, or drafting, but it still needs humans for strategy, interpretation, ethics, negotiation, and dealing with real people and messy real-world situations. Those are the bits employers care about.

I’d focus more on:

•

Picking something you can genuinely stick with and get good at

•

Building transferable skills (communication, problem-solving, adaptability)

•

Getting experience alongside your degree (internships, placements, part-time work)

Also, starting uni a bit later after working isn’t a disadvantage at all — if anything, it often gives you better perspective and motivation. Plenty of people change direction at 18–22 and still do really well.

You don’t need a “perfect” future-proof choice, just a flexible one you can grow with.

Reply 5

ErasistratusV

I find it hilarious that people think a glorified google search which works on language programming is going to magically make everyone redundant.

Reply 6

normaw

Volunteer Section Leader, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post

by ringi

Often university expect you to have been out of school for 3 years before taking access course. Personally I think an apprenticeship is better for now, then reconsider in a few years.