Suggestions/advice for a Maths/stats grad

artvanderlay

Hello,
I am 34, unemployed for 2 years, and I have just finished a maths & stats degree with the open university (after many years of struggling!). I got a 2.1 which I am quite happy with but the downside is I am penniless. I've been looking at masters courses in maths in ucd, I spoke to the head of school and he told me I'd get in if I got the 2.1 which I did. Yeh, happy days, except it costs over 6 grand to do a masters, which I think I'd get a 2k reduction on because of unemployment but I'd lose all my benefits if I did a post-grad full time, so I can't pursue that option.
I'm a bit lost if I'm honest. I'd like to continue on studying to improve my chances of getting a decent job but I feel stuck now and I don't want to lose momentum as I know how hard it was to even finish the degree. I have looked up the internet for graduate jobs and free postgrad courses but I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all. Any suggestions or advice would be a big help.

Cheers.

boglin

http://postgradireland.com/advice-and-funding/funding/funding-postgraduate-study-ireland
http://postgradireland.com/advice-and-funding/funding/postgraduate-funding-there-any-still-out-there
http://www.ucd.ie/mathsciences/graduatestudents/scholarshipsfunding/

djpbarry

artvanderlay wrote: »

I'd like to continue on studying to improve my chances of getting a decent job but I feel stuck now and I don't want to lose momentum as I know how hard it was to even finish the degree.

You really have to think long and hard about whether investing in a masters is the right move for you. Are you just doing it so you can put it on your CV, or is there a specific course that you want to do? Because if it's the former, it's unlikely the time and money spent on obtaining a masters will be a sound investment. Given that cashflow is an issue for you, I'd be looking at getting some experience in the workforce. You can always do a masters at a later date if you still want to.

Manchegan

Alternatively, you could continue with OU and do their part time maths MSc
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/qualification/f04.htm
If you find somewhere to work that makes use of your degree, they may support your further study.

Ravelleman

I'd have thought that there would be very healthy options available for a maths grad, especially in the field of finance and data modelling.

dixiefly

Did you have an idea of the areas that you would like to pursue when you started the OU course?

I would agree that you don't need to pursue any expensive Masters especially as you are out of work.

What you need to do is identify the areas that you are best suited to and has the best prospects for a job. Consider


a. The area of Maths / Stats that you like best or are best at.
b. The jobs they are used in.
c. Additional training that can get you closer to those jobs.
d. Companies hiring people in those areas.
e. Would you try an internship/ job bridge?

You will probably need good IT skills, Excel is always useful, R software, SAS, SPSS, Minitab.

R software is free, PSPP is v similar to SPSS an is free afaik.

There are free or almost free courses on-line. Try

https://www.coursera.org/course/compdata

You could also try Georgia R School, haven't used them myself but it looks quite good value.

artvanderlay

Thanks a lot for the advice.