u/hadrinheye

Hi everyone,

I’m 26, currently living in London (originally from Belarus), and looking to completely pivot my career into Quantity Surveying.

I’ve never been to university, and honestly, I barely remember the high school curriculum. Starting this September, I’ll be taking Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths to get my GCSE equivalents sorted.

I’m incredibly confused about the entry paths and future job prospects, so I’d really appreciate some real-world advice from people in the industry:

1. Job Market & Demand: Is Quantity Surveying still highly demanded in London/UK? Will I genuinely have a solid chance of finding a stable job after graduation, even with English as my second language?

2. Access Course vs. Foundation Year: Since I don't have A-Levels, should I go for an Access to HE Diploma (Construction/Business) at a local college first, or apply directly to a university for a 4-year degree with a Foundation Year? Which path is smoother for mature students?

3. What to study this year: While I spend the next year getting my Functional Skills certificates, what subjects or skills should I actively revise or self-learn? Should I focus heavily on basic maths/Excel, or is there something else that would give me a head start?

I don't mind hard work, but I'm looking for a stable, office-based Monday-to-Friday career with less on-site chaos. Is QS the right choice, or should I be looking at other options?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

I feel a bit lost when it comes to choosing a career.

I’m 26 years old and I’m not completely sure what I should study or work towards. At the moment, I’m studying Functional Skills Level 2 English. My main choice has been between IT and radiography (NHS).

A lot of people told me that AI might take over jobs in IT, so I started thinking that it might be better to go into healthcare instead, specifically radiography through an Access to HE course. However, I’m still not sure if I would actually enjoy it. Out of the two, I would probably prefer IT.

While I’m studying Functional Skills Level 2 English from September for a year, I need to decide which direction to go next.

What are the most in-demand careers right now? Where would I have a better chance of actually getting a job, instead of just paying for university and struggling to find work afterwards?

Hello,

I am planning to study Radiography at university in the future. However, I hardly remember any chemistry, biology, or physics from school because I finished school a long time ago, and I was not very interested in those subjects at the time.

As far as I understand, an Access to Higher Education Science course can be quite challenging for someone who has forgotten most of these subjects, especially when English is not their first language and their English level is around B1.

My question is: would it make sense to complete the Double Science IGCSE Course from the Distance Learning Centre before starting an Access to Higher Education Science course? Do you think it would provide a good foundation and make the Access course easier to manage?

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask a few questions about the Access to Higher Education course.

At the moment, I’m studying Functional Skills English Level 2 (starting this September). I already have a Maths qualification that UK ENIC (formerly NARIC) recognised as equivalent to GCSE Maths. I’m planning to apply for an Access to Higher Education course next year, and I have a few questions:

1. Is the course too difficult if I don’t remember anything from school? Do they teach the subjects from scratch?
2. Is it difficult to understand the lessons if English isn’t your first language? My English level is around B1.
3. Do you think it’s worth taking a Functional Skills Maths course as well? Even though I already have a GCSE Maths equivalent from my home country, I honestly don’t remember any maths from school.

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you!