Question: Hi, I am going to do my AS exams. I want to be a Mechanical Engineer. I plan to choose Maths, Physics, Chemistry and either Biology or further Maths. I have an interest in both Biology and further Maths, but I only have one option. From my research I have been told that further Maths will be helpful for engineering students.
Ishan Ismeth
Via Email

Dear Ishan,
Answer: First let me say it's great to know you have decided on what you want to get out of. As I have mentioned before, first you need to deepen your skills and then broaden it, based on this logic I don't see a rationale for you to take Biology, rather you should focus on further Maths. However some schools may not let you take this subject unless you have high grades in Maths.
You may need to go through the following gate checks prior to arriving at your decision:
Talk to your director of studies at your institution
Do your research with the institutions offering mechanical engineering qualification
Speak to students who have taken this path before
You can arrive at your decision thereafter.
All the best
Q: Dear sir, I'm an undergraduate following a Bachelor of Business Management Degree programme. Now I'm in the 2nd year and wish to specialize in the marketing field. So I want to know the opportunities in the business world for this stream. Which would be better to choose, marketing or accounting? I want to become a Chief Executive Officer. So what are the other courses that I should follow? What about SLIM and other marketing related courses?
VARZHA
Via Email

Hi Varzha,
A: It's great to know you have selected a highly attractive career path. I have three areas of specific direction for you:
The opportunities to secure a job specializing in the marketing or accounting field are both highly attractive, however this would depend on the country and the specific qualification you acquire
The next gate decision you make is the choosing of the qualification based on recognition and leveragability, I am surprised that you have not mentioned CIM, because this is now a level 7 qualification , where you can transfer your credits to an MBA, which makes sense , since you plan to be a CEO. There are many qualifications in marketing some even offering a diploma in just six months, it is for you to decide based on your research (many are substandard)
nMy career path suggestion is simple, first finish your Degree, then move on to focus on a post grad qualification with recognition, build on your work competencies and then top up with the MBA.
Q: Dear sir, I'm following Commerce for A/Ls and I will be sitting for the exam this August. After A/Ls I thought of doing ACCA as I'm more into the accounts field. Sir is this a good choice? And if it's yes, will working in a bank as a trainee help me to gain the necessary experience to become fully qualified in ACCA? If not working in an audit firm? What would suit me best? And if banking will help to gain the necessary experience will it be useful if I do banking exams too? Please help me sort out this issue.
Jason de Silva
Via Email

Dear Jason,
A: It is very difficult for me to help you decide with the limited information you have provided, however judging by the options you have highlighted I have mentioned below the way forward;
nYou need to decide on your preferred option and strengthen this area first, and then you can look to broadening or switching, for this you need to prioritize by checking with your friends and experts.
nIf you choose the banking option, the qualifications that come with it are specific, and working in a bank will help you strengthen the qualification, and the opposite is true for the accounting option
nHowever having said that there are options for you to develop a hybrid approach, this should be done with caution and expert advice.
So please take the online test mentioned last week and get back to me.

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