Capcha Posted June 20, 2012 Share My brother squandered his chances to study. Now he drifts from job to job, almost 35 with no savings or pension whatsoever. He can still go study if he had the drive but he chooses to not to. So if he had to come to me one day in his old age without a cent to his name, and no-one wants to employ him anymore, then I might also choose to not help him, as he chose to not help himself...Ouch. Bit harsh I think. Blood is blood. He must have seriously pissed u off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted June 20, 2012 Share Study the business management course, and work at an LBS on the weekends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieterg Posted June 20, 2012 Share Go for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8848 Posted June 20, 2012 Share tough one. i chose a different route. I am more passionate about the outdoors (hiking, climbing, mountaineering etc). after matric, I got a job at an outdoor store, studied part time to get a Damelin Diploma, did another diploma, started at Unisa (hated it and di not finish), went to an outdoor group, worked there. did a post grad diploma, then did an MBA, worked my way up to top level at company, then went to HUGE corporate retail for 3 years, did not love it, then started my own business (early days). so, I did not pursue studies immediately, but eventually did, all the way to Masters, plus worked in an industry I was passionate about. worked out for me (lets hope the entrepreneur thing works). follow what is right for you. maybe that is work and study part time, maybe it is sto study a trade type education, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igknot Posted June 20, 2012 Share Most of the cyclist I know are professionals. Engineers,accountants, it and such. They make enough money to have the time and means to enjoy their hobby. If you don't have burning passion to be something specific like pro cyclist or diver .find something that would not suck the life out of you to pay the bills and then enjoy every moment you have spare.If you have passion that can pay the bills you will never have to work. Most of us have to work to pay for the passion. What ever you do, do it with out brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arendoog Posted June 20, 2012 Share From somebody that studied 14 years ,it is worth it ! Then again you can become president of RSA with grade 10 and lots of crooked tjommies .You can never know too much! Work and study Jjust don,t become a slapgat white dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bob Posted June 20, 2012 Share Go study then see how you feel...Or take a gap year in the UK, US or Europe, work in the industry, race in france,,become a team mechanic or just get drunk in London and then come back to do your degree. If you want to own a bike shop do a course that wlil help that. I'm sure you don't want to be changing bottom brackets when you're 60 odd, it' be better to be clued up on business and own 5 shops, employ people to 'make it happen' and then spend all year doing R&D for your china based frame business in the Alps and on the 'shore. You don't need a degree to be a success, but it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeTurbo Posted June 20, 2012 Share Study? A waste of time.Personally, I don't know many people who are working professionally in the field they studied. And there's nothing to "fall back on" - first, that's setting yourself up for a failure mentality and, second, if you do have to then your skills and knowledge are so rusty they're useless (in professional fields, you won't be up on the latest advances anyway. If you want to start a bike shop, learn about bikes and do some short business courses in book-keeping and the like. Just be sure you have the entrepreneurial spirit. You don't need a whole damn management degree - which again, from my personal experience of those who have one, retards your thinking. Also, you'll be a good 5 or 6 years ahead of the student. You'll be making money while he's out getting pissed. And then, of course, he'll spend another 5 years paying back his study loan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavian Posted June 20, 2012 Share Study? A waste of time.Personally, I don't know many people who are working professionally in the field they studied. You obviously dont know many professionals... T-Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbarn Killer Posted June 20, 2012 Share SA has a huge market for "Racing/upmarket" bikes. I was told by the manager of one of SA's biggest bike distributors, that SA is the world's largest consumer of 29ers. The problem is that everybody wants a piece of that pie. There are already too many bike shops around and every second cycling enthusiast is trying to create his own brand. If it really is your passion, then go for it. But to make any sort of decent living you are going to have to create something different. Something that other bike shops don't have, something that will attract the customers to you. That is not going to be easy. I suggest, go and study, maybe even run your own bike business from home, buying, selling second hand stuff to make some pocket money and to gain a bit of insight into the industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lloydkayak Posted June 20, 2012 Share I did a gap year as an exchange student, studied engineering at varsity... worked in construction a year, didnt dig it, working now 3 years in water and env engineering consulting. Just accepted a new job offer to move from highveld to Cape Town to work under a young (40 year old or so) team to further my experience in fixing water (effectively) I seriously love the feeling I get when my "job" coincides with my passion for improving the environment for all our sakes... That doesn't always happen but it really helps.... Whats a very cool feeling right now is that I am 26 years old and just got head hunted of sorts for new work in the current economic climate... FEELS AWESOME! Studying afforded me this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butafly Posted June 20, 2012 Share go and work weekends and the hols in your local bike shop (even if it means that you just wash the bikes). you'll soon get an idea whether you like it or not. its long hours and you are constantly on your feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lloydkayak Posted June 20, 2012 Share My last bit of "young" advice... Study something that interests you, but also make sure its something you can quite easily make money off. Professions are great for this because you walk out of studying into a job. I have a few mates who went for super intereting social sciences route (psycology etc) where they cant really find nice paying work after studying or they need to "create" a job description for themselves... Not very easy... Just my 2c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACKvoodoo Posted June 20, 2012 Share Rather do a spin off business with cycling in mind, For example you can open a chemist and sell a whole host of performance enhancing drugs to roadies. That way you'll always be in business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogfish Posted June 20, 2012 Share Study and work in between!! the combination of both will teach you great life lessons and not just an education, and you will have something to fall back on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeTurbo Posted June 20, 2012 Share You obviously dont know many professionals... As in avocation / job. Not "as a professional". BSC (Hons) Chemistry - custom sprays motorbikes. Lawyer writing advertising copy. Industrial Designer owns a bike shop. 2 Marine Biologists in advertising and marketing. Etc, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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