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[Diamond Black Geezer]

Agree with comments, I could very easily be one of them that whinges that they can't get a job after their scraping pass in 'Film Studies' or whatever, and basically 'expect' a job/the world owes me etc.. And on a separate note, can't stand that type  Every one and his mate going to Uni has cheapened Degrees, that no-one really cares that you've gone, tried your damnedest, literally shed tears over your work, racked up a ton of debt I could have bought a mint Monza GSE for with pocket change for a rough Viva, and still have 7 grand spare change to spend on doing it up.

As it goes managed to get to Coventry University on the Automotive Design course (so basically sketching, conceptualising, designing, and engineering cars) It's considered in the top ten internationally for Automotive Design, some say the best. It was a 4 years course. (could have done 3, but aimed for 4.) Managed to get in with 100ish other successful applicants of approx 6,000 that apply annually. About a third end up dropping out/don't make the sufficient grade by 3rd year. Managed to get designing for a company in Austria for a while after graduating, but once the contract finished, that was late '07, and the world went poo-poo, everywhere started cutting back in the area that won't show for a few years - design departments. (think of it as stopping maintaining the railways - you save money, you won't see any detriment for years, and by then it's someone else's problem.) Eg: That year Chrysler closed an entire studio, of 100 designers, all with 10+ years experience, and I sort of lost faith a bit when that happened - you think, 'well who would employ me?' The bias is massively toward experience, with companies expecting 3-5 years minimum experience from anyone... including fresh graduates amazingly!  On average they say there's ten new jobs annually worldwide.

So since done various freelance work, worked on a fuel cell project, which may yet make it to full production, and mostly graphic design (which I'm now in) painting, had a small studio doing commissions, shop work, office work, temp work (that was a weird one - making up the 'help' pack ring binders for people about to be made redundant.  ) buying selling tat from car boot sales, handing out fliers outside a club, you name it. Very glad of my badly paid graphics job, because it's a rung on a ladder.

So restoring the old V6 is a bit of a therapeutic exercise, especially as she was the Diamond Black Beauty in which that the old man ferried me to and from home during most of my Uni days. Many happy memories, about being young and stressing about the hand-in in a fortnight. Will have to dig out a few pics I've done over the years.

I digress, it seems. Thanks for the waffle, gents, got it off my chest! 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

DBG....with your 'proper' qualifications I'm sure you will eventually thrive.

Seems like a degree worth having to me.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Was at MIRA proving ground and heard a burbley roar, saw a shape tear round the banked track- it was a heavily disguised XK (and well before production) that was fun 

Thanks Mr The Bear  Really enjoyed it so much. Hope one day I'll be back in that studio. I remember Magna Steyr on my 1st day and I am pointed to a wall, and told "If you are needing the break, you are tired, you can look at this. Is fine" on the wall was a rack about 10ft x 5ft full of every car mag out that week/month. I ask "So you are willing to pay me to read car magazines?" He smiles and says "It is the research, ya?" Good times. And the panoramic office window looked out onto the alps in the distance.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Was at MIRA proving ground and heard a burbley roar, saw a shape tear round the banked track- it was a heavily disguised XK (and well before production) that was fun 

Thanks Mr The Bear  Really enjoyed it so much. Hope one day I'll be back in that studio. I remember Magna Steyr on my 1st day and I am pointed to a wall, and told "If you are needing the break, you are tired, you can look at this. Is fine" on the wall was a rack about 10ft x 5ft full of every car mag out that week/month. I ask "So you are willing to pay me to read car magazines?" He smiles and says "It is the research, ya?" Good times. And the panoramic office window looked out onto the alps in the distance.

I would regularly pass this facility on the A5 back in the 1990's.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

   The stuff they've had there... about 50% or easily much less the public have even seen. If you ever want to look at the website AROnline, and look at all the aborted concepts/prototypes that BMC/BL/AustinMorrisRover/MGRover have had, its amazing.

[TheBoy]

I was bright enough to keep my monthly payments on the interest only mortgage high when the interest rates dropped, so even though endowment was/is bad, combined it would probably have been ok.

I'm hoping when my endowment matures, my current repayment, taken out in 2003 on a 23yr term, will virtually cover it, as once again, I've kept my mortgage repYments high

[Terbs]

Look at it this way TB...one day you will be able to do what I intend to do, and that is sell my house and move up to Brackley.....and put a big wadge of dosh in the bank

Unfortunately, you may have to go further north

[Andy B]

.....

Unfortunately, you may have to go further north

  We might not want or let him 

[05omegav6]

.....

Unfortunately, you may have to go further north

  We might not want or let him 

There's two sides to the Penines

[Andy B]

.....

Unfortunately, you may have to go further north

  We might not want or let him 

There's two sides to the Penines

 

[TheBoy]

.....

Unfortunately, you may have to go further north

  We might not want or let him 

There's two sides to the Penines

Lancashire, and the nice side

[Andy B]

.....

Unfortunately, you may have to go further north

  We might not want or let him 

There's two sides to the Penines

Lancashire, and the nice side

 

[aaronjb]

.....

Unfortunately, you may have to go further north

  We might not want or let him 

There's two sides to the Penines

Lancashire, and the nice side