What is ICT? What careers are out there?

French or ICT GCSE subject?

• I need to make a choice for my GCSEs and originally wanted to do Spanish, Geography and ICT (for the baccalaureate + ICT). We were told that my school wasn't going to offer ICT this year as it "was an out-dated qualification" but enough people complained and now we can do it... in the meantime I convinced myself I wanted to do French.. I'm interested in languages and would love to speak French. I don't know what to do... I need my form to be handed in by Friday morning and I'm still no closer to making a decision. Oh, and I don't know what I want to do as a career later in life. I'm interested in doing so many things and I just don't want to confine myself to one career.. I enjoy ict, I wouldn't mind a career in game design or programming, but I like astro/physics too and I'd like to do that, but I also like learning about the world and the people in it... I really don't know what to do. Which GSCE is considered better? Which would give me a larger range of careers? Do you actually get to do programming/html/java in the ICT course? I've done like 10 years of spreadsheets now and it really gets on my nerves lol. Thanks guys..

• Answer:

  As far as I'm aware, GCSE ICT is largely databases, powerpoints and applied ICT (like making up businesses and stuff like that). I dropped it in favour of GCSE Computing, which is absolutely awesome if you want to get "under the bonnet" of computers - there's a lot of programming and theory of how a computer actually works (logic, RAM, ROM, the CPU, et cetera). Everyone in my class enjoys it - it took a little time for some people to get the idea that computing and ICT are not the same thing (and ten minutes of our first lesson was spent convincing one of the class members that a laptop is in fact a kind of computer). My class has used SmallBasic, VisualBasic and Scratch in our lessons, but I think different schools teach different languages. I'd definitely recommend GCSE Computing if your school offers it. I did my GCSE French early and to be honest I found it easy - you get taught the stuff you need as you need it. However, I know a lot of people who have picked up a new language in Year 10 and say that they just get taught what they need for tests and don't actually have a good knowledge of the language. I chose to take French further (doing an early AS) and I think that sticking to one language is best until you master it (although, on a hypocritical note, I've taken up Mandarin Chinese classes), because a lot of my friends say they get their two (or three, in some cases) languages mixed up, because French/Spanish/Italian/Portuguese have a lot of similarities. On the other hand, if you have an interest, go for it. As for careers, A Levels are more important for that (or BTEC and so on) as to what you'll be able to do. Generally, employers will only care that you got 5 or more A*-C grades. GCSE languages really aren't in depth enough for you to be able to do anything amazing - you learn to speak about a limited set of topics by heart. I got an A* in my French and thought I was pretty good, but when I started AS, it was really obvious how little I knew! Don't worry about not knowing what you want to do when you're older, do what interests you now. Ultimately, your GCSE options probably won't affect your career too much - A Levels are more influential and if you choose to take a degree/apprenticeship/et cetera, that will have even more bearing on your career. That being said, I know a graphic designer with a degree in biochemistry, so even at that level, it doesn't guarantee what you'll end up doing.