Gainful employment at last!

[Guest]

Dave (Gern): My 16 year old grandson asks "Why do I have to study trigonometry? Yuck!" He wants to be a graphic designer. Good question. One answer is that everyone needs to have some knowledge of most parts of human knowledge, for general policy reasons and because trig. pops up in many unexpected places in life.

Any thoughts?

[john i am]

Dave (Gern): My 16 year old grandson asks "Why do I have to study trigonometry? Yuck!" He wants to be a graphic designer. Good question. One answer is that everyone needs to have some knowledge of most parts of human knowledge, for general policy reasons and because trig. pops up in many unexpected places in life.Any thoughts?

My thoughts: make sure you learn your arithmetic reading and writing at school as anything else is of no use.

[flyjoe180]

Because your ambitions always turn into other career paths and you never know when you will need a basic understanding of that knowledge.

[dave]

Different Dave, but my thoughts.

This is a question my son has raised (but on other subjects). My answer has always been that you never know what will be useful in later life. For various reasons I have had changes in career path and things I learnt many years ago have become useful. Even if it just getting the winning answer right for your bosses pub quiz team.

As my father used to say "a day you learn something is never a day wasted".

[Gern]

Hi Steve.

By 'graphic design' does he mean just drawing pretty pictures? The world is absolutely overflowing with folks who can do that - a quick search on the 'net will prove that far better than any words of mine - and there are thousands of applicants for any job that comes up in that field. And even then, the jobs are likely to be short-term, project oriented which end when the project does.

I assume he already knows that being able to draw in pencil is only a tiny part of the skills set he will need. You can explain to him better than I can the techniques he'll need to produce realistic images - colour variations, shading, weathering etc. - you do this with your kits but the principles apply even if you're only creating a 2d image. And of course, he'll need to be able to use a variety of different media from brush painting to airbrushing to computer drawing programmes and goodness knows what else to create his images.

But you can't call yourself any sort of designer if you can't create accurate shapes (I've met dozens of students who want to be a 'graphic designer' who can't use ruler and compass to produce even the simplest of shapes like triangles, sectors of circles, hexagons etc.). That's where your maths - particularly Geometry and Trig - is so useful.The guy that can create accurate images will always be able to find regular work - even if it's only drawings and diagrams for technical magazines. It may not be glamorous or exciting but it pays the rent! Once the rent is paid though, then you have the time for hobbies, even creative ones .........

[Gern]

First day at work today which was a really good feeling. It could have been even better though if any of the students had turned up!

[Ian M]

Good with an easy first day though.

Ian M

[tanktrack]

I love tunnocks yum yum well done Dave by the way

[john i am]

First day at work today which was a really good feeling. It could have been even better though if any of the students had turned up!

Well done Dave and the 1st day over already.Teaching not the easiest job in the world.I hope all goes well for you and you can manage to keep all those awful teenagers in check good luck John

[Guest]

I am happy for you, now make sure you set that alarm clock!

[Lee W]

Congrats Dave

Lee

[Gern]

Thanks guys.

Bit of a b****r today though. I can't do the second job as I'm not available to teach at the times they need me. Still, the main job will pay a living wage - about double what I was getting on the dole - so not grumbling.

[Guest]

Congratulations Dave, onwards and upwards mate

[Gern]

You know there are some times you just wouldn't get your breath!

Started my new job and I'm picking my way through all the admin stuff. I got a form from the agency that set me up for the job so I can register my bank details for them to pay me. It's an online form with only about a dozen boxes for me to fill in and return, so no problems right?

Wrong!

It's an online form and they've sent it in PDF format so I can't save it and send the revised version back!!!!

Why do companies keep on employing these b****y morons?