Best jobs to do with astronomy that don’t require a degree?

[JOC]

How about starting a regular blog/vlog on an astronony related subject and maybe you will attract someone's attention

[Olli]

20 minutes ago, JOC said:

How about starting a regular blog/vlog on an astronony related subject and maybe you will attract someone's attention

This and what @25585 said seem like a good idea, I enjoy typing/writing so could  be a good match thanks for the suggestions  

[25585]

Example of inspiration is that start-up company who designed a small-ish SCT with short time lapse video & stacking software in 1 unit. They were at E3 IIRC. 

Nothing new except the concept of convenience for amateur astronomers & audiences. A big gadget for casual stargazers. Brilliant idea, I hope it was patented properly and succeeds. 

Another affordable IT innovation are GOTO & such mounts. Especially StarSense & GPS use. 

If you can write apps, lots of ideas for astronomy there. Most are either quite good tailored down from PC originals or cheesy cheap kid stuff. 

So form ideas, dare to think outside the box, and watch the r&d scene. 

[Demonperformer]

5 hours ago, 25585 said:

dare to think outside the box

This is probably the key.

To (probably mis-!) quote Henry Ford: When I want to try something new, I will never ask an expert. An expert is a man who can give me six good reasons why it could not possibly work.

[PeterW]

Yes, but getting them to tell you why and then digging... don’t just reject experts, respect and challenge (gently). You don’t want to go wasting your time doing something that (definitely) won’t work or that someone has already done. There are times when it might have not worked in the past or that no one has really tried... in which case you might be on to something. But you need a certain level of expertise and knowledge to both have the initial idea and to know that there might be milage in it, and to check your thoughts and engage others. Looking somewhere new or with new tools tends to hit gold quite often....

PEter

[Peter Drew]

I don't think there is anything meaningful that you can "jump into overnight". There is one appealing astro related occupation that springs to mind, many cruise liner operators hire presenters to inform/entertain passengers on many subjects including astronomy, you would have to know your stuff and being established certainly would help. 

[Lee_P]

You could find your local Planetarium and see if they have any jobs: https://www.planetaria.org.uk/

[Paul M]

When I was a lad I told ye olde careers officer (remember them??) I wanted to be an astronomer. He laughed at my very average CSE's (remember them!!??) and suggested road sweeping...

I did start an OU degree course in 1999, Natural Sciences, which could "major" in astronomy. I loved the study but being a new father well in my 30's and working 60 hours a week in unrelated skilled work, it was hard work. Unexpected redundancy had me setting up my own business and I had to drop the OU, I couldn't face struggling to cope. Major bad idea

That, amongst my other career mistakes, is a huge regret. I really, really should have finished the degree. I didn't want to be an astronomer, it's not as exciting as you might think. I really wanted to teach. I'm a natural teacher, having taken many an apprentice under my wing. I'd have got all the fulfilment I wanted out of part time teaching or adult education. 

In the absence of a degree your options are limited. Very limited. 

It's a crime that higher education is so expensive. I can't remember the exact numbers but the OU degree I was doing back then was only about £3k with honours. A significant outlay but doable.

My son is just finishing a Master and his costs are astronomical, but he's in an extremely good job!

 

[kirkster501]

14 hours ago, Paul M said:

When I was a lad I told ye olde careers officer (remember them??) I wanted to be an astronomer. He laughed at my very average CSE's (remember them!!??) and suggested road sweeping...

I did start an OU degree course in 1999, Natural Sciences, which could "major" in astronomy. I loved the study but being a new father well in my 30's and working 60 hours a week in unrelated skilled work, it was hard work. Unexpected redundancy had me setting up my own business and I had to drop the OU, I couldn't face struggling to cope. Major bad idea

That, amongst my other career mistakes, is a huge regret. I really, really should have finished the degree. I didn't want to be an astronomer, it's not as exciting as you might think. I really wanted to teach. I'm a natural teacher, having taken many an apprentice under my wing. I'd have got all the fulfilment I wanted out of part time teaching or adult education. 

In the absence of a degree your options are limited. Very limited. 

It's a crime that higher education is so expensive. I can't remember the exact numbers but the OU degree I was doing back then was only about £3k with honours. A significant outlay but doable.

My son is just finishing a Master and his costs are astronomical, but he's in an extremely good job!

 

This.

They used to pay you to go to University.....  I had a grant when i studied Electrical and Electronic engineering.  When I did my Masters I had to pay. A lot.  A very lot.

I get it about investing in yourself and all that.  But it's to the greater good of society that there are more educated, knowledgeable and aspiring people. They tend to be bigger tax payers, law abiding, healthy and contributory citizens.  A troubled family costs upwards of £100k per year  and I dare say none of the members of said families have degrees or interests in astronomy.  The older I get, the more I  realise that maybe it is for the state to pay for some of these things to create a better society. Appreciate this is verging into politics so I think that is enough said.

Back to the OP, I hope he finds the job he dreams of.

[Louis D]

3 hours ago, kirkster501 said:

The older I get, the more I  realise that maybe it is for the state to pay for some of these things to create a better society.

The US sort of tried this approach with easy to qualify for federally backed student loans.  Many folks who are simply not higher education material took out big loans and tried to go on in school.  The vast majority either quit early or finished with useless degrees that couldn't begin to pay back the enormous debt.  The US government also made these loans exempt from bankruptcy cancellation, so they'll have the payments subtracted from their Social Security payments when they retire.  There is talk of forgiving some of the loans, but those of us who paid our own way are furious we'll be paying the taxes to pay off these poorly thought out loans.  It might be different if I could get these people to come over and rake the leaves in my yard in gratitude for paying my enormous income tax bill every year so they don't have to have their future SS payments garnished.

[Mognet]

I had a look at the OU site to see how much a degree from there would cost. For the BSc (Hons) Natural Sciences (Astronomy and Planetary Science) which seems the most appropriate if you have to get a relevant degree, the current cost is £17,184. While expensive, it's cheaper than a residential course and can be done over a much longer period, and can be paid in more manageable chunks. Funding help may be available too

[Paul M]

5 hours ago, Mognet said:

I had a look at the OU site to see how much a degree from there would cost. For the BSc (Hons) Natural Sciences (Astronomy and Planetary Science) which seems the most appropriate if you have to get a relevant degree, the current cost is £17,184. While expensive, it's cheaper than a residential course and can be done over a much longer period, and can be paid in more manageable chunks. Funding help may be available too

Ouch!!

Well that's gone up a bit. I wish I could remember the pricing from when I enrolled. I can't even remember how the degree was made up. Figures like £400 per module and 6 modules come to mind plus costs for residential summer school to do lab work and the like.

Certainly nowhere near £17k. That is breathtaking

My son's Masters (self funded since moving employers at the turn of the year and having to pay the old one back!!) is that kind of money and then some.

[Louis D]

6 hours ago, Paul M said:

Ouch!!

Well that's gone up a bit. I wish I could remember the pricing from when I enrolled. I can't even remember how the degree was made up. Figures like £400 per module and 6 modules come to mind plus costs for residential summer school to do lab work and the like.

Certainly nowhere near £17k. That is breathtaking

My son's Masters (self funded since moving employers at the turn of the year and having to pay the old one back!!) is that kind of money and then some.

For comparison, here in the states, my kids' college costs at residential state schools range from $17000 to $25000 per year.  A friend of mine has a daughter at a private college in California, and he's paying $70000 per year for it.

[Peter Drew]

Everything really is bigger in the USA  

[Stub Mandrel]

57 minutes ago, Louis D said:

For comparison, here in the states, my kids' college costs at residential state schools range from $17000 to $25000 per year.  A friend of mine has a daughter at a private college in California, and he's paying $70000 per year for it.

The typical annual all in cost of being at University in the UK is £24,000 or $34,000; £23,500 or about $37,000 in London.

[PeterW]

.... it’s almost as if the country doesn’t want  people to go to university... educated people are the fuel for a successful country, especially in such a rapidly developing world. Makes on depressed.

PEter

[Mognet]

3 hours ago, PeterW said:

.... it’s almost as if the country doesn’t want  people to go to university... educated people are the fuel for a successful country, especially in such a rapidly developing world. Makes on depressed.

PEter

I'm a believer in the grant system as it was great leveller. It enabled people with intelligence and talent but no financial resources to get much further. I didn't go to uni, but some of my peers did and it was a definitely a help to them.

But to get back to the original post before it gets all political... you probably could get somewhere with a career in astronomy without a degree, but you will find it much harder and you will take a circuitous route to get there. The OU would be one route to that degree, it enables you to study while you earn so you can qualify without the student debt. Or you could go to uni which, while being more expensive, would give you better contacts when it comes to finding the right career path.

It's also a good idea to have a Plan B for employment while trying to get into your chosen career. If you change your mind on your career, then earning a degree also gives you much better prospects. I work in financial IT with people who have degrees (and higher!) in mathematics, astrophysics, physics, philosophy, architecture, chemistry, geology and nuclear physics, none of whom I'm sure originally planned to be there

[Stu]

24 minutes ago, Mognet said:

But to get back to the original post before it gets all political...

Thank you  

[PeterW]

No politics intended. What stuff are you good at and what do you like doing. Do more, get better and enjoy. There are several areas I sometimes think I’d like to do as a job, but as a hobby I can cherry pick the bits that most interest without the need to do the other less visible, less glamorous stuff (or the bits that I would be ill suited for). 

For Astro I’d get your IT skills up, maybe play with online Astro tools, John Murrell is a good place to get some examples, there is lots of professional data and tools available to dabble with.

http://johnmurrell.org.uk/VO-Exercises.htm

PEter

 

[recceranger]

Ok, so not an astronomy job, but if your interested in driving planetary exploration??

http://www2.padi.com/blog/2013/04/23/nasa_nbl_scubadiver/

[Demonperformer]

3 minutes ago, recceranger said:

driving planetary exploration

or even diving planetary exploration ? [I'll get my coat ...]

[Olli]

On 3/11/2018 at 16:31, recceranger said:

Ok, so not an astronomy job, but if your interested in driving planetary exploration??

http://www2.padi.com/blog/2013/04/23/nasa_nbl_scubadiver/

That would be an incredible job, thanks for sharing the article