Careers in Maths

[taichiperson]

My son is just about to take his GCSE's and is not sure in what direction to go next. He would like to be an actor, but is academically gifted and expected to get nothing below a B in any of his subjects. He picked on Maths as that is his (other) favourite subject and will hopefully get A star grade. Has anyone any suggestions as to what he might do apart from accountancy? He does like to have a goal to work towards, and focusses well when he has made his decision.

[behappy87]

Apart from accounting, he could be an auditor, or an actuary, work in logistics, be a teacher....there's many more things that I haven't mentioned!

[taichiperson]

Ta behappy - not sure what auditors or actuaries do, but I expect I'll find out.........

[saxy_jag]

Why should he not be an actor just because he is academically gifted? Who says he has to follow a mathematical career just because he's good at the subject? Blimey, I was good at French but I would never have made a career out of it.

If you're really set on the boy taking and using Maths, however, perhaps he could look at something in arts admin and management. That way, he'd get the theatrical satisfaction he craves plus possible breaks if he makes the right moves.

But if he really does want to be an actor then you won't stop him, and neither should you try to. It's not a career to be ashamed of - some of the nicest people I know are actors.

[darth vader]

Why does he have to choose his career now? With a generic subject like Maths i would suggest continuing into further education with it as well as doing say a drama A level? I didn't know what career i wanted to do until my final year of university! (So i took a degree in Mathematics and Computing - pretty generic!)

Hugh Laurie and Steven Fry - two examples off the top of my head of academics who are now actors (one was at oxford, the other at cambridge? i could be wrong...)

[taichiperson]

Thanks for your replies - I just wanted some ideas to inspire him with as he likes to know where he's 'going' (and accounting sounds dull). I'd love him to be an actor, but know it must be hard to make a living. He will be doing A level drama, wild horses wouldn't stop him. Personally I think his theatrical talents would make him a good barrister as he is also fond of arguing!!
I've recently told him that most of the Pythons were academics also (Cleese was a solicitor, Graham a doctor...) so that should inspire him.