Student Times 5.2 by Jon-Paul Daly

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The National Student Monthly

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BACK Daniel Craig returns as 007 in Quantum of Solace

NEWS | ENTERTAINMENT | CAREERS | COURSES | FASHION

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CONTENTS ST EXTRA

10 World News STUDENT COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR LETS RIP

The Earth weighs around 6,588,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, tons

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4-7 News 11 Jack’s World

DID YOU KNOW...

14-15 Music

TRICK AND TREAT

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Jack Heal asks if the film industry has gone too far in using “Porno” as a headline grabbing gimmick.

12 Feature

CREDIT CRUNCH VS. CHRISTMAS With money tight and the holiday’s approaching, the question is: How will you afford all those lavish gifts?

13 Feature

“ANOREXICS ARE SKINNY, I’M NOT” Laura Foster explores how more and more women are suffering with the mental effects of Anorexia.

Described as an east/west soundclash, Trickbaby are an exciting, culturally mixed band, with their long awaited second album out now.

16 Interview

GETTING DOWN WITH GURINDER

Leading British film director Gurinder Chadha took time out from judging the Virgin Media Shorts Competition to offer aspiring directors top tips on how to succeed.

17 Interview

OF ROTH AND WALSALL From school truant to saddle-maker to lecturer, writer Paul McDonald talks about beer, pot noodles and “stonking great” cheques from Hollywood.

30 Cover2Cover BOND’S BACK

FASHION 18 Showcase

ROUND HOLE SQUARE PEG High end fashion meets comfortable prices, ASOS.com solves your every fashion need.

18 What’s Hot The latest from the High Street.

CAREERS 20 Teach UK

There are many ways to get into teaching. If you’re a good communicator and are enthusiastic about helping people develop their skills, why not look more closely at a teaching career?

26 Computer & IT Which Course and job prosects

26 Engineering & Technology Find out about the Future of Engineering

Welcome to Student Times Big welcome to students everywhere. We hope you like our new, student-friendly design and content! In this issue we take a look at big topics such as how more and more students are having to work more and more hours during term time to pay the bills, and how to get through the festive season on a limited budget! We also have an interview with the culturally explosive Trickbaby and to continue our “budget” theme we have fashion on a shoestring – how spend less without looking cheap. We take a look at what makes Daniel Craig (aka the cool and craggy James Bond) tick and we interview award-winning film maker Gurinder Chadha, who gives you her top easy tips for making it in the movies. Careerwise – we focus on the rewards and challenges of Teaching, future prospects in Engineering and how to succeed in the world of IT. Are you a pub quiz trivia-head? Want to add some more fascinating facts to your repertoire? Then turn to page 16 to find out the answers to burning questions like: “What is the best selling computer game of all time?” Hey! What more could you want?!! (As usual, we would love to hear from you , so email us letters@studenttimes.org). All the best and until next time, Jonathan, Editor

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What Makes Daniel Craig tick?

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COME INSIDE... STUDENT TIMES // 3

ST NEWS Fun nie s

Tales from around the world.

--------------------------------------------Lazy dog: A man from Newcastle has been named world’s laziest dog walker, after it was revealed that he walked his dog while sitting in his car… Sail away: A yacht owner was forced to sell his boat for £20 when a German court ruled the online auction was valid, despite him having forgotten to enter a minimum bid… WI’s Guide To Sex: Wanting to outdo Calendar Girls, the Women’s Institute has now released a video sex guide, rife with useful tips about batteryoperated “marital aids”… Police Action: A couple was arrested after being caught having sex in their car in a disabled spot, outside a police station… Petty Priest: A Priest in Poland has now begun spending his sermons not talking to his parishioners after growing unhappy with the amount of donations… Monkey Business: A Restaurant

near Tokyo is employing monkeys as waiters, after the owner noticed they were aping his waiting staff. The older and more experienced even takes drinks orders… Deadly Bite: A Viper ended up being killed by its own pray after the mouse turned on it and bit the snake to death… Romanian Racing: A Romanian man has been fined for driving his 15-year-old Renault at 310mph, while he claims his car can barely do 70mph… Mobile Home: Danish artists are working with US scientists on a house that can walk with the help of six legs… God awful: Buses across London will be carrying an ad declaring: “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” In a campaign funded by the British Humanist Association… Classical weaponry: An Italian Violinist has been given permission to carry a gun to protect his antique £6Mio instrument… Monkey Business: Whatever next? Monkey Chefs?

News Brief

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MONEY DELAY CRITICISED In the aftermath of an administrative failure that saw only 30% of applicants receiving their Education Maintenance Allowance, the NUS have criticised the company in charge of EMA’s. “More than 110,000 young people are still waiting for a decision on their applications, over a month after the start of the academic year. This money very often makes the difference between participating in education and being forced to drop out and enter low paid work,” criticised NUS’ Beth Walker. EMA’s allow over 16s a grant of up to £30 a week so they can continue higher education without part-time employment.

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I like to Mo it, Mo it! Facial hair fundraising helps raise cancer awareness -----------------------------------------------Remember Remember the 5th of Movember. That might read like a spelling mistake, but the month in which we celebrate Guy Fawkes Day has now been renamed Movember in aid of charity. Suddenly, men all over the country are copying the Village People and growing soup strainers, all as part of a cam-

paign to raise money for issues surrounding men’s health. And it’s not only Mo Bros invited to help during Movember, Mo Sistas also pick up the baton. Celebrity Mo Sista Nadine Velasquez from My Name is Earl (who is himself a fine example of a manly moustache) is just one of the many people backing the campaign worldwide. All that is required is to register as a moustache-less face at the beginning of Novem-

ber and get sponsored for your growth throughout the month. All funds raised will go towards prostate cancer research and studies on male depression. Once all is said and done and you look like Traveling Matt from Fraggle Rock, you can join in the fun in one of the many Gala Parties planned for the end of November. -----------------------------------------------For details, go to www.movember.com.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH “I’ve never really had a desire to do Shakespeare. For me, it’s just too many lines.”- Daniel Craig

New study shows that almost 80% of students work at University to cover living expenses

DID YOU KNOW...

The famous number 007 is rumoured to be a bus route which passed Ian Fleming’s house each day.

Hard slog for students to survive

-----------------------------------------------Almost half of students work during term time to pay the bills, the NUS claimed recently. According to a new survey, 8 out of 10 students work at one point or another while at university, with 46 % forced to work in an effort to cover living expenses. News is bound to get worse, as the study was carried out before the current credit crunch drove up the price of food. Aaron Porter, the NUS’ Vice President for Higher Education commented, “Inflation is effectively 50% higher for students than for the rest of society – many of them will have to work longer and longer hours just to get by.” However, it isn’t all bad news, as many work simply to be able to afford more holidays or nights out. This goal is significantly helped by the average student earning £6.45 an hour, being well above the current minimum wage. Problems do remain with the hours most students work as four out of 10 say that work stops them from completing the work experience they need to progress later on in life. Once all is said and done and you look like Traveling Matt from Fraggle Rock, you can join in the fun in one of the many Gala Parties planned for the end of November.

SURVEY BY NUMBERS: 78% o f students are forced to work at some point during University. 70% o f students do unskilled work, such as bar work, retail and cleaning. 62% work to pay for drinking and holidays. 45% o f students say working affects their studies for the worse. 11% earn under legal minimum wage. 2% work a full-time job during term time.

News Brief

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FIGHT FOR UGANDAN GAY RIGHTS The NUS recently protested moves by the Ugandan Government tightening laws on homosexuality. Together with Gay Rights Uganda, they protested against the government-sanctioned persecution, torture and arrest of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans people in Uganda. The protest outside Uganda House

in Trafalgar Square rallied against the Government’s stance to prosecute those who ‘recruit homosexuals’ and spread the ‘disease’ of homosexuality. Lucy Brooks of the NUS commented: “This protest is an opportunity for all students to show their support for LGBT people in Uganda, who are facing brutal persecution purely on the basis of their sexuality.”

STUDENT TIMES // 5

ST NEWS

DID YOU KNOW... The only man-made structure visible from earth is the Great Wall of China

Talent exposed in Manchester

Shopping and sex: Surfing abuse costs billions Wasting time when we are supposed to be working or studying is costing companies billions and could affect your chances of getting top grades. In a working environment, nearly half of office workers admit to spending more than three, sneaky hours a week surfing on the job for their own pleasure. Nearly 90% of workers said they felt accessing the internet during the working day was addictive and many employees were prepared to risk disciplinary action by their employer. In another recent poll by online recruitment agency, www. tiptopjob.com, 73% confessed to being serious surfing abusers during work.

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Top reasons for web surfing when you are supposed to be working or studying include: catching up on celebrity gossip, checking personal emails, looking at jokes, social networking, job-hunting, making travel arrangements and online shopping. A similar survey of students found that 44% of college and university students said that surfing the net was their distraction of choice from study or revision. Students spent more time online for entertainment than for academic study. Another two big addictions of “procrastinating surfing” are shopping and sex! Sixty percent of online purchases occur during working hours, as does 70 percent of porn traffic!

Being a student filmmaker, it can be hard to get your work seen. Unless, that is, you enter it into a film festival judged by Danny Boyle and get Shameless creator Paul Abbott along for the ride. Over 70 of you were clued up enough to do just that and entered the Exposures Film Festival, taking place in Manchester in late November. The films selected for screening have been placed into nine themed programmes: India, Journeys, Young People’s Lives, Urban Life, Families, Animals, Change, Animation and Anthropology. Abbott spoke highly of the festival, where he will also chair a workshop explaining how he goes about writing his hit Channel 4 show. He said: “Exposures is a vibrant and innovative festival for students and fresh young talent from across the country. Unlike any other film festival of its kind in the UK, [it] gives a unique insight into how the TV and film industry works. I’m very honoured to be part of it.” Other events planned include a Q&A session with Far North director Asif Kapadia, starring Sean Bean, as well as workshops at local Manchester television station Channel M. Younger filmmakers also get their moment in the spotlight, as one day of the festival focuses purely on the 14 – 18 year old entries. -----------------------------------------------Exposures runs from 23rd – 27th November. For more information, go to www.exposuresfestival.co.uk.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH “Dear Aston, Marvin, Oritsé and Jonathan, ...You are a great example to others and I hope that throughout your career you will continue to use your fame for a greater purpose.” PM Gordon Brown letter to JLS X-Factor contestants.

FRESHERS GO SAFE Portsmouth students were targeted at a recent Fresher’s Fayre to demonstrate the problems of drunken sex. As part of the Something 4 The Weekend campaign the NHS Portsmouth aimed to demonstrate just how difficult it can be to use a condom when drunk. Contestants were recruited from the crowd to see for themselves just how tricky using a condom can be if you’re drunk in a game show-style stage show. Participants were given goggles that imitate the effects on your vision and co-ordination after having a few too many. “It’s important to use condoms correctly to protect your health, the game show proved how drinking can make that much more difficult. The message – limit your drinking and stay in control – was clear,” said Carolyn Watts of Portsmouth NHS. Right: How to put a condom on when drunk

NUNS strip for Charity The almighty might not approve of nuns stripping down to their birthday suit, even if they are doing it for charity. Luckily, these butt-naked ladies are actually NUNS, part of a south London netball team tastefully showing all to raise funds for their local hospice. As part of a calendar the netball team posed in a state of undress around various London landmarks. So if you’ve seen people posing with Big Ben or maybe streaking on the underground, now you know why. Some of you may be hoping for some revealing photos, but true to their Calendar Girls heroines, all the

shots are done tastefully. Naked netballer Sarah Jenkins was quick to explain why 18 of them agreed to pose for the photos. “We have all been affected by terminal illness in our families, and have experienced at firsthand the life-affirming and positive nature of hospices, so we see fundraising on Trinity’s behalf as a very tangible way of giving something back. It also gave us a very good reason to prepare for our dreaded ‘close ups’ and get our kit off!’ The team had previously endured the longest netball match ever, raising £30,000 for the Trinity Hospice.

News Brief

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Student dropouts to be reported Universities will have to report overseas students who fail to enrol or do not attend their courses from autumn 2009, immigration authorities have confirmed. A new points-based immigration system for foreign students comes into force in March 2009. This will require the UK Border Agency to set up a new information-technology system through which universities will have to issue students with “confirmations of acceptance for studies” and report them if they drop out of their courses. The IT system will be introduced in autumn 2009 and reporting non-attendance will not be mandatory until then, the Home Office has announced. Several universities have raised concerns that the system would not be ready on time.

JOIN THE HORSERACING INDUSTRY ALONGSIDE 87,999 OTHERS. THE BRITISH HORSERACING GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2009. As a graduate going into horseracing you can have a challenging and rewarding career in a whole host of areas. Whatever direction you want to go in, horseracing offers a variety of roles – ranging from marketing to finance to journalism and everything in between. The prestigious ten-week 'British Horseracing Graduate Development Programme' places talented graduates with the top employers in the racing industry. To find out more and apply, go to www.careersinracing.com

explore STUDENT TIMES // 7

ADVERTORIAL: ST.GEORGE’S UNIVERSITY

St. George’s University campus in Grenada

Stellar Offerings at St. George’s University St. George’s University is an international centre of education located in Grenada, West Indies. Founded in 1977, SGU gives students a global educational experience unlike that from any other university. The University offers advanced degrees in its Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, independent and dual graduate degrees in exciting areas of science and public health, and advanced and bachelor degrees through its School of Arts and Sciences. Recently, the University added a professional MBA programme, creating a vibrant learning community that is drawing leaders from around the world. Why do so many students choose St. George’s University? The facts speak for themselves: International Perspective • St. George’s University has been home to students and faculty from over 140 countries worldwide. • The University gives students the opportunity to develop the distinctive social and professional skills they need to practise medicine and veterinary medicine on a global level.

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Breathtaking New Campus • The wireless-enhanced, state-of-theart new campus is an architectural masterpiece on the southwestern corner of Grenada, on a peninsula overlooking the Caribbean Sea. • More than 50 new buildings were recently constructed, including a fully electronic library, laboratories, residence halls, lecture halls and a research institute.

Successful Track Records • More than 7,300 graduates are pursuing careers in all specialties and subspecialties all over the world. • About 99 percent of eligible US MD graduates who applied obtained ACGME-approved residencies in more than 800 hospitals in 50 states. International graduates obtain postgraduate training in the United States, the United Kingdom or in their home country. • SGU veterinarians’ scores on the NAVLE compare to those of students from US schools, and our students gain extra experience by getting hands-on training a year earlier than most programmes. Prestigious Faculty • St. George’s University boasts a strong and experienced faculty of 800-plus, and those with the rank of professor average ten years of service in the School of Medicine, manifesting a deep commitment to SGU’s community. • Nobel Prize winners sit on the University’s academic board, while professors and visiting scholars hail from esteemed institutions worldwide, including Harvard,

The Rockefeller Institute, and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Student-Centred Support Services • Activities in support of student success are deeply ingrained into the ethos of the St. George’s University community, and 98 percent of our students take advantage of its stellar offerings. The island setting sets the stage for an environment of encouragement, support and passion. • The University helps students adapt learning styles to various teaching methods with course tutorials, personal evaluations, and seminars in time management, study skills and note-taking. Superior Research Opportunities • St. George’s University students have access to Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), which organises multi-disciplinary research and education programmes in areas such as medical and veterinary public health, ecology and marine and terrestrial biology.

Farnborough Native/SGU Medical Student Lauds Global Experience UK-native Philip Manners enjoyed his science studies growing up in Farnborough, but he did not know they would lead to his enrollment in St George’s University School of Medicine. He started working part-time in various hospitals as a housekeeper during his schooling, which transitioned into a position as a phlebotomist. Philip saw that his personality plus his love for science could lead to a career as a doctor. “After doing research and speaking with doctors from the United Kingdom and the United States, I realised that St. George’s University was regarded across the world as an excellent university,” he said. In 2006, St. George’s University joined forces with Northumbria University in Newcastle to provide interested students an opportunity to begin medical studies with a Certificate of Higher Education in Biomedical Science. Northumbria University is well known for its biomedical sciences and was the perfect match to the excellent education that St. George’s University provided in its own four-year medical

degree programme. With St. George’s University as his school of choice, Philip became one of many applicants accepted into the Fall 2007 pilot class. “It provides the solid foundation you need to succeed in medical school,” Philip says, “and was a good transition from university and firm grounding to prepare toward the move to medical studies in Grenada. SGU promised to provide me with much more than medical studies – it offered a more rounded experience. It is an international school in every sense of the word.” As the end of his third term approaches, Philip now sits on the executive board of the University’s Emergency Medicine Club. He teaches phlebotomy and other handson emergency medical skills that will prove useful once the students begin to attend clinicals. He says: “St. George’s University provides a life experience – an extremely invaluable experience; with students from so many countries it offers a chance to interact with different cultures. That is important and very useful for future doctors … like me.”

Philip Manners, SGU medical student & Farnborough native

For more information on St. George’s University, call +1 (631) 665-8500, extension 413 or 301, or visit www.sgu.edu.

Nearly Half of Newest RCVS Members Studied at SGU SGU UK vet grads celebrate passing the RCVS exam. From left to right, Jonathan McCotter, Claire Lambourn

In the past two years, 11 SGU graduates have passed the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons statutory licensing examination – out of a total of 24 who passed in the entire United Kingdom. One of those graduates, Dr. Jonathan McCotter, enrolled at St. George’s in 2002 and now describes his international experiences as “brilliant.” He studied in Grenada, the United States and Dublin in a well-rounded international approach that, along with early hands-on training, sets St. George’s University’s veterinary medical programme apart. Jonathan and five of his UK compatriots – Claire Lambourn, James Burnett, Emily Jubert, Fiona Dobbie and Jenni Mason – prepared for the RCVS exam with intensive pre-exam courses at the University of Edinburgh and Cambridge University, where they received additional instruction on animal welfare, husbandry and public health. Several of the group also worked

in and shadowed the veterinarians in Jonathan’s father’s veterinary practice. The approach certainly worked. All six achieved what so many others across the UK could not – they are all practising veterinarians today: Dr. Claire Lambourn in Devon, Dr. Emily Jubert in Wales, Dr. James Burnett in Grenada, as a teaching instructor to the students who came behind him, Dr. Fiona Dobbie in The Lake District and Dr. Jenni Mason in Hull. Their achievements on the RCVS exam are matched by their US classmates on the NAVLE, where St. George’s University graduates score as well as their counterparts educated in US veterinary medical schools. And Dr. McCotter? Now he works alongside his father, an experience he values: “I am the youngest, but we are all colleagues.” He looks to the future, and says, laughing, “Now, I know what my son is going to do!”

STUDENT TIMES // 9

WORLD NEWS Top 10 ringtones of all time

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here’s an attempt at a list of the top 10 ringtones of all time with links to the free versions where possible. In no particular order...

Nokia Tune

The Nokia Tune, based on a 13 note rendering of “Gran Vals” by Francisco Tarrega, a 19thcentury Spanish musician, is typically included within all Nokia handsets as the default ringtone. Typical ringtone of the middle-aged business man who hasn’t got the time or inclination to work out how to change it.

Mosquito Tone

The mosquito tone or “Teen Buzz” is based on adaption of a highfrequency sound designed to repel naughty teenagers hanging around shops, without bothering older people, who could not hear the sound due its pitch. Promoted as a “silent ringtone” for teenagers to use, for example in class, so teachers can’t hear it.

Crazy Frog

The “Crazy Frog” ringtone was based on an animation called “The Annoying Thing” by Erik Wernquist, and made famous by the mobile content company Jamba. The ringtone spawned a No 1, global chart hit based on a remix of “Alex F”.

Nokia Morse Code SMS alert

Similar to the Nokia Tune, the Nokia SMS alert is probably the most famous “SMS tone” designed to be used for text message notifications. The tone spells out “S-M-S” in Morse Code.

Classic telephone ring

Many are now avoiding the ringtone gimmicks in favour of the classic

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“bell ringing” sound of a normal telephone. Sensible and classy. over the years have shown this to be one of the most popular tones.

Sir Mixalot

In 1992, Sir Mixalot, a rapper had a massive hit with “Baby Got Back” which was re-recorded as a ringtone with the lyrics “Pick up the phone! Pick up the phone! ‘Cause you don’t wanna miss this call and I cannot lie!”

R2D2 Ringtone

Based on the sounds “R2D2” from Star Wars makes in the film make a great choice for a ringtone as they are loud and distinctive but not tacky.

Nokia Dying Remix

The Nokia “Dying” or “Flat Battery” remix is a humorous version of the classic Nokia Tune where the sound eventually goes flat or explodes.

CTU Ringtone

Based on the popular TV show “24” which features a highly recognisable ringtone on the phones in the CTU office complex.

Iphone ringtone

When Steve Jobs announced the launch of the iphone in early 2007, his demonstration included a ringtone which has been described as like “holy angels tinkling” and was now included within the standard ringtone set on the iphone. Top Ten ringtones were brought to you by blog.mjelly

Fresh Prince of Washington Will Smith tops online poll to play Obama ----------------------------------------------He’s already played a fresh prince, a bad boy and someone who can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. The logical next step would be a presidential candidate. Now Will Smith has topped a poll as favorite to play Barack Obama, leading with over 30% of the votes. Virgin Media asked who they would like to see play America’s first black President and the I Am Legend star beat Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Jamie

Foxx by far. Strangely enough, Foxx trailed behind troubled child star Gary Coleman, who rose to fame with Diff’rent Strokes, before staying in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. This is slightly unusual, as the actor is not even close to Obama’s 6’1’ towering (comparatively) height. Last, and certainly not least, comes Eddie Murphy with 13% of the votes. One can only hope that

with him in the role, the film would not be turned into a comedy with men-as-women in fat suits. Candidates: Will Smith (right) leads the poll of actors to play Obama with another hopeful; Jamie Foxx.

Getting to know you Obama: Fascinating Facts --------------------------------------------•H e collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics •H e was known as “O’Bomber” at high school for his skill at basketball •H is name means “one who is blessed” in Swahili •H e won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father •H e is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left-handed •H e owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali •H e worked in a BaskinRobbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can’t stand ice cream •H e ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while

living in Indonesia • He can speak Spanish •H e promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn’t •H e was known as Barry until university when he asked to be addressed by his full name •H is favourite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville •H is desk in his Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy •H is favourite films are

Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest • He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee. • His favourite music includes Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and The Fugees • He took Michelle to see the Spike Lee film Do The Right Thing on their first date • He doesn’t drink coffee and rarely drinks alcohol • He would have liked to have been an architect if he were not a politician • As a teenager he took drugs including marijuana and cocaine • He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside • He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal

STUDENT TIMES COLUMN

JACK’S WORLD

Left: Zack and Miri Right: Exploiting porn?

Pornophobia Jack explores the usage of the word PORNO in the modern world -----------------------------------------------Zack and Miri make a PORNO. There, I said it. The word PORNO has been the cause of widespread controversy since Kevin Smith announced the title for his latest picture. Why should people be taking their children to see the harmless sugary fun of High School Musical 3, only to have to hold back the vom and explain the concept of pornography? Children are curious and so are bound to ask; parents are curious and so are bound to

find the question embarrassing to answer. The thought of saying “It’s a type of film for grown ups” will make any self respecting human want to evaporate pretty sharpish, along with any understandable discomfort. Of course, this answer is slightly misleading: not all adults watch porno and a lot of teenagers do – I would guess – but you get the idea. Maybe most parents would prefer that their children wait to find out such things at school and then conduct their own internet research into the matter… Smith is CLEARLY doing

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Jack Heal, Maths graduate from Warwick University and Stand-up comedian of the year, Edinburgh Festival 2008 lets rip!

21/10/08

17:46

pornography, the word itself this for publicity. I am should incite fear and rage. certain that when he Saw V opened a fortnight decided upon the title before Zack and Miri make for his film, he was a PORNO. The film involves well aware of the outlandish beheadings, stabbings and abhorrence of the word. He bloody explosions. The must have known that the poster used as promotional world would be in uproar: that material shows a man in a fifteen newspapers in the US, chair wearing another man’s along with several TV stations face (having presumably been and billboard owners would forcibly removed) as a mask. refuse to advertise the film. Previous Saw films have He calculated that by courting been advertised with posters the inevitable controversy this depicting severed hands and would generate, he would gain fingers, even a leg which had far more effective publicity than been sawn off below the knee. adverts offer anyway. It seems The word PORNO is clearly a obvious doesn’t it? Any fool more pressing issue than the knows that whatever people’s idea of disfiguring violence. I opinions on the concept of AD_107068_Act_Aci.qxd:Prospectus 21/10/08

mean, I think we’d all rather see someone drown in a vat of liquidised rotten pigs (Saw III) than see a naked human body. I don’t actually think either should be censored. If you don’t like the title then don’t see the film. Stay away from SEX Drive, The 40 Year Old VIRGIN and SNATCH. The most offensive film this year was Indianna Jones. SHITE. 17:46 Page 1

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PROFILE: University of Kent Actuaries apply mathematical and both undergraduate and postgraduate statistical techniques to financial levels which between them can lead to problems, managing financial risk and exemption from 12 of the 15 professional making financial sense of the future examinations required to qualify as a Fellow for their clients. They look at what of the Institute or Faculty of Actuaries, the has happened in the past and use it professional bodies in the UK to which to make predictions about the future, actuaries belong. developing appropriate strategies to The successful completion of these deal with the risks involved. courses leads to excellent job prospects, The UK Actuarial Profession is small as demonstrated by the strong graduate but influential and well rewarded. There are employment record for all of our actuarial around 5,000 actuaries currently employed science students. Our actuaries have many in the UK, the majority of whom work in years of practical industry experience which insurance companies and consultancy means that our students receive tuition that practices. Others are employed in provides an excellent balance between government service, in the Stock academic theory and commercial practice. Exchange, in industry and in universities. If you are good at mathematics and curious Details of all our courses can be about financial matters, you will enjoy found at: www.kent.ac.uk/ims/actuarial/ studying Actuarial Science. courses/index.html or by contacting Study Actuarial at Kent The Actuarial Science Group atScience the the department directly at: Institute The University occupies a large and of veryMathematics, attractive campus overlooking&the cathedral University of Kent has 13 full-time members Statistics Actuarial city of Canterbury. It provides excellent accommodation for a large proportion of staff which includes 12 fully much qualified Science, Building, University of of its students, of it connected to the PC Cornwallis network allowing internet access. There a wide range of recreational venues on campus including a theatre, actuaries and is part of is the Institute Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NF cinema, various bars, sports centre and an award winning night-club. of Mathematics, Statistics & Actuarial Telephone: +44(0)1227 824133 Tel: 01227 824133 Science. We provide several courses at email: imsadmin@kent.ac.uk Email: imsadmin@kent.ac.uk

Looking for a rewarding career in the Financial Sector and good at Mathematics?

Study Actuarial Science at Kent The University occupies a large and very attractive campus overlooking the cathedral city of Canterbury. It provides excellent accommodation for a large proportion of its students, much of it connected to the PC network allowing internet access. There is a wide range of recreational venues on campus including a theatre, cinema, various bars, sports centre and an award winning night-club.

Tel: 01227 824133 Email: imsadmin@kent.ac.uk www.kent.ac.uk/ims

www.kent.ac.uk/ims

STUDENT TIMES // 11

FEATURE ADVICE: Finance

CREDIT CRUNCH VS. CHRISTMAS With money tight and the holiday’s approaching, the question is: How will you afford all those lavish gifts? Chris Eccles of Employment for Students tells you how to use credit cards and make money!

housands of students across the UK will have embarked on, or returned to, their university adventure very recently, with, almost certainly, money on their minds. Many will also have a significant loan payment coming into their account. Some websites, such as E4S.co.uk, can show you how to use credit cards to actually make money out of that loan, even while spending it! Despite the “credit crunch”, many credit card companies are offering 0% interest deals when you take one of their cards, which, according to a recent survey by E4S, was the single most important feature considered by nearly 50% of the responding students. The interest free period can be anything up to 10 months, which means that you can put your maintenance loan into a high interest savings account and use the credit card for your expenditure. A small monthly payment (around £5-£10 depending on the card) needs to be made, but no interest will be charged on the credit card balance for the 0%

12 // STUDENT TIMES

interest period. If you’re living away from home, say, studying at a London university taking the maximum maintenance loan of £6,475 from the Student Loans Company, you could earn £243.46 in 10 months if you save the cash in a Brimingham Midshires e-Saver Account earning 6.52% AER. Once the 0% interest period is over, the credit card company will start charging interest, which can be anywhere from 10-40% APR. So you will only benefit if you pay off the balance in full (according to the E4S survey, 40% of responding students wisely ensure they do this). The key, therefore, is to keep the spending below your loan, so there is enough money in the savings account to pay off the credit card balance as soon as the 0% interest period is over. Care is needed, however, as the maintenance loan also charges interest, but that is fixed at 3.8% until 31st August 2009, so the interest on the £6,475 loan over the whole year is £187.11. That makes it £56.35 less than the interest paid by the high interest account.

Therefore, some students could use a credit card and savings account to cancel out the interest on their maintenance loan, and still get as much as £50 for their troubles! There is a common misconception that a high salary and full time job are required to get a credit card. Don’t be put off by this inaccuracy, as credit card companies assess the ability of someone to pay back the money they borrow on a credit card, so many card companies factor in different types of “income”, and not simply salary.

“Despite the ‘credit crunch’, many credit card companies are offering 0% interest deals when you take one of their cards.”

The Student Barclaycard, for example, asks whether a student’s main income comes from loans, Local Education Authority awards, parental contributions or other sources. Many credit cards do require a minimum “income”, but that can include maintenance grants/loans, interest on savings/investments, funding from parents, as well as any part time or holiday job wages, so students should not be put off applying on the basis of their salary alone. Whilst credit cards can help with short term cash flow problems and develop a credit rating, they have incredibly high interest rates on unpaid balances, so they have to be managed carefully. If you are disciplined and good at spending within a budget, then you can benefit from some of the credit card deals currently in the market. However, shopaholics and spend thrifts should steer well clear of credit, because it is incredibly costly if badly managed! All others, enjoy! Chris Eccles is the director of Student recruitment website Employment for Students (www.e4s.co.uk).

FEATURE ADVICE: Health

“ANOREXICS ARE SKINNY, I’M NOT” Laura Foster explores how more and more women are suffering with the mental effects of Anorexia.

e can’t open a paper or magazine without seeing another story about obesity. What is less documented is the everyday turmoil of women and even children as young as eight or nine who are suffering from eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is defined as ‘self-induced weight loss caused by avoiding fattening foods and excessive exercise’. When we picture an anorexic person, we see a skeletal figure with hollow eyes and papery skin. But anorexia is a mental disorder that affects more women than we would think. A shocking study showed that thirty-five percent of girls aged six to twelve have been on a diet. The same study showed that fifty to seventy percent of healthyweight women believe that they are overweight. Nicola* is one of these women. She is 5’9 and weighs 11st 3lb, giving her a healthy BMI of 21.9 (a healthy BMI ranges from 18 to 25). But she still worries about her weight, her life filled with excessive gym visits and diet pills. “I go to the gym for two hours a day. I make celery soup for lunch, because celery burns off fat by just eating it. For dinner, I’ll have five blueberries and another piece of celery. I love going to bed hungry, I feel like I’m burning calories off in my sleep. I take diet pills, and I’ve bought laxatives but haven’t used them yet- I share a house with other girls and it would be embarrassing.” When asked had she always dieted she replied “Not really. It started when I really liked this guy and his ex girlfriend was very skinny. I had to get skinny to get him.” When asked would she view herself as having an eating disorder, Nicola* replied “Not at all! Anorexics are really skinny and I’m not!” A lot of women’s anxieties about weight are based on the types of women we see in he media every day. Models are seen as “plus-size” if they are a size twelve, when in fact the average UK woman is a size twelve. Considering this, it’s little wonder that in this “size-zero era” that more and more average sized people

are being diagnosed with eating disorders. The Priory rehabilitation centre in Bury, Greater Manchester, is an eating disorder specialist clinic. Treatment is offered to female patients aged fourteen or over who are suffering from anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders. According to the official Priory website, the treatments are given in three stages; “The first phase involves correction of dangerous physical disturbances and treats suicidal or psychotic symptoms. The second phase promotes weight gain to a normal level..The third phase is relapse prevention while living in the community, with families involved.’ Another major issue is the use of the internet to promote anorexia. Earlier this year, a number of websites gloryfying starvation were closed down by Microsoft. One such site gave tips such as “take up smoking” and “if your stomach rumbles, hit it” to curb hunger. Another site included personal blogs from teens who had the disease. One shocking blog said “Today was good. Only 200 calories and five hours on my feet. I feel a little dizzy but the proud feeling is 100x better. Although I’m dreading tomorrow, I have to meet some friends at a restaurant for lunch.” *Names have been changed.

MALE ANOREXIA Anorexia is still considered a disorder that largly affects women, but in recent years, Britain has seen a dramatic rise in “manorexia”, or males with the disorder. A recent survey showed that eight out of fifty men had experienced the disorder in the past, two of whom were still battling it. Reasons for anorexia to occur in men are unknown, but some are the same as those seen in women; such as occupational goals and the ever increasing emphasis on outward apperance. Anorexia is statistically more common in homosexual men. Males often cover up the problem with drugs and alcohol abuse, and also excessive exercise in sports like jogging, cycling and tennis. As with the websites used to target teenage girl anorexics, there are also blogging sites aimed at male anorexics, however these seem less extreme then those aimed at the females. One blogger wrote, “The more I thought about it, the more obvious it was. I’m anorexic. I still think it looks good. There is, for me, something incredibly more attractive about underweight people, but right now, I realize I’m a skeleton dipped in yellow wax.” The blogger’s sexuality isn’t revealed.

STUDENT TIMES // 13

REVIEW: ALBUM

Music: Trickbaby

Trickbaby: Chor Bazaar

Culturally mixed music can be refreshing when executed with precision. Asian Dub Foundation are a fine example: their sonic belting of genres was remarkable, yet few crossover acts have had that sort of vitality since. Relatively unheard of London based Trickbaby return with their second album Chor Bazaar, a head-on collision of traditions and styles. Working at the heart of the production is Saira Hussain (vocals) and Steve Ager (guitar/ bass/keys, programming), who blend a fistful of flavours into their musically mixed cocktail. Asian beats, tabla, sitar, electronic grooves and sultry female vocals mingle to form an eclectic brew. The overall sound has been tailored to a high standard, but ultimately lacks the venom ADF were armoured with. Never mind, there is enough ammunition here to ignite the dance-floor. Deep grooves roll beneath platters of hipshaking beats. ‘Fighter’ is a robust slab of dance mania with singer Hussain singing, “I’m an angry girl/ you gotta be a fighter in this ugly world”. Her lilting melodies drift over a two-step beat which will instantly have you shaking your thing. Among the strengths are phases when the band struggle to keep their fire power up. ‘Nine Parts’ sounds like it could be the reformation of All Saints all over again. Slower track ‘Crisis’ breaks the album’s run of dance numbers, however, annoyingly, the guitar and string lines are laced with pop cliché. The more vibrant moments keep Chor Bazaar afloat. Guest appearances from Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz (vocals), Sergey Ryabtez (violin), Yuri Lemshev (accordion), and Marcella Detroit (harmonica) help to shift the dynamics nicely. The title track could sit comfortably on a Bollywood soundtrack. Bursts of accordion and violin disperse a folksy vibe into the silver-screen influenced soundscape. Chor Bazaar is worth a listen but it’s certainly not revolutionary. Despite it being, at times, a solid, polished album, there is an underlying lack of attitude which makes it sag in the credibility department. Review by Jamie Skey

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Trick & Treat Described as an east/west soundclash, Trickbaby are an exciting, culturally mixed band, with their long awaited second album out now. Chor Bazaar is a smorgasbord of styles and sounds and will have many critics sitting to attention. Lead singer Saira Hussein took time out to talk to Jamie Skey. ------------------------------------------------------------“It started with a big bang ‘Eureka – By Jove I think we have something’ moment”, Hussein explains the bands genesis. And there was Trickbaby; born of friendship, a musical passion, tea and many triangle samosas! “I used to sit with my mate Steve as he was agonizing over his recently acquired studio equipment and moaning about the dodgy dolly bird girls that he was trying to make singers of. “One day I piped up in my usual fashion, ‘I could do that’, and so was told to ‘put my money where my mouth was.’ “I duly did, and that was the beginning of the journey. “Along the ride we picked up a hotchpotch of like minded people, incredible instrumenteers with a brave new world outlook on making music.” Their bold approach to music has landed them two major album releases, appearances on two films, and an epic touring schedule which has expanded across continents. “You could say we’ve been around the world and back spreading the Trickbaby gospel!” Their long-awaited second album Chor Bazaar was released in March and sees a

return to form. Their inspiration came from a particular trip to India. “Firstly my phone was stolen and I was I able to find it and buy it back at the thieves market in Bombay by the afternoon. “I found that brilliantly audacious and convenient at the same time and something that could only happen in India. “Chor Bazaar (thieves market) – with it’s hotch-potch assortment of trinkets from all over the world rejected, useless to some but waiting to have new life breathed into by others for me is a bit of a romantic place and behind every old radio and spanner and typewriter lies a story, a history, a heart. “India with its sights, smells, sounds, and a mindset that is uniquely Indian got my lyrical juices cascading out of me like a big detox and out came a party of songs to make you laugh, cry, think, smile sing-along and dance to.” Listening to Chor Bazaar is like trying a new food; you taste with cautious anticipation, roll the flavours on your tongue and revel in the new experience. The sound is influenced by a palette that stretches the musical spectrum. “Between us we’re influenced by everything from Abba to Zappa. “I love the female singer songwriters, classic Motown, Blondie, Bob Marley to Quwaali, Ghazals and Bolly, “Steve’s an old punk – Clash, Nirvana – the rest add to the cocktail with a dash of rap, hip hop, dance, bhangra and in a way that explains our eclectic sound.” The album took a long time to produce due to successive trips to India which slowed the process down. The creative process, however, was standard fare. “Each of us have strong opinions and ideas and we’re never shy about voicing

them – so we scream ‘til we’re heard – or sulk ‘til we’re taken notice of. “All ideas go into a pot and Steve stirs ‘til he’s got the soup he wants.” One thing is for sure, Trickbaby aren’t another package from the production line. Saira tells us how they have never buckled under commercial pressures. “We don’t follow trends, we don’t latch onto the latest big thing and go ‘Oh let’s do that.’ “The way we make music is extremely organic and unique to us – born of our real, true creative fire and that’s what will set us apart always. “We don’t fit easily into any scene –

ST EXTRA REVIEW: DVD Family Guy: Season 7 You can’t keep a good show down. In the recent market where shows such as Futurama and Firefly have been revived thanks to DVD sales, the above saying is still most applicable to Family Guy. Given the kiss of death twice, the Griffin Family fought back and, with Season 7, have survived to see 100 episodes. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Peter & Co. are in fine shape here, as funny as ever and just as weird. The Evil Monkey is back, along with some very wrong jokes about Pat Tillman, a US solider who died in Afghanistan. But by far the best episodes in Season 7 is the anniversary two-parter. To reveal the name would spoil the fun, but suffice to say that Stewie gets to have his cake and eat it too. And if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Family Guy met American Dad, you’ll find out here. Family Guy: Season 7 is out 10 November 2008.

REVIEW: FILM The Baader-Meinhof Complex

“

We don’t fit easily into any scene – we’re the odd bods at the Mela’s, the ethnic ones on the UK live circuit, the ones looking more confusion than fusion at the Asian gigs – but we’re confident in what we do – we’re selective about what we do and we completely control our own creative output.”

we’re the odd bods at the Mela’s, the ethnic ones on the UK live circuit, the ones looking more confusion than fusion at the Asian gigs – but we’re confident in what we do – we’re selective about what we do and we completely control our own creative output.” She adds that the music is ultimately a celebration of heritages and cultures. “We are a bit United Nations, there’s pure Brit, some Pakistani, some Indian, some Turkish – even a bit of Canadian Hare Krishna on occasion. “We make music that celebrates our Asian heritage and our Western experience but we make it with certain irreverence –

we don’t work out how many brown noises we make against how many white noises and we don’t count the ratio of brown faces to white at our gigs. “We make music for the whole planet it’s not colour coded in any way.” The Trickbaby vehicle appears to be devouring everything in its way. Their agenda is jam packed with new projects and bubbling melting pots. “More movies, more gigs (particularly in places that haven’t had the “Trickbaby initiation”, more mayhem and more creating some fresh musical Marsalis. “When we’re done creating then we’ll start all over again.”

German films rarely get released over here, with normally only one being spotted each year. But when a film does make it across the Channel, it’s usually an indication of quality. The Baader-Meinhof Complex is one of two German films for 2008 and can stand proudly next to previous releases Downfall and The Lives Of Others. The story of how the terrorist group Red Army Faction (RAF) came about in the late ‘60s, it is highly engaging. The actors are all excellent, although Martina Gedeck (The Lives Of Others) is, in parts, slightly too timid as leader Ulrike Meinhof. Moritz Bleibtreu, star of The Experiment, as always, inhabits any role he plays. His Andreas Baader is in equal measures devoted to the cause and pragmatic. The film’s main problem is, however, the time it covers. Focussing on 10 years of history, from creation of the RAF right through to the trial of the main four terrorists in ‘77, there would have been enough material for a mini series. Attention has to be paid throughout, otherwise you might not notice the importance of the unnamed character appearing for two minutes, for them only to become vital an hour later. The Baader-Meinhof Complex is definitely worth the cinema ticket, but beware: Watch when awake. The Baader-Meinhof Complex hits cinemas 14 November 2008.

STUDENT TIMES // 15

ST EXTRA

Male Trivia Vital Statistics: Everything a Man Needs to Know

From Bond Films to Brit Awards; From Footie Songs to Fermented Alcohol; From Grand Prix Winners to Grand Theft Auto; From Poker Odds to Porn Industry Terms .... here’s the low down on everything a man needs to know (and lots of stuff we don’t care less about!) VITAL STATISTICS: Everything a Man Needs to Know is the must-have compendium of facts and figures for any astute lad or aspiring pub quiz champ. Its author, Chris Wood, claims to know the capital cities of all the 193 countries of the world – and says he will give you £2 if you can catch him out! His book (yes, it will make an easy Xmas pressie) covers top male topics such as sex, sports, cars, music, film, beer, politics, TV and worst insect bites. 1. What is the greatest number of women seduced in a Bond movie? 2. When did Old Trafford last host an FA Cup Final? 3. Which brand of condoms was advertised with the slogan “Virtual Skinwear”? 4. W hich chilli pepper has the highest heat ranking on the Scoville Scale? 5. What’s the best-selling computer game of all time? 6. How many times have British drivers come second in the F1 Championship since 1990? 7. Which sport causes most deaths in the USA: professional boxing, horse racing or sky diving? (Answers below) Vital Statistics: Everything a Man Needs to Know, Summersdale (hardback, £9.99, ISBN: 978 1 84024 694 0) and is available through all good bookshops and internet booksellers. Answers: 1: Four. 2:1915. 3: Condomi. 4: Naga Jolokia. 5: The Sims. 6: Eight. 7: Horse Racing

16 // STUDENT TIMES

INTERVIEW: Gurinder Chadha Want to break into films? Leading British film director Gurinder Chadha took time out from judging the Virgin Media Shorts Competition to offer Victoria Bischoff and aspiring directors top tips on how to succeed. ------------------------------------------------------------It is easy to presume that a successful female director would be hard-edged and intimidating. Yet, Gurinder Chadha sat with one leg thrown over the arm of a chair, ordering sandwiches and crisps for lunch and looking ridiculously at ease in the elegant suite of the five star Charlotte Street Hotel in Soho. Although, despite her relaxed and friendly attitude, Gurinder’s advice was blunt - if you want to be a director then make films. She said: “Get any old cheap digital camera and be shooting, shooting, shooting. Get an editing programme, find a local group that offer editing facilities or whatever but just do it. Literally just do it.” You may think that it is easy for Gurinder Chadha to say “Just do it” when she has had a string of box office hits such as Bend it like Beckham and the recent Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, But Gurinder is a shining example of how you don’t necessarily need experience within the film industry to become a successful director. With a degree in Development Studies from East Anglia University, she claimed that she wasn’t always aiming for a career in film. “I always thought I would end up working for Oxfam or something like that.” Gurinder adds: “I got very interested in the role of the media when I was at college and I started working out how the media could easily control our images.” “I decided I wanted to get involved and redress the balance somewhat so I did a course in journalism and worked for the BBC for a while as a news reporter. I then applied to a scheme with the British Film Institute which was looking at new directors, people who hadn’t made a film before, hadn’t been to film school, but had something to say.” Keen to stress how important competitions like the Virgin Media Shorts are in discovering new talent, Gurinder explained: “There are lots of bodies working out there to encourage film making talent and if you are really committed, you can do well. People have gone on to direct Hollywood movies on the basis of one short. If

Getting down with Gurinder

“

Get a false passport, steal a car, cross the channel, be off with you for two years, and have a good time.”

you can prove your film is inventive, is smart, is made with cinematic skill, someone will see it in the cinema or on television or the internet. It will get noticed and you can be directing a film with Ben Stiller for example, he looks out for these sort of things all the time.” As a member of the Virgin Media Shorts judging panel, along with the likes of Kevin Spacey and Richard Branson, Gurinder said: “What I am looking for is somebody who has a perspective and a vision, a film maker who knows what they are trying to say.” The 12 finalists will have their short

films showcased in cinemas across the UK and the winners, Phil Samson and Olly Williams, took away a whopping £30,000 to put towards their next short film. Gurinder suggested the winner should use the money to: “Get a false passport, steal a car, cross the channel, be off with you for two years, and have a good time.” She quickly added: “No, no, no. My advice would be to really, really work on your script and make sure that this is an absolutely blinding script, because this can really be your calling card for your future.”

ST EXTRA REVIEW: BOOK

INTERVIEW: Paul McDonald

50 Ways To F**k The Planet

From school truant to saddlemaker to lecturer, writer Paul McDonald’s life has been eventful. He talks with Emma Robins about beer, pot noodles and “stonking great” cheques from Hollywood.

Of Roth and Walsall

“

Philip Roth may be a contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature, my books outsell his in Walsall.”

------------------------------------------------------------Student Times: When did you first realise that you had a flair for writing? Paul McDonald: When I was a student I thought I’d try to earn a bit of extra cash by writing stories for the women’s romance market. I sent my first story to a magazine called My Weekly using just my initials in the covering letter. They accepted it and sent me a cheque for thirty quid made payable to Ms P.J McDonald (my mom cashed it for me). You could get a lot of beer and Pot Noodles for that kind of money in the 80s, so I continued to write similar stuff throughout my student years. They were very formulaic, embarrassingly clichéd stories, but getting published gave me confidence, together with a sense that I might have a flair for fiction. ST: Your characters and storylines in your books are very original and entertaining. Where did you find inspiration? PM: I’m not keen on the word inspiration. People who want to write fiction often waste a lot of time waiting for inspiration and, for me at least, it doesn’t come. I have to actively hunt for things to write about. I often choose an incident from real life and use that as a foundation. I build a fiction around it using characters created from people I’ve met, read about, or been told about. I push the story along bit by bit, always thinking about my potential readers and what will make them want to stay with it. I’m flattered that you use the word entertaining because that’s what I aspire to be. Novelists have too much competition not to be entertaining these days. ST: As an author would you ever consider any of your books being adapted into a film? PM: It would be nice to have a film made of one of my novels, mainly because of the stonking great cheque that would come my way. I’d be able to pay off my mortgage, and afford a decent hair transplant. Plus if the film was a success it would bring my writing to the attention of a bigger audience. So if someone fancied doing it I’d almost certainly agree. As a matter of fact I wouldn’t mind a bit-part myself -

although I’d have to insist on a no-nudity clause. Actually, a couple of years ago I was approached by someone who wanted to do a stage version of Surviving Sting, but nothing came of it. That could be because they had trouble raising the cash. ST: What is next for your writing? PM: A couple of my friends suggested I should write something about clairvoyants and spiritualists, and I’m beginning to feel that this has some mileage in it. Certainly the whole business is ripe for satire. I may revisit my original hero, Dave McVane. ST: Who is your favourite author? Why? PM: The American writer Philip Roth is certainly one of my favourites. I’ve been obsessed with him for many years (though not in a weird way). I’m interested in fiction and the creative process, and many of Roth’s novels take that as their theme. They’re often about the joy and significance of writing fiction in the modern world (and the problems too!). He is also funny and his implicit point is frequently about the importance of maintaining a sense of humour. In citing Roth as my favourite I’m not comparing myself to him of course: we’re very different writers. His novels offer profound comments on the human condition, while mine depict characters whose testicles catch fire. However, though Roth may be a contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature, my books outsell his in Walsall.

With the stock markets collapsing and news that we’re killing off more species than we should be each year, all we need now is yet another book telling us earnestly how evil we are. Luckily, 50 Ways To F**k the Planet is the exact opposite. Not in the slightest preachy, full of sarcasm and witty underhand attacks on people supposedly out there saving the environment, Mark Townsend and David Glick’s look at the state of the world makes a brilliant read. If you’re one of those people who only reads on the short trip to University, you’ll be thrilled with the 50 (who’d have guessed?) short chapters the book is broken down into. From the puneriffic To Bee or Not To Bee all the way through Blaze of Glory, you’ll be laughing all the way through and, with some luck, also remember the good advice dished out almost secretly by the authors. If you read one book on how to save the environment, make sure it’s this one. 50 Ways to F**k the Planet can be bought in all good book stores, priced £12..

REVIEW: BOOK Is This Some Kind of Joke If “Be mean” is your mantra and you’re the type to laugh when someone falls over carrying lots of shopping, then Is This Some Kind of Joke might just be the book for you. A collection of the Islandic cartoonist Dagsson’s work, you’ll laugh and possibly also cringe. From kids getting sex toys they’ll “grow into”, to stain removers that are so good, they get your murder victims blood off of the wall, all kinds of subjects are mocked by the man whose full name means “Thor’s eagle mindgame son of day” (No Wonder he shortened it to only his last name). This’ll make a nice little companion piece to anyone you might have already gifted any of Andy Riley’s Bunny Suicide books to. Keep in mind for Christmas. Is This Some Kind of Joke can be bought in all good book stores, priced £10.

Do I Love You? is available now in all good bookstores. STUDENT TIMES // 17

FASHION

WHAT’S HOT THIS MONTH

round hole square peg High end fashion meets comfortable prices, ASOS.com solves your every fashion need.

Yellow Peticoat: French Connection, £TBA. Rib Weave Bakerboy Hat: Accessorize, £18. Belted Cardigan: Burton, £50. Canvas Boot: Burton, £25

18 // STUDENT TIMES

Clockwise from top: 1. Paint splatter ankle grazer jean £30, Bag with checked fabric section £18, Leather patent loafer shoe £55, ASOS Premium Silk Cotton Cutwork Blouse £35. 2. Double breasted peacoat £65, Skinny stripe print scarf £8, Skinny jeans £25. 3. Jersey woven bow top £20, Striped skirt £15, Oversized pearl wristband £14. 4. Clear frame glasses £12, Shirt with matching tie £25, Grey marl duffle coat £50, Knitted waistcoat £20, Straight fit trousers £25.

ADVERTORIAL: TONI & GUY

The Ultimate Fashion Accessory – fabulous hair! TONI&GUY, a name synonymous with fashion-led hair - so who better to help you out of a style rut? What’s more, with their world famous Academy offering cutprice cuts and colour getting a suitably stylish cut & colour couldn’t be easier! With over five floors dedicated to teaching the very latest cut and colouring techniques, fresh off the catwalk (they are the Official Haircare Sponsors to London Fashion Week), you’ll be in the hands of budding new talent under the direct supervision of some of the most talented and experienced hairdressers in the world. In fact TONI&GUY’s International Artistic Team travel to over 70 countries and teach in excess of 100,000 hairdressers a year. So if you love fashion and want to get the latest cut and colour techniques, hot off the catwalk being a hair model could be for you. The average appointment takes a few hours but at a fraction of the cost, it’s perfect for those on a tight budget with a little time on their hands.

To find out more information or to book an appointment call the TONI&GUY academy direct on 020 7836 0606 or visit www.toniandguy.com.

HAIRDRESSING MODELS REQUIRED

FOR COOL, FUNKY, CUTTING-EDGE HAIRCUTS & COLOURS New Oxford Street Academy: Monday - Friday APPOINTMENTS: 9.30am or 1.45pm Applicable To Students Only For Booking & Further Information Contact: 71-75 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DG T: 020 7836 0606, F: 020 7240 5301 E: Geri.stein@toniandguy.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS Offer applies when you produce this advert or by quoting the following Reference number: (7175) Please note that for classic colours a fee will be charged. 18 Yrs & Over!

TEACH UK

The Guide to Courses & Careers

Getting into Teaching There are many ways to get into teaching. If you’re a good communicator and are enthusiastic about helping people develop their skills, why not look more closely at a teaching career?

------------------------------------------------------------he type of route you choose will depend on who you want to teach and what you enjoy doing. You can even train on the job, which might suit you if you want to enter teaching as a second career. Primary school teachers - work with children between the ages of five and eleven, in state or independent schools.

workers • discuss children’s progress and other relevant issues with parents and carers (both informally and at parents’ evenings) • attend meetings and in-service training • organise outings, social activities and sporting events.

As a primary teacher, you would be responsible for a class and teach them all, or most, areas covered by the National Curriculum. You would also have a specialist subject, which you may coordinate throughout the school.

As well as teaching, you would: • prepare lessons and teaching materials • mark and assess children’s work • put up displays in the classroom •w ork with other professionals, such as educational psychologists and social

You may have the help of a teaching assistant. Some areas of England and Wales have middle schools that take children from ages eight or nine to twelve or thirteen. As a teacher in a middle school you would teach the primary or secondary curriculum, depending on the age of children in your class.

www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL: Essex County Council

Welcome to Essex Career Opportunities in Schools Career Opportunities in Schools Teaching and Support Staff Teaching and Support Staff There can be few more exciting places to begin

a There can few or more places to begin a career in a be school, lookexciting for a new challenge, than career in a school, or lookofforlandscape a new challenge, thanEssex. The size, diversity and history Essex. The to size, diversity of landscape all combine make this area one of the and mosthistory specialall the combine in UK. to make this area one of the most special in the UK. Get in touch and we'll tell you all about the career Get in touch in and tell you all over about570 theschools career opportunities ourwe'll schools. With opportunities ourvaried schools. With over ranging 570 schools there are manyinand opportunities, from there are assistant many andtovaried opportunities, ranging from teaching Headteacher, from catering staff teaching to schoolassistant Bursar. to Headteacher, from catering staff to school Bursar.

You can now apply online for our vacancies. Youfind can online for our vacancies. To outnow moreapply visit www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk To find out more visit436252. www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk or telephone 01245 or telephone 01245 436252.

20 // STUDENT TIMES

Essex welcomes well qualified, enthusiastic and committed teachers working in all phases of education to join our dedicated teaching force of 10,000 teachers. We recognise the value of, and seek to achieve a diverse workforce which includes people from different backgrounds, with different skills and abilities Essex is a diverse county providing a wide range of educational opportunities to young people and adults in over 570 establishments in a variety of geographical settings. We have one of the largest school populations in the country with well over 200,000 children. Our schools are varied from primaries in country villages to large secondary schools in major centres like Colchester, Chelmsford, Basildon and Harlow. Our aim is to improve the life chances for all children in Essex by raising achievement, developing social and educational inclusion and ensuring the welfare of our young people. Our vision is that every child and young person will have a life of quality, free from

fear, depression and danger, with a sense of belonging, worth and achievement. We want young people to develop a love of learning. To achieve this we need teachers of the highest quality, with ability and imagination, who will inspire and challenge our children to achieve their potential and contribute to their changing world. We hope that our teachers will remain life long learners; we encourage and support them to be reflective practitioners. For full details of the opportunities available in Essex please visit our web site - www. essexschoolsjobs.co.uk. This website gives access to all current jobs being advertised by Essex schools, as well as information about the different career paths available in schools. We also publish a weekly schools jobs bulletin, Jobscene, which may be sent to you free of charge for a term. If you would like to subscribe to this publication, or if you have any general enquiries about opportunities in Essex please email teaching@essexcc.co.uk or contact 01245 436252.

Are you interested in training to teach at a top-ranked School of Education? Ranked as one of the top 15 Schools of Education in England and based on the £120m purpose built de Havilland campus, we provide state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities as well as some of the best university-based sporting and fitness facilities in the country. We offer a range of full-time and part-time PGCE Secondary programmes including: • Modern Foreign Languages (French, French with Spanish, French with German and German with French) • Science • Maths • Art and Design • English • Business Education

We also offer Primary PGCE full-time and by distance learning. The University encourages applications from under-represented groups. For more information on courses, please visit

go.herts.ac.uk/education T: 01707 285732 E: admissions@herts.ac.uk

TEACH UK What qualifications and experience will employers look for? To be a primary or middle school teacher in a state school, you must gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) by doing Initial Teacher Training (ITT). There are four types of ITT: • undergraduate • postgraduate • School-Centered Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) • work-based. For all of these you would need: • GCSEs (A-C) English, maths and science or equivalent qualifications – you should check with course providers for their requirements • to pass tests in numeracy, literacy and ICT (information and communications technology) • CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) clearance. It would also be an advantage if you have experience of working with children (either paid or voluntary) in the relevant age group. For example, you could

volunteer at a local school or holiday play scheme. You can choose from the four types of ITT, depending on whether you already have higher education qualifications. Undergraduate route If you do not already have a degree you can get QTS at the same time as completing a degree, by doing one of the following types of course: • BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) with QTS • Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree course (at a few universities). The courses last for three or four years full-time. As well as the basic requirements listed above, you would usually need at least two A levels (one of which should be in a National Curriculum subject) and at least five GCSEs (A-C). Universities may accept other qualifications, such as an Access to Higher Education course. Check with course providers for their exact requirements. To search for colleges and universities offering the degrees see Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

Postgraduate routes If you have a degree or equivalent in a subject relevant to the primary National Curriculum, you can get QTS by doing a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course. Courses can be one year full-time, two years part-time or flexible by distance learning. You can search for PGCE courses and apply on-line on the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) website. School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) SCITT is classroom-based postgraduate training which takes one year. You would need to have a degree. Employment-based routes You can gain QTS whilst working in a school on a trainee salary on one of the following programmes: •G raduate Teacher Programme (GTP) – you must already have a degree •R egistered Teacher Programme (RTP) – you must have completed two years of higher education (for example, a BTEC HND, foundation degree or two

years of a degree) • Overseas Trained Teacher Programme (OTTP) – you must have an overseas teaching qualification that is equivalent to a UK degree. The number of places on employmentbased programmes is limited and competition is strong. Visit the Training and Development Agency for Schools website for full details of all entry routes and funding for training. Northern Ireland For details of routes into teaching in Northern Ireland see the Department of Education Northern Ireland website.

Postgraduate Courses in Education Experience the Durham Difference Would you make a good teacher? Warwick Institute of Education offers Initial Teacher Education courses in: • PGCE Early Years (3-7), • PGCE Primary (5-11), • PGCE Secondary (11-19) • PGCE Diploma (14-19) in: – Creative and Media – Society, Health and Personal Development – Business Administration and Finance

Learning to teach at Warwick will provide you with a PGCE from one of the top Initial Teacher Education providers in England PGCE: pgce@warwick.ac.uk or +44 (0)24 7652 8148 GTP: gtp@warwick.ac.uk or +44 (0)24 7652 2918 or go to our website: http://go.warwick.ac.uk/education

The School of Education at the University of Durham has much to offer prospective research students: We were assessed as an excellent 5 rated department in the last RAE Our onsite specialist Education library contains extensive print collections in excess of 60,000 volumes on the study and practice of Education as well as access to electronic journals and databases. We have a strong and developing research culture which is an excellent environment to enable our research students to reach their full academic potential. We are included within the ten best departments for Education in the country by the Times Good University Guide 2008. MA in Research Methods (Education) Offered on a full or part-time basis and designed to equip you with the knowledge needed to become an educational researcher as well the broad analytical skills that would be an asset in furthering your career in any field. During your studies, you will have the opportunity of working alongside leading educational researchers to gain a real insight into the challenges and rewards of a research career. An excellent route onto the PhD course. Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Education Our ESRC +3 recognised PhD course is available to students with a strong academic background usually including a Master’s degree. Applications are welcome from students interested in most areas of educational research, though candidates with an interest in the following research fields are particularly welcome: Science and Maths Education; Educational Psychology and SEN; International and Intercultural Education; Learning, Teaching and Research in Higher Education; and Curriculum, Evaluation and Management. Doctorate in Education (EdD) This degree has been specifically designed for senior or middle leaders and managers from a wide range of educational backgrounds. It offers insights into the philosophy, theory and practical implications of the changes taking place in education. Interested? In the first instance please contact: School of Education, University of Durham, Leazes Road, Durham, DH1 1TA, UK. Email: education.enquiries@durham.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 191 334 8310 Fax: +44 (0) 191 334 8311.

Our website can be found at www.dur.ac.uk/education

ADVERTORIAL: CAMBRIDGE UNI

A rewarding Career at Cambridge University, Faculty of Education Name: Xinhai Lin Age: 22 PGCE Level: Secondary Subject: Mathematics Q: Why did you decide to become a teacher and why you choose Cambridge to do your PGCE? A: When I first arrived in England, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak a single word of English. When I first started school I was always picked on - school was like a hell to me and I hated every second of it. My views towards the school environment have changed after I got the support from the teachers, who not only helped my English but were also concerned with my social life within the school as well. Since then I always have a huge respect for teachers.

The decision to become a maths teacher is due to my A-level maths teacher, who remains an inspiration to me. He always made the subject interesting and alive. I can see myself being beneficial to young people within the schools who have had similar personal experiences. I want to make a difference within the school and to do so I need to equip myself and extend my knowledge of the subject. I believe Cambridge provides the best training I could ever get for becoming a successful teacher. Q: Any brief comments/ recommendations about your experience of the PGCE course so far? A: The PGCE course is very demanding

but also very beneficial as well. The course has opened up so many aspects of education and teaching I never thought of before! It is really an eye opening course and anyone can learn so much from it. The support and guidance from the tutors is unbelievable.

of diversity among the teaching profession in UK state schools? A: A diverse teaching population gives a richer experience for studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; within the school. Not two people are the same; the strength and weakness varies from person to person.

Q: What message would you like to give to members of different communities as regards to the profession of teaching? A: Teaching is a unique profession, teenagers are influenced so much by what they experienced within school and the teachers play a most important role within the school. Q: What is your opinion of the benefit

To find out more information about PGCE courses at the Faculty of Education visit www.educ.cam.ac.uk/pgce or call 01223 767674 / 767679

Faculty of Education

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TEACH UK

What further training and development can I do? After your ITT course, you would need to successfully complete three terms in a teaching job before you are considered fully qualified. During this time you would have a reduced teaching timetable and would be supported by a mentor. Throughout your teaching career you would need to keep up to date with new

methods and ideas in education by doing in-service training. You could do this by attending training days in school or at local authority training centres. Fast Track Teaching As a qualified teacher working in a school in England, you may be able to enter the Fast Track Teaching programme. This provides coaching, mentoring and develop-

Other responsibilites include preparing lessons

ment activities to help especially talented teachers progress more quickly to senior roles, such as deputy head. The selection process is challenging, and you must have the support of your headteacher. The Fast Track programme is being re-designed for 2009. Transferring to another age group You do not need to do further training to transfer to another age group. However, schools recommend that you get some experience of the age group you are intending to teach. This could be done on a voluntary basis. Some LEAs and teacher training institutions may offer short conversion or refresher courses. You can get details of some of these from the Training and Development Agency for Schools website.

Secondary school teachers Secondary school teachers work in state and independent schools, teaching children aged from 11 to 16, or up to 19 in schools with sixth forms. As a secondary teacher you would: • s pecialise in teaching one or two

subjects • teach classes of different ages and abilities throughout the school • prepare students for exams like GCSEs and A levels. You would have other responsibilities as well as teaching, including: • preparing lessons and teaching materials • marking and assessing work • setting up displays in the classroom • liaising with other professionals such as educational psychologists • discussing pupils’ progress with parents and carers – both informally and at parents’ evenings • attending meetings and in-service training • organising outings, social activities and sporting events. Some parts of England and Wales have middle schools that take children from ages eight or nine to twelve or thirteen. As a teacher in a middle school you would teach the primary or secondary curriculum appropriate to the age of children in the class.

SCHOOL OF TEACHING, HEALTH AND CARE

See Bradford, see the world! West Yorkshire has a long tradition of pioneering in education and Bradford College continues that work. The McMillan School of Teaching, Health & Care bears the name of one of those pioneers who was concerned about the total well-being of children - before Every Child Matters was a Government policy! Twenty-first century Bradford has multicultural, multilingual schools and serving these communities requires resourceful, creative teachers who are sensitive to the beliefs and values of the variety of families represented there. Secure training opportunities We have developed strong partnership schools throughout the whole of West Yorkshire to support your training.

We offer courses for all age phases including primary (undergraduate and postgraduate including flexible and primary French), KS2/3 Science, secondary subjects, 14-19 vocational subjects and post-compulsory education.

Enhancement & Booster Courses If you need to be more confident in your subject knowledge in physics, chemistry. mathematics or food technology, we provide additional courses, many of which attract a bursary.

Our primary undergraduate course includes a special placement which is very different from an assessed teaching practice. You choose to work in any education related field including international locations. Our students have visited Europe, USA, Pakistan, China, New Zealand and Australia!

What’s B-NETT? Our employment based teacher training section provides both Graduate and Registered Teacher Training programmes in collaboration with local primary and secondary schools.

All our post-graduate courses provide Masters level study while being firmly grounded in strong professional practice.

To find out more Visit the Bradford College website: www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk - and select “Teaching” for more information on the courses we offer.

COMPUTING & IT

COMPUTING & IT UK Standing in good stead When it comes to carving out a career in IT your education will have huge bearing on your success. Gary Argent, UK recruitment operations manager at Logica explains why hard science subjects stand many in good stead.

------------------------------------------------------------hether it is science graduates coming out of university or people with science A-levels entering university, the answer is the same - there just aren’t enough of them. Unfortunately, the sciences tend to

turn young people off. Science A-levels, GSCEs or BTEC are a good foundation, not just for IT type courses, which obviously we are interested in finding more people with good IT skills, but they just set you up with a good range of analytical skills overall. What’s worrying is that a lot of young people have quite a negative perception of those kinds of courses.

StudentTimesAd:StudentTimes_1_4_page

30/10/08

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Logical thinking Certainly in our industry, and in other industries similar to IT, the ability to think logically and solve problems is quite highly valued. When you get to the degree level, obviously some recruiters will recruit from specific types of degrees, we are one of those. Most of our graduates come in with a degree related to computing, not necessarily computer science, but something that has some element of IT in it. You will also find recruiters who will recruit from any degree. They are looking for the evidence of the kind of analytical skill set and the ability to process information and to plan all the things that a degree teaches you to do. But for both of those you can make a case to say that somebody with good analytical skills, with good evaluation skills, can turn those skills to quite a lot of things going forward. Certainly IT is one of those. Our industry is about solving problems for other people, it’s not just about writing clever C++ code or designing a database, it’s about going into another company, understanding what’s causing that company a problem and then figuring out a way to solve it with IT, as a tool if you like. We don’t just recruit computer scientists anymore, we want people with the analytical skills and to find them we are starting to go and look at maths degrees, science degrees, and

those kinds of areas. Science qualifications might not help you with the business skills but they can help with the analytical skills. It also depends sometimes on what you do outside of just the degree. We take a lot of graduates who take a placement year or work experience of some sort and that gives them some of the business skills that people need to have these days. But if all you’ve done for three years is sit in a very theoretical environment, just learning about things from a theory point of view, that’s not going to give you the interpersonal skills, the business skills, the analytical skills - it might be more difficult to build up a more rounded picture. We need employable graduates; that’s multiple skilled graduates that haven’t just got just a computing degree. Some students make themselves stand out from the crowd by doing post-graduate study, a Masters or further study after their degree, but other students are getting very smart in the way they are selling their other experience to us. The fact that they have done a summer job where they weren’t just stacking shelves in a local supermarket, they’ve actually gone and done something where they can transfer some of those skills to an application form or indeed to their career. For more information see www.bcs.org

NEW COURSES IN COMPUTING, IT AND ENGINEERING STUDY IN HENDON, NORTH-WEST LONDON • Join us in 2009 and benefit from outstanding specialist facilities in our brand new £20m technology centre • Courses aligned to current and emerging employment trends in the UK

MSc courses – Computer Networks and Security – Digital Forensics – Environmental Management of IT – Data and Knowledge Engineering – Web Information Management – Information Security Management and Audit – Telecommunications Engineering

– Internet Application Development – Interaction Design – Business Information Technology/Management – Design Engineering and Manufacturing Management (Trent Park campus)

FIND OUT MORE AT AN OPEN EVENING

HENDON CAMPUS The Burroughs Hendon, London NW4 4BT Nearest tube: Hendon Central Northern Line

0800 923 3935 www.mdx.ac.uk

November 19 2008 4pm - 7pm Book at www.mdx.ac.uk/opendays

STUDENT TIMES // 25

THE ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY UK

The Guide to Courses & Careers

Engineer the Future Find out about the Future of Engineering with Inside Careers - The official career guide to the profession

-----------------------------------------------he enormous rate of technological progress that underpins our standard of living is due to many teams of engineers, supported by visionary investors. The giants of today’s world are companies such as Amec, Airbus, AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, National Grid, QinetiQ, RollsRoyce and Unilever. As today’s and tomorrow’s engineers you will be part of multi-disciplinary teams not just of engineers but of finance, procurement and sales specialists. You will be called upon to sell your

ideas and solutions to those who provide the funds for development and production. And those who make the funding decisions will need to comprehend the technical risks and opportunities. Just as historians have classified key periods in human development by the dominant engineering material used; Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age, we are entering the age of opportunity, the age of innovation using a wealth of materials. If you can imagine it, a team of engineers can create the concept, design it, manufacture it and ensure that, at the end of its useful life, the product is disposed of in an environmentally sustainable way. There are challenges and huge opportunities for talented engineers to improve our quality of

life and prosperity.

Challenging times

Division of Engineering Exciting, cutting-edge programmes in electronic and mechanical engineering MSc Computer Aided Mechanical Engineering MSc Digital Technology & Culture MSc Electronic Engineering with Business Management (subject to approval) MSc Engineering with Business Management MSc Engineering with Finance (subject to approval) MSc Mechatronics MSc Mobile & Personal Communications MSc Multimedia Signal Processing MSc Nanotechnology Engineering MSc Signal Processing MSc Signal Processing for Communications MSc Intelligent Systems MSc Multiscale Fluid Process Engineering MEng/BEng Electronic Engineering; MEng/BEng Electronic Engineering with Business Management; MEng Telecommunication Engineering MEng/BEng Mechanical Engineering; MEng/BEng Mechatronics MEng/BEng Engineering with Business Management If you want to join the engineering profession and study in a welcoming environment, then our degrees are for you. For further details please visit our website www.kcl.ac.uk/diveng or email the admissions tutors on ugadmissions.engineering@kcl.ac.uk or pgadmissions.engineering@kcl.ac.uk

26 // STUDENT TIMES Engineering for Student Times Oct 2008.indd 1

22/10/08 18:24:49

Energy and the environment, access to clean water and alleviating poverty are some of the key issues that scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians (STEM) are working on together. The carbon-based fossil fuels that generate emissions are finite, yet the global demand is increasing. STEM professionals need to help reduce emissions, identify alternative sustainable sources of energy and help manage the economic dependency as we make the transition from one source of energy to another. Nuclear energy has provided a significant part of our requirements, but the plant is nearing the end of its design life and if we lose this capacity there will be a significant gap to fill. Scientists and engineers need to investigate extending the lives of nuclear power stations, improve the processing and disposal of nuclear waste and harness the power of chemical and process engineering to solve this problem. They also need to produce hydrogen in an environmentally energy-efficient way and provide the safe storage and release of hydrogen for conversion. And even further into the future, a petrol station could provide a block of nanocarbon, or some other complex combination of nanoscale

materials developed by engineers which stores enough fuel for 10,000 miles of road or air travel. Engineers need to ensure the developed world stores, distributes and consumes water efficiently and SET professionals will be working with colleagues in the developing world, to provide the population with access to a sustainable supply of clean water. Intrinsically linked to this challenge is the need for scientists and engineers to work in the fight against poverty, to provide the world’s population with a healthy and sustainable food supply and a source of income.

ENGINEERING

Graduate Opportunities

major attraction of an engineering career is that it offers something for everyone. There are a huge variety of jobs and employers to choose between to suit your interests, range of skills and personal circumstances. You can choose between many engineering sectors and consider taking a job in areas such as design, development, research, production, quality assurance, maintenance and projects. Here are some of the key options.

in favour of expanding nuclear power and is expected not only to replace nuclear power stations coming to the end of their life but also to expand this source of energy. British Energy, which supplies 20% of our electricity from its nuclear power plants around the UK, seeks engineers who ‘put safety first, communicate openly and honestly, treat everyone with respect and strive for quality as a professional’. The engineers it recruits every year are from the disciplines of electrical, electronic, control and instrumentation, civil, mechanical, chemical and nuclear engineering.

Civil engineering and construction

Oil and gas

These industries are affected by the current financial situation but still need graduates in civil and structural engineering; there are not enough graduates in these disciplines to meet their needs. Consultancies such as Arup and Atkins, Jacobs Engineering Group and WSP are international organisations with offices and projects all over the globe. Opportunities also arise to work for local authorities who have huge infrastructures to manage in their roads and buildings. The Highways Agency, an executive agency of the Department of Transport, is responsible for all the motorways and trunk roads in the UK and employs engineers to manage projects, improve safety and take responsibility for the maintenance and development of their network. They want engineers with ‘a vision and passion to drive change in modernising the country’s roads’. Oil, gas and water companies also have a continuing need for civil, environmental and structural engineers to design, install and maintain their pipelines, rigs and the structures and foundations of other installations.

Utilities All the major water and electricity utilities companies such as British Energy, E.ON, Thames Water and United Utilities offer career development opportunities for engineers. The range of engineering disciplines that they need to employ is diverse including electrical, control, environmental, nuclear, chemical and water engineering. Government is currently leaning strongly

Demand for oil and gas is outstripping supply and providing a huge range of engineering careers. You might be part of an exploration team conducting seismic surveys on land or at sea. You could be drilling wells to develop an oil and gas field. More jobs arise at refineries and petrochemical plants where the numerous bi-products of oil are manufactured.

Chemical industries and petrochemical contractors Chemical engineers are often attracted to work in the chemical, petrochemical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and food industries. They can be running a processing plant and optimising production, considering novel changes, or planning maintenance schedules. Some have responsibility for the environmental effects of effluent and gas emitted into the atmosphere.

Telecoms The telecommunications industry is increasing its global reach. Engineers are required to develop, install and maintain the networks, so there is a broad range of jobs. For example, equipment suppliers such as Nokia, Nortel, Phillips and Siemens also offer career opportunities. There you could be working on cables, integrated circuits, semi conductors, mobile phones and lots more. The phone now provides maps, music, photography, information, games and many other services. Developing and maintaining these services is the challenge for engineers.

Heriot-Watt University Institute of Petroleum Engineering The Institute runs Masters programs in: Petroleum Engineering Reservoir Evaluation and Management GeoSEAD These are challenging courses aimed at graduates with engineering, science and geoscience backgrounds.

If you are interested in the courses starting September 2009, then application forms are available from Anne Mathers Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS Or see www.pet.hw.ac.uk

For more information see www.insidecareers.co.uk

STUDENT TIMES // 27

Vicki Environmental Engineer “Being a bit of a moth, my initial attraction to science was light! When I went to university I was torn between astrophysics and laser physics - lasers won! However, when I graduated, there weren’t many jobs which let me play with light and I ended up in the dark, operating electron microscopes. At this point I found out how interesting materials could be and spent a few years researching steel corrosion (or more accurately – delaying steel corrosion!). My next stop was a semiconductors company where

I controlled the equipment to make tiny layers on semiconductor wafers which were used to make lasers. However, I missed the fun of research and started to look for a new direction. This brought me to energy! Now I’m investigating how we can live our modern life without destroying the planet. By developing solar energy products and new construction materials I give people the option of being progressive and protecting the planet or being old fashioned and helping to wreck it.”

Andrew

Liza

International Development Engineer

Snowboard Design Engineer

“It is a hugely exciting time to be an engineer - there is so much that engineers can become involved with. And engineering is not just about long bridges, fast cars, big aircraft carriers and tiny computers. It is about human development; it’s about people. The most urgent problem seeking a solution is sustainable human development. Engineers can use their skills to fight climate change, prevent conflict, tackle global health issues, fight the root causes of terrorism, feed the growing world population – by using their skills to fight poverty and inequality. I work for Engineers Without Borders UK. In my presentation I will show how engineers can use their skills for the benefit of humanity.”

“I’m 24 years old and I am half way through my engineering doctorate (EngD), the world’s first in advanced snowboard design. I got to this point through 6th form, further education at college and an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. When I was 22 I became the Technical Director of the UK’s biggest snowboard company, True Snowboards, which I co-founded with two colleagues. By the time I’m 26 I want to have a GB rider win an Olympic medal on one of my snowboards and hopefully to be a millionaire. Engineers Change the World...I just happen to do it for snowboarders. I would like to draw upon my experiences within engineering and identity the huge variety of avenues and jobs on offer. Using real world examples such as snowboards, footballs and even hair straight-

eners, which students can relate to, enabling me to excite and inspire them into a dynamic engineering career.”

ADVERTORIAL: IMAREST

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology. The information network and knowledge hub for all Marine Professionals and those looking for a challenging career with the sea. With over 15000 members world wide we can give access to a sea of knowledge. Please contact us at IMarEST HQ 80 Coleman Street London EC2R 5BJ T: +44 (0) 20 7383.2600 E: Info@imarest.org W: www.imarest.org

28 // STUDENT TIMES

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) was formed in the London Docks by Marine Engineers in 1889. Since that day it has been heavily involved supporting Marine Engineers, and more latterly Marine Scientists and Technologists, as well with information and knowledge. IMarEST has also played a big role in setting and administering standards for the world’s marine professionals through its various registers of assessed members. With over 50% of its 15,000 members based in the UK IMarEST is a strong believer in Sea Vision UK’s aims and objectives and looks to promote marine careers and industry in the UK. To this end it provides an employment service for its members, careers advice to

schools, universities and students and a special networking organisation known as ‘Marine Partners’ for industry. In addition to running an internationally recognised professional recognition framework the IMarEST also supplies many other benefits for its members and the public at large. It is a leading publisher of marine technical magazines and text books and runs a range of conferences and seminars to keep the marine professional up dated. While at a local level it has 18 branches based around the UK running technical lectures, visits and social functions. These are all aimed at helping individuals stay up to date and appreciate the value of the sea.

Details may of course be found on the Institute’s website: www.imarest.org

ENGINEERING

Make It Happen Make It Happen

usinesses and industry need more engineers. This is true at the technician and apprentice level as well as the graduate level. And engineers are needed in the service economy as well as the manufacturing economy (financial institutions would not function effectively without software engineers, nor airlines without aircraft maintenance technicians). As a professional group, engineers really do “make it happen” for the economy. It’s all very well learning stuff on your course, but you want to know what it’s really like working in industry, right? And you want to get paid while you’re getting the experience! Well, Engineers Make It Happen offers placements at local engineering companies

for between four and six weeks over your summer holiday. You will be paid a weekly wage and there are people who’ll work with you and the company you’ll be working for will help you fit right in and quickly become a useful member of the team. Because that’s what working in industry is all about – teamwork and being able to get things done off your own bat without being told everything by a teacher! Details about the scheme are available in late November 08 and applications will be in December 2008 ready for summer 2009. Keep checking www. engineersmakeithappen.co.uk to see a golden opportunity for money and experience. ‘Engineers Make It Happen’ is organised by the Engineering and Technology Board, in association with expert partners.

IMAGINE DEVELOPING AN AIRCRAFT THAT CAN FLY AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS, LANDS VERTICALLY AND EVADES ALL FORMS OF RADAR.

THE NEXT GENERATION IS YOURS. Graduate opportunities across the UK Some things just have to be seen to be believed. The F35 Lightning II is one of them. But catching a glimpse of the world’s first stealth, supersonic, multi-role fighter plane is easier said than done. If you have the vision to make the seemingly impossible possible, you could soon be creating or supporting the next generation of defence systems – on land, in the air and at sea. Visit www.baesystems.com/graduates to see what your imagination could achieve.

ST EXTRA COVER2COVER: James Bond

Licence to chill What makes Daniel Craig tick?

Scouser heartthrob Daniel Craig began his rise to stardom in the school play (starring in the lead role in Oliver) via the National Youth Theatre and the Guildhall. Following a series of TV roles and B-movies, he is now a top Hollywood A-lister and his latest Bond movie, Quantum of Solace portrays the cult hero as darker, grittier and tougher than ever before. ST takes a look at what makes him tick... ----------------------------------------------------------Tell me all about the young Daniel WHaving failed his 11-Plus, Daniel was sent to a tough secondary school in Liverpool. Perferring sport and drama to academic study, he was a keen rugby player and star player in the school drama classes, taking the lead in Oliver, Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella (playing the Prince that is). He left school at 16 and later moved to London from Liverpool, where he began training at the National Youth Theatre. Who are his role models in the acting world? Craig says he admires many actors but insists that he has never based his style on anyone. “I had a ton of people I admired [when I was starting out] but I was as fickle as I could possibly be. It depended on the movie I’d just seen. Literally. If I came running out of a movie, I was that person for at least ten or 15 minutes, I was as fickle as that. I didn’t care as long as they were cool and good in that movie.” His big all-time acting heroes are the great modern movie actors such as Paul Newman, Robert Redford

30 // STUDENT TIMES

and Steve McQueen. As he says: “Those guys were not only great actors but movie stars as well.” So what are the pros of playing James Bond? Craig has said that one of his favourite perks of being Bond is the great clothes he gets to wear, on and off screen. A fan of good tailoring, he says claims he has never been able to afford it, and he confesses: “But these days, I get given very nice suits to wear that are beautifully made just for me, and it would be a tragedy to leave them in the wardrobe!” And cons... Stunt injuries! Craig tore his shoulder when he made Casino Royale and the injury flared up again during the making of Quantum Of Solace. He had painful reconstructive surgery involving six pins and spent many weeks in a sling. Any hot gossip about his private life? Not really. Just a series of relationships with a string of high profile, beautiful women from the film world. He was married to Scottish actress Fiona Loudon and they have a daughter named Ella born 1992. Soon after his divorce, he was romantically linked with German actress Heike Makatsch for seven long years. He is currently dating American film producer Satsuki Mitchell having met her on the set of the thriller The Jacket. Wedding bells are said to be on the cards. He still refuses to comment on his alleged affairs with Kate Moss and Sienna Miller – and due to his relatively un-spicy private life, one tabloid has describes him as “James Bland”.

Craggy and Cool: Craig and Quantum of Solace co-star Olga Kurylenko

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He still refuses to comment on his alleged affairs with Kate Moss and Sienna Miller – and due to his relatively un-spicy private life, one tabloid has describes him as ‘James Bland’.” How does Craig rate among other Bonds? Craig officially accepted the role in October 2005 for his first Bond film, Casino Royale and there was an immediate international backlash among Bond fans protesting he was “too blond (all the other Bonds have been dark-haired), too short (5ft 11in), too coarse-looking and scruffy, too luvvy with his National Theatre background and, at 38, too old”. However, Craig has now been accepted as a successful, sexy, purposefully flawed Bond and Quantum of Solace has earned $70.4 million in the USA in its opening weekend, pulling in nearly $30 million more than Casino Royale during its opening weekend.

Bondtrivia... Did You Know... • That ‘Q’ stands for Quartermaster, which is the name given to the people who specialise in weapons and artillery in the British Army. • The reason why James Bond wants his vodka martinis shaken, not stirred is because shaking makes the drink colder in less time. It also puts more air into the mixture making the flavor stronger. • Goldeneye was actually the name of James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s Jamaican estate where he lived (now owned by Chris Blackwell founder of Island Records). • The real person named James Bond was an ornithologist from Jamaica who was most famous for his book The Birds of the West Indies. • Sean Connery wasn’t supposed to be the first James Bond. Roger Moore was Ian Fleming’ s original choice to play James Bond. • From Russia With Love was made into a movie only because it was President John F. Kennedy’s favourite book. • 80% of the world’s population has seen Goldfinger.

You’ll be shaken and stirred.

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