AIBU to feel that some parents just want their children at Uni even if its a BS degree

Vast majority of teachers have arts degrees. Would you think that schools should abolish the vast majority of the subjects they teach?

I did arts, majored in Economics + Geography and then went onto to professional exams as an accountant.

Few friends became teachers.
One something in IT - Computer science
One did applied math's and is an actuary after professional exams

You and your family sound like a bunch of stuck up snobs. You are an idiot.

I do agree. I went to Central Saint Martins as did my mother and very few of my peers are on salaries above 30K despite working in industry for years now, it is horrifically underpaid as an industry despite taking what is considered the 'best' education. There are some who did very well, but they are in the minority.

That's rich coming from you. You recently started (another) bonkers thread on how doctors should be banned from striking, be happy with low pay and suggesting measures being put in place to prevent them leaving the UK. How does that ridiculously distorted view of the profession equate with a mass of job opportunities?

My eldest is just about to start uni. Reading Media, not academic, but really university is just an extension of school. It will teach her independent living, independent study and get the piece of paper that so many jobs want, especially internationally. Also, you know, she enjoys it!

DistinguisheSocialCommentator My friend lectured in Media Studies ,some of her students went on to BBC and the telegraph ,One became a Weather presenter in the south!

One of our DC is studying an art subject. They had the grades to study English Literature at an RG university but it wasn't what they truly loved. The connections into industry and the networks they have made at university are priceless and will allow them to start working commercially straight after graduation. Average earning capacity in their sector is £60,000 plus.

No degrees are BS ones IMO ,many lead to a well paid job and security.Even if they dont end up in a chosen career, no education is wasted. Very harsh OP!

Definitely. I’m sure a sizeable proportion of people are capable of learning how to use the equipment in a tattoo studio, but actually being able to create designs that people want and will pay £££ for is a different thing altogether.

There’s a world of difference between the studios where you can walk in on the day and choose a design from a picture on the wall; and the types of artists with long waiting lists who create their own masterpieces. My DD is a very talented artist (and loves tattoos) so I’m kind of hoping she’ll consider it as a career!

I work in Bradford and do a role which supports the health of this city and the research I am involved in will support population health for decades. My role is very well paid. I start my 4th degree (third Post Grad) in September.

Disparaging people's education, geography, culture and social system makes you look like you haven't engaged well with what learning is meant to do...become a critical and curious, open thinker instead of marrying to a fixed hypothesis. I feel very sorry for you.

I'm exactly the same, unless there's a particular career you plan on going into (Veterinary,medicine, teaching etc) then my advice would be apprenticeships all the way

My OH is a plumber & it's definitely something I would encourage my son to think about when he's older, the world would literally be your oyster

Did you know that Art used to be in the Olympics?

My friend, with an arts degree is a tattoo artist. She's earning 90k a year. That's good money. Good tattoo artists are booked up 6-8 months in advance and earn £100's a day, 6 days a week. it's a very lucrative industry!

Well then this is your narrow view on the value- the value to you is only on job prospects but others value other aspects of university.

I would not pay £5k to fly a spitfire but someone else would. I don't value that experience to the tune of £5k personally but can understand that someone else would.

I'm standing by the fact that it is almost pointless going for a degree that won't help you into a job around you live.

But very few jobs require specific degrees. More jobs require that you have the ability to learn at degree level.

There is no specific degree for the job I do, but I wouldn’t have got it without a degree (and arts degrees are as equally valued as STEM for the job, fwiw - and actually the arts graduates tend to do better in role as they have more relevant transferrable skills). It’s a way to prove that you have the aptitude to learn.

Very judgy. One of my children did a more 'classic' degree. A handful of them found a job. The others went to on to teach abroad or do further education. Another one did what you claim to be a mickey mouse degree, and nearly the whole course found jobs immediately. She is now the highest earner out of my kids. It is such a snobby attitude. Universities (which were the old polytechnics) have degrees to support local industries. Textiles, engineering, etc as well as degrees to newer industries like media and IT.

My Mum was the first in her family to go on to Higher Education (teacher training) in the late 1960s. A family friend said to her dad: ‘what if she does all that and then just gets married and has children? That would be a waste of time and money’. My Grandad replied: ‘Well no, because then she is educated and her children will benefit from that. Educating women and girls is never a waste of time/money, even if they don’t work’ (my Grandad was a bit of a feminist, I reckon).

As it happens, Mum worked full-time alongside raising her family. She progressed in her role and had an extremely successful career.

It's where DH achieved his PhD and subsequently became a world leading expert in his field.

My youngest is in her first year of doing a bullshit degree. She's 30 miles away. We encouraged her.

It's not going to lead to a related job but she aims to improve her skills etc. Meanwhile, her confidence and maturity have increased, her anxiety and solitary habits have reduced and she has grown. I'm massively proud of her and in a couple of years time she will be able to go into the workplace confidently. Last year? A future of dead-end drudgery beckoned.

What an absolutely narrow and short-sighted point of view. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. You don’t think women who are raising the next generation might have a leg up in their child rearing efforts by having further education in a subject matter that interests them?

Stoke is the centre of the celebrated UK ceramics industry. Plenty of people hanging around with arts qualifications there.