Why are so many YP going to uni, when uni isn't right for so many YP? AIBU to think fewer YP should go to uni as it's only giving them a huge debt?

Schools push the academic route and there are often very few other options.

I see what you're saying on one hand however on the other, it's a life experience. Also, education is never wasted, having an education and all the skills that come with that is always going to be beneficial.

Yeah ok. Did these diplomas cost 5 figures?

It’s not even ‘these days’, I went to uni in 2002 because everyone did but didn’t get great A levels. Had the time of my life but got a 3rd as I partied my way through 😃. I’d still recommend it, it’s a great step from school to adulthood.

No I won't do your research for you. Its a feature of internet discussion - people post ill-informed views, based only on feels. It's not my job to run around trying to convince.

You agreed uni was a 'scam' - that's a very strong anti-degree position.

Agree with pp who said if you go to uni you need to go to a good uni and do a good course with a vague plan of what work it could lead into. STEM, economics, law, medicine still worthwhile. Also vocational degrees like urban planning and nursing.

Most I know who graduated in arts and humanities in recent years are doing law conversion which is just more money spent on fees. Other options seem to be teaching, estate agent or shop work. I don’t know anyone working in their field, even with oxbridge degrees.

There are no jobs for 18-year olds. Ok I exaggerate. There are fewer jobs than 18-year olds. Entry level jobs now all seem to want experience and college leavers are finding themselves competing with graduates for those that don’t because there are fewer jobs for graduates too. The 18 years olds then lose out because graduates offer more than they do.

So now you need a degree to be a trainee office manager.

one of my children is at uni, will finish next year with ££££s to pay off and if they are lucky, a job in a primary school.

Another is a year older, no uni, no debt, £30k in the bank, top rep in the company, gets a car, phone etc and will be buying a place in the next 6 months.

Uni generally ime - waste of 3 good years to get a good working foundation

"bridging the gap between childhood and independence! Strange how many of us coped with that bridge by leaving school on the Friday and starting work on the Monday. We were far more mature by the time we were 18 than a lot of our young today. University is just an extension of school and the vast majority still act like school children and need a lot of hand holding at work and in life in general. We have infantalised 2 generations.

You've misunderstood that sentence.

To be precise, you have needed a professional qualification to be a nurse, social worker, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, and many other medical and social care professions for many many years now. I qualified in 1974 and the people who had been declared "qualified" by virtue of their experience and years in practice were at retirement age then. The qualifications were not called degrees but, in most places, diplomas. They were still 3 year courses with annual examinations, clinical placements and final year examinations leading to a qualification enabling national registration. The name of the qualification has changed but the route and outcome has not. I know there was this anomaly in nursing where there were State Enrolled nurses as well as State Registered nurses and the SEN registration was a lesser one. SEN's were paid on a lower scale and could not take on certain responsibilities.

Meant to add - three friends’ children
•1 did a degree in maths and is now cleaning trains
• 1 did a degree and is now working in Sainsbury’s (not on grad programme )
•1 did a degree and is now a self employed beautician

To keep them busy for a few years? 😂

I am being facetious but I agree that the jobs situation is dire and I don’t know what the answer is.
I have read quite a bit of Milburn NEET report and it is clear that this problem has been a while in the making. It isn’t just about employers NI or AI, though obviously those are factors.

Universities really are the last stronghold of unaccountable service delivery and expenditure of public money. How around 80 percent of their undergraduate degrees even exist is because of a vested interest system that starts with the schools pushing our children into the system at great cost to the families and individual students. It's then perpetuated by a societal misunderstanding of the benefits to an average student and a fawning acceptance of the BS they feed us. The level of Service for the fees on some courses is an absolute disgrace, yet they are never held accountable. It's just an option to keep everyone happy and feeling they have a purpose for most undergraduates. Even having to list preferences for courses. What's that about. You either want to do a certain course and can get on it, or you don't. Pay 10,000s to do something that was your 4th choice. Where else in life would you do that.
Obviously, not all, and there is a role for education as a stand alone. But the cost benefit is so broken for the majority of undergraduate degrees that it's time to rethink. AI is replacing purely knowledge based roles anyway

1. No entry direct from school. At least 1 year outside the pressure of school deciding if you want to go and what you actually want to do. You can apply with known exam results so none of the preferences and clearing systems where you take anything to leave home. Drop out rates will fall and course that have no benefits will shut. Universities have entry requirements so people know what is required. When full, it's full.
2. Cut Public funding for courses that can't demonstrate benefit and a basis Service level and direct it to technical apprentices and vocational qualifications.
3. Stop the big con of saying you need to study 3 years for a degree with 8 hours weekly contact time. Start making degrees full time study and comittment from the Institutions. Most degrees can be done in 18 months. Why the huge summer breaks? They have no benefit to the student who is paying for a Service.
4. Create models where courses are targetted at those in work or looking for specific knowledge and skills as they progress through a career.
5. Finally, demystify their elite superior attitude and nake them accessible and accountable.

Agree. This is a big contribution to the problem. The attitude that the 'best' people go to uni, the lesser ones don't, has led to increasing numbers of young people feeling they would be failing if they didn't get a degree.
What we need to is a change in attitude where we stop revering academia over technical and practical skills and recognise that there are talented people in both, and both are valid and necessary.

The evidence is available on government websites, there's been a recent massive study.

The fact you're 'not sure' is a sign you need to read up a bit more before you start expressing strong views.

I completely agree re university. Neither of my children went and both are now in great careers and earning well. Taking home more than their graduate peers who are paying of loans.

I wish posters would stop with the criticising of YP. It is a commonly used abbreviation on the WIWIKAU Facebook page.

I agree that there are some young people who really shouldn’t be at university or who should take a gap year before they go.

I lurk on the WIWIKAU Facebook page and there seem to be a lot of young people (and their parents, it has to be said) who expect university to be like school, with half terms, lots of contact hours, teaching to the test, being chased for outstanding work etc.

University then is quite a shock when they are expected to do a lot of self-directed learning, read their emails every day, understand that they get marks deducted for late submission of assignments, pass exams before they can continue, live independently and cook, clean up after themselves and do their washing.

This year there seems to be a lot more students going to university who lack any kind of resilience. It is only natural to have wobbles and feel homesick to start with, but so many are giving up at the first hurdle. Obviously, there are many more students who require some kind of extra support, but when does this become untenable? Is it costing universities an awful lot more to support these students (who back in the day probably wouldn’t have gone to university)?

Well it's a thread (your thread!) about young people going to uni, so use a more relevant example. If you can't think of one, there's your answer.