Uni

[Mollylegs]

Hi I was hoping someone could help with my query. My son is nearly 21 and has had the odd job in bars but he would like to try and go to uni but they have told him at the job centre its pointless. Does anyone know if this true? They said even if he went to uni there is no jobs at the end of it. He is not a stupid kid and we both feel going from bar work and supermarkets which is a job that pays and he's grateful for that but he would rather have a career in something more. Sorry if this needs moved that is fine. Thanks in advance.

Hi @HomeTheatreSystem wowza!! thank you for your post, he would like to get married and have a family, owning a house and being able to have a holiday would be nice. I am going to show him your post and go through your suggestions with him. Thanks again.

Thank you @Glassasurus thanks for the info about the job centre probably not being the best place to look.

Er about 10 of us have recommended this.

It was post covid and he didn't seem sure what to do. He is a bit anxious and at the time it just didn't feel right to him, he knows he made a mistake now by not going on to do them.

At least 200 of those will have had a masters degree too. It's a tough field to get into. But a degree will help with many other jobs and he may well find a niche focus of interests while he's studying. As said, if he wants to do it, he should!

Hi @Clementine1513 thanks for the information, I think money is a worry, he doesn't want to end up in lots of debt. I had thought about him missing any intake with it being October but I will show him your post and he can look into your suggestions,

Hi OP,
This diagram shows some average earnings of people studying different subjects and at different unis. (Old data I'm afraid)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-44395621

But it is only averages and doesn't predict what your son would earn. My son wants to be a musician and we fully support him but I have seen stats that on average people that study music earn less than people who didn't go to uni.

It's worth bearing in mind that the "average earnings" being compared as the benchmark will be considerably more than your Don earns at the moment so even earning less than average or a while could be a good result for him.

I’d say go for it. A degree can open lots of doors. My oldest has a civil service role & works with two graduates with history degrees-all earning £35k after a year so it’s about what you do with your degree that matters

Hello @clary We have talked about history maybe harder to get a job afterwards. We live in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

It really isn't debt like you might think.

Yes he'll need to repay his loan but only once he's earning a good stable salary - at the moment that's £25k. So once he's earning that he'll back 9% of any money over £25k, each year. So if he earns £30k he'd pay back £450 a year. It's very far from 'crippling debt' and he's under no obligation to pay it off in full if his earnings don't allow him to.

It's a bit like 'no win no fee' - if going to university doesn't help him get a good salary, then he won't have to pay back his loan. So please don't let it put him off!!

Also be careful of the idea that only stem degrees lead to jobs. History for example is offers above average returns - history graduates earn more on average that technology / psychology / biosciences graduates and many others

Thank you @Winter2020

It's great that you are being so supportive @Mollylegs
Have you had a look at this? Seems useful and is local to you?
https://www.ncl-coll.ac.uk/subject-areas/access-to-higher-education/

As someone who has a history degree and is a teacher, I absolutely wouldn’t recommend it as a job at the moment :( Not unless you love being micromanaged, constant scrutiny, and excessive paperwork. I don’t know anyone who isn’t desperate to leave or on anti-depressants.

I would absolutely recommend getting a degree though. Get him to think carefully about his skills, what he enjoys etc.

Thanks @MissMarianHalcombe would you mind if I ask what the two people that have the degress in history do, thanks in advance.

Thank you @InandOutlander thats really helpful and good to know.

Thank you @ExpressCheckout I want to support him in every way I can, I'm a bit worried about the money side of it. His dad left a couple of years ago so we don't have a lot of money going spare, thanks for the link.

Oh no @howshouldibehave that is so sad, I'm sorry your having such a rubbish time, I know he will have to really think about what he wants to do.

A lot of people are of the opinion that University is pointless because it’s expensive and you can’t always guarantee a well-paid job as soon as you graduate. But that’s them, not your son. If that’s what he wants to do, I would say go for it. Really unhelpful for the Job Centre person to push their own opinion, rather than encouraging your son to try something which might lead to much better opportunities in the future, not to mention the fabled ‘uni experience’! If he’s interested in History, he can do a History degree and then consider whether he would like to train to become a teacher, do a Masters degree etc. It will add to his life experience and enhance his prospects, is my take on it!

It would be worth him looking at jobs in schools- to see if teaching is for him. Look at after school clubs, tas, or voluntary experience. Would help with applications for teaching etc.

If you are in Newcastle then Newcastle uni and uni of Northumbria are both right there so that’s one idea

nothing to do with history, think more analyst roles. They have had to move away from home though as did my oldest. A history degree can be really adaptable to a lot of roles.

Thank you @maudelovesharold I think they shouldn't have tried to put him off but I am worried that a job may be hard to find in that field.

Thank you @thesandwich a friend of mine mentioned that there are more TAs that are male now, I kind of always thought it was mainly women. Thanks for the advice.

Hi @clary yes he would def have options where we live.

Well done to your ds. I think an access course and a history degree with view to teaching sounds fantastic. Good luck to him.