Are there any courses, you would actively discourage your dc doing at uni ?

[JennyTals]

Is anything a no go for you, or would you support any course

I run payroll for a construction firm. We employ plumbers, gas fitters and electricians and I confirm that whilst they earn a very good living it is nowhere near £100k. The only ones who get anywhere close do a heck a lot of overtime and are senior project managers. Gas fitters and electricians have to regularly renew their qualifications and that can be expensive.

30 years ago, uni and poly was still considered more for the academically able, rather than ‘uni for all’, which we have today.

Wide open options might not be necessary if you become a sommelier. I know a woman who parlayed a straight-out-of-school job as an air hostess with Air France into a business as a wine consultant / purveyor to restaurants via Le Cordon Bleu.

Niche can be very good indeed as long as you identify a promising niche and persevere at it.

But few things are Mickey Mouse as grey can be hugely employable in niche fields. Like golf studies. Huge employability

An inlaw works part time in a golf shop and is teaching golf to teenagers while he completes a degree. He will outearn his sister, who has two degrees and is head of department in a grammar school.

it’s only on MN that money seems to matter above everything else

@frozendaisy I see that a lot on here. There are several posters who work in finance or law who are unable to see beyond their own careers, and give the impression that anyone who doesn't want to work in a magic circle firm/for a big 4 company/in London lacks ambition.

I want DD to enjoy what she does and get well remunerated for that rather than being miserable earning a 6 or 7 figure sum. Fortunately she is doing a post grad masters that will lead to employment.

Also, there are so many threads even on this forum started by desperate parents whose kids who graduated from some humanitites' specialty can't find any job at all even now.

I have seen these as well @Butterfly123456. Their DC have been sold the idea (usually from their schools) that a degree will always open doors for them. It's depressing.

I think there are always students on any course who will put the extra effort in, network, volunteer, be strategic and dynamic, interact with staff, do stuff so lecturers can give them stunning references beyond the normal grades etc who will always do well and jobs 'fall' into their laps.

Whereas a lot of students on any degree course are mostly going through the motions and expect it to automatically open doors.

@Mytholmroyd That’s so true. A friend expected her daughter to walk into any job after getting an English degree from Oxford. Didn’t happen.

It is - and you can spot them a mile off because they are not content with fading into the background!

Yes, I know that they need to study now, and I’m aware how time consuming the process is.

But vacancies come up all year round. I think sometimes it’s useful ( for those who want an apprenticeship) to give themselves a year or so to keep trying. In that time do everything possible to strengthen their CV.

You said they should know what job they want to do before they go to university.

Jobs are changing. The world is changing. The job they may think they want to do may not exist in a few years time. Plus, people don’t often really understand what a job is like until they are ‘in it’.

However, I do agree that people shouldn’t just get swept up in the rush to go to university and just study any old thing. I’m glad more students are taking a gap year so they can explore themselves and the world

My eldest dc was advised to think about about careers when choosing GCSE’s or a-levels. Obviously, they may change their mind, but if you think you may down the engineering route, don’t choose history and politics, for example.

The son of one of my cousins achieved a 2.2 in sports journalism from a university that is known for giving out a lot of unconditional offers.

He still hasn't found any kind of employment - not even in retail or hospitality. The local shopping mall does a mass recruitment day in the autumn when they are looking for extra staff for Christmas, but he prioritised watching his team playing football instead of trying to get work.

Yeah but then I have a friend who did sports journalism at a similar uni with the same results and works as a sports journalist for radio 5.

individual stories really don’t mean anything. As the poster above said, in the world there are ambitious, driven people, lucky people, connected people, and then there are unlucky. lazy, unmotivated, unconnected or unable people.

the degree isn’t what separates these people.

You are right, of course @AquaPeer

Just thinking I know someone whose child is doing a degree in music production. They have no background in music or any previous interest. They just did a college course and enjoyed it. Thing is his parents are convinced it’s going to lead to a massive career in this so are sinking loads of money into it.
I do know someone who did a similar degree and does do some music producing, he’s a professional musician though, he makes no money from the producing now.

One of my (several!) children is just finishing a performing arts degree. She would never had done an academic degree of any sort. Can't write about it but can and has been doing it since she was small.

Everyone would say they are a waste of time and money for the majority of students unless you have contacts in the industry but they have been realistic about how you have to work at a career and crucially they have taught her to network effectively and, importantly, given her lots of opportunities to network. She can converse with anyone now in an open, friendly and engaging manner (and in a few different accents!) and promote herself.

This didn't come naturally to her and the skill will stand her in very good stead in the future. Bit like a finishing school tbh!

No, they are a grown adult and can make thier own choices.

Not always. A lot of young people are not yet 18 when they apply to university. I believe that schools and parents should be able to advise and guide students, then they can make an informed decision.

I don't believe in setting someone up to fail just "because they are an adult"

Social science. wtf does that even mean.

Yes, but parents are rarely the best person to recommend on Uni/course choice. Much better to leave that discussion to the college/sixth form careers service.

When I used to teach at a local college we saw so many parents muddying the water with uniformed opinions and at times outright bias.

I've taught at university level and have a PhD, but I'd still defer to the careers service in giving advice.

A Social Science degree explores human society, relationships, and behaviours. It combines various disciplines like sociology, psychology, political science, economics, anthropology, and human geography to understand social phenomena. Topics include social inequality, political systems, economic trends, human development, and cultural differences.

Graduates from this degree enter roles in public policy, social research, education, or working with community organisations.

It's actually one of the more useful degrees in terms of employment.

@CurtainsCurtain so pleased to read your post. DD in 2nd year studying English Lit and CW, absolutely loving her course and the freedom University is giving her to explore her writing and learn so much at the same time. Sometimes Uni really is about following your passion and dreams.

I have to disagree. It’s wishy-washy. I don’t think you can far wrong with a degree in business, from an employer’s point of view

I saw a clip / quote from Sylvester Stallone, which sums it up quite nicely I think...

You think anyone really cares what your major is? English literature, Biology, whatever. The whole point of a college degree is to show a potential employer that you showed up someplace four years in a row, completed a series of tasks reasonably well and on time.