To think too much emphasis is put on university?

[Fluffy24]

Genuinely curious.

I'm a university graduate but many of my friends have trades and are just as successful in life/earn similar amounts. Equally I know graduates who are out of work and find, for instance, that their media or history degree isn't helping them to find a job.

I'm surprised at Jeremy Corbyn wanting to fund tuition fees (unless he thinks he needs the student vote). It costs alot of money and there are plenty of graduates already struggling to find jobs whilst we have shortages of some skilled trades, such as in engineering, construction etc where a greater emphasis on apprenticeships would be appropriate surely?

Aren't we setting up an expectation that everyone should want to get a degree, and perpetuating the sense that a vocational qualification is of less value.

If we want to ensure we can capitalise on talent regardless of wealth then some courses could be funded (engineering, teaching, medicine etc) where we identify a skills shortfall in a particular industry or sector?

I would prefer my son to undertake an apprenticeship and learn a useful trade than do a 'generic' university degree just because it's expected of him.

Of greater benefit to our whole society would surely be to spend the money on educating children instead.

[Railgunner1]

Subjects like gender studies and similar tripe need to be shut down

[Kennethwasmyfriend]

Gender studies has been around for at least 30 years.

[NonStopDisco]

carefreeeee I used to work in a lab, pay was very low, but they only employed graduates. It was very routine work.
There was a legend going round that an Asda opened near one of the other sites and all the techs quit and started working stacking shelves because the pay was higher.

[offblackeggshell]

I do agree that access to university should not be a given. However it should absolutely not be decided by who can afford it, or who is comfortable taking on debt. I know of a really academic child (looking at A A A) whose parents have just talked him out of university because it will mean taking a loan. He wanted to study a core curriculum subject, and then teach. I think it is really sad he has been talked out of it.

[justnowords]

Its difficult though when lots of jobs require a degree that didnt 5 or more years ago. I work/in process of leaving the legal sector and am astounded when I see vacancies for legal secretaries with minimum requirements of a degree, preferably law. Its a fucking secretarial position ffs. But in general, coming from a family of mostly tradesmen, I agree, But getting a trade apprenticeship nowadays is ridiculously difficult as they are really thin on the ground.

[likeababyelephant]

I've seen posts for sales jobs that require you to have a 2:1 minimum.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Something needs to be done in a child's early years if they're not capable of attaining a degree.

Self esteem, gender, ethnicity, social background etc can all have an effect on someone's levels of education

Very sad that you think things need to be done so every child gets a degree.
That if you are not capable of getting a degree it is because you lack confidence or you are from a poor unsupportive background. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Ds is dyslexic and has dysgraphia.

I have spent many hours with dc going through different career paths that suit them , their personalities and what they need to achieve their goals. Not just your df wears a suit to work so that is what you are going to do.

There are so many career paths that don't involve getting a degree that are overlooked or looked down on.

Next time you switch on a light or turn a tap you get light or water because someone without a degree made it possible

[nakedandconcerned]

Another factor to consider is that we are creeping further towards automation in terms of workforce. Lots of skilled manual work will be eventually completely automated. Careers which require degrees are probably in the grand scheme of things less likely to be automated in the next twenty years.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Cant see a robot coming to fix a leak or stick his little robot arm down a toilet to unblock the extra large dump some one did.

[likeababyelephant]

Very sad that you think things need to be done so every child gets a degree.
That if you are not capable of getting a degree it is because you lack confidence or you are from a poor unsupportive background. Nothing could be further from the truth.

These are just factors drawn up by intelligence theorists on IQ and educational attainment. Of people are capable but factors are not the same for all, obviously.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Having a high IQ only means you are good at puzzles or working things out it doesn't mean you are academically bright or you necessarily want to go to university.

[nakedandconcerned]

olivers that's very naive because they will be doing stuff like that

[Oliversmumsarmy]

So the answer is to force everyone into getting a university degree and a load of debt so when the robots take over they might have a job working for them.

Think I will still advise my dc to be excellent in what they want to do and worry about money and job security and robots 2nd. After all you go to work for 45years+ that is nearly 11000 days of getting up, getting dressed, getting to work, sitting in an office. 11000 days of listening to banal chatter as you get older and older. If that is your dream job great but in the end untill the robots take over I suggest people choose what they want to do for a living and if that doesn't involve a degree then they shouldn't be put off.

I have noticed over the last couple of years a certain trade that when I use them the trades person who turns up is usually ex public school boy. They are ever so posh.