Cannot progress without a degree... 😡

[Hmmmmminteresting]

I'm early 30s. I chose not to go to uni and to instead do 2 years at a business college (qualifications do not equal a degree, they were less). I then was promoted to an office manager at the age of 22 to 25, managing 17 people. Since moved on to a job I love and have been there 7 years. In this company you cannot progress without a degree. They are 100% adamant, 2:1 or more is minimum. They dont take any of your history into account. So many people getting promoted above me with no managerial experience but have a degree in random subjects not relevant. A few have since left as they just weren't suitable for that role.
I know I could do it and I have been told by so many others that it's frustrating I'm not qualified enough as I would be first choice.
AIBU to think this is a pretty old fashioned way of thinking?
I dont want to leave the company, I just wish they would change their rules.

I agree, it is infuriating, so get a degree or another job that respects your experience. Young guy works with me in a professional services firm, he did A levels and is great at his job. He has been promoted above graduates. He is now doing professional qualifications in tax.

YABU and whilst doing it you are also belittling those who gave up ALOT of time and possibly money to obtain a degree, and what they have achieved. A degree is more than the subject it’s in, it demonstrates an ability to critique, research and interrupt information which whilst not having a degree doesn’t mean you can not do these things, a degree at 2:1 or above proves you can. You know this is the company policy it gives you an option to obtain a degree, you can’t expect them to change their policies just to suit you.

I was in this situation, and I just moved jobs. I don’t think it really pays to stay in one company too long these days anyway, with the amount of ‘restructuring’ they do. Better to have wider experience across your industry, or across different industries, as it gives you more opportunities for future employment. I found this time round that most places were looking for a degree ‘or equivalent experience’, and after 10+ years in this career track they didn’t care about my lack of degree.

And tbh even if I got a degree now, in this career with where I am now it wouldn’t increase my earnings much anyway (if at all), so I figure it’s not worth it.

YABU and whilst doing it you are also belittling those who gave up ALOT of time and possibly money to obtain a degree, and what they have achieved.
You do realise Op has not been sitting on her behind while others are at uni. She has been working 5 days a week and studying .

Haven’t read the comments so sorry to ask if you have been already; but have you looked into the OU?
I’m 25, single mum of two girls, due back to work in the very near future at a law firm and potentially changing jobs to work within the police force. I study a degree with the OU and do 120 credits a year (equivalent to a full time degree), you can be more flexible and do 60 credits per year (6yrs) if you really wanted to! It’s also cheaper than a standard brick uni and still a Bachelor’s degree! It just means being more strict with yourself and working around your own commitments. I do criminology and law, and I’m currently working at a 1:1 standard for first year - albeit these marks don’t count towards final grade which is a bit disheartening!

I know many people who have children, FT jobs and on their own who are doing degrees. It IS doable if you are strict with your time. x

Some of these comments are comical, making it sound like getting a degree is as easy as buying off Amazon. In your situation having hit a blockade I'd look to move to another company. At the very least your current employer 'may' make provisions to keep you, if not you'll have made steps to furthering your career.

Can you propose a business case for a specific promotion/change of role? A formal proposal to your manager outlining the extra responsibility you take on in training others, and specifying the value it adds to the company.

They may not being able to promote you in a straightforward way, but they can recognise that you’re going above and beyond in training your superiors and maybe offer you a pay rise?

If they won’t do that, then in all honesty, you should just leave and work for someone who will appreciate the value you bring. Presumably they’ve invested in you so far, it’s a financial mistake to lose you because of these practices.

If I’m being honest, I’m surprised they haven’t offered the fees/time for you to get the necessary credits - for me, as a manager, this just seems senseless if you’ve been there for 7 years.

*In the modern workplace, the reality is that staying at one company doesn't pay.

This is not the most efficient way to run a company, and I'd argue its not always ideal for workers or their families either.*

I agree, but many companies are short-sighted in this aspect and don't provide adequate salary reviews, so the only option is to jump ship to a company willing to pay more. The irony being, the previous company now has to recruit someone to fill the vacancy, most probably increasing the salary AND having to pay recruitment and onboarding costs.

YANBU. They’re cutting their nose off to spite their face when you’re eminently experienced.

You have a choice. u do the degree as they require, possibly only an extra year in evenings, or u move somewhere that doesn't need this. I'd go for the latter and u will wonder why u didn't move before. I bet u will get paid more without the degree to!

I would advise moving too. If you're as good value for money as you say you are, you may find that they make you an offer to stay and look at options to either support you to get the quals or take your experience into account.

What a silly rule, go somewhere where your experience will be appreciated.

Please name the organisation though!

That’s bloody ridiculous. Unless it’s a specific vocational degree then it doesn’t trump experience. Very short sighted and limiting policy, for both your company and you. However, their company, their rules, so I’d suggest you move pronto to a company using common sense instead of outdated and archaic standards which are no longer relevant to today’s world.

Leave, you're worth more. I don't have a degree and every job I've had since my first apprenticeship has had a mandatory requirement of a degree. Each one has realised that my experience is worth more than a degree. One recruitment person refused to put me forward for a job and was told very politely that if she rated a degree over 25 years experience then she was extremely narrow minded and her clients wouldn't thank her. Don't settle!

Most decent companies should take both things into account. If they know that you could do the job it does seem silly to refuse on the grounds of your lack of degree. However many jobs are like this now. Which is why I am a full time student doing a degree at 31 in a class full of 18-19 year olds 😂

I worked in a department where I couldn’t go for a promotion as job spec said degree. The guy above me was useless, sat about doing nothing most of the day, and had a pass degree in media. So instead I got a promotion in a different department that had “or relevant experience” in their job, and I’ve since been promoted again.
Original department has since changed there’s to say or relevant experience, probably realised they were missing out on good experienced people!

Friend of mine applied for promotion and despite having a 2 year course in children's nursing as well as her normal nursing degree qualification, plus umpteen relevant courses, she didn't get the job as she didn't have a short course in teaching and assessing (easy to do and just 12 weeks part time). The job went to someone who'd been qualified a short time but had the teaching course. Bloody ridiculous. Friend soon fucked off to a better job. Management were the losers. Your company are being ridiculous.

You are being unreasonable, as a recruiter and manager, the reason that a degree is sought regardless of the subject is what it signifies. Commitment, achievement, an ability to process information at a high level and the ability to learn complex topics. These are the main transferable skills. The best way for you to go would be to approach a university and see if they would take your experience and previous education as proof of prior learning and allow you to join the course in year 2 or 3. Your previous learning may also have some transferable elements which would allow you to skip some areas of the course.

At the end of the day however, it says a lot about the company if they are promoting people beyond their abilities, it doesn’t bode well for their ability to recognise talent of they ignore a lack of it.

Explain to your employer that you need support to attain a degree and show them that it would be an investment as you have a natural aptitude which they would want to nurture.

Why don’t you ask if you can do a Degree Apprenticeship? That way it’s funded by company levy and you study a large amount within your working week

What a load of bullshit.

All of the highest earning people I know (myself included) don't have degrees.

It's incredibly old fashioned thinking and sadly a product of the Blair Labour government that pushed everyone into getting a degree, which essentially made them worth less and less.

Whilst friends got a degree, and tons of debt, some of us got a job, got industry qualifications and learned on the job. By the time the graduates were fresh out of uni I had 6 years experience and a degree level industry certification. Now you tell me who's more employable.

If they won't recognise your skill set you simply move on. This type of thinking is very out dated and in my experience not the norm.

Do one then, I did a degree at 45 to get my current job, and got a 2:1 while paying a mortgage.

Can be fast tracked as a Mature Student. Have a child just finished college , has completed multiple courses her friends stayed on after school for A levels etc. Yet when comparing their UCAS points daughter had amassed over and above the required criteria. So chin up.

Do a part time ou degree.

It will only take you 4 years.

You may even enjoy it!

YANBU to think it's old fashioned.

Depending on your college qualification, you may be able to do a conversion type degree. Your experience and existing qualifications are taken into consideration and could exempt you from certain modules. So the degree may only take you half the time as you only have to complete half the modules. Have you looked into this?

I've also had a similar experience. I have a degree, however some employers in my sector want additional Specialised qualifications even though I've been doing the job for 15 years. I'm also om a different salary track even though I not only do the exact same job as my peers AND I do the training, am the designated team member for special projects and responsible for new business paperwork. All beciaae I have the most knowledge and experience..

My company are very supportive and have offered (more than once) to pay for the qualifications and offer study leave.

You have to do what's best for you. I decided that my time with my then young child was worth more than the financial/career gain. I've regretted it a few times (especially now that I'm definitely too old to do the extra quals) but it's fleeting and I always appreciate the very special relationship I have with my daughter, which personally, I doubt I would have if I'd had to study 20+ hrs in top of a full time job (also became a single mum). I know I would have been constnaly tired, short tempered and unable to relax/switch off.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Could your employer spend some of the apprenticeship levy for you to do a degree level apprenticeship?