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.

It's very short sighted of them and annoying for you.

I'm not advocating it but I know two people who started a degree but didn't finish mainly due to financial issues. Both lied about it and just put the degree on their cv. Neither have been found out and are nearly 40. One is a very high earner thanks in part to fibbing but mostly due to being very good at his job.

I don't have a degree and it's not stopped me from earning and progressing well. You either need a field where it doesn't matter, or a firm where they value equivalent experience.

I have multiple professional qualifications in my field - at least one of which is level 6 under the Ofqual framework (same level as an undergraduate degree). These are valued more highly by my employers (and potential employers) than a degree in an unrelated subject.

Move firms. Those are the rules and they aren't changing them - and if they are shortsighted enough to insist that there is only one path for progression, then go somewhere that's more flexible and will support your career ambitions.

There are lots of jobs you can't do without a degree, so I'm not sure why you think it's an old-fashioned requirement.

It is old fashioned because a lot of jobs don't actually need a degree, they just ask for one. It discriminates against so many people.

Have you actually applied for the role? If not, I would do that first and of course, make a great case for yourself and get other people at the company to speak on your behalf.

Always always apply. The worst they can say is no. Dont listen to co-workers either. They may be frogs in the post types.

If you are not chosen for the role, then ask for a path to that role. What do you need to do.

Research online degrees and see if there are any that will give credit for the studies you have done. As others mentioned, some Master's degrees will accept professional experience to gain entry.

An MBA would be nice to have regardless of where you work.

Not making a personal comment in relation to you - but I would be wondering if they're using this as a neat objective excuse for not giving you a more senior role. They could have other reasons in mind which they would rather not broach. They may be reasonable or unreasonable political reasons - but i wouldn't discount it.

My brother has something similar and a large well known management consultancy. He had a 2:1 from a red brick university but not one of the top 5 red bricks or Oxbridge. So although he was temping as a manager there they wouldn’t consider him for a permanent role. So he did an MBA and now is back giving lecture and training to the managers who wouldn’t hire him permanently.

On the flip side my cousin has a degree in English but has ended up falling into work in the same industry as me (he started in admin and now has a junior position) His manager has told him they won’t progress him unless he gets a degree in the actual subject of the job which would enable him to be a chartered member of the professional institute. My uncle is outraged! Personally I’m pleased that my profession is holding up the high standard required for the role. He won’t understand the wider implementation issues without a degree in the actual subject.

I think you need to get a degree. Can your work pay for it or give you paid time off?

OP, as much as it isn’t nice to have to face, this is a FIOFO issue. They want people with degrees, you don’t have one. As arbitrary as you feel it might be, that’s the company’s current outlook.

I worked at a place that got bought by a GIANT company and they issued management guidelines. I recall one of the executive directors coming in one morning laughing about of all the management and senior leaders it turned out they could only find one person who could progress in the company under the new guidelines, a middle manager somewhere who was studying for his masters (obviously progress only after getting his masters). The rest of them would have to go whistle.

FWIW I didn’t get to go to uni as my mum and dad would not support it, and the application is based on your parents income - which was sizeable! Therefore, no uni. Still feel a bit miffed at that to this day. I know I will have to study for a degree to get to the ultimate level I want to progress to, and I’ll do that in time.

Where are you based? We do a couple of courses at Bristol uni that might be helpful if you do seek a degree We have a part time degree in English literature and community engagement that is taught in evenings and weekends over 6 years. You don't need a-levels to apply. Application is via a statement and interview. Or if you have enough experience, we do a 5 month conversion course (pathway course) called Mastering English Literature that can take you up to masters level and then we offer part time MAs. You usually need a degree for this but we have accepted people without if the circumstances are right. We also run a foundation year and a pathway course to degree level depending on your needs. More info here: www.bristol.ac.uk/english/study/part-time/

yabu
many international companies have that as requirement.

@RantyAnty genuine question as I've never heard this expression before, but what does frogs in the post types mean?

@outcomethewolves

I'm not advocating it but I know two people who started a degree but didn't finish mainly due to financial issues. Both lied about it and just put the degree on their cv. Neither have been found out and are nearly 40. One is a very high earner thanks in part to fibbing but mostly due to being very good at his job.

Someone I know did exactly this. It unravelled rather spectacularly when their company sent them to work abroad and they needed their degree certificate amongst other paperwork to submit to immigration for the work permit... they of course could not produce it and were dismissed.

I think the main reason a Degree is important is that it shows lots of things 1) Intelligence (Actually on paper as a written document) B) You have worked hard for 3 years. C) Can think independently .You are still quite young so why not see if you can do an OU degree or similar ? My own DD, had been working in her London based publishing company ,less time than her opposite number. But was kept on and the other girl let go ,DD has a Degree ON doesnt!

Age wasn't a relevant qualification for the role.

So, no then? The very senior management job in your office wasn’t held by a 22 year old with a few years experience. Which was the point the PP was making.

but I would be wondering if they're using this as a neat objective excuse for not giving you a more senior role. They could have other reasons in mind which they would rather not broach.

Probably. The real problem is they won’t make an exception for the OP. No exceptions rarely means that, especially if it affects business.

But, the OP isn’t coming back so we’ve all just been caught out again.

For the PP that said you need a degree to do accountancy, that is not true and in fact a lot of firms are cutting down on their graduate recruitment. It is possible to get a professional qualification without a degree and you can be qualified before those on the graduate scheme and have no student loans.

Yes it'a a nonsense, they should look at your skills and experience, not what bits of paper you have.

But if you did a two year course at college, I would have thought there were options to upgrade to a degree which would be much cheaper, easier and quicker than doing one from scratch. Have you looked at Futurelearn? They do management courses which you can put together as a "program" and then do an assessment on top to acquire a management qualification which is probably higher than a first degree. Maybe that would work for your employer.

You don't need a degree to become a lawyer anymore, either. You can do a legal apprenticeship. And there has been the legal executive route for many years and some legal execs then "upgrade" to become solicitors.

I got into my job without a degree, but that was due to my experience.. I absolutely cannot go up to the next band without one so I've been doing an OU degree for the last 3 years, I have 2 more to go.

Either get a degree or move somewhere that allows a promotion without degree.

I'm not advocating it but I know two people who started a degree but didn't finish mainly due to financial issues. Both lied about it and just put the degree on their cv. Neither have been found out and are nearly 40. One is a very high earner thanks in part to fibbing but mostly due to being very good at his job.

There is a very high profile case that’s just been through the courts regarding a senior manager at Oxford NHS Trust who has been prosecuted for fraud for lying about his qualifications. I really wouldn’t do this.

Ha e you actually applied for this job and been turned down? Lots of NHS management positions state they require a degree or masters in the job spec but they will waive if you have relevant experience and they want you enough. My job requires a masters and I only have a degree.

I did not have a degree.
I did a 4 year post grad part time MBA entry based on experience. Solved the issue for me at the time.
Now I am downshifting I leave it off my cv as it makes me overqualified!

OP I would look at this as an opportunity!

Don't waste time and money doing just any old degree but go for an MBA instead which will give them their piece of paper AND put you ahead of the game.

Adachi made a good point upthread in that a company which is being so restrictive in their recruitment policy is not necessarily going to be hiring the best talent (ie Richard Branson and Alan Sugar wouldn't be eligible for promotion either ) and may therefore not weather future economic storms too well. With an MBA you will meet their need for a piece of paper and at the same time be significantly better placed to make your way up the ladder there, or elsewhere should you need to.

And I have worked for businesses that whilst they don't insist on a degree insist that you complete a level 6 prof qual within 2 years

Having recently quit during my 5th year out of 6 towards a degree with the OU, I've only come on to say how difficult it is.
And I'm not in particularly difficult circumstances, I don't have young children, one teen and a grandchild but I do work full time. I found it impossible, absolutely impossible. Mine was in languages, I'm not sure how that compares to other subjects but I could not manage the workload at all this year. I had no life, I was utterly miserable and now at 40 have had to give up on the degree dream because I can't see a way that I'll ever have that amount of time spare to complete it.
I sympathise OP, I'm very very good at my job, widely told so by staff senior to me, but I can't progress without a degree (which in my area of work I totally understand, just wish there was another way)

To echo the previous posters saying apply anyway - yes, do.

FWIW my last two roles required a degree as part of the 'essential' candidate criteria. Didn't stop me getting them, because I could demonstrate oodles of experience and demonstrable achievements to show that I could do the job.

Degree is important is that it shows lots of things 1) Intelligence (Actually on paper as a written document)

A degree is not a measure of intelligence