To ask what your degree was and what you do now?

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And how much you earn?

One thing that I have learned on MN is that hard work isn't enough and that you need to work smart too. This is something I am really trying to instil in my dc; they are coming up to uni age and I don't think the school are giving them great advice. There is a massive assumption that everyone will go to university, but no.push toward degrees that have better earning potential or are in demand. Our family circumstances have meant that I am a carer for disabled ds, and therefore I can't help the dc much financially in life. I really, really want them to have the best chance at succeeding in life rather than going to uni for 'the experience' and I'm nosy so like to hear what everyone does too.

Joint honours computing and maths. Have been a computer programmer ever since.

18 years after graduating I earn £48k and work 3 days a week (it's pro-rated from £80k a year). I love my work, it's interesting, creative, and very team based. There are plenty of low stress roles for programmers (stressful ones available too, but I can't be doing with that).

My dad was a programmer and got me into it when I was young. I often feel grateful for falling into something so nice.
In my younger days I experience a lot of descrimination as the only woman, but that's changed a lot. My current team has more women than men.

Astrophysics. Went in to the civil service for 12 years. Had I stayed at that, I'd probably be on about 45k now.
As it is I left and was a SAHM for 2 years and now do an admin role in a school. Part time about 12k. Much prefer what I'm doing now and the life we have but this has been equally dependant on DH hugely increasing his salary.

I studied Scots law and realised after 4 years I didn't want to be a lawyer. I worked in the third sector for a while and now I'm in safety in the energy sector. I kind of fell into this as it was a graduate scheme and I wanted to move to the same area of the country as my bf who is an engineer and there were not many employers in the area.

Edit: oh and I'm on 37k which should go up soon.

I'm not the best example... I have a BA in Communication, another BA in English Literature. One MA in Social Media. Before I used to be a BPO manager at £60-70k. Now I work as a content moderator at an online music publisher for MW.

I did Biological Sciences and I’m an NHS Clinical Scientist. Money and job security is good, hours are so so and stress is bad. I love my job though, so make sure they pick something they enjoy to study. It makes all the difference.

Literature
HLTA (High School)
Pay - not enough

Degree in Scottish history. Wanted to teach but didn’t enjoy the training. Now a police officer. Top line/eleven years service in Scotland is £42k.

Economics. Now a journalist

Nursing diploma.
Am a general practice nurse.
Earn £24k for 27hr/pw.

Undergraduate degree in Criminology.

Then a Master’s Degree in Social Work.

Now a social worker on 32k.

I'm advising my children to do Environmental Health degrees. Why? Its a shortage profession with five career paths. Well paid career paths.

Law....Law

Creative Writing and Critical Practice. I've got a first class degree.

I work in a shop, earning c£9k.

I am also a published, agented novelist who wins awards for novels. Earning around £2k.

Am very happy and love my life but, by god, I wish people would stop wanting to buy all their books for 99p.

Degree in Biology because it was the subject I enjoyed.

Realised I didn't want to continue in academia though or work in a lab. Moved into management consulting which is what everyone who didn't know what they wanted to do, did. Hated it, a few weird moves later and now I work in the store design team for a major retailer.

One thing I wish though is that I had considered university subjects which weren't 'classic' school subjects. I didn't know they existed at the time but I would have loved to do engineering, architecture or something a bit more vocational.

Medicine : long term SAHM

i agree OP. there's so much pressure to go to uni and it's expected that young people will. theres also the implication that 'going to uni will get you a good job' and young ppl are essentialy being missold a product. uni per se won't automatically get you a good job. there's loads of other options, and lots of courses that, economically speaking, are a bit pointless. i hate that uni is considered pretty much the only option now. blame tony blair

I did History and now work as a policy officer. 35k.

Surely people’s age is relevant too - if you graduated two years ago and earn £30k that’s different to someone who graduated twenty years ago who earns £30k in terms of potential.

I studied natural sciences, including a masters, and work as a consultant on six figures and graduated 8 years ago.

Oh sorry, just shy of £70k. Have earned more in the past in the City but have a very nicely balanced less demanding role now and would not swap it for a better paid and more demanding role for more money.

My cousin is a nanny and earns £50-60k so vocational training is great too. Just make sure you go to the best place - she went to one of the elite nanny colleges, if she’d gone to the local college she would probably be a nursery nurse earning under £20k.

English Literature but now work as a Data Protection Officer in a well known organisation. 37k

Plan to do a part time law course and a few other bits which should increase my earning potential to 50k plus

Economics and languages > civil service policy officer

Postgrad law > civil service lawyer

I don’t regret not doing law as an undergrad degree, despite having the opportunity. I think I got a lot more out of it with work (and life!) experience behind me.

However, in the days of skyrocketing fees, I wouldn’t recommend this approach. If I did it again now, I’d go straight to something that ticks all my boxes (which law did):

• numerous very clear career paths offering interesting work (admittedly hard to get your first legal job, but it’s ok if you’re a strong candidate)
• reasonably well paid, depending on your area of practice and if in the private/public/charity sector
• suits my working style: no shifts or weekends for my employer
• work involves lots of reading, writing and analysing, and pedantry about nuances is welcomed
• a good amount of day-to-day autonomy and individual work on defined tasks
• gives a personal benefit outside of in my job (with law, it’s a good understanding of your rights as a citizen/customer/tenant etc and the confidence to negotiate or take action to enforce them)

History and Politics degree, now work as a project manager in financial technology! Earn £40k and am nowhere near 30 yet and will expect this to raise year on year probably to the £80k mark with seniority.

For me the subject didn’t matter- studying something I loved was really helpful! What did help me is that I studied at a niche, specialist school that is ultra competitive to people from my very ordinary background. I believe that got me interviews as it’s a good talking point and showed ambition. Then I just had to talk a good game and make a few leaps.

At uni I did not know what I wanted to do and really struggled to make plans. 1 year out of uni, I realised I had to get smart and make a 5 year plan and it’s working out so far. I meet interns though and I wish I had the insight they do to start investigating career plans early!

BSc in Adult Nursing
Master’s in English and Education

Civil Service Grad Scheme. Then I was an executive assistant in the City working for a bank then moved into health and safety. Currently working in learning and development in the Civil Service for the military.

I did an engineering degree and postgrad, and I'm a Chartered Engineer. That was in a very different time. I would consider university very cautiously now unless a strong vocational / professional direction or high achieving enough for non-specific jobs (civil service, finance etc.).

It just seems to me a good way to become a very highly qualified barista with an arts degree and £30k debt for too many young people. There is just too much of a mis match between the economy and job market and the university courses and career advice.

Apprenticeships are now a real alternative, we have some extremely high calibre apprentices at our firm who have progressed all the way to masters level. My DC are bright but not very academic, I'd rather they get a job/apprenticeship and take a degree later if they want it and have grown up enough to work hard.