People older than 25, if you could choose would you...

[SomewhatMental]

Do a degree or just go for any job you can find to stay afloat

These days, isn't it the case that about 50% of people now go to university? A degree seems to be the minimum requirement for a lot of jobs. I think you'd be putting yourself at a disadvantage not to do a degree if you possibly can.

Maybe doing an OU degree in 5 years (18-23) and working at the same time in your chosen field at the same time would be optimum....

Wouldn't be much fun though would it??

I'd go for both, study part time.

It depends what career you want. Select your career option, then you’ll know if you need a degree or other vocational training to achieve your goal.
I would definitely recommend training in some capacity to do the career you are interested in, but just any old job for short term finances.

Depends what you want to do! Some jobs require a degree, some don’t, it depends on the end goal but don’t just do one for the sake of it.

I’d go for a degree apprenticeship as a couple people have mentioned. Have a google and look on the government website. You get the degree plus are working, earning a salary and getting industry exposure without the student debt. It’s the best of both particularly if you are a bit more mature and aren’t desperate for that full time uni environment like a lot of 18 year olds want.

I would do a degree, but if it was a non vocational degree I'd want to be very clear about what I wanted to get out of it and the steps I'd be taking afterwards to establish a career.

If I was to start again, I wouldn’t have done a degree. I’d go for an apprenticeship as I believe there is more likely to be a long term job in that

Degree if it was purposeful and sensible.
I went to university aged 32 and now have a career paying more than double what I was earning before. Yes I’ve a chunk of student loan repayments still to make, as I had to take max loans to get through it, but it’ll be all paid off in 3-4 years. And I’m still much better off financially.

I've just finished my degree and if I was put back 5 years ago given full career and study options, I would work and either do open uni or apprenticeship, I wouldn't go to uni.

Degree, but I’d have a job in mind at the end of it and make sure I was also doing internships/placements etc in that industry.

Unless you did nursing, medicine or something similarly vocational, just having a degree isn’t enough to get you a job by itself.

It doesn't have to be either or, you could work part time and study part time, which is quite common in some other countries. It isn't only the OU that offers part time or online coursrs now. There is also a smattering of unis out there, mainly Scandinavia-way, who offer a selection of low cost options, some are even taught in English. There were more before Brexit but obviously they're no longer available. If I had my time over again I'd choose the half and half option, learn to type sooner and get some decent IT skills. My year was the last year to have uni courses fully funded if parental income was under a certain amount and I found the regimented hall of residence system at the time hard going. I was much happier in later years when I worked part-time alongside the course. You might want to have a look at the student room site if you haven't already, there are some good boards on there.

It really depends what the subject of the degree is and what you want to do. I don’t have a degree - I walked out of mine after the first year - and it hasn’t hindered my career prospects at all, every job I’ve had has on paper required a degree but my experience was more important. I would probably go for the job and use my free time to increase my skills (part time study, freelance work, volunteering etc)

@BurntO

Do the degree. In 3+/5+/6+ Years you will still be X Age. But with a degree. Bloody do it.

^this!

I’m 27 and finally bit the bullet and went back to uni in August this year. Kept telling myself to stick with nursing because it’s just what I’d done at uni. The pandemic changed my mind big time!

Depends what the degree is. Unless there is some valid career path that requires one your time is better spent getting experience in the workplace.

Cos let's face it, average graduates are ten a penny nowadays

@Practicebeingpatient

I just worked when I was 25. Did fine, got promoted and earned good money. When I was 50 I went to uni and got an MSc. I loved it and am very glad did it but it cost a fortune and I've never earned money from it.

similar for me - except reasonably subsidised, so didn't cost a fortune

I think if you don’t know what you want to do, it’s worth putting the research in and finding out, rather than saying - I’ll just do a degree I’m interested in and apply for ‘graduate training scheme’ later. The reason is, some graduate training schemes may have an alternative (eg 1-2 years industry experience), or they may prefer candidates with certain degrees or may have a degree-apprenticeship/employer-sponsored route.

Accountancy and software are jobs where degrees are not always necessary or can be done while working.

Part time degree and work too?

Depends on the degree, if it’s wishy washy then no. I have very bright friends who left school at 16 and went on to qualify in a trade, some who worked their way up, one had to take a degree in Psychology in order to obtain promotion, another is the same grade but didn’t need a degree (different field, bags of experience).

One work colleague keeps studying for maths and accountancy qualifications, he’s been doing it for years and fails them. He’s simply not capable, completely wasting his time on these courses.

To be honest, the choice offered - "do a degree or any old job" - doesn't sound too promising on either front.

If you're 25 and have been in the workforce for 7 - 9 years without building up enough of a CV to be aiming for more than "any old job", but you also don't have more of a clue what you'd want to do at uni other than "a degree", you're not likely to make much headway whichever you choose.

Do a degree at a decent Uni which leads to a profession or apply for apprenticeship schemes .

I chose a degree. It was most definitely the right option.

Depends if I could stay afloat during studying really.
If I could meet all my financial and family obligations and I really wanted to study then yes.

I'm 36 and at college doing an access course so I can go to uni next year hopefully!! I'll graduate at 40 and my youngest will be starting secondary school too the year I graduate so can jump straight into full time work without childcare