To think you can have a great career without a degree

[Allotment123]

DD looking at an extended diploma in the creative industries instead of A levels . In general we have 5 to 6 different careers before we retire. Uni is expensive and there is an apprenticeship option. Will she regret not getting a degree later? She is bright and has a great work ethic, but had considerable anxiety in GCSEs.

How much does a degree really matter? Especially if you may have a career change later when you get fed up of being paid a pittance for unsociable hours?

It depends doesn't it? I mean I wouldn't get far trying to work as a university lecturer without a degree would I?

I am on the fence about this - and I think it definitely depends on what you want to do. More and more places are demanding degrees for not much more than entry level admin jobs, the place where I work being no exception. However, my own adult child, who did not even do A levels, has worked her way up in their job by starting at the bottom and doing qualifications through their work - and has reached quite a high level now. The partner of another child has done much the same, in a specific field, and is now managing others who have degrees. I think that probably doing further study is essential, but it doesn't have to be a degree. Interested to find out what others think?

My highest earning relatives don't have degrees or even A levels, some don't even have GCSEs. Several are multi millionaires. Of these most have their own businesses, but one is a director in an Education setting (!) and another a director of a multinational communications company.
None of them were nepotism careers.

The one who is a director in an education setting did retake English and maths GCSEs a few years ago at around age 40. They are her highest level of qualification.

My DB doesn't have a degree and his wages are over triple mine. He's in a tech industry and worked his way up from apprentice level, learning on the job, and is now just shy of a six figure salary. Meanwhile, I was the clever, studious one, had DC in my mid 20s, did a degree in my 30s and now at 50, still don't earn £30k

Good on your company! No employer would benefit from this level of shortsightness when looking at potential candidates.

It’s fine if you want to stay and work in the UK and have zero interest in working in other countries.

A degree and/or proof of a certain number of years of relevant or specialized education is required for many types of work permit by immigration authorities in many countries.

This is likely to be increasingly relevant post-Brexit.

I’ve managed to work abroad without one through company transfers on projects but came unstuck in the US when I couldn’t get a transfer and then a downturn in my industry hit. I’m 16weeks away from finishing a degree now, and having done this at a more mature age, my advice is stay in school kids! But do pick something with a career pathway rather than something generic just to do one.

the one I’m doing has no exams as I couldn’t cope with that, it’s all essay assessed. We have 5 total submissions for each module to complete, basically something every 2 weeks. So perhaps if she doesn’t want a traditional style, look at online courses that she could do alongside some part time work (mine was 15hrs per week for 4yrs, it’s taken me 6)

Depends on the "profession" we're talking about in a professional career. I assumed it is smt that requires formal education. If its a career where knowledge can be gained via experience suffiently, then sure. Or owning your business. But if not, then the situation will be one of vulnerability as lack of a degree can be used anytime as an excuse to be looked over or fired. I know in these threads everyone keeps coming in to say I did it, but sadly real life statistics will be different that's why I said mumsnet vs irl. As I said, I'm not even allowed to call in candidates without a degree.

Thanks for all your messages. My mum had a teacher training certificate and ended up teaching at a private school where she felt she was looked down on for not having a degree, they used to wear their graduation gowns on prize giving day and she didn't have one, she encouraged us to get a degree and now it seems to have come full circle again. I'm not against degrees but the cost is scary and I'd she is doing such a vocational post 16 option an apprenticeship seems a more sensible route. Ultimately it'll depend what she wants to do and 2 years is a long time to decide when you are 16, but really helpful to have all those different perspectives.

Your daughter might end up disadvantaged or resentful for similar reasons to your mother. Why take that risk? She can take a loan, work part time? Her life her choices, I'd definitely not be advising not to go to university. She might resent you too.

This is a really interesting topic.

I never had any desire to go to university, but was pressured by my college when I was 17. I was a good student and got good grades, generally.

I ended up dropping out after my first year. I loved the social aspect but the course was poorly written (in my opinion) and it just wasn't for me.

Ended up completely changing career aspirations from Humanities to makeup artistry and aesthetics (not injectables). I adore my job, but have had to take up dead end office work over the years in order to secure things such as a mortgage etc. I did not regret leaving university AT ALL in my 20s, as I generally earned a little more than my friends who had just graduated.

But if I'm being honest now that I'm in my early 30s I wonder if had I just stuck it out, would more doors have opened for me?

FWIW I was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago, indecisiveness is one of my weak points. So I also can't help but think I'd be changing my mind about what degree I wanted to pursue every two months

I think a person is more likely to be disadvantaged from not having a degree than having one.

I think if there are two applicants and one has a degree, all other things being equal, I'd choose the one with the degree. I work in a profession though where you must have a specific degree.