“Which university?” the wrong question for today’s teens
Posted on 12:15pm, 24th May 2010 • 3 Comments
Bright teenagers shouldn’t be asking their advisors “which university” and “which degree course” but whether it’s actually in their interests to do a conventional degree at all.
We’re reaching the tipping point at which university education costs outweigh the economic benefits of doing a degree. This is already true for for a minority (eg mature students, graduates stuck in low paying jobs and graduates from less affluent backgrounds). It’ll be true for a lot more students if the new government further reduces state funding for the universities and its inquiry into student fees agrees to remove the cap on fee levels.
The “elephant in the room” issues hidden behind these which university, which degree course discussions are what happens in the real worlds of education, career development and employment when teenagers and their parents stop believing that being a graduate gives you a leg-up in the jobs market?
Of the 16,000-plus final-year undergrads surveyed by High Fliers Research March 2010, only a third expect to find graduate jobs.
The MD of High Fliers Research says: “Our latest survey shows that final-year students due to leave UK universities this summer are just as pessimistic about their employment prospects as those who graduated 12 months ago.
“The research highlights that students from arts and humanities and those who’ve had little or no work experience during their time at university are the least confident about the future and expect to earn almost £50K less than graduates with business, finance or law degrees during their first 5 years of employment.”
There’s some encouragement, though, from the HR Director at Enterprise Rent-a-Car (planning to recruit 750 graduates this year). Donna Miller says employers are increasingly moving to “year-round” recruitment practices, so grads who miss out during the milkround won’t have to wait a year until the next set of job opportunities comes around.
Moderator • 27th May, 2010 at 11:27 am
I completely agree with the article. I was on my way to law school, bags packed and the lot. luckily i came to my senses and realised it wasn’t what i wanted to do. it would be costly and i might not even end up with a job after graduating. what’s more i realised i didn’t want to wear a suit and work in an office.
i’m now three months inot a joinery apprentiship and could not imagine being happier. there are so many opportunities in the trades at the moment and, in my opinion, the work is so much more rewarding than an office job could ever be.
teenagers should be looking where the opportunities are not at what opportunities a university degree can get them…
Law degree uk • 30th June, 2010 at 12:42 pm
I think it is really important to think about what you actually want to do rather than just what the top end of your capability levels allow you to do. The retirement age keeps going up and therefore the time spent in that ‘ok’ job is longer and longer.
nursing jobs • 12th August, 2010 at 4:22 pm