I kept track of an online debate hosted by Sarah Ebner of The Times yesterday, and the same ideas seemed to come out again and again. One of the main arguments on the side of going to university (which I would have to agree with) is the fantastic and extremely beneficial life experience it offers. Living on your own, financial independence, autonomous learning, a fantastic social life, access to tons of free advice...the list goes on.
But isn’t it possible to have all this experience without going to university, some argued? There are of course other options for young people who have completed A-Levels which can provide similar life experience (and let’s face it less debt) which can often be a better suited to certain individuals. These include apprenticeships, vocational courses and entry level jobs. But another point that seemed to come out of the debate, which I would also agree with, is the fact that the option of university seems to be pushed to young people above all the other options. This was definitely true of my school, and as I pointed out in the debate yesterday, often young people who were very talented in the arts or sports for example were essentially ignored, and made to feel like their talents were not worth as much as academic skills, which of course is not the case.
Personally, I still hold the viewpoint that for me it was definitely worth going to university. As much as some could argue that my degree by itself will not necessarily guarantee me entry into my dream career, I would argue that the experience of university as a whole has made me so much more employable than I when I came out of sixth form, not least because of the confidence I have gained over the past 3 years. Also, without the motivation and guidance of lecturers, the careers service and colleagues, I wouldn’t have had much of a clue of what I wanted to do, or how to go about getting it. I didn’t even know what public relations was before I went to university.
Whilst some participants in the debate argued that it is pointless going to university now because there is no guarantee of a better job or lifestyle after graduation because of the sheer number of graduates and the supposed lack of jobs, this just gives me further motivation to succeed. Because I am aware of the stiff competition out there after graduation, including the thousands who were left in the lurch last year, I have spent my time at university trying to make myself stand out from the crowd. And although I still don’t know what the outcome of my university experience will be, it has already been totally worth it.
Do comment and let me know your thoughts.
Photo caption: Typical hardworking students...
Posts
Well, university may not be right for all those who go at present, but think what the absence of a degree might mean.
ReplyDeleteMost school leavers don't go on to higher education. Unemployment is a big problem amongst underqualified young people and many will never catch up. A few, of course, will discover their motivation later on and come through night school or Open University. They may overtake a complacent graduate, but examples of this will be the exception, not the rule.
Women are beginning to outperform men in the workplace, in particular in professional areas that demand the highest qualifications (like medicine and the law). Why? Because women are outperforming men through every stage of education.
There's still a link between education and career success.
I would definitely agree that there is still an emphasis put on education. I have even been asked for GCSE results on some graduate application forms. I would imagine at a time like this, where employers must be receiving a huge amount of applications per position, looking at educational achievements is a simple way to filter applicants.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons theoretical/humanities degrees are often criticised is because “you will not use anything you have learned in real life.” To an extent this is right, I may not need to apply semiotics, postmodernism or psychoanalysis to my work in future, but I have still found studying these theories fascinating, and ultimately it is the skills I have developed that employers are looking for. This is different for vocational courses such as medicine or law as there is often a much narrower career pathway, which relies heavily on everything learnt throughout further study, and as you point out, women are continuously outperforming men in academia.