Graduates 'Could be Jobless For Years'

damanpunk

I did my HNC at nightclass, two nights a week and it was fantastic. My local uni does a scheme with the college 2+2, 2 years after hnc doing hnd then 2 years at the uni for your degree.

Alot of hard work but so much benefit with the extra experience gained through full time working.

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've always wished this country had the setup that America has: where you can work full-time then go to nightschool to get your degree.

That'd have been cheaper/better all round for most people - and - evening classes would have been worthwhile instead of like they are now: just basic literacy, flower arranging or yoga.

fc123

Pont wrote: »

My biggest gripe is that Nu Labour have encouraged all of these kids to go off to university on the understanding that a 2:2 in an 'alternative' degree will enable them to change the world and earn big bucks.

They don't want anyone to change the world really.
Even Thatcher cut off the Grammar system to stop people having a chance to change the world.

They prefer people to scrabble around earning enough to get by, just enough energy to bring up the next generation, but no spare time/zest to protest and get up and change things.
A whole generation is now strangled with debt...much incurred just from buying somewhere to live.

Whilst earning enough to get by, they don't have the time or energy to change things.
A bit off topic but......
What I can't work out is how Tesco got so big? How farmers accepted getting paid 3p for a battery chicken. How they manged to take over the country and destroy communities whilst people believed it was because they were better and shinier and ''Best Value'? They grew on the 'busy-ness'' of us all..no time to shop at different places culture that came from ever working longer hours.

I have a Power of One thing going down though. I don't shop there. Won't make much difference..but would if others folowed suit.

donaldtramp

Pont wrote: »

I've posted before on a similar subject (but on a different thread) so apols in advance!

My biggest gripe is that Nu Labour have encouraged all of these kids to go off to university on the understanding that a 2:2 in an 'alternative' degree will enable them to change the world and earn big bucks. If nothing else this is downright dishonest. In many cases they end up in the same jobs that they would have got without a degree but find themselves saddled with an additional mountain of student debt.

If I had a pound for each parent who has said proudly to me that little Johnny/Jenny is 'doing their degree' in some obscure subject at a dubious 'university' I could give up my day job. I have, in some cases, taught these kids at GCSE and they were lucky to get C grades. I could cry for these parents/kids because I am sure at least 90% of them will fall flat on their faces. In effect these degrees are practically worthless.

Many of the recent graduates would have best served to enter more vocational studies. We need to get away from the idea that everyone is a potential graduate.

Pont I totally agree with you. I've had to bite my lip(people on here know I usually say what I think:o) when faced with people I know going on about their little ones going off to university to study rubbish degrees.
This is not going to make it easy when they graduate and fall flat on their face with massive debts.
The only people who have triumphed (if you can call it that) is NuLabour and their blasted targets. It is an absolute disgrace. I have no gripe against anyone who goes to uni thinking they are going to better themselves, but the dishonesty from our government and the plastic fakery that surrounds this 50% higher education target really, really disgusts me.

Further education is NOT the be all and end of things. I'm just sick of everyone being herded in one direction because the state thinks it's best.
In the process of carrying this out they have crushed the good name of our education system by dumbing it down.
They have restricted young uns lifes by forcing them down a path (by making this 50% target) that is, on the whole, not right for them.
So useless degrees are studied for 3/4 years = 3/4 years life wasted, debts, no benefit to the country and no use for the degree afterwards.
All in the name of targets. Labour should be ashamed. But then that's the price of achieving Browns "egalitarian" and "fair" society.

fc123

donaldtramp wrote: »

Pont I totally agree with you. I've had to bite my lip(people on here know I usually say what I think:o) when faced with people I know going on about their little ones going off to university to study rubbish degrees.
This is not going to make it easy when they graduate and fall flat on their face with massive debts.
The only people who have triumphed (if you can call it that) is NuLabour and their blasted targets. It is an absolute disgrace. I have no gripe against anyone who goes to uni thinking they are going to better themselves, but the dishonesty from our government and the plastic fakery that surrounds this 50% higher education target really, really disgusts me.

Further education is NOT the be all and end of things. I'm just sick of everyone being herded in one direction because the state thinks it's best.
In the process of carrying this out they have crushed the good name of our education system by dumbing it down.
They have restricted young uns lifes by forcing them down a path (by making this 50% target) that is, on the whole, not right for them.
So useless degrees are studied for 3/4 years = 3/4 years life wasted, debts, no benefit to the country and no use for the degree afterwards.
All in the name of targets. Labour should be ashamed. But then that's the price of achieving Browns "egalitarian" and "fair" society.

We left school 79/80. OK I now know that there was massive unemployment, recession etc back then but @ 16, one had no idea.
There were loads of jobs for unqualified people, loads.

Difference now, is there aren't those jobs anymore.
Oh's brother had the same scenario..had to leave @ 16. Got a job as post boy in an ad company.
He's 43 now and director in a similar type of company. Sparky post boy talked his way into an office position, worked hard and moved upwards.
His company only employ grads now...probably wouldn't employ from the post room now...well, there isn't a post boy as e-mail took over the messaging system of old.

globalds

I can't see what alternatives we have in place for young people.
Real apprenticeships are as rare as hens teeth and the route I used to train for a career, sponsorship through a Union is now nowhere to be seen.
The construction industry won't be offering much training for the next few years ....Maybe the military ..But it seems a high risk strategy with the present situation.
I like the idea of a college credit ...some people might not be ready at 18 ,but value the chance to learn at a later date.

Johnny_Doe

I'm glad I did a degree as it meant being OUT OF THE WORKPLACE for another 3 years Lets face it, most jobs don't require a degree - I now work in IT and a 16yr old school leaver could pick it up in no time...

treliac

fc123 wrote: »

They prefer people to scrabble around earning enough to get by, just enough energy to bring up the next generation, but no spare time/zest to protest and get up and change things.
A whole generation is now strangled with debt...much incurred just from buying somewhere to live.

Whilst earning enough to get by, they don't have the time or energy to change things.

Ain't that the truth fc!! And we think ourselves free people in a free country?

wisbech_lad

I was lucky - graduated in middle of last recession with engineering degree from the oldest university in the UK. Got traditional "milk round" job, packed it in after three months as the reality of engineering in the UK hit. Decided that if couldn't beat them, join them, so became evil management consultant for couple of years, then emigrated.

But met up with some old friends recently. Interesting, we are all "conservative" people - looking to "maxmin" all the time (that is, work hard to make sure that the worst outcome isn't so bad, rather than working to make the best outcome better) Agreed that it was because the first few formative years of our working lives were in a tough environment, where survival, not growth, was the priority. E.g. one of my assignments was in a retail bank, who were overwhelmed with people just sending back keys on their flats, rather than being able to keep up with the mortgage on a negative equity loan

wigglebeena

Fella wrote: »

I never have (& never will) understood the scramble to get everyone into University & the disdain with which trades are treated.

Trades: the people who get stuff done.

University-educated: the people who shuffle bits of paper once the stuff is done by the tradesmen..

wigglebeena

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've always wished this country had the setup that America has: where you can work full-time then go to nightschool to get your degree.

That'd have been cheaper/better all round for most people - and - evening classes would have been worthwhile instead of like they are now: just basic literacy, flower arranging or yoga.

I wish my local further education colleges offered flower arranging, or indeed any subject, vocational or otherwise, that doesn't attract guaranteed governmental funding. The list of courses from them used to be a mile long, packed with potentially life-enhancing stuff. Now it amounts to ECDL and adult numeracy and literacy.

I exaggerate. A little bit.