should you still get a degree if you want to be

searcher30

a stewardess ? a model? we think it may be a waste of time (our friend is from the czech republic and she says in her country they study until they are 26) but we think that unless you are considering being a doctor or lawyer this coudl be a waste of too many years. maybe a year or 3 years max or a vocational course would be best. however we may not know what we are talking about so any ideas appreciated. i would have preferred myself now to have done a vocational course rather than stay 5 years at uni when i could have been earning and learning skills in the meantime but that is just one way of seeing things of course. any opinions appreciated.

SamMoffatt28

searcher30 wrote:

a stewardess ? a model? we think it may be a waste of time (our friend is from the czech republic and she says in her country they study until they are 26) but we think that unless you are considering being a doctor or lawyer this coudl be a waste of too many years. maybe a year or 3 years max or a vocational course would be best. however we may not know what we are talking about so any ideas appreciated. i would have preferred myself now to have done a vocational course rather than stay 5 years at uni when i could have been earning and learning skills in the meantime but that is just one way of seeing things of course. any opinions appreciated.

In all honesty, the career life of a model is very short (not so sure about stewardess) and you should always have another option in case things dont go well (its a very competitive business and not every model 'makes it') Personally I would get the degree or whatever so that you have something else to fall back on. A degree usually indicates to employers that you are more employable than someone who doesnt have one.

grade15

soon, i think you can buy a degree...with the level of standards and costs that are effecting our univs..

Savvy_Sue

I don't think a degree would ever be 'wasted'. But if modelling or air stewardessing is what someone's set their heart on, no reason not to do that first and the degree later!

talksalot81

Well let us face it.... anyone studying film and television studies has just gained a degree which will be wasted! Doing a cop out degree which shows absolutely no direction or devotion is going to be a waste too.

gems_4

That is such a bad attitude. I can't believe people still think that. If you have that attitude surely most degrees are a cop out?

I did English and Film and Media Studies, in the media side of the degree you could make films, radio programmes, I did an advertising unit, all of which I enjoyed and learnt new skills. Also, if you are wanting a career in the media you can see what parts you enjoy and are good at.

A degree is a degree, it seems to make little difference what subject it is in (well at least to employers anyway) so why not do a degree you will enjoy?

And if you want to talk about cop out degrees what about those in surfing and golfing?

Voyager2002

The smart strategy would be to become a model as soon as possible; make lots of money and save it; and then, when the first wrinkles come and indicate that the modelling career is in decline, use the saved funds to do a degree.

Oh: a friend of mine was a dancer, then a stewardess for a major middle-eastern airline. Then she grew up and did her first degree at about the age of 30.

freebie_junkie

talksalot81 wrote:

Well let us face it.... anyone studying film and television studies has just gained a degree which will be wasted! Doing a cop out degree which shows absolutely no direction or devotion is going to be a waste too.

someone said that my creative writing and ssr degree im doing is a waste of time, i cant see that when next year it means i can do the adult literacy pgce and earn my living how i want to and help people at the same time? the creative part of my degree is enjoyable but still very hard (ask any writer whats teh hardest thing to do and theyll say writing!) and the theory side is extremely challenging and requires a huge amount of studying, i belive that this is teh same with subjects like media etc.

freebie_junkie

and on teh subject of many careers in one lifetime: my mum started off working in a shop coz she left school with no qualifications, then she was a carer in an old peoples hoem when i was a baby, then she did teh books for my dads building business, then she did her maths and english gcse's at night school, then she did a teaching degree, then she did a masters degree in counselling and became an older adults counsellor, then she did a fine arts degree which shes just finished with a first and now she does my dads books for his new storytellign business and shes applied for a bursary to do a piece of art next year- and shes still only young! so i guess maybe where you start out doesnt matter too much!

talksalot81

gems wrote:

That is such a bad attitude. I can't believe people still think that. If you have that attitude surely most degrees are a cop out?

I did English and Film and Media Studies, in the media side of the degree you could make films, radio programmes, I did an advertising unit, all of which I enjoyed and learnt new skills. Also, if you are wanting a career in the media you can see what parts you enjoy and are good at.

A degree is a degree, it seems to make little difference what subject it is in (well at least to employers anyway) so why not do a degree you will enjoy?

And if you want to talk about cop out degrees what about those in surfing and golfing?

For a few, these degrees are worthwhile. But the 'cop out' degrees are some of the most popular and there simply is not enough related employment at the end.

A degree is not simply a degree as you propose. If one has a degree in biochemistry, it will be considered rather differently to a degree in (something like) television studies. The reason being that (im sorry but it isnt far from true) anyone can do television studies and get through, but that is simply not the case with biochemistry or the likes.

Doing a degree should not be just something you must do. You should not come to the conclusion 'if i must do it, i might as well do something I enjoy'. This is one of the serious problems with our current system. University degrees do not suit a great many people. In former times these people would have done the likes of apprenticeships where they then learn other valuable skills. But now it is television studies which, in fact, one could have learnt by getting a job in that area and not having had a degree at all...

I am sorry but I strongly believe university should be for the academically inclined and should be there for the purpose of teaching academic subjects.

Murtle

No degree is easy, personally I'd rather do biochemistry then media studies as I don't have a huge amount of creativity that would be required, however I can learn from books. What is easy for one isn't easy for another. Many people do not work in the industry for which their degree relates, this applies as much to those studying academic courses as for those doing other courses. It's not students faults that the government decided to remove polytechnics.However, a Uni degree is useful for employers as it shows commitment, ability etc but is not the be all and end all required. If your friend wants to be an air stewardess a language degree would be a good idea or to do the degree later in life.Good luck though!