MSE News: Number of unemployed graduates rises

The_One_Who

Taken from the above:

Level 1 provides a structure for learning the major principles of animation. You will explore a range of techniques developing how to create puppets, armatures and sets for physical animation. Core visual skills such as sculpture, life drawing and materials development are integral to your practice and development.

Level 2 involves the development of Stop Motion Characters in greater depth. This includes advanced replacement puppet parts to enhance audio dialogue and body gesture, introduction to professional level blue screen composite and effects for live action integration and advanced lighting and camera work for greater shot composition. There are also options to study CGI or experimental animation as well as fine metal fabrication.

In Level 3 you will be expected to produce a series of short films which display excellent performance based animation.

I know for a fact I wouldn't be able to do any of that. Different strokes for different folks and all that. I agree that a lot of things could be learned on the job rather than through a degree course, but that is the world we live in now. For a lot of students doing artsy courses, university is as much a time for networking and building experience than it is about the actual learning.

grizzly1911

The_One_Who wrote: »

For a lot of students doing artsy courses, university is as much a time for networking and building experience than it is about the actual learning.

Fair comments - difficult to complain about limited employment or analyse those results if these don't transfer to widely acceptable employment skills.

I suppose if you wind the clocks back "mummy & daddy" funded these more "nice to do" type subjects to park their off spring. Perhaps what state assistance their is should be more focused or employers should fund them if this level of knowledge is really required.

IMO degrees are too widespread and for some this devalues their worth.

The_One_Who

But then to say that the state will fund some but not others is raising questions of what is worthwhile? PPE (a very common degree among politicians) is not exactly vocational, neither is English literature or history (two of the most over subscribed courses in the country), and straight biology or physics courses don't really have associated jobs. It also suggests that people stick to their original interest, for example, there are a lot of law graduates who never qualify as lawyers.

grizzly1911

The_One_Who wrote: »

But then to say that the state will fund some but not others is raising questions of what is worthwhile? PPE (a very common degree among politicians) is not exactly vocational, neither is English literature or history (two of the most over subscribed courses in the country), and straight biology or physics courses don't really have associated jobs. It also suggests that people stick to their original interest, for example, there are a lot of law graduates who never qualify as lawyers.

I guess if those subjects are over subscribed and if their is lots of surplus graduates in those fields who can't find "meaningful" employment then perhaps funding should be restricted.

If we need technical jobs to help lift us out our hole and into the 21st Century then that should be where our limited resources should be focused. Accept the pure biology/physics argument but they are more likely to build into forward looking progressive functions if followed through.

Do I have to rise to the PPE question, favoured by politicians, doesn't lead to a real job...... Economics does have real value if used correctly. Philosophy perhaps should be considered when you have had chance to live a little and experience life.

Elder statesman were that for one reason.

The_One_Who

What about all the jobs/graduate schemes that don't actually have a specific degree requirement, just a degree is enough. A lot of these are management-type roles, but there are others. What is meaningful employment? That it uses your degree knowledge? That it earns over the payment threshold? That the person enjoys their job?

Not enough students want to do the engineering and the science courses. Trying to force people into these is hardly going to work. There needs to be a complete turn-around on the teaching of sciences and maths within schools in order to try to engage students.

The_One_Who

radiography wrote: »

Science and engineering courses are unpopular, therefore their graduates are afforded lucrative careers in related fields. This directly causes the problem that there aren't enough good science teachers in schools - because the pay is too low and other jobs are vastly preferential - and perpetuates that cycle.

My Biology teacher was primarily a PE teacher who had "Biology" as her second subject because of what she knew about exercise. My Chemistry teacher was 2 years off retirement and they couldn't recruit any younger ones, so the replacement was a Physicist who learnt the Chem curriculum. My Physics teacher told us that he failed to get a job as an engineer.

This is part of the problem. But it's also that science classes are simply boring for most school pupils. If you aren't interested in something at school, you aren't going to want to do it at university, no matter how good the job prospects may be.

The_One_Who

radiography wrote: »

I agree, but I think that's to do with the quality of science teachers available. I think you have to know a lot about your chosen subject in order to have the confidence to deviate from teaching the curriculum "as is" and develop interesting ways of getting the material across.

Of course. But to try to force people into doing these courses through the restriction of funding for other less "worthwhile" (whatever that means) courses, isn't going to improve that. Good teachers love and often live their subject, and they manage to project that to any class.

grizzly1911

The_One_Who wrote: »

This is part of the problem. But it's also that science classes are simply boring for most school pupils. If you aren't interested in something at school, you aren't going to want to do it at university, no matter how good the job prospects may be.

I think there is also a stigma to engineering seen as being dirty and relatively lowly paid. As we have slipped been from being a manufacturing country there are less and less opportunities for role models on which to sell the sciences.

Sad really as the "parasites" have to have something to feed on.

As for the number of jobs using "graduates" as a filter, is just part of the cycle. I am sure that for many of the roles they could be accomplished by many non "graduates". It is just a buying up of many jobs and probably shows what a large pool of grads there are swilling about.

montymud

Hi Folks, I just read the article and popped over to view the discussion. I have a 2.1 in Social Sicence BSc Honours and so far have been unable to gain employment. All of my friends say I'm 'Brighter then the average Bear' (lol) however, even though my cv is good I am still getting nowhere! I would love to work in HR or Research but at the moment I am working 10 hours a week in a Club! My absolute dream would be to do an MSc in Computer Security but the cost and failure to get any sort of financial support is seriously scuppering my efforts! I seriously regret my degree. I wish I had chosen something that led to a professional qualification. There may be some hope yet. I applied for 15 jobs yesterday and another 6 today so finger crossed something will come up!

wantsajob

It's a competitive market out there. Even if you have a first you still have to have that "edge" against other candidates for the position. I feel I am doomed to minimum wage jobs/long spells of unemployment - because I have Asperger's and this makes it difficult to shine in interviews. Everyone seems to have the attitude that the types of discrimination I repeatedly experience is perfectly acceptable - because the employer has a right to choose the person they feel is best for the job. When I have a disability, that clearly would never be me.

http://careers.guardian.co.uk/graduate-view-job-seeking-with-asperger-syndrome
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/mar/16/aspergers-syndrome-employment-problems