Over-55s have a financial 'annus horribilis'

ash28

RenovationMan wrote: »

Out of interest, does anyone know any baby boomers who have University Degrees?

I always thought Uni was more elitist in those days, and certainly there were less Univeristies to choose from. It seems the people who benefitted weren't the working classes that seem to be geting the stick on here, but the toffs who went to Grammar schools. I'm happy to be corrected though.

In the 1960s about 4% of people went to university (the number of students were limited by the number of university places as much as anything)- there was a recommendation to increase the number of places and by the mid 1970s it was 14%, successive governments have expanded student numbers, in the 1980s the Conservatives put in place a plan to double the number of university places over the course of 25 years and Labour continued the expansion.and by the early 2000s it was 45% - I don't know what the figure is now...

I left school in the early 1970s and no one I knew went to university - it was the same for OH. I do know a number of people who went to university in the 1970s - not many though.

Most of us gained qualifications through day release or evening classes and in house training through employers and many of us did quite well using that route.

When I left schoool there weren't the places to allow huge numbers of people to attend - was that a bad thing? Probably not.

BTW I went to a grammar school - so did OH - every child sat the 11plus then. We weren't toffs or rich - we both came from poor working class backgrounds - but still university wasn't an option for either of us in 1973. Maybe if I had been a high flyer at school - but I wasn't - I was middling - you know the sort, "could do better"........."has an enthusiastic approach to writing but must realise humour is not appreciated at GCE level"......

Badger_Lady

RenovationMan wrote: »

the toffs who went to Grammar schools.

:rotfl: My Dad was called a 'pleb' for going to the Grammar school instead of the private one in town. He dropped out with O levels and did very well for himself.

I went to Grammar school in the 90's (it was a lot harder though, because of all the closures) and also dropped out with GCSEs and did very well for myself.

Failing to see the 'generational divide', I'm afraid...

ukcarper

People like ruggedtoast concentrate on house prices and to be honest my house is probably worth about £30k or £40k more than it would be if it had just kept up with wage inflation but it’s not much use to me as I live it the house.

I think the big disadvantage the young have is the lack of opportunities available to them especially if they haven’t got a degree. As has been said back in the 60s it was a lot easier to find a job with good opportunities with an employer who was willing to train you.

RenovationMan

Badger_Lady wrote: »

:rotfl: My Dad was called a 'pleb' for going to the Grammar school instead of the private one in town. He dropped out with O levels and did very well for himself.

I went to Grammar school in the 90's (it was a lot harder though, because of all the closures) and also dropped out with GCSEs and did very well for myself.

Failing to see the 'generational divide', I'm afraid...

I should really have put toffs in quotes ("toffs") because I meant it tongue in cheek.

I just thought I'd raise this as the whole "free university for boomers" things keeps getting trotted out and it's just not the case.

2010

ruggedtoast wrote: »

What codswallop, what poppyc0ck, what blathering boomer balderdash.

You bought a house? Yes you did, an activity which you've thoroughly pulled the ladder up on for the younger generations.

No uni debt? No not really, you need a degree to get a temp job filing in this brave new world.

Forty four years paying for a pension? We're all paying for flipping pensions, the only difference is that after paying for yours there probably won't be one after that.

Oh yes, I know you were born in a tin bath and had rocks to eat. Thats the thing about boomers claiming poverty isnt it; it was like the French Resistance the day after VE day, the entire population of France claimed to have been a member.

Because no one at all is born into poverty now!

Dry your eyes, remove the chip off your shoulder and go and do something about your predicament.
You won`t help yourself by wallowing in self pity and posting a load of nonsense on these boards.

All the big supermarkets are constantly looking for employees but the trouble with your type, you want to start at the top.
It doesn`t work that way I`m afraid.
The sooner you grit your teeth and get on with it the sooner the taxpayer might get some of the money back that`s been spent (wasted) on you.

Itismehonest

I passed my 11+ but didn't go on to University as it would have been a waste of time for my chosen path
My family was by no means well off but my father had to pay for my 'university' training.
Back then if you wanted to specialise in anything like the performing arts there were only grants for those due to become a teacher. I wasn't.

I think the main difference between then & now is that most youngsters don't seem to know what they want to do for a living.
They have their obligatory gap year (where did that idea come from?) & often end up with degrees which have no relevance to their future employment.
Nowadays you can even go to university to get degrees in things like surfing! :eek:

We are churning out kids with bits of paper but without the abilities necessary to fill the vacancies.

Davesnave

RenovationMan wrote: »

I should really have put toffs in quotes ("toffs") because I meant it tongue in cheek.

I just thought I'd raise this as the whole "free university for boomers" things keeps getting trotted out and it's just not the case.

Passing the 11+ had huge significance in the 60s, so rude comments from some of those who failed were the least those who passed had to worry about.

I was physically attacked on a number of occasions, though I couldn't understand why I'd suddenly become a 'snob,' which was the local term of abuse. After all, the grammar school environment was poor compared with the local sec mod and the lessons were dead boring. All in all, it was a frightening place for an 11 year old and teaching was dire by today's standards, but from Day 1 we were told how privileged we were. The message was, "Put up and shut up, because if you don't like it here, there's a place down the road that takes anyone!"

It was only later we came to appreciate what all the fuss was about. Even then, some felt they were square pegs in round holes and couldn't wait to leave at 16. I thought I could bear it until 18, and indeed, sixth form was different, but I was given no inkling that uni would be so much better, or I might have tried harder. Basically, I was told, "Higher education's not for you," and I accepted that.

I dare say others' experiences were different, which is why I think it's daft to generalise about the ease with which people did things in 'the old days.'

Batchy

Lets talk generally, no matter on the economy. We all have different personalities, what defines our personalities is our genes and our upbringing.

From 11 onwards your personality is pretty much set, with minor tweaking going forward.

I think the 11 plus, was great for kids who wanted the best, or parents wanted the best for them. But, for others in the 80s 90s, there were oportunities.

Its a personality that makes the most of life, not a clever !!!!!!, or a well educated !!!!!!. Take note all... university or not, money or not, knowledge or not, if you want it bad enough and have enough drive, you will make it happen.

seven-day-weekend

RenovationMan wrote: »

Out of interest, does anyone know any baby boomers who have University Degrees?

I always thought Uni was more elitist in those days, and certainly there were less Univeristies to choose from. It seems the people who benefitted weren't the working classes that seem to be geting the stick on here, but the toffs who went to Grammar schools. I'm happy to be corrected though.

I have a degree and so does my husband but we both went to Uni as mature students in our 30s.

2010

Batchy wrote: »

Take note all... university or not, money or not, knowledge or not, if you want it bad enough and have enough drive, you will make it happen.

I agree, of course you can but some people today (ruggedtoast for instance) don`t want to make it happen but want others to make it happen for them.

Instead of doing it, they look green with envy at those who have, in their own small way, made it happen.
They seem to think someone came along and said "here`s a house", "here`s a job", "here`s a new car".
They don`t think people have worked for what bits they have.
They only whinge "it was easy to do it then".
Today`s generation have never had more and never had it easier but they just can`t see it.
They think the world owes them something for nothing and everything should be handed to them on a plate NOW.