How can people be so greedy?

scorpio_princess

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Some firms already do this if the student is doing the degree they want.

My sons friend had his maths degree paid for, but during the holidays, he had to work for them and at the end of his degree he is tied into that firm for x years. This did mean that he had a job when he finished uni though.

Other firms allow their staff to take their degrees while they work for them. They pay for the the degree and give a day off per week for study. My friend did her Chemistry degree while working for BP. Another friend did her degree while working for British Aerospace. Two others friends children, are doing their degrees while working for accounting firms. It is much harder and more time consuming this way, but they get a degree and no debt, plus years of work experience and a job at the end of it. I did my degree while working.

Even the government offers to pay for some degrees, if the student then teaches in those subjects for x years.

I think you make a very good point here.

I'm an OU student and while my employer isn't sponsoring me (as i'm doing this with the aim of getting into teaching which is unrelated to what I do now), I know many OU degrees are paid for by employers. Yes it is flippin' hard work at times, but I will graduate with no debt and with a bit of luck and determination, i'll reach my goal. I'm surprised more people aren't choosing to study part-time while working - ok, you might have to do something you're not necessarily that interested in for a few years, and studying might be the last thing you want to do after a long day at work, but I think it's a good way to go (but then i'm biased!).

Addy1

I totally agree with regards sponsorship, it would help greatly.

Unfortunately the NHS provides no such sponsorship (even though we have to work for them anyway) and the military turned me down cos I have dodgy lungs

If I was in a position to be sponsored though I would jump at the chance. The military do it with a lot of different degrees.

Pez2

Phirefly wrote: »

I knew you were going to say that. I am a person of this country, hence it was directed at me. And everyone else. I abhor generalisations.

We just have a fundamental difference of opinion on how best to improve the state of the nation. But at least we're both knowledgable, keen to see improvement and prepared to engage in debate as to how best to acheive this. Lets agree to disagree.

Fair enough, but I'm not sure what it is we actually disagree on...

Phirefly

GavP wrote: »

Fair enough, but I'm not sure what it is we actually disagree on...

LOL I'm starting to wonder too!

I think its mostly whether one should strive to improve things for oneself to improve society vs. one striving to improving society in order to improve things for oneself

or something.

Badger_Lady

scorpio_princess wrote: »

Yes it is flippin' hard work at times, but I will graduate with no debt and with a bit of luck and determination, i'll reach my goal. I'm surprised more people aren't choosing to study part-time while working - ok, you might have to do something you're not necessarily that interested in for a few years, and studying might be the last thing you want to do after a long day at work, but I think it's a good way to go (but then i'm biased!).

This is definitely a good option - well done you! I did look at an OU course but was really put off by the fact that there was so much more coursework required. I love to learn, but I learn quickly... and the minute I'm forced to do coursework that isn't helping me learn anything new, I get bored. I admire people who have more stamina than me.

I did my Higher Diploma in Marketing alongside work - it was supposed to be a 2-3 year course with 8 hours per week study (sponsored by the employer). But it was 100% exam based - I did it in 6 months, and only took that long because the exams were every 6 months .

If they'd actually demanded 8 hours' worth of work from me every week, I doubt I would have stuck it out.

That sounds really lazy, but I think people just have different styles - I will achieve the standard, I just don't see the point in producing a load of paperwork that won't make any difference to the end result!

So I repeat - well done you, I genuinely admire anyone who can achieve via OU :T

Running_Horse

scorpio_princess wrote: »

I'm surprised more people aren't choosing to study part-time while working - ok, you might have to do something you're not necessarily that interested in for a few years, and studying might be the last thing you want to do after a long day at work, but I think it's a good way to go (but then i'm biased!).

I did that. It doesn't have to be OU as your local uni probably has part time courses. It is also noticeable that the mature part timers with jobs study twice as hard as the full time youngsters.

Addy1

Some courses cannot be done part time though! Also, bit of a generalisation that us "youngsters" work half as hard as you mature part timers.

Running_Horse

Addy1 wrote: »

Some courses cannot be done part time though! Also, bit of a generalisation that us "youngsters" work half as hard as you mature part timers.

A bit of a generalisation maybe, but every lecturer, professor, and admin person said the same thing. I lost count of the number of full time students who had not even read the relevant material, or didn't turn up for lectures and seminars.

Addy1

Well in that case the uni is at fault for letting such poor quality students in, and letting them stay in.

On my course there was a 50% resit rate in the first 2 years, with 10% failing the resit each year and leaving the course. Now when we arrive in our 6th and final year, barely anyone fails, not because it is easier, but because the wasters have been thrown out.

If you don't do the work, you shouldn't pass, end of story.

laughing_cow

carolt wrote: »

laughing cow, agreed, as I said above, not everyone who goes to university takes full advantage of the experience. Obviously, not everyone has the perfect university experience; some waste the opportunity given to them, because they chose the wrong course/university for them, were too immature etc etc But they can always return to education at a later age.

That does not mean it's not an experience well worth having. I've worked with plenty of incompetent people of every level of education - education or lack of does not guarantee competence.

But my point was not that better educated workers were better workers; they might be (I believe international data would suggest they are) but then again they might not be.

You've kind of missed the point of what I was trying to say. Not that education would benefit their companies, or the wider economy (though arguably these may be true) but that education could benefit THEM.

Not their earning power, or the size of their house, or even their competence at work (though these could all be true); but contribute to the quality of their life, an education in its broadest sense.

Apologies carol. I did realise what you were saying but I didn't really acknowledge that point properly in my reply. I agree that education can do that which is why I mentioned my 6th form - for me that was a place which challenged me and taught me to think, rather than university. The extra curricular activities (political, social, sports etc) were also excellent at my 6th form and benefitted me enormously - although I'm sure my mum thought at the time that I was wasting energy better spent studying!

Your point about returning to education is a good one. The accepted model is that we should go to uni in our late teens/early 20s (I remember the sheer panic around A Level results that we might not get in to college and be 'left behind'). However, this doesn't suit everyone and some people might be better pursuing education later in life. It's something I have considered and I would enjoy studying a subject purely for the interest in it rather than for it's specific career value. I suppose the major benefit of going to uni when you're young is having the time - once you've started work full time and progressed a bit, there's never enough hours in the day!