Radio 4 programme on whether degrees are Worth It

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00t6y65 (available for one more day)

Follows several graduates in the year after they graduate, as they try and find a job. Groups from Leeds and Leeds Met. What did they get up to? What jobs did they get? Did they think their degrees were worth it?

Some harrowing discussion.

Reply 1

L i b

Despite how the programme ends, I know of a lot of people who are despairing. Unemployment is the easiest way to kill enthusiasm for anything. In fact, I'd say unemployment, debt, poverty and the isolation that all brings is possibly the quickest way to depression - particularly when you're young and the best years of your life seem to be flying off.

You can sell yourself constantly, but actually gaining a job is something of a lottery. That lack of control over your life is awful: I'm sure the ones who succeed early move on quickly, but for the ones who have to wait and receive countless rejection letters, the situation can be quite dire.

Even the idea of people working for free, which is raised, is really quite tragic: I'm sure the old fashioned Labour movement never dreamed of people in debt feeling obliged to work often full-time jobs for no pay whatsoever in the distant hope of catching an employer's eye. This culture of volunteering and interning then, of course, deprives people of actual jobs, usually administrative positions.

It's ****. I suppose the best thing graduates can do is keep motivated, find a way to sell themselves and bugger everyone else.

Reply 2

halfoflessthan50p

I've not had time to listen to it yet but I do love radio 4 so I'll assume that I agree with whatever conclusion they come to.

From my point of view: my recent year of funemployment has been one of the best years of my life so far and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Reply 3

im so academic

halfoflessthan50p

Why do you say that?

It's interesting, most people assumes that being unemployed is probably one of the worst experiences a young person could have in their early life really.

Reply 4

Leon Trotsky

im so academic

Why do you say that?

It's interesting, most people assumes that being unemployed is probably one of the worst experiences a young person could have in their early life really.

I'm sure if you ever found yourself unemployed after doing the degree at Oxbridge that you're so obvious destined for, that you'd immediately go into an irreversible coma. Maybe you're in one now and the only way you can communicate is through trolling forums?

Reply 5

Jez RR

I had a girlfriend once who went to Oxford. English degree. She got a good degree (can't remember what exactly) but then found she just couldn't get a job. 18 months she was out of work, and go so depressed at getting rejected all the time she lost all confidence.

Of course, this coincided with the recession in the early 90s, and there were a lot of people in the same boat. I think in her case what was so demoralising was having got such good grades, got into Oxford, and having a kind of assumption that somehow by doing so she would just walk into a job. Big reality check coming up for some people.

Reply 6

Tefhel

I think my degree will be worth it whether or not I instantly get a job after it (more likely not) - and I haven't even begun it yet.

If you mope through your degree just thinking "Oh it'll be worth it when I get a job, I'm just doing it for a job" then of course you're going to be completely devastated when you find no one will employ you. If you've enjoyed your degree and learned some useful skills (I'm thinking something like a language that you can use right away) but also got a really good education from it - then you can look on the bright side and see that your degree was worth it - for the education aspect alone.

That's why I don't really understand these career focused degrees like "Business Management" - you don't learn anything of any academic merit, so if you can't get a job it was a bit of a waste of time.

Reply 7

Psyk

im so academic

Why do you say that?

It's interesting, most people assumes that being unemployed is probably one of the worst experiences a young person could have in their early life really.

Well I think it would be a bit silly for someone to make that assumption. It depends on your circumstances. A lot of people who have just come out of uni will have the option to have a nice cushy life with their parents while they look for work. They won't have many financial responsibilities yet, they're not at risk of losing their home, in some ways it's not a big deal for a person of that age to be unemployed for a year or so. Of course some people won't be in that situation, but I think most recent graduates are.

Reply 8

L i b

Psyk

Before I decided to go postgrading, I was looking for employment a number of months with the intention of deferring for a year and working. Now, I was indeed living at home: a comfortable home with parents who don't interfere too much, and some friends still smattered around locally. But even so, it was utterly awful, and an experience I really would try my utmost to avoid. I had nothing to do, and the swathes of rejection letters were utterly demoralising. Although you may not be going hungry, or living in squalor, it is still enough to drive you half-mad.

Reply 9

m.grump

L i b

I totally agree, and have been in the same situation. A lack of direction and an ability to change things for yourself is very demoralizing. For people who want to get on with their lives, unemployment can be very depressing.

Reply 10

Psyk

L i b

I can appreciate it's probably still not a very nice thing, but my point is that recent graduates who are unemployed are normally a hell of a lot better off than people who became unemployed after years of work. A different person with different motivations in your situation might have revelled in the fact that they weren't tied down with a job.