This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- Applied Biomedical Science AMA
- Can't get a job
- Retail jobs where you don't have to work at the till.
- What on earth should I do after 2 resits?
- work experience in a pharmacy
- How do I get into consulting?
- Work experience at Pets at home
- True or false - non-STEM degrees are a waste of time?
- Dreading next shift
- front end vs backend developer
- Start Studying for the degree with age
- Advertising Undergrad Degrees
- is Dassault Systems a good place to work?
- Is open university worth it?
- Graduated with a high first (89%) in mechanical engineering and can't find any job
- using tollens reagent on an alcohol
- Is SOAS the Right Choice for Comparative Literature MA? Insights Wanted!
- really struggling to motivate myself to revise
- Cambridge Masters - Land Economy
- What to study?
I've got a degree, I shouldn't be stacking shelves
Scroll to see replies
Original post by c_al
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/23686814
This kind of thing annoys me personally, as some people seem to think getting a degree should automatically give them an amazing job and they will therefore reject any job that they do not deem worthy of themselves.
I also find it hilariously ironic that one of the people in the article has just completed a degree in photography and yet is moaning about wasted talent.
This kind of thing annoys me personally, as some people seem to think getting a degree should automatically give them an amazing job and they will therefore reject any job that they do not deem worthy of themselves.
I also find it hilariously ironic that one of the people in the article has just completed a degree in photography and yet is moaning about wasted talent.
People with duff degrees shouldn't be surprised when they have difficulties getting good jobs. At the same time, people with good degrees shouldn't be expected to settle for long-term underemployment. If 'stacking shelves' isn't merely a step to a more demanding job then something is seriously wrong.
Original post by Unkempt_One
People with duff degrees shouldn't be surprised when they have difficulties getting good jobs. At the same time, people with good degrees shouldn't be expected to settle for long-term underemployment. If 'stacking shelves' isn't merely a step to a more demanding job then something is seriously wrong.
The thing that is seriously wrong is the number of people that currently have degrees. Unfortunately that isn't going to change any time soon, given that people keep them for life.
This people is why people leave university unemployed.
Had that person had at the very least a part time job at university (a sandwich course would have been better) then they could at least have produced a solid reference indicating that they are hard working and have initiative. Instead we have another person who think that the world owes them everything. Perhaps they may not have found a job but at least they could say they did everyhting they could while at university to further their employment goal.
It's very saddening that such people exist and what's worse is that there are several on TSR.
Had that person had at the very least a part time job at university (a sandwich course would have been better) then they could at least have produced a solid reference indicating that they are hard working and have initiative. Instead we have another person who think that the world owes them everything. Perhaps they may not have found a job but at least they could say they did everyhting they could while at university to further their employment goal.
It's very saddening that such people exist and what's worse is that there are several on TSR.
Original post by c_al
The thing that is seriously wrong is the number of people that currently have degrees. Unfortunately that isn't going to change any time soon, given that people keep them for life.
That was kicked off with Labours 'Education, Education, Education.' Hopefully the coalitions push to get vocational training more focused may help, but you can bet that the Universities will be fighting that one all of the way. Nobody likes to expand and then contract.
Original post by MatureStudent36
That was kicked off with Labours 'Education, Education, Education.' Hopefully the coalitions push to get vocational training more focused may help, but you can bet that the Universities will be fighting that one all of the way. Nobody likes to expand and then contract.
Not likely. Even if domestic applications fall in favour of vocational education then universities are still able to attract international applicants, the non-EU applicants that can pay them a small fortune.
Original post by Rakas21
Not likely. Even if domestic applications fall in favour of vocational education then universities are still able to attract international applicants, the non-EU applicants that can pay them a small fortune.
Which explains why I feel like a foreigner in my own University. However on a more positive point, they do fill the Universities and Governments coffers. Did you know that education is one of the UKs greatest export success stories? With the added bonus that they go back home and say that 'although it rains a lot it's very nice and so are the people.'
Original post by MatureStudent36
Which explains why I feel like a foreigner in my own University. However on a more positive point, they do fill the Universities and Governments coffers. Did you know that education is one of the UKs greatest export success stories? With the added bonus that they go back home and say that 'although it rains a lot it's very nice and so are the people.'
Oh yes it's great. Something like the top 15 world universities are British or American.
It's also worth noting that they are a lot less snobbish about university rankings so the benefits are across the board.
It's all done to appease the Russel Group though (rightly), they'd go private if the government ever cut off such a lucrative funding supply.
Original post by Ash5678
That makes me want to vomit; taxpayers giving him a sum every week because he's a lazy prat.
They're forced to pay it.
As much as we want to rant about supposedly lazy or snobbish graduates, there is something quite wrong when well-qualified people are doing extremely menial labour. From even a strictly economic view, it's madness to pay huge sums towards a young person's education to have it wasted. There are genuine fears that we will have a lost generation of graduates, who never get into a job remotely linked to their skills. That isn't healthy.
Jobcentres are fairly terrible too. They have - for better or worse - very little knowledge of how to deal with graduates or any real programmes that I know of to help them with their first steps into the workplace. Pastoral care and careers advice in universities is incredibly variable from institution to institution. Personally, I think universities really ought to have more networking events, mentoring opportunities, links with internships and so on.
Jobcentres are fairly terrible too. They have - for better or worse - very little knowledge of how to deal with graduates or any real programmes that I know of to help them with their first steps into the workplace. Pastoral care and careers advice in universities is incredibly variable from institution to institution. Personally, I think universities really ought to have more networking events, mentoring opportunities, links with internships and so on.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by ChocoCoatedLemons
This attitude annoys me when it's a less academically demanding degree, but I understand if it the person in question has done one of the more "traditional" degrees. We were all told as children that if we worked hard and went to uni, we'd have a good job earning lots of money. Then you get out of uni, which you paid an extortionate amount for, and find there's no jobs and everyone expects you to be fine with wasting three years of your life.
Why do you make exceptions just because it's 'less academically demanding degree' when they were told the same things as a child?
Original post by Hopple
Yeah, for the degrees which are meant to lead to a job rather than one done for personal interest, I have a lot more sympathy. You listen to your parents, teachers, government and so on to go and spend 2 years doing A Levels, 3 years and (for these people) £9000 doing a degree, yet are sent back to do stuff you could have at 16?
Getting a job isn't just education and having a degree, a lot depends on the individual, their talent, motivation, experience and attitude. I don't think having a degree makes that student better than someone who left after their GCSEs at 16 to get a job (at least they don't have debt
).Original post by Ripper-Roo
Getting a job isn't just education and having a degree, a lot depends on the individual, their talent, motivation, experience and attitude. I don't think having a degree makes that student better than someone who left after their GCSEs at 16 to get a job (at least they don't have debt ).
).My point was, they could have done shelf stacking (in this example) at 16, but were talked into spending 5 years of their life and £9k by people who they trusted, so of course if they end up 5 years (or more) behind their peers they're going to be miffed. It doesn't mean they think they're superior to those who started working at 16, but they do want their 5 years to count for something.
Original post by scrotgrot
Degrees are all a bunch of made-up twaddle. You learn no actual skills other than how to bull**** - which of course sets you up perfectly for a management position in a faceless corporation.
I agreed with you until you said 'management position in a faceless corporation'
A cosy government job would've been better.Original post by Hopple
My point was, they could have done shelf stacking (in this example) at 16, but were talked into spending 5 years of their life and £9k by people who they trusted, so of course if they end up 5 years (or more) behind their peers they're going to be miffed. It doesn't mean they think they're superior to those who started working at 16, but they do want their 5 years to count for something.
They didn't have to do those 5 years. A huge problem with the education system is that everything is so rushed. A person between the ages of 16-21 is going to change their opinions and aspirations A LOT and you're told it's good to have a degree, if that degree is in anything, and most of the time your feelings are pushed aside just so long the school gets their results. I think people born in other generations had the benefit that they could work their way up, there isn't the widespread option to do that anymore.
Nobody has a human right to be employed in a job to their level of satisfaction or ability. We need to stop acting as victims and do things for ourselves for once. We are entitled to nothing but decency and support during hard times, it doesn't matter what our academic qualifications are.
Original post by c_al
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/23686814
This kind of thing annoys me personally, as some people seem to think getting a degree should automatically give them an amazing job and they will therefore reject any job that they do not deem worthy of themselves.
I also find it hilariously ironic that one of the people in the article has just completed a degree in photography and yet is moaning about wasted talent.
This kind of thing annoys me personally, as some people seem to think getting a degree should automatically give them an amazing job and they will therefore reject any job that they do not deem worthy of themselves.
I also find it hilariously ironic that one of the people in the article has just completed a degree in photography and yet is moaning about wasted talent.
I understand his point,
You don't spend £36000 for a course to get into a £5 an hour job.
But then again, he didn't get into the best of unis so maybe he should just take it.
This is exactly the attitude that causes so many to misguidedly choose university over going into work, joing a school-leavers' programme or an apprenticeship scheme.
There's this unusual fallacy that is promoted and shrouds university propaganda in making people think that doing a degree will significantly improve career potential.
Whilst it's true that doing a degree has the power to support an application for work it is by no means the only factor.
People need to become a bit more wise (and economical) about uni and should be told to consider the opportunity cost of going to university (I.e. not going to university).
In a lot of cases (in particular those similar to media studies from London met) will note that the opportunity cost of the course is in fact negative in that the students have lost three years' worth of earnings and experience and lost tuition fees needlessly.
There's this unusual fallacy that is promoted and shrouds university propaganda in making people think that doing a degree will significantly improve career potential.
Whilst it's true that doing a degree has the power to support an application for work it is by no means the only factor.
People need to become a bit more wise (and economical) about uni and should be told to consider the opportunity cost of going to university (I.e. not going to university).
In a lot of cases (in particular those similar to media studies from London met) will note that the opportunity cost of the course is in fact negative in that the students have lost three years' worth of earnings and experience and lost tuition fees needlessly.
Original post by SillyEddy
What I think he fails to realise is that while he was at uni for 3 years studying photography... Someone else bought a camera and was taking photos professionally 3-4 days a week and spending the rest of the time working their arses off doing publicity, editing and selling their works.
Great comment. Right on the money. It's reassuring that some people still acknowledge the existence of the real world, rather than chanting a tired redundant old mantra about how university education is a basic 'right' for everyone and has universally positive effects for everyone.
Taking a degree in photography right now seems foolish at best. Social media etc. have changed the playing field for fields like photography. Increasingly nowadays you need to be a self-starter no matter what you're in.
(edited 10 years ago)
You can't really blame people for buying all the hype. They have been told by their parents, teachers, friends and politicians that if you go to University you will have a great job and will live happily ever after.
Sure some of these people are extremely naive and deluded, but the real scandal is what made them this way?
Sure some of these people are extremely naive and deluded, but the real scandal is what made them this way?
(edited 10 years ago)
Related discussions
- Applied Biomedical Science AMA
- Can't get a job
- Retail jobs where you don't have to work at the till.
- What on earth should I do after 2 resits?
- work experience in a pharmacy
- How do I get into consulting?
- Work experience at Pets at home
- True or false - non-STEM degrees are a waste of time?
- Dreading next shift
- front end vs backend developer
- Start Studying for the degree with age
- Advertising Undergrad Degrees
- is Dassault Systems a good place to work?
- Is open university worth it?
- Graduated with a high first (89%) in mechanical engineering and can't find any job
- using tollens reagent on an alcohol
- Is SOAS the Right Choice for Comparative Literature MA? Insights Wanted!
- really struggling to motivate myself to revise
- Cambridge Masters - Land Economy
- What to study?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 2 days ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 2 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 2 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 2 days ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 2 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 2 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
