vocational or non-vocational?

which is better to do? a vocational or a non-vocational degree?

i've heard that even though a non vocational degree like history or maths may keep your career options open but apperently the employemnt prospects are not very good because most employers prefer graduates with a career orientated degree.

However, the thing is, if you done a vocational degree like law or accountancy, what happens if you decided to change your mind about your career? this could close many doors to other careers.

Reply 1

100mph

Depends what you want to do. Medicine or Law for example you just gotta study at Uni. Accountancy is a great (if borring) subject as it sets u up for any job in business.
But many employers are looking for people with the proven ability to study at the depth and conistancy of a degree, they don't care that much about the subject as they will train you - they just want to know that you can learn
You got 3 or 4 years at uni so choose something you gonna enjoy
Good luck

Reply 2

cpj1987

15

plopSDCSDC

However, the thing is, if you done a vocational degree like law or accountancy, what happens if you decided to change your mind about your career? this could close many doors to other careers.

If you're going to take a vocational degree, the idea is that you know what you want to do with it before you start. It doesn't give much scope for changing career choices - but then, a lot of people already know by the time they start uni what they intend to do.

Reply 3

ChrisTheRockGod

14

The way I look at it is: vocational - practical, career orientated, probably studying something for the sake of a qualification, non-vocational - studying something you're genuinely interested in, and keeping your options slightly more open.

That's the idea I get anyway.. of course being merely an A2 student, I have no experience to back this up :rolleyes:

Reply 4

cpj1987

15

ChrisTheRockGod

The way I look at it is: vocational - practical, career orientated, probably studying something for the sake of a qualification, non-vocational - studying something you're genuinely interested in, and keeping your options slightly more open.

That's the idea I get anyway.. of course being merely an A2 student, I have no experience to back this up :rolleyes:

Definitely not the case, if you're doing something practical and career-orientated; why would you do that just for the sake of a qualification? You'd do that because of a genuine interest in that career.

In fact, those doing non-vocational degrees are perhaps more likely to do things for the sake of a qualification; something vague, and less career-focused, just so that they can use their qualification on whatever job they decide to go for in the future.

Reply 5

user-name

10

Vocational is better.. if you want to look for a normal graduate job you always have a vocation to fall back on.

Reply 6

Philip Perkins

1

I’m just about to employ a person who has a degree. I don’t have one although both our girls do. I know from the courses they did, one in Vetinary Science and the other in Geography, that it really is down to the individual. Tina always wanted to be a vet, Sam has no real idea of what she awanted to do other than be in London.The person I want to employ has a degree in German from Oxford. He has no idea where it’s going to take him. However I can see from the interests he has outside of school/work, that there is something about him. The degree tells me he can learn. What I want is someone who can learn and has some drive to do more than just learn. So no matter what degree you do, show an employer you have some drive, that’s important.Hope that helps you guys.

vocational or non-vocational?

Related discussions

Articles for you