ARmy Rumour SErvice

We used to have a similar thing even for occupations regarded as professions, Walther. My Father was due to go to Cambridge to read Civil Engineering but spent his years at School from seventeen to nineteen (in those days our Independent Schools offered extra time to tutor people for Oxford & Cambridge) playing in a jazz band so didn't get the grades needed.

Instead he went off to work in a design office for our Railways. His time was spent drawing, on site & at college in the evenings. He ended up with the top qualifications in Civil Engineering that are available without going to University and also managed, until his retirement, to stay actually engineering rather than doing sales, general management & the other stuff which was of no interest to him but which many of his contemporaries had been forced into.

It's bloody annoying sprog 1 is in year two of her degree and it is killing the Familie finance sprog 1 is also working two part time jobs it's worth it for her she is a brain box . My problem is sprog number 2 wants to go to uni next year to study science he also is a brain box and should not be held back. Problem is daddy can not afford it shit job shit pay and a spacker

Originally Posted by leveller

Yes, but the expectations of the quality of candidate you get with a 'modern' degree is much lower than previous. I would much rather see the old OND/C and HND/C be promoted, as they tend to produce a more practical candidate, who doesn't have delusions of grandeur.

i agree, and i'd also say we have a problem in the UK where we do far fewer technical apprenticeships than we used to (i'm thinking engineering as its what i do). i didnt need a degree to do the job i started on really just a decent grasp of maths and a technical mindset (i know that sounds like bullshit but you know what i mean) but i can guarantee that when they looked to fill the post i joined they quickly flicked through the CV's and binned everyone who didnt have a degree or had a degree from a uni they didnt like the sound off. that and the ugly ones.

As an aside, the City organisation where I work has turned away from employing graduates as the default setting.

We had a run of them who all came in full of their own self importance, believing that 6 months on the more mundane tasks of filing and admin were all that they should be expected to do. If they weren't moved on to better things after that initial 6 month period they tended to get difficult and then flounce off.

In contrast, we have a number of graduate quality non-grads (ie decent A level grades, bright individuals) who joined us at 18. They are happy to do the more mundane stuff as they serve their unofficial apprenticeship whilst getting paid rather than clocking up university debts. They are all studying for professional degree equivalent qualifications, paid for by the company.

My assistant is in her early 20's, earns around £25k per annum and has no debt to service. Does she regret not having three years on the lash with her mates? Possibly. Has she enjoyed 4 years of decently paid employment, holidays etc whilst learning a trade that will set her on the way to a £100k+ salary? Certainly.

Meedja degrees? Waste of effort and money.

My boy did media studies some years ago, complete waste of time in terms of employment, but he's a whizz at photgraphy and that rubbish. Subsequently to Cantab, applied Criminology. But I really despair about the British attitude to education in England.

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

...if someone is willing to pay a university thousands of pounds of our money to 'earn' a useless degree which won't put them in a position to contribute to society in any way, shape or form...

Fixed, gratis. 'Cause I like you.

Originally Posted by 2/51

Yes, I have a chip on my shoulder and I do resent having to pay a fortune to get a degree to prove I can do the job I have been doing for 20 years.

In which case it should be a piece of pish for you to pick up a masters, which will also demonstrate you're keeping up to date with your CPD

Originally Posted by LeoRoverman

My boy did media studies some years ago, complete waste of time in terms of employment, but he's a whizz at photgraphy and that rubbish. Subsequently to Cantab, applied Criminology. But I really despair about the British attitude to education in England.

I'd like to watch the practical assessment for that....