ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by CaptainPlume

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.

Indeed, I was a Grammar school boy who failed his A Levels in the mid/late 60's(girls have a lot to answer for) so had 8 good 'O' levels (solid maths/science) resits were not offered so I got a 'superior' apprenticeship from a proper engineering firm which gave me two days at an excellent Polytechnic and at the end a HND, I could have then gone on to a degree (in hindsight I wish I had) but I wanted to earn money. I've had a good working life and enjoyed it, I always felt there was a lot of scope for the 'intellegent' tradesman, it worked/works.??(read my van insurance declined post) for me.

In the last 10/14 years I've had to deal with architects/building inspectors and IMHO in my day I'd give them a upper OND, lower HND, degree...never..!!..that goes for the young ones.

Originally Posted by old_bloke

Why not buy one ?

Why buy one, I can design one and print it off myself!! ;)

But yes, I have seen "bought" degrees presented to me, mainly by asian applicants..as they are told they ahve no hope of a job without one, despite having the ability. Poor sods.

If I were a young Brit student, looking to get into college, get good quality education and for not that much money, I would definitely head over to Germany. You probably also have a much better chance of finding work after you graduate.

Originally Posted by O2 Oxygen Thief

In the last 10/14 years I've had to deal with architects/building inspectors and IMHO in my day I'd give them a upper OND, lower HND, degree...never..!!..that goes for the young ones.

Most of which I deal with now tend to speak with a foreign accent, very few young British architects coming through.

Originally Posted by Pyianno

If you know where to look you can get a degree for free, or very close to it. Even with raised tuition fees.

Pray tell!

I am in full time employment in Scotland. Distance Learning or part time degrees in Scotland are not free, despite what the SNP say, only full time degrees.

I went back to the Uni I taught at to do an Assessment on demand, supplying evidence of my "learning" via a portfolia of design/3d/animation work. They did not want to know.

Originally Posted by 2/51

Why buy one, I can design one and print it off myself!! ;)

But yes, I have seen "bought" degrees presented to me, mainly by asian applicants..as they are told they ahve no hope of a job without one, despite having the ability. Poor sods.

I must admit I did pay for that GCGI accreditation of my Military service & it has helped getting interviews where a specification was "Management Qualification". However without by BA as a basis I don't think I would have made it through initial sift.

Originally Posted by 2/51

Pray tell!

I am in full time employment in Scotland. Distance Learning or part time degrees in Scotland are not free, despite what the SNP say, only full time degrees.

I went back to the Uni I taught at to do an Assessment on demand, supplying evidence of my "learning" via a portfolia of design/3d/animation work. They did not want to know.

PM sent.

Originally Posted by Pyianno

PM sent.

Could I have one too, if you don't mind? I'm not studying but I am intrigued...