University: is it worth the hype?
September and October bring the newest cohort of students into the nation’s universities… but before you sign away the next three years of your life to a top institution, have you ever considered that there might be an alternative?
University is often held up as being the premium education that everyone should have, but the reality is that it is a very expensive route to something you might be able to achieve anyway! Plus, university isn’t designed for everyone and we all learn differently. Today’s blog is going to offer a brief overview of some of the reasons you might want to or not want to go to university. Check in with yourself before signing up for £10,000s of debt!
Sometimes you have to…
Do you want to be a teacher or doctor, or lawyer? Some professions simply need you to have a degree to have access, so you don’t have much choice!
However, even if you have your heart set on a particular profession and you discover most applicants have a degree, don’t be put off! Some careers like law for example have apprenticeship routes that might take longer but will involve a hands-on, work-based environment rather than stuffy classrooms from Day 1!
Look around…
Linked to our last point, have you considered an apprenticeship or a degree mixed with a work placement or part-time study? All of these are options available in many businesses including Amazon! Don’t think you can’t reach the heights without a degree because it simply isn’t true…
Extend your knowledge
One great reason to go to university is if you really love a particular subject and you want to extend your knowledge in it beyond school-level. You may not get to study the academic minutiae of a subject you love by going straight into the industry, so why not take a few years out to learn your craft in greater detail…
Yes, it is £10,000s’ worth of debt, but it may well be worth it to extend your knowledge, get decent qualifications, and to take that time out to focus on what you want before launching into a job…
If you have no clue…
It is totally normal if you don’t have your next 10 years mapped out yet – not many people do!
Instead, it may well be worth taking that time to focus on what career you want while in a structured, learning-based environment, while getting yourself a higher qualification and becoming a more attractive candidate!
Worrying about the money? Loans and bursaries are available from government, university, and charities. You also don’t have to repay the debt until you are earning a nice salary… and when you do it’s only a small percentage coming out before you even get your paycheck!
This has just been a brief overview of some of the things to consider when pondering university. We hope it’s been helpful!
If you have been sworn off university & it really isn’t for you, then check out our permanent positions. Similarly, if we’ve encouraged you to go to university, check out our temporary positions for when you’re on break!
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