8:31am Wednesday 9th July 2008
By Rebecca Campbell
As more and more people are enticed into further education, the rewards may seem ever more distant. The reason for going to university for many is to increase the chances of a better career, but after three years, are students any closer to their dream job?
I certainly feel my experience rather than my degree has helped me with my recent work placement at a local PR consultancy. In fact my degree was actually questioned – and with the title of it being Comparative Media I can understand why! With such a vast array of degrees available, from Sports Studies to Film and TV, it is almost commonplace to have one – No thanks to the Government, which is pushing for more and more people to join the rat race.
They even plan on changing the points system so that students from less-privileged schools have a better chance of getting in! Once upon a time university was for those from privileged backgrounds who were well-educated, but it is evidently becoming a place in which anyone is welcome. Not that that’s a bad thing – it simply makes degrees less credible.
My friends and I have just completed our three-year struggle through university and the one thought on all our minds is work. After applying to many places, we have all come back with the same difficulties. Businesses that are related to our degree and offer a great start to our career will only employ people with ‘experience’. It appears to be a vicious circle – how can we get experience if the only people who can give you the experience will only hire people who have experience! Confused? We are.
The only solution is to go back to university and get a Masters degree, in the hope that after investing even more time and money into another qualification, you will then become employable. Or perhaps not going to university at all may be a better idea. If a degree means so little then why bother getting into so much debt, when work experience is free! Times are a-changing and whether it’s for the best I’m not entirely sure. With the stress of students in society becoming an issue it seems we need to evaluate the importance of going to university.
So, is all I have gained from my three years at university simply a huge debt, which will be the hangover of my future career? Not really. It has also been the best three years of my life. I have learned more about myself than I had ever imagined, made so many friends, and experienced things beyond my belief.
I will happily advise anyone to go to university. Life is for living and learning, and my life experience is considerably enriched because of my uni days.
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