WorkingForTheMan Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Literally was just half watching this...on BBC1 Inside Out (Yorkshire) Some guy in his 50's (who may be famous but I didnt recognise him) was telling some college leavers that going to uni is pointless because he didn't and he has done well. He was talking to some graduates who had been told by a potential employer that 15kpa was an unreasonably high expectation. Then he took these kids to HIS HOUSE (I reckon 600/700K detached farmhouse) and said 'look, I didn't go to uni and this is what I've got, have you changed your minds yet' just.....Grrrrr!!! 20-30k debt and 15k starting salary (if they are lucky) and he thinks they have a hope of a house like his Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butthead Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 What are you objecting to exactly? The advice not to go to uni? I think for many that's sound advice for the reasons you state. High debts and no advantage when it comes to earning (in fact maybe a disadvantage given 3 years less experience) make it a bad choice for lots of people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 All the working class kids I know are opting to go to uni now - the middle class ones are being talked out of it by their parents unless they are going to study medicine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wait & See Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Boomers are the most insecure generation we've ever had. They watched adverts for Morris Marina's and believed that buying one would turn them into successful people. Wrong. Just muppets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorkingForTheMan Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 What are you objecting to exactly? The advice not to go to uni? I think for many that's sound advice for the reasons you state. High debts and no advantage when it comes to earning (in fact maybe a disadvantage given 3 years less experience) make it a bad choice for lots of people. No I agree not everyone should go to uni. It was just the bit where he showed them his house (which realistically they wouldn't be able to afford unless they earned 150kpa) and argued that this was acheivable for them (despite 30 seconds previously them being told 15k was too high a salary for a graduate). Fact is, if things carry on as they are unless they are exceptionally lucky/talented they will probably be living at home/ in a shared house/bedsit until they are 40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrashedOutAndBurned Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 All the working class kids I know are opting to go to uni now - the middle class ones are being talked out of it by their parents unless they are going to study medicine. Yep. Working Class parents still think education leads somewhere. Middle class parents know that Oscar and Emily are coming out of Uni only to wind up working next to Darren and Kylie who semi-failed their GCSEs - although Darren and Kylie have a few years work experience and are now their supervisor. In the last couple of years I know of MANY kids with three As and A Level NOT going to Uni due to older siblings with mega-debts and only McJobs. Only 1 in 40 get a milkround graduate scheme these days so what the heck is the economy going to do with the other 39 other than shovel them into non-graduate work? The Rich Boomer has something of a point - why stick to out of ideas that education leads to a good job? Why do you think third-world immigrants choose starting businesses over 'jobs' - they balk at the slow pace of progression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nohpc Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I would encrouage school leavers with a brain to go to uni. If they are entrepeneurs then fair enough but uni is still likely to pay off long term IF, IF, IF you are flexible when you graduate and don't insist on staying in your home town/country. Oh, and you need to do a Masters degree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sims Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Job situation for science/IT grads isn't that bad to be honest. Of course, if you're paying 9k a year for a degree degree in history, social science or one of those wonderful new media studies things, don't be surprised if all you end up with is a lot of debt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie The Tramp Returns Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 They watched adverts for Morris Marina's and believed that buying one would turn them into successful people. Wrong. Just muppets. Nah, the car for the successful Boomer was the Mini Cooper 1275s, I could not afford one therefore my success did not reach my aims. The lads in the City bought them and made their money in the square mile. The Morris Marina was for down trodden Bank Clerks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butthead Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I used to feel hard done by due to being slightly too young to buy a house in '98/'99 and missing out on HPI etc. However I'm far luckier than people leaving school today. The jobs I did are far harder to come by and the job I did which gave me a significant step up simply doesn't exist any more. Uni or not, they couldn't have it much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vin rouge Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 The ironic thing is that most students who go to uni and study easy but unwanted subjects, will never have to pay for it because even if they get a job they will never earn enough to pass the repayments threshold. Those with brains will either study abroad - and probably stay afterwards, or get sponsored to study at a good uni here. Either way - no loan to repay. Maybe the rich boomer is discouraging them because ultimately, as the students will be unable to repay the loan or acumulated interest, it will be him that pays either by a reduced pension or increased taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Bart' Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Nah, the car for the successful Boomer was the Mini Cooper 1275s, I could not afford one therefore my success did not reach my aims. The lads in the City bought them and made their money in the square mile. The Morris Marina was for down trodden Bank Clerks. How does the Austin Princess fit into all this? As a child growing up in the 70s I used to aspire to a Triumph TR7. Sadly, although I can now afford one, my eyes aren't up to the job of driving one. Plus, I think they were supposed to be a bit rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchy Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 (edited) Job situation for science/IT grads isn't that bad to be honest. Of course, if you're paying 9k a year for a degree degree in history, social science or one of those wonderful new media studies things, don't be surprised if all you end up with is a lot of debt. I was going to say just that. I think that the real issue here isn't that there no point in going to uni. The issue, as sims rightly points, is that there are too many non-degrees (to then apply for non-jobs). With all due respect to those I may offend, you don't need to go to uni to learn about history or social science. Anybody can pick up a book at any point in their life and learn all there is to know about art or history. However, not everybody can do so and become proficient in maths, physics or engineering, IT and co. These are the only degrees worth having, the rest is just BS, until recently an excuse to spend 2-3 years doing FA but drinking beer and shagging in gutters whilst drunk (my misconceived? perception of students). Now that they have to pay for it, I hope people will think twice about wasting 3 years and 9kGBP socializing... So go I would advise students (if I may) and I will advise my kids when they are old enough to go to uni and study something useful or else not bother. Edited October 24, 2011 by frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchy Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I was going to say just that. I think that the real issue here isn't that there no point in going to uni. The issue, as sims rightly points, is that there are too many non-degrees (to then apply for non-jobs). With all due respect to those I may offend, you don't need to go to uni to learn about history or social science. Anybody can pick up a book at any point in their life and learn all there is to know about art or history. However, not everybody can do so and become proficient in maths, physics or engineering, IT and co. These are the only degrees worth having, the rest is just BS, until recently an excuse to spend 2-3 years doing FA but drinking beer and shagging in gutters whilst drunk (my misconceived? perception of students). Now that they have to pay for it, I hope people will think twice about wasting 3 years and 9kGBP socializing... So go I would advise students (if I may) and I will advise my kids when they are old enough to go to uni and study something useful or else not bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indirectapproach Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 So petit bourgeois as to be genuinely deserving of contempt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammo Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 The show was quite informative, despite being totally patronising. School leavers were advised to either not go to university, or to go abroad (no tuition fees in scandinavia apparently - for any EU citizen!). Or alternatively to get an apprenticeship. They were advised that they would be in debt to the tune of £50k for an average course in the UK, and have to pay back £75k what with interest. Unless they don't get a job over £21k (and lets face it, on that you're going to struggle simply feeding yourself). But also something I didn't know is that there is no contract. The government can just one day change the rules and say all students have to pay back the lot. Or they could do literally any number of other insidious things. There is no protection for the student, who in many cases will be carrying around this burden of debt for literally decades Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgefunded Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 As a child growing up in the 70s I used to aspire to a Triumph TR7. Sadly, although I can now afford one, my eyes aren't up to the job of driving one. Plus, I think they were supposed to be a bit rubbish. That's a TR8 - a very different beast :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Bart' Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 That's a TR8 - a very different beast :-) A Rover V8 engine. A bit much for my modest needs. Quite rare aren't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petetong Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Job situation for science/IT grads isn't that bad to be honest. Of course, if you're paying 9k a year for a degree degree in history, social science or one of those wonderful new media studies things, don't be surprised if all you end up with is a lot of debt. Well the unemployment levels for degree by subject contradict that. The degree subject with the highest level of unemployment is computer science/IT. BBC link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectors House Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Been saying for years that those wanting a degree would be better off studying for a HNC/D at college part time whilst working part time (living at home) then do a part time top up degree, I know people who have done that, no big loans to repay, got ahead by doing a Masters degree again part time over two years, and have got a well paid job and not living with the parents any more. Trouble is too many people want the "university" experience get seduced by the idea of living in plush uni accommodation only to find out when they get they can't afford it so end up in some grubby student bedsit in an area that suffers from high crime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie The Tramp Returns Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I remember in 1976 the mechanic at my local garage Bob took a 1275 engine out of a written off Cooper S and fitted it in this with further safety upgrades. Legally Insured and what a surprise for the Jaguars who pulled alongside him at traffic lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hectors House Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Well the unemployment levels for degree by subject contradict that. The degree subject with the highest level of unemployment is computer science/IT. BBC link My ex wife did a BSc in Applied Biology couldn't find work, in fact most jobs that wanted that qualification were paying minimum wage! she worked for a year then went back to uni to do a Masters degree that was more work orientated, earning £30k now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diver Dan Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Been saying for years that those wanting a degree would be better off studying for a HNC/D at college part time whilst working part time (living at home) then do a part time top up degree, I know people who have done that, no big loans to repay, got ahead by doing a Masters degree again part time over two years, and have got a well paid job and not living with the parents any more. Trouble is too many people want the "university" experience get seduced by the idea of living in plush uni accommodation only to find out when they get they can't afford it so end up in some grubby student bedsit in an area that suffers from high crime. +1 A HNC or D in something technical like electronic or mechanical engineering is exactly what I'd do if I could give advice to my 18 year old self. You can always combine credits from previous qualifications together and get an degree if that really matters to you. I have posted this video before on this forum but I think it is relevant to this subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9F5QL804qQ&feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spot Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 That's a TR8 - a very different beast :-) Only 30 TR8's left in the UK! I had a couple of TR7's and to be honest, they were sh1t. and decent hot hatch would spank it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Bart' Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 I had a couple of TR7's and to be honest, they were sh1t. Rust? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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