Reply With QuoteVery good post, I would also add tho that some kids need Uni to mature and develop independently away from home, as you said it’s horses for courses, my daughter is studying Law and loves it, one of her mates who is very bright decided to do an engineering apprenticeship instead and stay at home, both good decisions for the individuals.Originally Posted by mickd1961
Horses for courses.
Since Blair’s “education, education, education” mantra we’ve had far too many people going to university in the U.K.
Kids going for a four year p I s s up and a “gap year”........absolute f u c k I n gnonsense in my eyes, an excuse to do f u c k all until you’re in your mid 20’s.
Too many worthless degrees in origami and yogurt knitting, too many doing degrees with no idea what they’re actually aiming to achieve as a career.
I don’t like the modern trend of people being able to leapfrog their way to the top reaches of a business or organisation based on bits of paper, it’s been a disaster for the policing in the U.K. for example.
It can lead to to people having a superior and jumped up view of themselves, the level of pomposity I’ve come across in some graduates in my industry has been breathtaking.
In general the graduates have been the biggest fools and wastes of space I’ve come across whereas the best people are the ones who’ve worked their way up from the bottom and have a real feel for their industry and their company.
Recently I’ve taken on my first ever graduate with a master degree, it hasn’t gone well so far.
He’s struggled to comprehend and adapt to an eight hour working day, has to be constantly chased up on tasks and keeps getting caught twiddling his thumbs.
His attitude has really wound the rest of my staff up, he’s regarded as aloof and superior when he’s actually on our bottom rung.
He had a really rude awakening when pulled into a meeting and told he had a week to sort himself out.
If you’re going to be a lawyer, doctor, dentist, vet, rocket scientist etc then yes of course, university is very important but for most it is not.
If I was leaving school again I’d be in a difficult position, I had no interest in any of those very important technical professions and I also had no interest in working with my hands and so learning a trade wasn’t for me,
There is no shame in starting at shop floor level in any job in the way that I did, it taught me about real life and real people and how to live on my own wits for 44 years almost now.
In my opinion there are three paths, university, learning a trade and there’s also getting straight into work.
Not enough people take the third choice these days, too many are swayed by parents into further education because mummy and daddy are desperate to let all their friends know that Tarquin is at “Uni”.....that’s a word that really gets on my t I t s as well.......everyone is at “Uni” these days.
Or they go because their best friend is going, too many parents pander to this b o l l o c k s.
I wish kids and parents had enough sense and awareness to work out when it’s right for their child to choose university.
None of my three wanted to go and if they had I’d have told them that unless they had a career path in mind I wouldn’t support them, thankfully they all preferred to work and start earning.
A lot of these grads will end up failing once they get found out at their job or come to the realisation that they can’t cope with the real life stress of it.
Kids need to be guided into what parents know in their heart is the best avenue for THAT child.
A builder who I use for work has two kids who went to university who now have amazing jobs in technology and his other son hadn’t the same brain power or intellect but he’s a bloody good builder who’s about to take over the family firm.
I admire his dad for not pushing him down the same route as his older brothers.
These are parents who did right by their kids.
Whatever is best for the individual child and not what’s fashionable is always the best answer.
