University not the only route to take (From The Argus)
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University not the only route to take
3:57pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Comment and Analysis By Adrian Imms
“Have you thought about what you might like to do?”
It’s the year 2002 and I’m at college being interrogated over my future.
A well-meaning careers advisor sits opposite me. She slides a sheet of paper across the table separating us and asks again.
“I’m not sure,” I reply, looking at the UCAS form in front of me, “I don’t really know.”
“Well, why don’t you fill one of these in anyway?” she suggests, nudging the form towards me.
A UCAS form is the sheet dutifully filled in by many teenagers and young people applying for university after finishing sixth-form education. But not me.
Pressure
When I walked out of college for the last time, I wasn’t heading for university. Part of the reason was I felt a certain pressure to go, and rebelled as a result. Moreover, I couldn’t go through with a degree if I wasn’t sure what to study.
I was in the minority; only a handful of college-leavers in my year declined university. The rest were packed off to different campuses, near and far, to study subjects I didn’t really understand, and still don’t.
Tony Blair's New Labour was in full flow, implementing its mantra of “Education, education, education.” This was an admirable thing to do, and I wouldn’t begrudge any government wanting to better the future of younger people.
But for me, it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I didn’t want to be pushed into higher education without a plan, or any real idea, of why I was there.
Adam House, 27, lives in Brighton and studied performing arts at the University of Chichester. He believes that applying for university at the age of 17 or 18 is too young.
He said: “It’s not old enough to be making massive, life-changing decisions.
“There are a lot of courses that don’t lead to work.
“Universities need to set you up for work. Many do this. But I think that some courses do not.
“It’s only when you leave that you realise this.
“I don’t regret going, though – it shapes who you are.”
In the years since I rejected the lure of university I have often felt the odd pang of desire to go one day.
Andy Wright, 34, lives in Brighton and never went to university.
He attended BHASVIC in Brighton and then enrolled on an apprenticeship scheme in graphic communications at the age of 18.
He said: “Sometimes I wish I went, but I wasn’t sure what career path I wanted to take. I didn’t want to go into further education – I wanted to start working and have some money, even though I wasn’t earning much.”
But did he ever feel the need to go to university?
Fees
“I think my mum would have liked me to have gone and I have thought about going. The whole cost doesn’t appeal, does it?”
Many universities are now charging £9,000 a year in fees.
The University of Sussex saw an 8.1% drop in applicants for courses starting in September while the University of Brighton saw a 14.7% decrease – far greater than the national average of 7.4%.
The University of Chichester, where Adam studied, saw a drop of 21%. Some degree applications have risen since two years ago.
The notion of graduating and walking into a £20,000 job looks to be difficult in the current jobs market.
Many graduates decide to take another course after their degree to lead to a different career.
Teachers, for example, have historically been degree-qualified before undergoing a one-year PGCE to become a teacher. However, I know one person working towards this without a degree.
Others are leaving university and converting what they studied for the past three years into a relevant law qualification to get into the legal industry.
Some of the most intelligent people I know are walking out of degrees and sitting fast-track NCTJ exams to become journalists. For this a degree isn’t mandatory.
So, does a degree make someone a better teacher, a better barrister or, dare I say, a better journalist?
It really depends on the person and I would never criticise anyone for making a decision either way.
Everyone is different. For some university is the only route whilst others may excel without a degree.
It will really be interesting to see how the next generation view higher education.
