University versus Apprenticeship schemes, a hot topic amongst employers, schools, and no doubt University strategy marketeers. Research shows that those with a degree will earn more over their life time than those without a degree. But does a degree suit everyone, and if employers do place so much value on a degree when seeking their new hires, what might you miss out on by not going to university?
A degree alone may not guarantee a high salary, but university does not just offer a degree, it offers so much more. Yes, the fees are now high. But it offers the opportunity to meet people from all over the globe, study and socialise with them, and learn from people with all different backgrounds. Unlike a company where you might work in a team with people of similar backgrounds, at university you might live next door to people whose mother tongues are all different, you may eat different foods and be accustomed to different ways of living, and your fellow students might be studying everything from niche Picasso paintings, to the sustainability of chocolate and cocoa beans.
Hence why perhaps the university experience and degree is so valued by employers, and why salaries in the long run are higher. In addition to this, it's not just the degree you study, it's what else you get involved in. Cultural sensitivity and fit are critical to businesses succeeding globally, and what better place to learn this than at a university where you'll study and live alongside those of other cultures. There is a society that appeals to almost every interest, to allow all sorts of passions to flourish. There is also the opportunity to get involved in charity work, such as the Enactus society, and employers recognise the value of this.
Being 'workplace ready' is something that employers don't see enough of, and in fact, students who go straight from school onto an apprenticeship scheme are often more ready than those that have gone to University, and got into the habit of not working all day every day. Do we do our students a disservice by allowing it seem the norm to get up late, miss classes and show up in their pyjamas? Or is it the case that this is a stereotype of the past, as many students now juggle a part time job alongside their studies, to pay their way and stem their debt. A part time job of any kind is one of the main pointers to employers that shows that students are reliable and can manage their time.
One size does not fit all, and most crucially it is the careers coaching and guidance that each individual receives that plays an important role, so that the individual can make the right choice for them, in order to make the most of their future and realise their potential.
However, a degree alone does not guarantee a high salary. Figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that more than a quarter of graduates in 2013 were paid less than the £11.10 an hour average for those on work-based training schemes. More recently, the Sutton Trust found that people who had completed level five apprenticeships (equivalent to a foundation degree) were expected to earn £52,000 more over their lifetimes than graduates from non-elite universities. “We do need to get more role models into schools to challenge the assumption that university is always the best route – more employers speaking to students about what skills they are looking for and former apprentices sharing their experiences. Mandatory work experience also needs to be reinstated,” Donnelly says.
http://www.theguardian.com/careers/2016/mar/14/better-job-prospects-university-or-apprenticeships
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