Certain Degree of Dilution?

Each year around 80,000 newly graduated people walk out of university with a degree, and venture into the big wide world of work and employment. Or do they?

The question i have been asking recently is "Is a Degree still worth it?"

I left university with my HND (I know its not a degree!) and nearly £12,000 debt. I now work for a video store, earning national minimum wage and not one job that i have applied for has even been courteous enough to send me a rejection reply. I have applied for numerous positions, in different fields, on different websites, from different newspapers and not one has had the decency to get in touch and tell me "Thanks but no thanks".

Being frustrated has then led me to question whether i was right to leave my full time job to return to education? Based on the evidence that has happened over the last 2 years, i can't justify being debt ridden and in a dead end job. I know people who graduated their course, with honours in subjects such as Politics, and they work for national minimum wage and are not even full time. Potential is being wasted in low paid jobs and because 90% of companies are not willing to even consider someone who doesnt have relevant "work" experience, they are becoming dejected and feeling disillusioned.

I have a friend from college who went on to complete a BSc in Games Design at Bolton University. He has been unable to find any work what so ever since he left. Whilst he was at a meeting with his Job Center adviser, they told him his qualification wouldn't get him more than a meat packing job. I mean the guy has done a Bachelor of Science degree and can write program scripts, proficient in Animation techniques amongst other things, and they recommended he attend a basic computer knowledge course to "boost" his chance of bagging an IT job. He is probably more qualified at operating computer systems than anybody working at the Job Center.

I enjoyed every minute of my course at City College Manchester, i met some fantastic friends who i intend to stay in touch with for as long as humanly possible, so for that i am grateful, as for the piece of paper at the end of it? Up to now its the most expensive item i own, currently standing at nearly £12,000, and to other people, it seems worthless.

How can we encourage young people to gain extra qualifications when there are just no jobs available? Not unless you would like to work in an Inbound/Outbound call center, or would like to be a call center debt adviser?

The one thing i believe we need is more proactive careers advisers at all higher education colleges and Universities. I wasn't offered any help in pursing a career in graphic design, and i know it wont happen over night but a helping hand will never be turned away. If that service was there when i left, i was never told nor was i ever nudged towards it. I believe it should be a compulsory service to all leavers, although i understand that they will not be able to help everybody, if they help even 10% more people to find employment in their chosen field, it will have been worth it.

In the words of the mighty Tesco (and a very good copy-writer) "Every Little Helps".

Take Care
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