davieG Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 The majority of UK university graduates are working in jobs that do not require a degree, with over-qualification at "saturation point", a report claims. Overall, 58.8% of graduates are in jobs deemed to be non-graduate roles, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. It said the number of graduates had now "significantly outstripped" the creation of high-skilled jobs. The CIPD said the report's findings should be a "a wake-up call". "The assumption that we will transition to a more productive, higher-value, higher-skilled economy just by increasing the conveyor belt of graduates is proven to be flawed," said Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, the professional body for human resources managers. 'Simply wasted'The report found the issue was leading to "negative consequences" including employers requesting degrees for traditionally non-graduate roles despite no change to the skills needed for the role. As a result, it found graduates were now replacing non-graduates in roles and taking jobs where the demand for graduate skills was either non-existent or falling. The trend was particularly prominent in construction and manufacturing sectors where apprenticeships have previously been traditional routes into the industry, the report found. Mr Cheese said that in many cases the "skills premium" graduates had "if it exists at all" was being "simply wasted". The CIPD is calling for a "national debate" over how to generate more high-skilled jobs. It said government and organisations both needed to act to help graduates make better use of their skills, but said the report also highlighted that for young people choosing an apprenticeship instead of university could be a "much better choice". A Department for Business, Innovation and Skills spokesman said: "We are providing the right mix of university places and apprenticeships to ensure more people have the opportunity to advance their careers and businesses to get the skills they need to grow."
Benji Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Mr Cheese Problem is many degrees do not have a direct path to employment / a career.
Guest MattP Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Hardly surprising when you send as many people to university on pointless courses as we do these days.
David Guiza Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Too easy to get into University onto nothing degrees now, as has been said. But the problem is as much down to employers unwilling to employ graduates, even from top Universities without at least a year or two full time experience. I know plenty of people in graduate related jobs, including myself, some of which just take a little longer. It's considered an investment after all. If you get a 2:1 or higher in a relevant degree then you'll find the path sooner rather than later in my opinion.
Vacamion Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Sending so many people to University is nonsense. I was the first person in my family (and extended family) to go to University. Nowadays it's almost expected that most kids will go to uni. I also wonder if part of the problem is people at the other end of their careers clinging on for longer and hogging the employment market, because the retirement age is heading North, resulting in fewer career opportunities for young uns.
Steven Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Too easy to get into University onto nothing degrees now, as has been said. But the problem is as much down to employers unwilling to employ graduates, even from top Universities without at least a year or two full time experience. I know plenty of people in graduate related jobs, including myself, some of which just take a little longer. It's considered an investment after all. If you get a 2:1 or higher in a relevant degree then you'll find the path sooner rather than later in my opinion. This plus it helps with mobility outside the EU.
Voll Blau Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 20-30 years ago I wouldn't have required a degree for the job I'm in, but when I left school it did. Firms aren't as willing to train on the job in many industries as they once were. That said, New Labour's arbitrary targets for getting kids through unis, schools pushing them into it to make their figures look good and the unis themselves also being willing to offer up the places are also contributing factors.
Guest MattP Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 What degrees are worth doing? If you want a job something like..... Architecture, building and planning. Historical and philosophical studies. Engineering. Languages. Maths. Biological sciences Law Medicine Veterinery science Teaching .
bovril Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 What degrees are worth doing? One that interests you, I guess.
Larry_LCFC Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Have plenty of mates who went to uni, got the 25000 debt and are now working in a shop or bar. Will never earn enough to pay it back. University is incredibly overrated. Just an expensive jolly for alot.
Fox92 Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 I studied web development because that interested me when I was younger but I never really knew enough to apply for jobs. I did work after college before applying to Uni, but not in IT. I've just graduated with a 2:1 so I'm hopeful I'll find a job. It's a relevant degree and I know what I want to achieve. Had a few interviews so far which is encouraging, but just need that half decent break to gain experience. I agree there are many degrees that seem to open. I never went 6 form because I haven't got any GCSEs (which doesn't reflect my ability, I just didn't bother at school) but I'm guessing it's as if they push kids to go Uni which I don't agree with. Too many people haven't got a clear idea of what they want to go into (which is not surprising as they are still young when leaving 6 form). There's no point in going to Uni just for the sake of it.
AdamN Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 I got a job completely unrelated to my degree, but having a degree apparently helped, so god knows which category I fall into!
Larry_LCFC Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 I studied web development because that interested me when I was younger but I never really knew enough to apply for jobs. I did work after college before applying to Uni, but not in IT. I've just graduated with a 2:1 so I'm hopeful I'll find a job. It's a relevant degree and I know what I want to achieve. Had a few interviews so far which is encouraging, but just need that half decent break to gain experience. I agree there are many degrees that seem to open. I never went 6 form because I haven't got any GCSEs (which doesn't reflect my ability, I just didn't bother at school) but I'm guessing it's as if they push kids to go Uni which I don't agree with. Too many people haven't got a clear idea of what they want to go into (which is not surprising as they are still young when leaving 6 form). There's no point in going to Uni just for the sake of it. See I totally agree with this. I never had any intention of going to Uni but I went to college to do A-levels just incase. In the end, I came out with 3 really high grades. The amount of grief I got from the college for not going to Uni was unbelievable, like seriously unbelievable to the point I got called into the "heads office". I fully explained to them the job I wanted to do didn't require a degree, and they just wouldn't have it. Thought I was "letting myself down" and they just wouldn't let it go until I told them to stick it. Instead I got a job in a supermarket for a couple of years, and now I've got my dream job as I planned. There seems to be a horrible culture where you "have" to go to Uni to get anywhere in life. Utter bullshit.
Guest Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 These sorts of articles breed the 'University of Life' ****** a plenty. 'what you wanna do that for? waste of bloody time. I didnt go to University and look how I turned out'
EnderbyFox Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 What degrees are worth doing? A lad from my year went to do a "Football Studies" degree, paid 30-odd grand for the privilege and is now a shift supervisor at Next a year after graduating
Frank to be Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Getting an Education isn't just about the financial reward, in fact that should be a secondary concern. Education is about expanding your mind and broadening your horizons. It shouldn't be seen as a conveyor belt churning out good little economic units and for that reason judging it on the jobs graduates go into is incorrect.
Adster Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 I got a job that was not really related to my degree. But as previously said they wouldn't of considered me if I didn't have a degree. I have seen it a lot, I know loads of people who have decent classifications in their degrees yet they're still doing warehouse work or part time bar work. Jobs that are not really 'careers'. This of course, doesn't mean that they'll do them all their life. Jobs are hard to come by. I was lucky enough to get the job I wanted relatively quickly after finishing, but some people will patiently gain experience in meanial jobs before finally finding a graduate job they really want.
Steven Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Getting an Education isn't just about the financial reward, in fact that should be a secondary concern. Education is about expanding your mind and broadening your horizons. It shouldn't be seen as a conveyor belt churning out good little economic units and for that reason judging it on the jobs graduates go into is incorrect. Quite.
Wymsey Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 I'm one of the lucky ones, with no student debt - the only way is up, with that regard. I'm just glad I've recently found a 'long-term' job, as Apprenticeships are on many job boards - more than Graduate jobs. I regret going to University, despite obtaining a 1st - people say ''do a Masters'', but there's no point if you need experience to get a bloody job you want! I'm quite skeptical of these 'League Tables' crap - these are just to persuade students to join a particular institution over the other.
Christoph Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Getting an Education isn't just about the financial reward, in fact that should be a secondary concern. Education is about expanding your mind and broadening your horizons. It shouldn't be seen as a conveyor belt churning out good little economic units and for that reason judging it on the jobs graduates go into is incorrect. Look mate. I quit school when i was 13, now i av mah own business and raking it in. All mah mates who went uni now work in a sainsburys. ****ign tossersss!1111 I do agree though. Who gives a shit if people go uni or not though? Most people don't have a clue what they want to do when they're 18-21. Some people would rather have fun at university for 3 years, partying with other like minded people rather than start a career at 18 until they die. People like to judge the uni crowd as having a fixed mindset that a level = uni but I also think people have a mindset that you must be on the path for a career from 18-19. Everything you do must be for the soul reason of furthering your career and economic ability and nothing else. One of the big reasons I went to university was because I didn't want to join the rat race of school then straight to work until im 70 before dying. University offers people that gap between work and school which helps people decide what they actually want to do with their life whilst giving them something that can be desirable for some employers. You're going to be working most of your life. Not sure there should be such a rush to start.
Voll Blau Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Look mate. I quit school when i was 13, now i av mah own business and raking it in. All mah mates who went uni now work in a sainsburys. ****ign tossersss!1111 I do agree though. Who gives a shit if people go uni or not though? Most people don't have a clue what they want to do when they're 18-21. Some people would rather have fun at university for 3 years, partying with other like minded people rather than start a career at 18 until they die. People like to judge the uni crowd as having a fixed mindset that a level = uni but I also think people have a mindset that you must be on the path for a career from 18-19. Everything you do must be for the soul reason of furthering your career and economic ability and nothing else. One of the big reasons I went to university was because I didn't want to join the rat race of school then straight to work until im 70 before dying. University offers people that gap between work and school which helps people decide what they actually want to do with their life whilst giving them something that can be desirable for some employers. You're going to be working most of your life. Not sure there should be such a rush to start. That attitude's all fine and dandy if you can afford it and have the necessary academic capability to do so...
Christoph Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 That attitude's all fine and dandy if you can afford it and have the necessary academic capability to do so... Unless your going to a London university you can get by on a maintenance loan itself. Obviously scrimping it but still get by. Anyone can afford to go uni, that's why so many people go.
Voll Blau Posted 19 August 2015 Posted 19 August 2015 Unless your going to a London university you can get by on a maintenance loan itself. Obviously scrimping it but still get by. Anyone can afford to go uni, that's why so many people go. It's hardly going to support the lifestyle you describe though. If I hadn't kept my part-time job and worked throughout the holidays while studying I'd have really struggled. And what of those without the academic prowess to get on to a university course and do what you did?
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