1. Reasons not to go to uni
2. What happens if I don’t go to uni
3. What to do instead of going to uni (degree alternatives)
In fact, some our lecturers and team went to uni and had a great time but we also have people here who didn’t head off to uni.
That said, it’s hard to ignore the pro-university bias that is promoted by many schools and colleges. Despite all the reasons why not to…
There may be many different ways to get into your chosen career but if you are never told about all the options how can you make an informed decision about your future?
With thousands of students going to, and graduating from university each year, in the interest of balance, here are five reasons why you might want to consider NOT choosing to go to Uni!
Plenty of people will tell you that it is a “good idea” to go to university even you don’t yet know what you want to do for a career – I mean what’s the harm in getting a degree right? The idea is that you get a qualification and give yourself three more years to make your mind up. But wait, hang on…let’s think about this. With tuition fees and student loans you are not ‘giving’ yourself more time so much as buying it! Besides, how can you choose a relevant course to study if you have no idea what you are going to do with the qualification when you get it? Instead, it might be worth taking some time to try out some different jobs and get some experience. You might want to consider looking at options for volunteering or doing work experience to get an insight into different job sectors. Or maybe take a shorter and less expensive courses to see how you get on. There is nothing to say you can’t then study later when you have a better idea as to what you want to do…
As we hinted above, the financial implications of going to university are hard to ignore. With maintenance loans and tuition fees to repay graduates are finding themselves with thousands of pounds of debt before they have even applied for their first job and let’s not forget, you DO have to pay it back! Are you willing to give up a percentage of your salary for the next however many years to pay it off? Plus there is no guarantee that you will get a great job when you leave university (despite what you may have been told), you have to decide whether the degree and the university experience is really worth such a large gamble?
You might, just might be one of the very few that relish another three years of lecturer once you finish your A levels but most people have had enough of classrooms, tutors and education in general. You might want a change of scene and to try something different, or maybe start earning some real money for a change? Maybe you’d like to look into courses that have a mix of study and experiential learning that really gets you doing rather than sitting and listening all day. There are plenty of jobs aimed at young people fresh from school or college, or you could opt for a mix of work and training by doing an apprenticeship. Learning in a working environment, while earning a wage, is different from sitting in class, and offers a more ‘hands-on’ experience.
This is a massive point for us here at The Event Academy. Spending three years at university before looking for a career in your chosen field isn’t always necessary these days. Sure, if you want to be a doctor, lawyer or rocket scientist – we’d recommend it. But what would you rather; spend a year learning, getting some work experience and then hitting the ground running or wait three years and then try and break into your chosen industry. You will have a two year head start on your peers and, in event management, it’s much more a combination of getting the right knowledge and connections to open doors rather than a piece of paper.
The really big elephant in the room that NO uni will tell you is that with thousands of graduates leaving university each year, there simply aren’t enough ‘graduate level’ jobs to go around. This means that many of them are forced to take work that they could have walked into with much more direct route – and all without the debts of tuition fees! Even the House of Common’s Education Committee admitted, “The blunt reality is that too many universities are not providing value for money, and that students are not getting good outcomes from the degrees for which so many of them rack up debt.” While there is no guarantee that you will get your dream job when you leave university, our students who do work placements tend to stay in work – often with the employer – once they qualify. Don’t forget your employer has a vested interest in your success. A university, by contrast will care about your grades to make themselves look better, but once you leave you will be going head-to-head with all the other graduates for that top job. So don’t get pulled in with the snobbery that exists saying you “must” go to uni, surely impressing an employer while you are already working for them is a much better direction?
There’s plenty of other options open to you and not going to uni doesn’t necessarily impact your future career.
We all know that most students will leave university owing money, on average with debts of over £44,000 according to The Student Loans Company. Overall, most graduates do earn more than non graduate according to the High Education Statistics Agency (HESA) but, and this is the BIG but, it really depends on what subject you study and the university you attend.
For example, Research by the IFS think tank in England suggests, on average, women who studied creative arts and languages degrees earned the same amount in their lifetime as if they had not gone to university. There are lots of career paths that lead you directly into a job, and a well paid job, that don’t need to start with a university degree.
So the question you have to ask yourself is; is it really worth it to get into so much debt if you don’t need to? Just take a look at this chart that the BBC created and you will see, most time it isn’t.
Here are some pathways into a job, and more importantly, a career that you could consider:
Once you finish school, if you haven’t had an experience of working you can always try out an apprenticeship.
The key to this is that you will get some practical time on the job while you study plus you get to earn money (a wage)
You will be learning skills while you work alongside people experienced at the job.
Finally, you get time to do your study (usually around 20% of your working hours) but keep in mind that it can take from 1 to 5 years to complete depending on which one you choose.
Starting at the bottom can be a great way to learn and you might be suprised at what jobs are available. entry-level job could be well within your reach. And you may be surprised at what kind of jobs are available.
You might consider a career in education, like working in a nursery with young children or breaking into marketing industry– you don’t always need extensive experience or qualifications and it’s worth investigating opportunities via large Jobs Boards like Reed.
Lots of employers provide on-the-job training so you’ll be able to learn a range of key skills to help you progress within the industry.
If you don’t want to go to university, but you still want to get a professional qualification then consider an alternate course.
From training academies similar to The Event Academy to professional bodies – there are lots of ways you can gain knowledge and a valuable qualification that can fast track your CV to the top of the pile in your chosen profession. Plus with the opportunity to study online, virtually or part time, you can still work to support yourself while gaining your qualification.
Volunteering at an event or with a company of your choice is an amazing way to find out if that career is right for you.
Often (but not always) you will only get your expenses covered but you will have a chance to try out the job and add it to your CV.
It’s a great way to make your CV stand out plus you will be able to grow your network, meet like minded people – you never know who might offer you a permanent job!
Finishing school doesn’t always mean having to make the choice between work or university.
If you’re not keen on either, taking a gap year will give you the chance to reflect on what your next step might be.
Afterwards, you’ll be able to come back with a fresh mindset and a better idea of what you really want to do. Remember: you’ll still have options in a year’s time.
Deciding your next step can seem like an enormous choice but don’t worry if you’re not sure what to do.
The important thing is not to be swayed by what everyone else is doing. It’s perfectly acceptable to try new things, pause for a gap year or to dive into volunteering.
Even if you do skip uni, that door isn’t closed, you can always come back to it when you are ready. Decide what’s best for you and then be confident in your decision!
