Xx-IAN-xX

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Well its never caused me a problem, although I do need to update my cv

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

here's the rub...

Those with a degree cannot comment on life without it.
Those without cannot speculate on what would have been.

The tinternet is full of people who will lie and artificially exaggerate their lot for bragging rites so you cannot believe anything you read and you need to decide for yourself.

It's a big bad world out there and you are essentially laying the padstones for the rest of your life, would you trust that to the jokers (no offence anyone and I include myself for the purposes of this lecture) on here?!

MMT WRX

Good comments.

mgcvk

I have a degree but the people I know who are most successful (in terms of earnings) didn't go to university. Despite doing well without a degree I know some who have a bit of a chip on their shoulder that they didn't go to university. A lot of pointless degrees out there, but then it is three to four years of messing about getting drunk if you can swing it!

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Found that out myself when I got it left, right and centre. Grew a thicker skin and got on with for my benefit not some warrior on the other end of an internet connection

P1Fanatic

I dossed around for 3 yrs (well 4 if you include my placement yr) but managed to blag a 2:1 BSc Hons somehow. My degree even though part technical was only vaguely useful in the real world. That said it does help build a logical approach to things and the ability to articulate yourself both verbally and written.

The big difference these days is the cost to graduate. I graduated in '99 and survived on my student loan with no part time job (other than in the summer hols). Still amazes me how as I was forever buying a/v gear and never short of beer money.

Some recruiters are getting so many CV's currently that they dismiss any without a degree. Even my work (Telecoms) is seemingly wanting to go down this route for external applicants as just a way of cutting the wheat from the chaff so to speak.

Simon

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

Everybody at management level on my building site has a degree in Engineering.
It shows a technical knowledge and the ability to learn and adapt.
It is not necessary to carry out the job it just shows the capability of the staff is in place and Engineers are traditionally never scared to put their ***** on the line and make a decision.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

I don't have a degree but still make a good wage

Wish

iTrader: (2)

I thought all young people nowadays lied on there C.V ?

97TURBO

Most of my mates that went through Uni and got a degree, earn less money than me now. This was due to a number of reasons, some of them went into areas of work that required their skills but were still low pay. Some couldn't get jobs in their chosen field as they had no experience. Some just got jobs that didnt require their degree as they decided it wasn't for them.
It's a mixed bag really, but i don't think i could have coped with being around so many students, simple as that for me.

97TURBO

Most of my mates that went through Uni and got a degree, earn less money than me now. This was due to a number of reasons, some of them went into areas of work that required their skills but were still low pay. Some couldn't get jobs in their chosen field as they had no experience. Some just got jobs that didnt require their degree as they decided it wasn't for them.
It's a mixed bag really, but i don't think i could have coped with being around so many students, simple as that for me.

s70rjw

iTrader: (2)

Joined Police at 18.5
24 years on, do I regret not having a degree? No, not one bit, as I was earning £25k a year back in 1986 when my mates who went to college had nothing.
Earned just short of £50k last year retire in 6 years, then I'm looking forward to a job outside the police to sample the private sector...Left school with 6 o'levels.
My advice, stick with your education, get the degree, then you can decide whether to use it or not.

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

I have expressed the view on here before that the only degree worth having are engineering, law or medicine. I will step back from that view slightly in view of recent changes in the employment market / economy.

I have worked in IT since 1992, I started at the bottom and through hard work and determination I have moved upwards. I do not have a degree, so no matter how expert I may be in my field, just that one line in a job advertisement stating that a third level qualification is required, will debar me from even reaching the interview stage in the process.

hodgy0_2

QED

Account deleted by request

I left school at 16 with enough to go further in education but wanted to work. In my first 8 years I earnt some good money (30ish) when you are 20 is good money, spent it on women and beer then wasted the rest (old un but a good un)

Started my own business and turned over 2mill in the first 12 months BUT lost 150k personally. Having said that I have never been so happy and in the last couple of years although I have lost my hair things have turned and now hopefully we are making a decent profit.

Fact is I have had ups and downs and my brother who earnt nothing for 6 years apart from a lot of debt at uni is now earning a good 6 figure plus. When I was loaded he wasn't and now vice versa.

I'm sure it will turn again but there is no doubt a good degree will help to earn good money. For me it wasn't the track I needed as I am too much of a free spirit with the ability to make success with a bit of luck.

You have to do what is right for you.

Chop

Account deleted by request

I left school at 16 with enough to go further in education but wanted to work. In my first 8 years I earnt some good money (30ish) when you are 20 is good money, spent it on women and beer then wasted the rest (old un but a good un)

Started my own business and turned over 2mill in the first 12 months BUT lost 150k personally. Having said that I have never been so happy and in the last couple of years although I have lost my hair things have turned and now hopefully we are making a decent profit.

Fact is I have had ups and downs and my brother who earnt nothing for 6 years apart from a lot of debt at uni is now earning a good 6 figure plus. When I was loaded he wasn't and now vice versa.

I'm sure it will turn again but there is no doubt a good degree will help to earn good money. For me it wasn't the track I needed as I am too much of a free spirit with the ability to make success with a bit of luck.

You have to do what is right for you.

Chop

Lydia72

I would think there are many more people without degrees wishing they had them than people with degrees who regret having them.
Maybe the issue is that you don't know what you want to do for a living, decide on that and then see if you need a degree for it.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

I had a good education but hated school and couldn't wait to leave. I have some O-levels and scraped an A-level but I had no desire or ambition what to do other than not be at school. After a couple of false starts, found I needed a job pronto, had a car and a driving licence and started being a courier as a temporary thing. However, I enjoyed it and stayed with it and have worked hard at it. I no longer deliver parcels myself but am a senior manager for the company I helped start and work at. My wife is a solicitor and I don't think that she has ever earned more than I in her career.

I would say that looking back I would/should have done some form of Uni. I personally lack self-confidence so transfering out of my particularly niche (London) career will be harder than should I have a degree, just by virtue of having to prove my capabilities rather than have them after my name.

Experience, whilst desirable, is not everything either. Hard work and trying makes a heck of a lot more impression, as well as a spark or 2 of intelligence. Currently looking at graduate calibre candidates for a job in our IT department and of the CVs that have come in, 1/2 are just pi$$ing in the wind and are not even looking at what they are applying for, most of the rest have not really read the advert properly either but have some relevance in their cvs but there are about 3 that stand out as potentials with another 3 or 4 just on the edge. I'm looking for that spark of intelligence and willingness to learn and work hard. Those are the ones that will be earning good money in the future.

chris270181

ultimatley imho, i would say job satisfaction counts for alot, i have had some well paid jobs and sh*te paid jobs, and only one that i really enjoyed, working in drainage not for mega money but i actually enjoyed going to work as opposed to sitting at home on a sunday dreading monday morning. I now have a cr@ppy job.. With worse hours and less money then i was earning 10 years ago. Although I was a victim of the recession. Its still a job for now anyway

Richy P1984

Put it this way, my degree and one years experience (part of the degree) got me the interview I wanted, My presentation and the answers I gave in the interview got me the job.

These days, in almost any proffessional field you need a degree as a starting point, otherwise you wont be considered. A degree isnt just about the final result, its about what you learn throughout the four years, the non accedemic skills you pick up which make you more empoyable such as time management, organisation, team working, leadership, investigation etc. Of course these can be learnt and experienced out side of university as well. University also prepares you for the real world, and you will find that your approach to work situations may be more thorough / scientific (depending on what degree you end up with.

As an employed graduate (within the field I studied) I was earning pretty much the maximum you could get paid anywhere in this country. Now compared to other graduates working in the same company but a different filed, it would of been bottom money. All depends what type of work you want to go into.

Just incase you are wondering - Aveage GCSEs, just below aveage A levels, BSc Hons 2.2 degree, waited 6 months, turned down 3 jobs before accepting this position. Now I havent had a pay rise in two years, thanks recession.

Forgot to mention as a graduate - started out on 21k as an Environmental Assisstant Project Engineer for Mouchel.

boxst

I do not have a degree and earn quite a lot of money.

The reason being that I was lucky (I was extremely good at computers) and I had no problem getting my first few jobs. After that experience rules.

If I recruit someone I will not discount them because they do not have a degree, I will just take someone with experience.

The difficulty is getting that first 'break': If an entry level job has 20 candidates all with no experience then a degree will go some way as a differentiator.

Steve

scud8

iTrader: (1)

A lot depends on the career you want - in some it can be difficult/impossible to get a start if you don't have a degree, but after that the degree won't count for much if you can't do the job and aren't prepared to work hard.

My elder brother and I followed different paths (me via university, him leaving school at 16) but we both worked our way up in the IT industry and make good money (six figure salaries and stock option windfalls).

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

One thing you do have to remember, that's been alluded to by others previously, is that any qualification is where the bidding begins when it comes to applying for a job:

E.g. For graduate jobs, everyone WILL have a degree. The question is: what makes you more employable than the next person clutching a piece of paper? That is where the evidence of transferable skills, selection method technique (e.g. knowing how to conduct yourself at interviews) and, above all else, relevant work experience will be more instrumental in securing a position.

This happens at all levels: GCSE, A level, degree, masters, PhD... as you progress, so does the competition! Trust me, I know, I've gone as far as one can education wise, and had my fair share of struggles with the career!

Ns04

Lee247

I do not have a degree, just a handful of O levels (thats what they were in my day )
I went self employed a good many years ago and it was the best thing I ever did. Was hard at first, but was superb when I had the kids as I could work the job around my youngsters.
One of the jobs I did before going self employed, had some interviews. The guy with the string of qualifications got nowhere as he had the personality of a dead fish.
The guy with a virtually nothing, got the job as he just fitted the place.
It's a hard question to ask as I can't give an answer. But I do think, in quite a lot of cases, personality seems to be more important on some jobs, than paper qualifications.
Just my take on things

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

So if the dead fish guy hadn't of gone to Uni, he may as well have got the concrete boots out and jumped in the sea

Leslie

Well I will say that if you are interested in some kind of a specialised career and you are able to go to university, then it would be the best possible thing to do a degree that is related to that specialisation. Apart from giving you the best start, you will find it easier to get a good degree in the subject which really interests you.

Les

Geezer

No, that prevents you from applying, nothing else. We have adverts like that, but people still apply without degrees. If their experience looks good, they will get an interview. At the level you are talking about, experience and track record counts far more than any degree.

The advert is designed to stop *** heads applying .

For entry level, yes, a degree on your CV certainly helps.

Geezer

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Interesting - is that what you call them

paulwrxboro

Life is what you make it
I left school at 15(no quals) working for a builder for £6 cash a day
i now earn half decent money as a gas engineer

Im teaching my kids to get a trade, i wish i had from leaving school

Lee247

No, cheeky bugger

Qualifications help in lots of jobs, but they are not the be all and end all.
There are a hell of a lot of people on this board alone, who have done well without. They have skills achieved by getting out there, gaining experience and doing it.
Some of the folks I know, with loads of qualifications are nothing but "***** wavers" to use a very amusing SN phrase. Bores, with loads of paper and no personality.
I know which type of person I would prefer to employ and work with