Has the current employment market made going to University redundant?
With large scale unemployment spreading across the UK, and thousands of
University leavers left without jobs, radio documentary “The Trouble With
Uni” explores whether being a graduate is enough to get a job.
- Image from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/
The Labour Party had an aspiration that half of all school leavers would go on to higher education. However with unemployment figures amongst young people hitting a record high 1 million, we must wonder if having more graduates is really a viable solution, or if young adults should be encouraged to pursue any available jobs straight out of college.
“The Trouble With Uni” is a journey through London, recorded from the viewpoints of employees and employers alike to try and bridge the gap and find out what qualities and advantages one needs to find a job in this current economic climate. More specifically, if having a university degree really does put you in a better position to enter the world
of work.
In July 2011 there were 1.56 million people claiming Job Seekers Allowance, a figure which has been increasing by approximately 37,000 people a month. Parallel to this, last year saw a record number of students applying to Universities; meaning that while the number of graduates is rising, so is the number of people unable to find work.
While University students are paying thousands of pounds for a degree (an amount which will only be increasing as of September 2012), college leavers have a three year head start on their classmates who pursued higher education, when it comes to seeking employment. The question is, who stands a better chance of getting a job. There was a time when acquiring a degree was something special, now however, with so many different universities, courses and different degrees being awarded every year, it is possible that employers have now started to look for something other than this generic qualification?
To find out more about unemployment statistics in the UK visit National Statistics Online.