repton:
I agree completely. When only the brightest 15% went to University having a degree meant something, now with what seems like nearly everyone going to Uni it means stuff all.
Paul
I think the problem lies not in number of people who go to the Uni, but in that Unis lower their standards to accomodate them all.
I think it would be no harm if half of the generation was educated to the higher standards, but if we have 1000s of people educated in marketing with diplomas from “International College of Marketing, Sociology And Other Trendy Stuff And Also Cow Pasturing As This Is What We Used to Teach Before We Decided To Make More Money On Students” then it makes no sense at all.
WildGoose:
I’m also not convinced it counts for very much anymore, and know plenty of graduates who can’t string a basic sentence together or spell particularly well, and a degree is certainly no guarantee of common sense.
I agree completely. When only the brightest 15% went to University having a degree meant something, now with what seems like nearly everyone going to Uni it means stuff all.
Paul
There is a element of truth in that but the increase in numbers is due to the "dilution of universities. Every old polytechnic and minor educational establishment seems to have become a “university”, whereas once upon a time a university had High academic standards nowadays al you need is to be able to pass the ridiculously lowered standards set at schools and be able to get 12 passes in some obscure subject. I suspect the guys who get on in transport and who dont complain about the RDC,s and other potential holdups and problem areas are the more intellectual ones who manage to navigate their way through life by avoiding getting into situations in the first place.
oldsid:
"dilution of universities. Every old polytechnic and minor educational establishment seems to have become a “university”, whereas once upon a time a university had High academic standards nowadays al you need is to be able to pass the ridiculously lowered standards set at schools and be able to get 12 passes in some obscure subject
this is how I call them: “International College of Marketing, Sociology And Other Trendy Stuff And Also Cow Pasturing As This Is What We Used to Teach Before We Decided To Make More Money On Students” but it sounds better in Polish, so maybe you can help me with proper translation?
WildGoose:
I’m also not convinced it counts for very much anymore, and know plenty of graduates who can’t string a basic sentence together or spell particularly well, and a degree is certainly no guarantee of common sense.
I agree completely. When only the brightest 15% went to University having a degree meant something, now with what seems like nearly everyone going to Uni it means stuff all.
Paul
I am with you here. My cousin is Doctor ------ -------- and he has a BA in Geology, Telecommunications and some other Brainiac Ology, he worked in Cranfield University and Harwell Research Centre, then got seconded to the American White House and Cable and Wireless for 20 years. My neighbour went to the same University and has a degree in skin and nail care
oldsid:
"dilution of universities. Every old polytechnic and minor educational establishment seems to have become a “university”, whereas once upon a time a university had High academic standards nowadays al you need is to be able to pass the ridiculously lowered standards set at schools and be able to get 12 passes in some obscure subject
this is how I call them: “International College of Marketing, Sociology And Other Trendy Stuff And Also Cow Pasturing As This Is What We Used to Teach Before We Decided To Make More Money On Students” but it sounds better in Polish, so maybe you can help me with proper translation?
Its more about appealing to the aspirations of young people and keeping them out of the unemployed statistics for a few years Also someone as you say will have seen an oppurtunity to capitalise on the situation and make some money out of it. as for a translation dont undersell yourself and seasons greetings!
WildGoose:
I’m also not convinced it counts for very much anymore, and know plenty of graduates who can’t string a basic sentence together or spell particularly well, and a degree is certainly no guarantee of common sense.
I agree completely. When only the brightest 15% went to University having a degree meant something, now with what seems like nearly everyone going to Uni it means stuff all.
Paul
I am with you here. My cousin is Doctor ------ -------- and he has a BA in Geology, Telecommunications and some other Brainiac Ology, he worked in Cranfield University and Harwell Research Centre, then got seconded to the American White House and Cable and Wireless for 20 years. My neighbour went to the same University and has a degree in skin and nail care
Very salient point on the nail if you pardon the pun
One of our driver’s is an ex teacher who taught english at some posh school in London,said he just had enough of teaching and had his HGV from his time in the army so went driving…far too clever to be hauling chicken round the country
I have an O.U. Degree in Computer Sciences and am a qualified CISCO C.C.N.A Engineer (data network engineering), I also qualified as a B.T. Network Engineer. And I drive trucks again- why? Simply because I hate working in an office and find most people who do have never been anywhere, never done anything and are full of their own self importance.
I’ve got a BA (Hons) degree in Social Policy & Criminology. Worked for a local authority but like Hombre got sick of working in an office and the politically correct bull asociated with it. Now drive artics and work longer hours, but enjoy it more and like working on my own. Sure beats working in an office listening to bellends whinging all day.
Hombre:
I have an O.U. Degree in Computer Sciences and am a qualified CISCO C.C.N.A Engineer (data network engineering), I also qualified as a B.T. Network Engineer. And I drive trucks again- why? Simply because I hate working in an office and find most people who do have never been anywhere, never done anything and are full of their own self importance.
Absolutely classic comment. Fully agree…I do have a degree but can’t be arsed with 9-5 and all the ■■■■■■■■ that goes on in offices.
keano1:
I’ve got a BA (Hons) degree in Social Policy & Criminology. Worked for a local authority but like Hombre got sick of working in an office and the politically correct bull asociated with it. Now drive artics and work longer hours, but enjoy it more and like working on my own. Sure beats working in an office listening to bellends whinging all day.
Ah yes, bell end whingers, there were lots of those at B.T.
switchlogic:
I’m going the opposite way to most that have posted. Only 5 years left until I’ve a degree, that’s if I’m good enough and can keep it up.
but will you be able to keep away from driving?
When I was 30 I took 2 years off work and went to college, got an HND in computing, then spent 18 months working in the IT industry, but still ended up back driving trucks.
I have a Desmond, threw away the first degree honours in the last year, preferred going out all the time to studying, when off from work for a large supermarket chain…stupid I know
Done construction for the last 10 years, working in London as a suit, then traded the suit in for fashionable Hi-Viz clothing and moved in engineering in London had the privlidge of working on Olympics and then onto TCRU Station. I have since moved into different specialisms with a local company working all over UK, trading in the Hi-viz for just combat trousers and a t-shirt now.
Not sure why you’d want to tell people you have a degree, as said above loads of people are forced to go through the system perhaps cynically i think to keep the unemployment figures unrealistically lower. In my eyes a degree doesn’t bring much to the table, as most people can do their jobs incredibly well without the degree in whatever trade they follow.
Proud to say I worked all the way thorugh my two Colleges and Uni in the evening, night and sunday shifts as a warehouseman. So kept my taxes going in the system and paid my fees too like a good person and this year cleared the loan for good!
Was wondering do you even admit to the companies you work for that you have a degree? Would you get judged wrongly for having a degree and be seen as a potential trouble maker to the Office? When I make my final move to haulage I don’t know what to admit or even talk about the jobs I did above, as I’m not sure whether that would work against me and I would not be taken seriously as a hard worker?
switchlogic:
I’m going the opposite way to most that have posted. Only 5 years left until I’ve a degree, that’s if I’m good enough and can keep it up.
but will you be able to keep away from driving?
When I was 30 I took 2 years off work and went to college, got an HND in computing, then spent 18 months working in the IT industry, but still ended up back driving trucks.
Honestly? Probably yes. I’ve done everything I wanted to do with my driving career, there’s noting left for me. My other childhood ambition was to be a lawyer so I’m gonna have a bloody good go at making that happen. It’s going to be hard, really hard, but I never wanted an easy life. Easy is boring.
switchlogic:
I’m going the opposite way to most that have posted. Only 5 years left until I’ve a degree, that’s if I’m good enough and can keep it up.
but will you be able to keep away from driving?
When I was 30 I took 2 years off work and went to college, got an HND in computing, then spent 18 months working in the IT industry, but still ended up back driving trucks.
Honestly? Probably yes. I’ve done everything I wanted to do with my driving career, there’s noting left for me. My other childhood ambition was to be a lawyer so I’m gonna have a bloody good go at making that happen. It’s going to be hard, really hard, but I never wanted an easy life. Easy is boring.
Yep! Life get boring if you’re not chasing dreams, big or small.
Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, and make it possible.
T. E. Lawrence
(Lawrence of Arabia)
from The Seven Pillars of Wisdom
switchlogic:
I’m going the opposite way to most that have posted. Only 5 years left until I’ve a degree, that’s if I’m good enough and can keep it up.
but will you be able to keep away from driving?
When I was 30 I took 2 years off work and went to college, got an HND in computing, then spent 18 months working in the IT industry, but still ended up back driving trucks.
Honestly? Probably yes. I’ve done everything I wanted to do with my driving career, there’s noting left for me. My other childhood ambition was to be a lawyer so I’m gonna have a bloody good go at making that happen. It’s going to be hard, really hard, but I never wanted an easy life. Easy is boring.
Yep! Life get boring if you’re not chasing dreams, big or small.
Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, and make it possible.
T. E. Lawrence
(Lawrence of Arabia)
from The Seven Pillars of Wisdom
