Commissioned by alternative career’s website Uni’s not for me, the survey analysed the attitudes of the public towards current employment and education options for young people, asking them to rank the approaches which could benefit society the most.
Over a quarter of those surveyed agreed that training and work placements in the manufacturing sector were the most important to society, with only three percent supporting that more young people should opt for a university education.
Less than a third of participants supported the view that ‘any degree is better than no degree at all’, suggesting that the value of university degrees has fallen in recent years.
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Co-founder of Uni’s not for me, with her then 17-year old daughter, Sarah Wrixon stated:
“This survey reveals that young people and their parents today are taking a ‘real world’ view of their future education and career options, rather than automatically considering university as the only option. We’re calling on manufacturers and other employers to capitalise on this by visibly promoting the various entry points to succeed in the sector, and ensuring diverse employment practices are exercised.”
Uni’s not for me was established to provide the number one provider of advice, peer comment and resources for 15-18 years olds, their parent, teachers and potential employers. Wrixon runs the site alongside her other business, Salix Consulting, a PR company specialising in health, education and social sectors.
Wrixon went on to say:
“There are so many fantastic alternatives to university out there, so I urge young people to take all their post-school options into account before deciding what steps to take next.
“I think we need to face the fact that not all degrees are equal, and many would be better off taking alternative paths into employment. I regularly interview graduates for my business, and in my view many of them have wasted thousands on qualifications that are of little use in the workplace.
Concluding:
“Regardless of cost, university is simply not the only option for success for young people today.”
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