(no subject)

[aumentou]

The government considers higher education to be a route into employment. Did anyone here actually get a job because of their degree?

Comments

[confuseddave.livejournal.com]

Yep.

Of course, it depends what you mean by "because" of your degree. Do you mean "got a job in your degree field" or "got a job that you wouldn't have got if you didn't have a degree"?

[littlejenny123.livejournal.com]

Yes. In both sensed described by Dave.

[longhairedhippy.livejournal.com]

Yes - the recruitment into my job required a minimum 2:2 degree...

[tiggothy.livejournal.com]

I guess I could answer yes, as you can't be a teacher without a degree, but given the field I've ended up wanting to teach in, my degree subject has often caused more problems than it has solved...

[glitterybint.livejournal.com]

Yep, I couldn't do my job without a degree.

and a post grad thingy...

[clarestar.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have GOT my job without by BA and MA, but I could DO my job without them most of the time....

[cowprintavenger.livejournal.com]

Yup, but among my friends I'm in a distinct minority. Most of them are either doing a job that isn't remotely related to their degree, or didn't even need a degree to get it.

[spindr.livejournal.com]

Yes, the first job I got in my field required a 2.1 or higher.

[tallbint.livejournal.com]

Yes, but I did a vocational course- a degree in Soical Work Studies gives a direct pathway to a Social Work job, even provides the on the job experience through placements.

You even get paid to do the degree now as well.

[morecake.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Not really. I mean, the fact I have one looks quite good, but I suspect showing I could work in the real world and a few lucky chances were far more instrumental in getting me here. Mind you, when I started it I always knew mine was hardly a vocational degree.

To answer your question, however, I do believe that having been to university at all puts you a step up the ladder for work. I won't say it necessarily increases your chances of work, because I believe that I've not got jobs I very much needed and would happily have done (ie, food, office and bar work) because I was overqualified.

[lilith-k.livejournal.com]

Yep. Although standards are different now and we do accept some people without degrees, depending upon other experience, when I applied for my first job at my current company a degree in chemistry or a related subject was required. The knowledge I have from my degree is certianly required, and you really can tell which people don't have appropriate qualifications.

[grok-mctanys.livejournal.com]

I needed my degree to get my first Real Job employers to look at me, and the job was completely based on stuff I learned at university.

That my job was programming, and that I learned programming in my spare time while not spending as much time as I should have on my actual course (physics), means that in one sense, no, my actual course did not contribute to my actual job.

But my time at university was vital to me getting it. Both in terms of putting me around people who were able to teach me stuff I needed for my later career (OK, I could program somewhat before I got to uni, but I learned so much more from the other people at CASS/USIT over the 4 years I was at uni that I really couldn't have got a programming job without that) and in terms of getting the degree required to have recruiters look at you.

[longrat.livejournal.com]

Yes- and postgrad qualification too.

[edy-.livejournal.com]

The MSc got me my first job via my dissertation placement but despite working for an IT company the BA in Biblical Studies taught me skills that are more use to my job than the info from the IT masters...