WELCOME TO THE 2ND DAY OF MY CAREERS BLOG FOR NATIONAL CAREERS WEEK!
Every day this week I will be posting some great careers hints and tips for people of all ages, from 13 year olds to mature career changers
As a Careers Adviser I find that one of the most frequent discussions I have with young people is about whether to go to University or not. The following myth-busters should help:
It is too expensive-I can't afford it
This should never put anybody off going to university as loans are available for all students, to cover fees and living expenses. Loans are not paid back until the student is earning at least £21,00 per year. If a student never earns that much money they will not have to pay the loan back. Some students will also be given a maintenance grant for living expenses. Many universities also offer bursaries and other financial help.
For more info see www.gov.uk/apply-for-student-finance
I am not sure I want to go to University, but I don't think there are any other options
This is definitely not the case as there apprenticeships and training programmes available, that are often a good alternative to university. However, this does vary depending which career area you want to go into and to some extent whereabouts you live. Many people are very successful without going to university!
For more info see:
www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
I would really like to go to University but I might not get very good A level grades and so don't think I will be able to go
Again this is very often not the case, as there are alternatives to the standard degree courses which often require high A level grades:
- Foundation degrees are equivalent to the first 2 years of a degree, are often more practical and have lower entry requirements. They can also often be converted to a full degree. They are run by both universities and Further Education colleges.
- Some degree courses have a foundation year or a 'year 0' attached to them. This is an extra year at the start of the degree course, for those students who do not meet the normal grade requirements for that degree or who have the wrong degree subjects. These tend to be for engineering and computing courses but some other courses may also offer a foundation year.
- For studying Art at University, it is often a good idea to take the Art foundation course, which is a 1 year course, run by local colleges, in-between A levels and University. This often helps get into Art courses, even if the A levels grades are not quite what is being asked for.
For more info see: www.ucas.com
I would like to go to university to study a subject of interest that is not career related. Will this affect my chances of future employment?
No, as it is still the case that around 60% of graduate jobs are for people from any discipline. If you study a subject you are passionate about and make sure you make the most of any opportunities (See the next question) then you still have a good chance of employment.
I am not sure how useful doing a degree will be, as I have heard how difficult it is for university graduates to get a job
This should not put you off taking a university degree as overall university graduates do earn more and are more likely to get good jobs. It is also worth bearing in mind that:
- Your future employment success depends on how much you put into your studies and into extra curricula activities, such as voluntary work, campaigning, positions of responsibility in clubs and societies and part-time work
- You can't predict the job market for few years time when you will be leaving university
- Most degree courses provide students with general transferable skills for employment which should help with getting a job
For more info on graduate careers see www.prospects.ac.uk