Yes, have 2... Civil Engineering (Merit) and Construction Management (2:1), Yes, Not a waste of time but with the state of the construction industry in Ireland it was a very bad decision that I do somewhat regret.
I work in Electronics, where there are of course dedicated degrees but no one has ever questioned that.
In my area of work a degree is the minimum entry level requirement, so without one you wouldn't even get an interview for a junior post. Simple as that really...
That said I now get work/jobs by reputation - For my last too permanent positions I wasn't even interviewed.
I have a business degree and I'm now doing a law degree. What I'm doing is like a conversion course that allows you to do law as a postgrad (I didn't get into an undergrad law degree). I plan to do a Masters next year if I get the grades. Not in work yet but I'm sure it'll be law-related and I eventually plan to set up my own law firm. My business background will be useful then.
My degree is irrelevant to my job, though there are transferable skills: comprehension, pulling together disparate sources, presenting an argument.
I'd doing another degree now which is more relevant and includes 'learning outcomes' that claimed to meet requirements identified by employers.
So to the OP, I would try and find out what the learning outcomes are for your prospective degree.
My job is nothing to do with my degree and I came in at an office junior level (which I could have done 3 years earlier I suppose)
However it was nice to have the university experience [albeit I did stay at home but I had a fab 3 years. I also worked all through my degree but I had a great lifestyle - holidays, a great social life etc..]
It took me a long time to pay off my student loan though.
Would I do it again if I had the chance - yes but not at my current age.
I'd do it again when I was young, lived at home etc... not now as an adult with a child.
I am considering getting into teaching at a later date and my degree will be very handy then.
2:2 in Computer Science (2001). I started in 97 so was lucky enough to be in the last group to get a grant every year - actual free money!
I work in a maths/IT based team in a bank and someone would not even be considered for a job here without a degree as a bare minimum (and that's for an entry level analyst around £18k). Doesn't really matter which one though as job experience since uni is more important - someone has an English degree and another an art history masters. A degree demonstrates/develops an ability to think critically.
Do you have a Degree? If so, what Degree do you have and are you now in a job that has anything to do with said Degree?
Do you feel like your Degree was a waste of time and hasn't helped further your career at all? Or was it one of the best decisons you made?
I'm considering going to Uni
My degree was of no use whatsoever to any sort of career (barring teaching).
I don't care. I had 3 great years & i loved the subject I studied.mind you,there were not outrageous fees then.
If I was 18 today would I do it?? Nope, as nothing is worth getting into 27k+ worth of debt unless you either come from a v wealthy family or are doing vocational degree & expect a big salary afterwards.
Nevertheless i loved doing my degree & Im grateful i did it when I did it & not now.
I did computer science, although I couldn't directly find a job using it. I ended up doing digital (microprocessor) electronics, and I steered my work around so I could use more of it. Eventually (1980s) this field merged with computers anyway.
I could probably have managed without it (I got my first job based on my own hobbyist efforts), but being a sandwich course I got to work with some interesting (now legendary) hardware.
Although if I'd known how ubiquitous computers would become, I might have chosen another subject! (And one with more girls on it.)
BSc in Psychology when I was younger, then some years working in psychiatric provision, then working in benefits but doing voluntary work with children and adult literacy, then as a mature student an MSc in Social Work, yes I work in Social Work. I do wonder whether I should have gone into teaching instead sometimes, but thats only because it is so stressful
tiacat - I don't think they do that MSc anymore. I did something similar when you got to choose between social work and probation but the postgrad qualifications for social work and probation are different now I think.
I dont know what they do now, its all changed, there was still an age restriction in place when I studied, I qualified with my DipSW and MSc 11 years ago.
yes, strangely from Swansea University, the subject of another thread. It was a course called Energy Studies and covered coal, gas, wind power, ocean power, Nuclear etc. Plus all the maths and engineering involved. But the most interesting part for me was the computer simulation. So I ended up in IT. But I still find energy, currently in the news, very interesting,
tiacat - I don't think they do that MSc anymore. I did something similar when you got to choose between social work and probation but the postgrad qualifications for social work and probation are different now I think.
Yes and yes.
About deciding to go or not ........ when 50% of the people in the queue for jobs have degrees do you really want to be one of the ones without?
Yes and yes.
About deciding to go or not ........ when 50% of the people in the queue for jobs have degrees do you really want to be one of the ones without?
I was 'lucky' that I started my (non degree holding) working life just before going to uni became the norm. My current job now stipulates that a degree is required for any new starters but I got in on my previous working experience alone.
so many people end up working in IT despite what qualifications
it's not that simple. You can work in front end support, answering the phone and logging faults on Windows office applications. Or you can work at the other end, understanding computer programming Languages like C++ or Java. Scripting languages like Python or Perl, Databases and SQL, Operating systems. There is is so much out there these days. It's not about being able to switch on a laptop.
Comments
The OP asked what subject, not the grade. You a recent graduate?
I work in Electronics, where there are of course dedicated degrees but no one has ever questioned that.
In my area of work a degree is the minimum entry level requirement, so without one you wouldn't even get an interview for a junior post. Simple as that really...
That said I now get work/jobs by reputation - For my last too permanent positions I wasn't even interviewed.
I'd doing another degree now which is more relevant and includes 'learning outcomes' that claimed to meet requirements identified by employers.
So to the OP, I would try and find out what the learning outcomes are for your prospective degree.
My job is nothing to do with my degree and I came in at an office junior level (which I could have done 3 years earlier I suppose)
However it was nice to have the university experience [albeit I did stay at home but I had a fab 3 years. I also worked all through my degree but I had a great lifestyle - holidays, a great social life etc..]
It took me a long time to pay off my student loan though.
Would I do it again if I had the chance - yes but not at my current age.
I'd do it again when I was young, lived at home etc... not now as an adult with a child.
I am considering getting into teaching at a later date and my degree will be very handy then.
I work in a maths/IT based team in a bank and someone would not even be considered for a job here without a degree as a bare minimum (and that's for an entry level analyst around £18k). Doesn't really matter which one though as job experience since uni is more important - someone has an English degree and another an art history masters. A degree demonstrates/develops an ability to think critically.
Was it a waste of time? Definitely not. I'm applying to go back to university next year to do a postgrad course.
My degree was of no use whatsoever to any sort of career (barring teaching).
I don't care. I had 3 great years & i loved the subject I studied.mind you,there were not outrageous fees then.
If I was 18 today would I do it?? Nope, as nothing is worth getting into 27k+ worth of debt unless you either come from a v wealthy family or are doing vocational degree & expect a big salary afterwards.
Nevertheless i loved doing my degree & Im grateful i did it when I did it & not now.
I could probably have managed without it (I got my first job based on my own hobbyist efforts), but being a sandwich course I got to work with some interesting (now legendary) hardware.
Although if I'd known how ubiquitous computers would become, I might have chosen another subject! (And one with more girls on it.)
You can do an MA in Social Work.
About deciding to go or not ........ when 50% of the people in the queue for jobs have degrees do you really want to be one of the ones without?
I was 'lucky' that I started my (non degree holding) working life just before going to uni became the norm. My current job now stipulates that a degree is required for any new starters but I got in on my previous working experience alone.
Web Development degree? Sorry, but I can't believe that they'd let you piss around with HTML for a few years and then call you a graduate.
Computer Science - now that's a degree. Web Development is college stuff:cool:
I work in rescue kennels, so the degrees are most certainly relevant. I've also worked in aquariums and zoos, as well as wildlife conservation.
Since graduating I have not worked as I decided to become a SAHM. But when I do go back to work, hopefully next year, it will be as a midwife!
Not a waste of time for me, for obvious reasons. I wouldn't have gone to uni just for the sake of going of I didn't have a clear career path in mind.
it's not that simple. You can work in front end support, answering the phone and logging faults on Windows office applications. Or you can work at the other end, understanding computer programming Languages like C++ or Java. Scripting languages like Python or Perl, Databases and SQL, Operating systems. There is is so much out there these days. It's not about being able to switch on a laptop.
You can also do an MSc, including at my old university.