Value of a University Degree - Essay Example

Value of a Degree Candi s Institute’s Value of a Degree Introduction A graduate degree is an important assetfor any potential employee. Normally employers and governments consider a graduate over someone who has not pursued a degree. This is not surprising at all as it is common sense that - normally - a person who has studied a certain program at university and obtained a degree in it would be more knowledgeable and suitable for a job in that field as compared to someone who has not. Becoming an expert in one’s field helps develop his career prospects and studying for a degree can be said to be an imperative educational, as well as career, decision. Not only does a degree from a university improve a person’s career prospects but it also helps him socially. His societal status improves and he is respected more. Saying that, however, does not mean that attaining a university degree is a sure shot at landing at your dream job. It is very commonly seen that graduates are jobless or working at a lowly position which is not what they had in mind when pursuing their degree. The value of a university degree should not be gauged monetarily only although that is what most people do and high paying jobs are why people pursue a degree. A university degree gives other possible benefits as well that will be detailed in the rest of this paper. Nevertheless, a degree is never a waste of investment and even if a person does not end up getting a job right away he will find that later on, when he has some experience in lowly jobs, his degree is what will set him out from non-graduates and help him get a good job. Main Body I am a single mother of four, having lost my husband a year back. I have a background in nursing and 15 years of experience in the same field. Now I have decided to move into Public Health. I am currently enrolled in the program and also working a part time job side by side. The reason I decided to pursue this degree is that I have a passion for academics and I believe that it will help me a lot in climbing up my career ladder. Yes, it is a pretty hard task managing studies, work and a family and yes, it is extremely difficult to give equal time to all, not to mention it becomes very tiring and stressful too. But then, if you want to achieve something you have to sacrifice and work hard for it. I have also planned to complete my university training as that will be counted a lot. Training and experience is always a bonus in professional life. I believe that once I have this degree I can apply for a better position and be able to earn and support my family better. Even if the results do not come out immediately I do think that the long term benefits would be worth it and I am not wasting my time, money and effort. Efforts do take time to bear fruit, no doubt about that. But once they do, the satisfaction that one acquires is extraordinary. Not only would I expectedly earn better but my personal satisfaction and self-confidence would also improve and so would my status in society. My children would also look up to me better than they do at the moment. All in all, it would be beneficial in one way or the other. The general assumption made is that the increase in young adults going for higher education in several of the countries throughout the world during the latter part of the 20th century means that there is an increasing demand of high-level technical and management skills even if these have no relation to technological progress. A 2009 study (Brooks & Everett, 2009) concluded that the number of young adults pursuing higher education in England and Wales rose seven times since 1960s; the research participants being 19-20 years of age. In 1961 just about 6% of this age group went for higher education but this percentage rose to 40% by 2004/05. Such has not been the case in these two countries only – Australia has witnessed a similar rise. The motivation for such a trend is provided from the side of the employers who require such skills as well as from students who feel that by getting higher qualifications they will be applicable for better job positions and their salaries and prospects would improve (Brynin, 2002). The government also proclaims that having a degree is value for money and it signifies high earnings throughout the career (Department for Education and Skills, 2003). Young adults assume that acquiring a degree means a sure shot at getting a lasting professional career. The general idea is that a university degree guarantees better professions and working conditions (Galindo & Ribeiro, 2011). Although a degree is given a lot of importance it is not a surety to a successful and lasting career, unlike what most of the people think. This point has been supported by a research conducted in Australia (Dwyer & Wyn, 2001). A person studies for years, finally attains a degree and then steps into the professional world. And when he does not get a job – or get a job that does not satisfy his – he gets discouraged and feels that he has wasted his time and money over a degree. It is such high expectations that result in these young adults becoming extremely disappointed when they find out otherwise. They feel that they had been misled and higher education is not all that fruitful. They had spent a good deal of time and money on their higher education and they want a return. When they do not get it they feel down and their perception regarding education changes. And when other people hear of such cases they have a hard time deciding whether to pursue a degree or not. They have to consider the financial costs of studying at a university with respect to how beneficial it would be to them later. One thing many people do not consider is the long term benefits associated with getting a degree. They want immediate results which are not always attainable and thus they get demotivated. In Britain it is even less of a guarantee, than across the world, of highly qualified persons being able to get a better position (Shavit & Mueller, 1998). Apart from that, having a degree and getting a good job are not exactly found to be related much in the UK. In fact, it was found that graduate density negatively affected the salaries (Brynin, 2002). If the young people only study for a good job, and they feel that the portrayal of higher-qualification-gives-a-better-job is just an assumption and things do not actually work this way, they would probably end up considering entering the market right away rather than spending their money and time at a university pursuing a degree that would – as they think - not bring any difference to their lives. If the young adults feel that they would not get any return after attaining a degree, they would rather not pursue it. One solid reason for this attitude is the cost of attending a university. From a poll it was found that two-thirds of secondary school students from England and Wales are concerned about the cost for attending a university (Parr, 2013). This same article cites that 86% of 11-16 years old from Sutton Trust feel that pursuing a university degree will benefit them later on but 65% are concerned about the finances required. Most of these are worried about tuition fee, followed by living costs and then the concern that they would not be able to earn while studying so would not be having that income. Just 7% of this group was found not to be worried regarding university costs. And yet, yet another research shows that the number of young adults deciding to pursue higher education rather than stopping at the minimum school leaving age is growing. Since 1997-98, a 12% increase has been noted in 16-18 years old entering for Advanced Level examinations in England and a 9% rise in undergraduates going for higher education in the whole of UK. These percentages are, however, as a whole and would not be valid for individual subjects. For instance, the number of students taking physics and mathematics has gone down (Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP, 2005). Thus, it was found that the employers were raising qualification levels for certain jobs – without an upgrade of the job – due to the graduates being available in such a high supply (Clydesdale, 2008). Therefore, according to (Aapola, Gonick, & Harris, 2005), young adults are not pursuing higher education because they wish to but rather because the demand for better qualified individuals is increasing in the service sector. Even though these young people – although working to make them more employable – might still not end up working a job that has an association with university education (Brown, Hesketh, & Williams, 2000). All in all the researches are giving mixed results with one talking about the benefits of a university degree and the other saying it is of no use. A research by Malcolm Brynin (Harris, 2013) proves that there has been a decrease in the economic advantage of having a degree as compared to the last two decades. According to Brynin the graduate premium is going down and pursuing a degree means ‘gambling’ although the number of jobs requiring high qualifications is increasing. Analysing data from British Labour Force Survey showed that in 1993 a person with a degree was earning 52% more as compared to one who did not have one but this drastically went down to 27% by 2008. A more recent 2013 article declared that a male degree holder earns 28% more than a non-qualified person while the percentage is 53% in case of females (Walker, 2013). Brynin’s findings also suggested that although the average pay of those with a degree was more than those without one, a high proportion were earning almost as much as those with just A-level, thereby coming to the conclusion that spending time and money on a degree is not necessarily beneficial if the person is looking for monetary rewards. In spite of such findings – that the economic benefits of a degree are going down rapidly – a good job still requires highly qualified persons. Besides economic benefits being a disadvantage, there is always a possibility that the person studying for a particular program feels that that field is not for him. He wants to do something else and has no interest in what he is studying. In this case he would have wasted his money and time on a degree that would get him nowhere since he does not plan to work in that field. There are a lot of people out there who study one thing but work in another field simply because they found that the subjects did not interest them enough. They cannot wait for their university to end so they can work in their preferred field rather than study what they do not have an interest in. Sometimes this ‘revelation’ may come early enough and a lot of time and money is saved if the person immediately switches his field. But when he is already half way through his degree and realizes that this is not his preferred field then it is a definite problem. University education is not cheap. And having wasted all that money, not to mention time, when he could have been studying something else or even earning instead, it certainly makes people feel that pursuing a university degree has more drawbacks than benefits. Not everyone knows right in the beginning what they want. It is when they experience things that they start evaluating themselves and the work. Also, if the person wants to work in a field where qualifications do not matter as much as skills do – for instance in a technical field such as animation, where he can simply show his work as proof of his skills – he does not really need to study for a degree. It is not that it’s only through a university that a person can learn and get knowledgeable in his relevant field; he can do that on his own as well. Yes, a university does provide qualified and learned professors but if one makes an effort he can get the same amount of knowledge through studying by himself and researching. A university is just necessary to be able to get a degree which is considered extremely important. A university is more like a label, and the society values labels and titles and degrees. Of course, this does not apply to all fields. Certain professions, such as in medicine, it is vital that a person goes to university, gets knowledge and training and only after he has been evaluated completely regarding his attained knowledge that he is allowed to practise in the field. “The value of an individual to an employer is no longer represented by the denomination of academic currency but by the economy of experience” (Brown, Hesketh, & Williams, 2000, p. 120). Experience has been said to be so important in landing in a good enough job that young people often have to work in lower quality jobs till they have attained the experience and training required for better positions. They have to invest their time to improve their career. A survey by (Pollard, Pearson, & Willison, 2004) showed that quite a big minority of the graduates participating in this survey had taken up lowly jobs and only after two years were they able to move onto better and permanent work. Experience is given considerable importance as the participants of a survey conducted by (Furlong & Cartmel, 2005) realized that “the professional job that they were aiming towards would only be achievable after they had gained experience in a more junior capacity” (p.22). In fact, it is not just experience but also the degree that one has attained. Now young adults are trying for further learning and a degree in masters as well in order to differentiate themselves from the lower graduates. They feel that this is important if they want distinction (Bowman, 2005) and because the competition in the market is extremely tough (Brown & Hesketh, 2004). If economic and monetary benefits of attaining a university degree are ignored for a moment one would realize that there are other definite advantages of it. Studying at a university is a transformational process in itself. A person learns a lot during his time at a university, and this learning is not just limited to the courses he is studying but there is a lot of self-grooming as well along with the person learning more about the world and polishing his other skills. Learning at school and at a university is different. At the school level the person is just learning and remembering his course. At his university, however, he has to apply the concepts and the learning becomes more self-directed. He has to manage and manipulate the information accordingly and consequently use it in problematic situations. It is only when this theoretical information and understanding attained at a university is actually put to use in the real world when the degree can be called valuable. The university life itself teaches the person a lot. It teaches him how to deal with people and this becomes extremely important when entering professional life. One meets all sorts of people and it is imperative that he knows how to manage them, talk to them, resolve disputes, and put forward his points without starting conflicts. The social exposure that one gets at a university is very helpful later on in life. One gets to meet people from various backgrounds and cultures and gets to know about the world. All this knowledge cannot be attained by simply reading up. Actual interaction is a must for evolving their communication processes and a person gets this at university. Besides all this, a person makes contacts at university and can even get a job through the university or the friends he has made there (Benefits of university go beyond a degree, 2009). When a person has a degree he automatically feels better and somewhat ‘above’ the non-graduates. It gives a satisfaction of being successful. And when having a degree results in him getting the job he wanted, a high quality job that pays well, he gets a boost. He works better and enjoys better health unlike others who often feel depressed and resort to measures like smoking that deteriorate their health. A degree, although just a piece of paper, makes a person more influential and respectable in his society, thus boosting his confidence. Having a university degree also means that the person has specialized in a particular field and is good and knowledgeable regarding it. Therefore, he can easily get jobs in that field as the employers would consider him over those not related to the field. There are several jobs out there that require specialization. Again, this is an added advantage. Secondly, specialisation also means that the person will be able to concentrate on his work better and give good results. Since he has studied about a particular field for four years it is – usually – obvious that he would have gained the necessary skills to work in that field. It also becomes easier for him. It is common for people to consider a degree as just a piece of paper that certifies that they have completed so and so program, and it is this perspective only that they hold when focusing on the pros and cons of studying at a university. Although the degree certificate definitely does indicate the time that one spent at the university and the efforts he put in, but the attitude of the person, his enthusiasm and ambition, the skills he has acquired and how well he can manage himself and his work count a lot. Therefore, a great difference exists between a person who has a degree but lacks all these skills, and a person who does not have a degree but can manage work well and better than the qualified one. The former may be better in terms of standardized tests but when it comes to actual professional life and applying the skills and managing work, it would be fond that the latter would perform better, thus proving the value of a piece of paper. This is not to say that all qualified people are worthless and that others are better off than them. No, such is definitely not the case. It is the attitude of the person and his ability to carry out tasks that make him valuable to an employer. The degree does not earn the salary and position – it is the person himself. He needs to show his worth to his potential employer. Of course, the degree can be an added advantage but without his skills it would not exactly be of any use. He may get the job on the basis of his qualifications but unless he is able to show his worth and prove to be valuable to the company, he will not be able to carry on and climb up his career ladder. Conclusion Conclusively, I would say that although a non-qualified person can get a job and be able to make a living to survive, a degree definitely helps in climbing up the career and social ladder. There is immense competition around and a degree is vital to survive this competition. It differentiates one from the non-qualified and if one has a degree he is normally given a preference over others. Training and experience are other plus points when applying for a job as it is obvious that a company would prefer someone who already knows what to do rather than someone whom they would have to teach, supervise and look over for some time before leaving him to work on his own. During times of unemployment a person with a degree would be more likely to get a job than a non-qualified one (Cooke, 2011). Investing time and money in studying at a university for a degree is never a bad idea. This time and finances never go to waste. When a person does not get a good job right away he is more inclined to feel frustrated and not regret pursuing the degree. If nothing else, it definitely does give him self-confidence and respect, and non-graduates look up to him. Even if not immediately, sooner or later the person will be able to benefit economically from his degree. Once his degree is complete and he has gained some experience at smaller companies or lower jobs than what he wanted, he will be viable candidate for a good position at a reputable organization. It is then that he realizes that his decision was worth it and the fruits that he is gaining due to it are beyond compare. References Benefits of university go beyond a degree. (2009, August 22). Express & Echo. Aapola, S., Gonick, M., & Harris, A. (2005). oung Femininity. Girlhood, Power and Social Change. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Bowman, H. (2005). ‘It’s a year and then that’s me’: masters students’ decision-making. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 29(3), 233-249. Brooks, R., & Everett, G. (2009, January 1). Post-graduation reflections on the value of a degree. British Educational Research Journal, 35(3), 333-349. Brown, P., & Hesketh, A. (2004). The Mismanagement of Talent: Employabilityand Jobs in the Knowledge Economy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 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University education is a financial ‘gamble’ as study shows advantage of a degree has dropped drastically over the last 20 years. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from Mail Online: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2329689/University-education-financial-gamble-study-shows-advantage-degree-dropped-drastically-20-years.html Parr, C. (2013, May 30). Youth unsure of university cost-benefit analysis: News. The Times Higher Education Supplement : THE, 8. Pollard, E., Pearson, R., & Willison, R. (2004). Next Choices: Career Choices Beyond University. Brighton: Institute for Employment Studies. Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP. (2005, January). The economic benefits of higher education qualifications. Shavit, Y., & Mueller, W. (1998). From School to Work: a comparative study of educational qualifications and occupational destinations. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Walker, I. (2013, August 20). How much is a degree really worth? Retrieved April 3, 2014, from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2013/aug/20/graduate-salaries-university-degree-value Read More