When he originally came to power, Tony Blair proudly stated that his party’s mantra was “Education, Education, Education�. A admirable enough focus and definitely not something one would think of associating with frustration and growing personal debt. But over the years, as more and more institutions have acquired university status, and student loans have become easily available to all, schools have encouraged a lot more young people to go for degrees without actually spelling out the cost.
There’s no question that we require a much more educated society, but is everyone actually obtaining the right advice? In reality; is it such a difficult sell to persuade the youth of today to leave the family home and live with mates, not bother about finding a job for three or four years and get discounted beer at the university bar. A over simplified interpretation maybe – inevitably there’s a tad of lectures to go to, and a careful balance to keep afloat, then the rewards will be worth it in years to come. But is that true For many families, the price of university education continues for a long period after graduation, both in financial and social terms.
The student loan system (the best method of lending for university undergraduates), tuition fees, lodgings and general costs of living over the time spent studying can set you back well into five figures – with no guarantee of a job. It’s not a funny joke that young people with great ambitions too often are forced to return home because they can’t find work. Not only do fathers and mothers find themselves still stumping up the cash, but frustrated adult children who’d previously flown the nest can significantly cramp their style!
Formal education can be a fulfilling experience for young people, and is the only route for many of our professions. But advisors and families ought to know that in some disciplines, there are other, sometimes better alternatives. In the world of Information Technology, employers are crying out for commercially qualified IT professionals. University graduates frequently have to supplement their IT training skills to be ready for work and fare in the job market with Microsoft, CompTIA or Cisco professionals. The sad fact is they would have saved themselves three years and not been burdened with a unmanageable debt if they’d studied with a commercial interactive computer training provider. Possibly alcohol in the student union bar isn’t such a great idea after all – certainly the bank of mum and dad would be a lot less exhausted, and life would be lot more comfortable for all.
(C) Scott Edwards - www.learninglolly.com. Scott Edwards has been involved in the IT and Training Industry for 30 years.
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