Getting a degree... less worth by the year.

n3crius · 24 Nov 2006 at 22:35

triggerthat said:
So you are just working to pay your bills?

Wrong answer.

for a start - we both enjoy what we do very much.

we pay our bills and have a good time.

take it from me, we're more than happy with our current situation and the immediate future in terms of salary and career progress.

more than warrants a degree in my eyes

KaHn · 24 Nov 2006 at 22:36

cleanbluesky said:
Last time I checkd, organisations seek only to use employees to its own end... the only time I have seen someone gain something from work was at the expense of being tied it - i.e. oportunities for further qualification or 'promotion'... or those who invest a great deal of their effort in the 'role' in the job... but then again I have mostly worked in offices. I have also seen very hard work go unrewarded. I have worked on charity projects that I have put my own pro bono time and even money into, that I have turned down better paid jobs to keep only to receive nothing from the charity or company in return... but then again I wasn't doing it for rewards

I can understand what your saying CBS but no one will willingly shoot themselves in the foot and promote the wrong person, you may get on the ladder through who you know but climbing it is another thing.

I think you are wrong from not accepting the better paid jobs, but if I was you I would have takend the job and helped out as much as possible, but were not on about that.

KaHn

triggerthat · 24 Nov 2006 at 22:36

lol. Don't worry mate, was only messing around.

Why do you have a == in your sig?

n3crius · 24 Nov 2006 at 22:39

triggerthat said:
lol. Don't worry mate, was only messing around.

Why do you have a == in your sig?

no probs.

that's an equality operator in some languages. just means the stuff before it is equal to what comes after it.

( basically it's = )

KaHn · 24 Nov 2006 at 22:40

n3crius said:
that's an equality operator in some languages. just means the stuff before it is equal to what comes after it.

In CS its a closed eye person.

normally you should just use one "=".

KaHn

Beansprout · 24 Nov 2006 at 22:50

cleanbluesky said:
On related news, did you know that Middlesex has dropped History due to financial concerns... really casts a shadow of doubt on some modern universities...

And another university (don't remember which) is closing its Physics department

n3crius · 24 Nov 2006 at 22:52

actually this thread reminds me..

seriously considering another degree at some point. i'd like to take physics or astrophysics. i think.

anyone taking a second degree while they work?

Richdog · 24 Nov 2006 at 23:04

cleanbluesky said:
That's an awfully magnanimous post considering you once describe me as being able to weave prejudice into an oscar winning speech or some such...

EDIT: here we are
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=8065659&postcount=73

And I still stand by that statement... you do talk an awful lot of carp in order to verbally beat an opponent into submission... however you're obviously a skilled narrator and I appreciate that even if I don't always find it pleasant.

Dave · 24 Nov 2006 at 23:16

Well I can't become a chartered engineer without a degree in Engineering, so I think my degree is worthwhile. I'm studying Chemical Engineering

Richdog · 24 Nov 2006 at 23:22

Dave said:
Well I can't become a chartered engineer without a degree in Engineering, so I think my degree is worthwhile. I'm studying Chemical Engineering

Forgive my ignorance (pre-google) but what sort of jobs does chemical engineering lead to?

HangTime · 24 Nov 2006 at 23:35

I graduated 5.5 years ago and I think it has just set me back in terms of earning. If I had entered employment at 18 instead, I reckon I would probably have earned double my total salary to date. None of the jobs I have held have benefitted from having a degree, in fact apart from the job I started this week, even a lack of A-levels probably wouldn't have mattered.

That's not to say that taking my degree was a waste of time, I had a good time at university, and I know I would have regretted not going. It's just that it hasn't helped me as far as employment goes.

Starfall · 24 Nov 2006 at 23:44

I think that this has happened because of the Universities being able to opperate as "for profit" companies and the huge amounts of money in loan form available to prospective students.

Today, generally the prospective students want to choose the popular, easier subjects. The Universities offer these subjects and widen the requirement levels because it's profitable. Meanwhile the government provides the loans to students to pay for this - Why? Because having a working population with an manageable amount of debt makes for a stable ecomomy.

The problem is that we're loosing the science and engineering disciplines because of this - and this will hurt us in the future. The average age of the professional engineer in this country is over 50.

When i was at university there were 7 (seven) undergraduate students in my year studying electronic engineering, for this degree the university was then ranked 7th in the UK. In the same year there were ~500 undergraduate students studying psychology, for this degree the university was then ranked around 20th in the UK.

In the last year of my MEng i remember that the psychology new intake was over 60% of total intake, with total intake then at about 2000 undergraduate students.

I peer guided for our new intake that year, there was about 20 students. It was a good year...

Tweek_1984 · 24 Nov 2006 at 23:52

Without going to university I'd be stuck in Carlisle. I'd probably still be a fairly narrow minded character and I imagine I'd be in some mediocre, badly paid job just to tread water.

As it happens, I've partied my ass off, I spent a year in canada where I met the love of my life. Now I have ambitions to live there while I study for my master degree.

University has not only changed my life, but sculpted it for the future also. Worth every penny. People go on about the debt, but a lot of people shell out 20 odd grand on a car.

SidewinderINC · 24 Nov 2006 at 23:55

daz said:
Film Studies isn't a micky mouse subject, English and Film Studies at Kings is pretty well respected. It involves a lot of essay writing skills, just like any other arts degree.

is that a single course of "english and film studies" if so then i stand by my argument that film studies is a mickey mouse course

and by Kings i assume you mean Kings College London? i'd expect any course to have some weight coming from there! i mean something like "urinal studies" would probably weigh higher than a biophysics degree from christchurch!

robmiller · 25 Nov 2006 at 00:19

Why would you go to university for the career prospects :confused:

Stellios · 25 Nov 2006 at 00:23

Dont really care what its sorth to an employer, you go for the fun of it, and im going because i want to learn new things like Java, and generally improve on my knowledge.

MagSafe · 25 Nov 2006 at 00:32

Luckily i stay in Scotland so getting my degree was completey free

, somehow i managed to stay debt free whilst working part time throughout studying.

I graduated in the summer there and got a full time job shortly after in my field of choice. I did think before of quitting uni and just going out to get a job but i couldn't be happier now, i have a great time having almost full creative control over what i do and get to learn and use all kinds of new and different technologies every day ... and i get paid for it

I'm one of the lucky ones though, come to think of it i'm only person i know from everyone i've known over the years at uni and college that has managed to get a job doing what they wanted to do ... all the rest, as far as i know, are still working in their part time jobs or got jobs below their expectations that weren't what they were even studying for.

Overall I would say getting a degree is still worth it, in my opinion anyway.

cleanbluesky · 25 Nov 2006 at 01:02

Starfall said:
In the last year of my MEng i remember that the psychology new intake was over 60% of total intake, with total intake then at about 2000 undergraduate students.

I think you'll also find a significantly high drop-out rate for psychology as well, and possibly the idea that very few psychology graduates take jobs within the field - possible explanation for that is because the type of people who wish to study psychology usually have unresolved issues. I kid you not, very few people had 'reasons' for wanting to do such a degree... many dropped out (possibly studying for wrong reasons)...

The fact that psychology teachers are in great demand is indicative that there is potential.

Nix · 25 Nov 2006 at 01:08

For me, personally I don't look at my degree in terms of money but in terms of life experience. You only live once, I want to make the most of it! I've had some absolutely fantastic experiences and met some very unique people whilst being at university whom I'd have never otherwise come into contact with. I do not regret coming to university. I know I'd have always regretted not coming though. Being at university has allowed me to deal with unresolved issues, see another part of the country and stand up on my own two feet. There is more to university than just academia and career prospects.

Arcade Fire · 25 Nov 2006 at 07:11

Richdog said:
Forgive my ignorance (pre-google) but what sort of jobs does chemical engineering lead to?

A friend who graduated in June with a 2.1 in Chemical Engineering has recently started working as a plant manager for Shell, earning £31k per year plus bonus. Another friend who received their PhD in Chemical Engineering last year is now working as a financial analyst for an investment bank, earning £40k plus bonuses. It's not an entirely bad path to choose.