Further Education vs Commercial Computer Training
When he originally became Prime Minister, Tony Blair proudly stated that his party’s message was “Education, Education, Education�. A commendable enough focus and obviously not something a person would couple alongside the horrors of frustration and increasing personal debt. But over time, as greater numbers of colleges have acquired the status of a university, and student loans have become effortlessly available to all, schools have encouraged greater numbers of young people to go for degrees without actually pointing out the cost.
There’s no doubt that we need a more educated society, but are young people often getting the right advice? Let’s face it; is it such a tricky sell to promote to a young adult to leave the family home and live with a bunch of friends, not bother about finding a job for three or four years and get discounted beer at the student union bar. A simplified interpretation maybe – inevitably there’s a bit of studying to be done, and a degree of juggling to keep afloat, then the rewards will be worth it eventually. Or will they? For many families, the price of university education lasts for many years after graduation, both socially and financially.
Student Loans (the best method of lending for students at university), fees for tuition, accommodation and the cost of life in general over three or four years can set you back well into five figures – without any guarantee of employment. It’s ironic that young people with great ambitions too often become back-at-home twenty-somethings who haven’t even conquered their first job. Not only do parents still have to support them financially, but unemployed adult children who’d previously flown the nest can obviously make things awkward!
A university education can be a fulfilling experience for young people, and is the only way for many of our professions. But we ought to know that in some areas, there are other, frequently better alternatives. In the computer industry, employers are desperate for professionally qualified IT professionals. Only having a university degree means students regularly need to top up their computer training skills to be industry ready and fare in the job market with Microsoft, CompTIA or Cisco professionals. The sorry fact is they could have saved themselves three years and not had a really large debt had they gone straight to a commercial interactive computer training provider. Possibly drinking in the college bar isn’t quite so cheap after all – surely the family bank account would be a lot less depleted, and there’d probably be more space on the sofa!.
(C) Scott Edwards – www.learninglolly.com. Scott Edwards has been involved in the IT and Training Industry for 30 years.
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