Education & Work Going To University is a Waste of Time??

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by MTR, 13th May, 2016.

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  1. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    dependent on the degree

    but as mentioned it is not a degree that will make you rich, it's qualities that has been mentioned by other posters
     
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  2. lightbulbmoment

    lightbulbmoment Well-Known Member

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    Going to school is also a waste of time from year 9 to 12
     
  3. Ace in the Hole

    Ace in the Hole Well-Known Member

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    Modern day education is fast and free.
    University is neither.
     
  4. EN710

    EN710 Well-Known Member

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    Education is not only in school and university
     
  5. Ouga

    Ouga Well-Known Member

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    "Trying is the first step towards failure" Homer
    So based on that, we can assume what you mean by "is uni a waste of time?" Is really : is Uni a waste of time to make you rich?

    It entirely depends on what you think the point is. Based on what you are saying, it appears you are suggesting the goal is to make money and pondering whether the financial cost of paying for a degree translates efficiently into the ability to earn money through the skills squired at uni. As it has already been suggested in this thread, there are different ways to make money, many of which do not involve a Uni qualification. I would argue getting an education is about more than gaining the ability to make money however. Getting a Uni education is also about learning how to learn, training the mind, defining problems, conducting an analysis etc. It can make you see things in a different way and as a result approach situations differently. It gives one the tools to adapt to different situations. It's kind of like knowing the answer to a math problem vs knowing the workings of how to get to the solution. For the practical aspect, the answer is all you need. However, there is value in knowing how to get there, and the day something changes, one can adapt the workings to reflect that. But one has to be willing to put in the effort to actually reach that stage where they can take away learnings from a Uni degree.

    So yeah it comes down to what you think the point is. IMO, getting a Uni degree is about more than simply getting the ability to earn a living.
     
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  6. JDP1

    JDP1 Well-Known Member

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    Depends on what you do at that time and also what you do with it post uni.
    ..a lot of valuable akills learnt during that time whuch may or may not be obvious..eg presentation skills, research, learning skills etc that may not be tied to your degree and thus not easilly quantifiable . These are difficult to measure, but i suspect this is the reason why you see the figures of x dollars lifetime earning with a degree vs x minus a helluva lot without it.
     
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  7. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    While my own uni degrer was an extremely worth while thing to do, I see far too many people now at uni for the sake of it, who really shouldn't be there. Too many people don't really have the ability or the drive, and just float into uni because it's expected of them. Many of these people have abilities elsewhere and would be better off pursuing other careers. While there are too many people being pushed into uni, there is a shortage of apprentices.
     
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  8. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    ;)
    Some people do that to get promotions, others to get a uni degree...
     
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  9. Tim86

    Tim86 Well-Known Member

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    Uni graduates likely to earn $1m more over lifetime - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

    Uni isnt a waste of time in terms of earning potential (depending on degree).

    But it is a waste of time in terms of how long it takes. My 4 year degree could have been done in 2 years or less.

    I did learn a lot. Especially around critical thinking. But it was the volunteer work and extra training I did in my own time that landed me a job when I finished my degree.

    And it was how I invested the money from my day job that brought in the real dollars.

    And it was my parents guidance and help that led me to invest.

    So uni is worthwhile, but its only one part of the picture.
     
  10. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

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    I am totally against the trend of almost everyone going to Uni. It is totally necessary for some professions, I agree, but to send the masses off to Uni has no benefit at all. There are tons of jobs that don't need Uni degrees, and I'm betting there's a heck of a lot of Uni graduates (or those that dropped out) doing plenty of them.

    When I went to school, you got a job at the end of year 10, or went to TAFE. Those that went onto year 12 were usually the ones who aspired to go to Uni, although not all of them did.

    So...you had a heap of kids that started work young. By the time they were 24(the age a lot finish Uni), many were married & had bought their first home, or were working on it. Now, after being at Uni until age 24, being told they are 'special' all their lives & having their parents fund them, they come out of uni and expect to be able to buy a property. Well....hello.....you need to save for a deposit. What's that you say? Your parents were able to buy a house when they were 24? That's right, it was easier back then, wasn't it? Well no! Your parents were made to grow up, and start to make adult choices earlier in life. They started work young, and now that they've lifted the age of retirement, will have to work longer than any other generation.

    I think this trend towards everyone going to uni is partly the Government's way of saying that the unemployment levels have dropped. Well, they have, haven't they, at least in the age 18-24 bracket, because they're all at Uni.
     
  11. Tim86

    Tim86 Well-Known Member

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    The problem with going back to the "good old days" is that we now live in a global economy where unskilled labour can be done for a fraction of the price in a third world country.

    Australia needs increased education and skill levels in order to add something of value to the world economy. Otherwise its a race to the bottom by trying to compete for unskilled work with the third world.

    I can think of worse things than Australia having a generation of highly educated scientists and engineers, etc...

    Also after the war the USA gave free college degrees to ex soldiers. So it was higher education for the masses. And that was one of the biggest drivers of economic prosperity in the country. Education actually economically grows the middle class and enables a middle out economic model that benefits the whole economy.
     
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  12. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    However, many uni degrees are being done at the expense of skilled trades, and are done by people who are not really suited to uni; admission standards have dropped to allow the extra degrees, and therefore the academic standards cannot be kept as high.
     
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  13. Tony Fleming

    Tony Fleming Well-Known Member

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    Waste of time unless you want to be an engineer, doctor or lawyer. So many people from my work go to uni for the sake of going to uni. I remember asking one of them what jobs the degree they were doing would get them? He didn't even know, just that it would be high paying. Changed courses three times and than finally realised he would just get a apprenticeship to be a chef like he had always wanted when he was a kid. Wasted three years of his life trying to impress his parents.
     
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  14. Greyghost

    Greyghost Well-Known Member

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    Lol, my sleeping at uni and absences were by no means a reflection on my subject scores..
    Opportunity cost of time when you are 19 years old haha
     
  15. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely agree, I have 2 daughters both attended/attend Uni.

    At the end of the day to source finance and move forward they need a job, their qualifications will help them achieve this but their degree wont necessarily make them rich.
     
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  16. JDP1

    JDP1 Well-Known Member

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    Yes this is very true.
    I can guarantee that both sides of politics want to go in direction you have inferred.
     
  17. jins13

    jins13 Well-Known Member

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    A degree like anything in life can provide you an ample amount of opportunities and 'what you put in, is what you get out' during your studies. Excellent opportunities to get your 'foot in the door' and network with potential employers that may provide you a start in the industry. I did quite a few work experiences during my studies to beef up my resume and obtain valuable industry exposure, because I knew that going into interviews with the line "willing to learn" didn't quite cut the mustard.

    Yes, I do acknowledge that some industries are very tough and there are degrees which I consider are not worth their weight for possible employment opportunities or growth but I believe just assuming that it's your ticket way to a 6 figure salary straight off the bat is certainly wishful thinking.

    I respectfully disagree with some people making the assumption of attending universities being a waste of time, when they didn't even attend or study in a university to validate that claim! Seems alittle bit of a red herring fallacy.
     
    Last edited: 14th May, 2016
  18. Eric Wu

    Eric Wu Well-Known Member Business Member

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    Well said.

    Studying in uni also giving self opportunities to explore numerous aspects of life with the guidance from teachers and professors, reading books, learning theories. It is like talking to great minds. There are much morein life than just making money, or the ability to make money.
     
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  19. JenW

    JenW Well-Known Member

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    To a point. There are still plenty of service industries where in-person attendance will always be required. I don't fancy the odds of a plumber who only telecommutes from a third world country doing particularly well, for example. When **** happens, you want a trained person on the scene to sort it out quick smart :D
     
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  20. JDP1

    JDP1 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah absolutely. But....jobs like that will be considered low value and more commoditised will be filled by the cheapest source...maybe imported people...and if the high value jobs are not filled here, they will go elsewhere, taking any competitive advantage alomg with it.
     
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