What's the point of higher education?

[Uncle Mort]

We receive many job applicants, mostly graduates and although I'm not involved in recruitment I often get to see the CVs as many appear on the department e-mail address.

Anyway, one caught my eye because of his university degrees:

MA Political Science (Terrorism and Security) and BA International Relations

The MA intrigued me so googled it.

Students could be expected to enter a range of professions linked to public service, policy analysis, human rights and the NGO sector, national and global security, advocacy and lobbying.

No mention of shipbroking. His four jobs since leaving university: Sales, Finance, Sales & Marketing and Sales.

Just what was the point of his four years at university?

 

[Nick]

He is educated and flexible?

[Snoopy]

He may not be educated but he has at least proved an ability to put up with four years of unmitigated political correctness, ball busting jargon and theoretical situations that have never and will never happen. Ideally suited to a job "in the city" I would think.

[Nick]

I am about to get a bit cross about this one.

[Snoopy]

Don't take it personally. You gained your education when it was worth something.

[Nick]

And it still is in some places.

When Uncle replies I may ask someone to move it to The Commons

[Snoopy]

  It is in "The Commons"

[Uncle Mort]

He probably is 'educated and flexible' but his education is in political science. Surely he should being putting that specific knowledge to use?

None of the jobs he has done or the position he's applying for here require MAs or BAs in any subject so I ask again, what was the point?

[Uncle Mort]

I am about to get a bit cross about this one.

Why?

[Nick]

 

In that case:

1. Some may not have had the privilege of HE as it was before, let's say 1990. But a university education was a fine thing. You had to move away from home (I speak from experience(. Find you way in a strange city (London in my case), manage a budget, fend for yerself, make new friends and work like buggery.

2. A fine chance also to spend years debating ideas with bright, and brighter, people. About what, it mattered not.

3. The study part was to research, read, write - crystallising ideas in prose and then defending them in public. The subject mattered little. OK, I did English Lit. Useless, but fascinating. If you are doing Medicine, Law, Surveying, Architecture and so on, there are disciplines and stuff to be observed. But it is still intellectually fertile.

4. The expansion of HE (first in the 60's and later in the 90's FHE Act 1992) combined with the expansion of student numbers has, we know (and Mrs Nick gets the brunt of it) brought in a new generation of students who are not always up to scratch. The old and older universities carry on doing brilliant stuff. Some ofhte alumni of the newer ones are no dolts. Mature students always do well.

5. If we train people to think, write, read, research, argue and deliver then the discipline they follow matters not, for the majority of jobs.

6. Having attended a presentation at the local Grammar last night I was blown away by the Head who pointed out that most jobs that exist now for graduates scarcely were dreamed of a few years ago. "We are preparing kids for jobs that do not yet exist." He said.

7. The solution: educate. Make 'em think, express, argue, find their feet, read, research, find out how to research, find out how to evaluate.

8. It's the best I can do for The Boy and I will do. It's OK to learn on the job, but just cos someone has spent time thiniing about politics, economics, terrorism, globalism and so on does not mean they are narrow. They have resources. But they may need a few corners knocking off.MIne are still being knocked off. But I treasure my (11 year) university education. Those who mutter about the University of Life are OK, but we all enter the University of Life quite early on.

Rant over

[Uncle Mort]

Ouch!

I cannot disagree. You've argued the point of higher education excellently. My argument is more that this chap hasn't appeared to made use of his specific knowledge.

Maybe he applied to be Cameron's speech writer or work for some government 'thinktank' and failed or he had decided he wasn't interested in politics after all. However at the university he was a member of the a debating society, a politics society and the young conservatives so who knows.

To be honest reading the full CV this chap was always going to go to university, I'm actually surprised it wasn't Oxbridge.

[Nick]

My argument is more that this chap hasn't appeared to made use of his specific knowledge.

Not, perhaps, necessary, Uncle.

And you can always sign up for the OU. I worked for them for years.

[Bar Wench]

And you can always sign up for the OU. I worked for them for years.

Have you seen how much they charge!?!? And I don't think it's possible to get any type of funding either.

[Nick]

Not the point. You think it worthwhile.

The blasted Govt have made it pricey.

You wanna do OU. Yup. They spread the credits over years for that reason. Bastard govt pay f*ck all

[Uncle Mort]

I did study with the OU back in the late 80's. I have 101 Maths and Computing but dropped out halfway through the later courses. I guess I still have a couple of points towards a BA.

The summer schools were for me a taste of university life, something I wish I had the opportunity to have done. Maybe my attitude to graduates is tainted with a hint of jealousy but whatever the merits of higher education in producing a more well rounded, confident individual, surely the bottom line is still gaining knowledge for use in later life.