Cambridge: Barely Breaking the Surface
Aug 22, 2013 18:54:14 GMT
Post by mossie on Aug 22, 2013 18:54:14 GMT
In the case of my two boys, while I did not try to force them, I did suggest quite strongly to the eldest that he took a year between school and university to work. I said it did not matter what work he did but that he needed an understanding of the real world of work, before it was too late.
We were far more relaxed with the younger one, who was very well grounded and had done an excellent project while on a work experience fortnight, with a local firm. His university course included one year, out of 4, when he was placed with a company allied to his field of study. This was extremely beneficial to him, and led to a job offer when he left. He also got a job offer from the local firm with whom he had done work experience.
Being him, he turned them both down and is pursuing a rather erratic, but very profitable, career in his specialised field.
I was trying to guide them from my own experience, I'm sure I have done enough boasting for people to realise that did not include a university education. When I took my General Schools exams at 16 I knew that would give me enough qualification for the path I wished to follow. My mother and headmaster had different ideas . I was told I should continue at school, take the Higher Schools exams and from there progress to university to become a schoolmaster, of all things The whole idea absolutely appalled me and I went to work on a local farm continuing after the summer holiday when I was supposed to return to school.
This of course led to ructions, which meant that it was best for me to leave home after a few months. that set me on my own two feet and I never looked back.
The point of this long ramble is, that I feel a lot of university education is wasted. Also that the gap year spent dossing about in foreign countries is pure self indulgence which leads nowhere, except in a few cases. Many students leave university ill equipped to do a real job, and not prepared to learn a job properly.
Hope I haven't ruffled too many feathers
We were far more relaxed with the younger one, who was very well grounded and had done an excellent project while on a work experience fortnight, with a local firm. His university course included one year, out of 4, when he was placed with a company allied to his field of study. This was extremely beneficial to him, and led to a job offer when he left. He also got a job offer from the local firm with whom he had done work experience.
Being him, he turned them both down and is pursuing a rather erratic, but very profitable, career in his specialised field.
I was trying to guide them from my own experience, I'm sure I have done enough boasting for people to realise that did not include a university education. When I took my General Schools exams at 16 I knew that would give me enough qualification for the path I wished to follow. My mother and headmaster had different ideas . I was told I should continue at school, take the Higher Schools exams and from there progress to university to become a schoolmaster, of all things The whole idea absolutely appalled me and I went to work on a local farm continuing after the summer holiday when I was supposed to return to school.
This of course led to ructions, which meant that it was best for me to leave home after a few months. that set me on my own two feet and I never looked back.
The point of this long ramble is, that I feel a lot of university education is wasted. Also that the gap year spent dossing about in foreign countries is pure self indulgence which leads nowhere, except in a few cases. Many students leave university ill equipped to do a real job, and not prepared to learn a job properly.
Hope I haven't ruffled too many feathers