It is absolutely amazing how each of us are told that a good education is all that matters.. some work experience along with a degree and you're set.
At the risk of sounding cynical let me tell you personal experience has taught me otherwise. You get out of uni and 2:1 or 2:2 you struggle for months on end for a job. Don't get me wrong there are some jobs there it's just that you are competing with sooo many more people for each job. I read somewhere about how lots of people go onto do further education, most of the people that I know who have decided to get into further education have done so for the lack of a job and being fortunate enough to be able to afford it. For regular Joe's like us further education is something we can think about only after we manage to pay off our initial loans by which time we decide to do it through correspondence because Life catches up and there are bills to pay.
There are schemes for people with a 2:1 or better although for some reason I do know a few people that still did not make the cut. I achieved a 2:2 which I am not too happy about but it is still a Degree and I did expect to be able to gain employment in my field(partially cause everyone online seemed to say a 2:2 was still something and partially because there were schemes for 2:2). What I did not realize was there weren't enough 1st class jobs for those that had a 1st.. and not enough for those with a 2:1 so most people applied for the 2:2 jobs irrespective of their grades.
Here are a few article about getting a job with a 2:2 its from The Telegraph, another one here from The Independent and this one The Careers Group London and this is not all there are manyyy others that can be found online. They tell you a 2:2 isn't all that bad, not the end of the world and you could still look forward to a graduate scheme or some decently paid jobs.
The thing is what you get taught in the academic world and what is being used in the real world literally has a world of a difference. If universities were able to adapt their teaching material and style quicker; not having to wait for a new batch of First Year students to decide on change, we as students would probably be more employable.
We always got asked mid-semester and at the end for what should be changed about the teaching technique/ syllabus. After we were told that it would be used to the next batch. Well what is the point? yes it created a better future for someone else, but we were still stuck in the same situation. We got told that the syllabus for the next year would be changing as there was a newer approach in our fields, well knowing that why did we not get acquainted with that at least a little.
Plus the usual dilemma where Employers want you to have work experience but wont give you the work to gain experience. And volunteering will usually set you photocopying or making coffee. What I do not understand is why universities cannot make sure every student builds up about a weeks worth of work experience by partnering with local businesses. It could be something like a compulsory module or something that could help make students more employable.
I have purposely not included my field of education and university in this blog because it honestly does not matter which field I'm in.. its the same story all over. I will mention however that the field I am in is a highly employable field, the only thing they want is experience..
I don't want to dishearten anyone and I certainly don't mean to disrespect anyone. However it is better to know what is actually happening in the "Real World ". There are Administration and other office jobs out there to tide you over until you get your dream job, however do not forget that you will need to explain why you did a job that was not on your pay grade.
From a Graduate with a 2:2
FYI I am presently working on a temporary basis in an office environment myself.. still looking for that dream job.
At the risk of sounding cynical let me tell you personal experience has taught me otherwise. You get out of uni and 2:1 or 2:2 you struggle for months on end for a job. Don't get me wrong there are some jobs there it's just that you are competing with sooo many more people for each job. I read somewhere about how lots of people go onto do further education, most of the people that I know who have decided to get into further education have done so for the lack of a job and being fortunate enough to be able to afford it. For regular Joe's like us further education is something we can think about only after we manage to pay off our initial loans by which time we decide to do it through correspondence because Life catches up and there are bills to pay.
There are schemes for people with a 2:1 or better although for some reason I do know a few people that still did not make the cut. I achieved a 2:2 which I am not too happy about but it is still a Degree and I did expect to be able to gain employment in my field(partially cause everyone online seemed to say a 2:2 was still something and partially because there were schemes for 2:2). What I did not realize was there weren't enough 1st class jobs for those that had a 1st.. and not enough for those with a 2:1 so most people applied for the 2:2 jobs irrespective of their grades.
Here are a few article about getting a job with a 2:2 its from The Telegraph, another one here from The Independent and this one The Careers Group London and this is not all there are manyyy others that can be found online. They tell you a 2:2 isn't all that bad, not the end of the world and you could still look forward to a graduate scheme or some decently paid jobs.
The thing is what you get taught in the academic world and what is being used in the real world literally has a world of a difference. If universities were able to adapt their teaching material and style quicker; not having to wait for a new batch of First Year students to decide on change, we as students would probably be more employable.
We always got asked mid-semester and at the end for what should be changed about the teaching technique/ syllabus. After we were told that it would be used to the next batch. Well what is the point? yes it created a better future for someone else, but we were still stuck in the same situation. We got told that the syllabus for the next year would be changing as there was a newer approach in our fields, well knowing that why did we not get acquainted with that at least a little.
Plus the usual dilemma where Employers want you to have work experience but wont give you the work to gain experience. And volunteering will usually set you photocopying or making coffee. What I do not understand is why universities cannot make sure every student builds up about a weeks worth of work experience by partnering with local businesses. It could be something like a compulsory module or something that could help make students more employable.
I have purposely not included my field of education and university in this blog because it honestly does not matter which field I'm in.. its the same story all over. I will mention however that the field I am in is a highly employable field, the only thing they want is experience..
I don't want to dishearten anyone and I certainly don't mean to disrespect anyone. However it is better to know what is actually happening in the "Real World ". There are Administration and other office jobs out there to tide you over until you get your dream job, however do not forget that you will need to explain why you did a job that was not on your pay grade.
From a Graduate with a 2:2
FYI I am presently working on a temporary basis in an office environment myself.. still looking for that dream job.
