Horses for Courses

In a week in which the newspapers have been opportunistically filled with pictures of fresh-faced young women proudly clutching their A-Level results and the furore over the changing of GCSE grade boundaries, I recall my own schooldays and the path I followed through the education system.

It is now over seven years since I opened the envelope containing my own GCSE results. It was a moment that for so long seemed so distant, reserved for the older siblings of my school friends. It is true to say, when my own moment arrived, I was incredibly nervous. I had much the same feeling upon collecting my A-Levels and when awaiting the arrival of my degree results. At the time, these moments seemed so important, as if my entire future hinged on the contents of those envelopes.

In reality, each step merely facilitated the next stage in my education with the diffuse aim of eventually establishing a career. As soon as that next stage arrived, the marks, grades and results that seemed so fundamental a few months previously soon faded into irrelevance. Once at university, UCAS points meant nothing. Similarly, now I'm entering the job market, my academic achievements seem relatively insignificant to many employers. They bear little relevance to my ability to perform a particular role. Having a certain classification of degree is a requirement to apply but it is demonstrable 'soft skills' that secure jobs. The question I'd like to consider today is whether my path from GCSEs to Master's Degree has sufficiently furnished me with these cherished skills ('leadership', 'teamwork', 'organisation' etc.) and given what I know now, would I follow the same route?

I never really doubted that upon completion of my schooling I would go to university. In many ways, I was institutionalised. I was always a strong academic performer and I was fortunate enough to attend good state schools. Moreover, with both my parents having gone to university, it seemed an inevitability. I'm certain that attending university was the right choice for me, however the fact that while at school I never considered the alternatives is indicative of a wider problem. An ever greater proportion of young people have been drawn to higher education, while apprenticeships and other vocational courses have been neglected by comparison. University certainly isn't suited to everyone; schools must do more to make young people aware of the options open to them when they approach important academic milestones. Academic capability shouldn't be the only factor when considering whether an individual is suited to higher education. Amongst my friends and colleagues, I have encountered many who feel that they would be in a better position if they had entered the job market at 18. What is more, many of the 'soft skills' that employers are looking for are more obviously developed in the workplace.

The current state of the graduate job market and ever increasing levels of student debt are leading many to ask why they bothered with university. Personally, I shall cherish my student days as a formative period in my life. I can only hope that it won't be too long before I can put the skills and experience I gained to use in the workplace.

As ever, thank you for reading. I'd be particularly interested to hear from anyone who has been to university and subsequently regretted the decision. Please comment below.