One of my daughters has been accepted into Uni - she's quite bright and academic but now she's seriously thinking through the consequences of getting saddled with a shed load of debt given the recent price hike in the UK's University fees - so that'll be a minimum £27k of debt just for the getting a graduate qualification!
Will a degree give nowadays give advantage in the job market?- given that so many graduates have them
Is there an alternative to education, education, education?
My 21 year old son just qualified in his Engineering apprenticeship with Tata steel this year. He has full time employment with Tata on a bloody good salary, and has a guaranteed salary for the next few years at just 21, with potential career and further study options he's currently considering.
My 21 year daughter has just graduated from Uni with a 2:1 in Architecture and Venue Design and is now looking for full time employment in her chosen field. If she finds it, then it will all have been worthwhile. That isn't quite guaranteed though.
My son has no debt. My daughter has 3 years of Uni debt, around £35k, and may, or may not, end up in her preferred career.
Just to add, my son's girlfriend has just left school with A levels to kill for. She has a Uni place guaranteed but has 2 Apprenticeships on offer as well. She favours one of the apprenticeships. She talks to my wife and I, and values our opinion. Her family want her to go to Uni though as she'd be the first in her family to do so.
It's such a tough call Diddles.
To be honest mate, 5 years ago, I wanted both my son and daughter to go to Uni. Then the government changed the rules and turned grants into loans. Whilst the debt doesn't work out too much, after tax, each year, nothing at all if you're not earning enough in fact, it's still there to be paid off over 25 years,then written off.
If I were you, I'd advise her to seriously consider an apprenticeship if it's available. It would obviously have to be in her chosen career path and to suit her skills and aspirations, otherwise that would be just a waste as well.
Both have their benefits and costs, and not just those financial. Kids learn so many life skills at Uni as well as their chosen subject, And that shouldn't be under-estimated either.
Both paths have so much to benefit from. At the end of the day, it must come down to personal choice.
As long as you guide your daughter to consider her strengths and weaknesses alongside each other, base her decision on that basis, then youll have done as much as you can. After that, you just support her choice 100%!
