Vocal Voices

Well, 45%.

Labour's policy and con-trick of getting 50% of the population to attend university and get a degree, in an attempt to make it look as though the workforce was more intelligent and more qualified than it actually is, has failed. Many of them will not get the "big bucks" they were promised - if £21k can be regarded as big bucks.

All the thing has done is lead to job description and job qualification inflation. What was once an accounts clerk is now an "Accounts Executive". Where the job could once be done with a few 'O' levels and day release at college (paid for by the employer) to gain RSA qualifications it now requires a degree and on-the-job RSA qualifications. There are many more examples.

50% to Uni? It was a short term con trick to make the unemployment stats look a bit better.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that if you charge people £30,000 to go to Uni and then at the end there is no job for them then yes, lots of loans won't be repaid.

The figures suggest that the old system, where about 15% went to university, was about right in terms of the quality of the degrees and the jobs available.

Workingman wrote:The figures suggest that the old system, where about 15% went to university, was about right in terms of the quality of the degrees and the jobs available.

Absolutely correct. I have said that all along. Blair showed himself up as a complete fool when
he said that 50% of children should go to University.

Agree with all your comments. We all saw that the proverbial chickens would be coming home to roost with this one - and they're now happily scrambling back into the coop.

Take away the student loans, and all those fake so-called universities out there would financially collapse overnight. Wouldn't be any great loss.

We used to have a system where the second tier (Good 'O' level or G1 CSE grades) did Higher Nationals or Diplomas. They might one day go on to degree level, but for the time being they were well well regarded and employable.

The third tier were those on the equivalent of BTEC or ONC. Basic 'O' level grades or a mix of G1 and 2 CSEs... I was one of those. They were also employable.

There were those who were academically brilliant who couldn't hold a screwdriver, and those who could, but couldn't add 2+2 to make 4, but we made the system work to the benefit of the individual and the business.

All we now appear to be interested in is academia (but not the real deal) when we need doers and makers.

Spot on!