When the Labour government came to power they wrote a white paper stuffed full of targets (go read it, it is scary). One of these targets was to get 50% of teenagers into further education. They realised they might not do it in time and so are paying students to go to college so they meet their target. Mr Blair can then stand up in parliament and say I got 50% of teenagers into further education. Logic goes out the window when it comes to meeting targets.
You are most likely to be getting a pretty crappy job then, especially in north america. Employers will hire a college grad with no skills over a high-schooler with some skills. I'd suggest going to a college that has a course on your preferred profession, whether you think it will help or not. Trust me, it WILL help you get a job.
From what I've heard, logic goes out the window when it comes to Blair as well.
Racer Y, I am not 100% sure if the American system is the best when it comes to educational standards. I'm thinking about switching to the IGCSE system, but, I know that it requires a crazy amount discipline to nail IG properly so I'm not sure if I'd be able to handle it or not, but I would like to believe that I would be able to. IMO, the American system has one major flaw. Its only good to do the American system so that you can get to American unis or colleges but the American system doesn't have much to offer when it comes to choices of colleges or unis that aren't American which brings me to the reason why I'm considering switching to an IG system as its known to be a very tough system around the world so if I were to do well in the IG system, I'd have many choices of where to go to college unlike the American system. As I said, I'm still thinking about it. Well, some of you brought up the point about this Education Maintenance Allowance being spent on booze and drugs, well, if thats your alternative faster, BUY LFS!!!. At least with LFS, you can become a better driver whilst booze only makes you happy and screws up your liver.
Who told you this? A college recruiter? LOL I compete w/ college grads in my field every day. unless they have about half the experience I have, then I'll usually beat them out of the job.
Oh wait, I did lose a job a while back to a guy with a M.F.A.
which was funny cause he couldn't draw a straight line with a ruler.....
Know why? Cause he was working as a temp.... They get paid a lot less
and get no benefits whatsoever... note the paid less part and think this dude still has to pay off his loan
But you have a point some what. Some fields totally require a discipline and
education level you just can't get from normal schooling. But still...
In N. America college has become more of a daycare center for young adults. I think its use is encouraged more to keep young people out of the "real" work force population (not flipping burgers or renting videos) for a longer period
to make sure employment stays stable. Also, I think waay too many positions require a degree that really shouldn't. For example, to be a good
marketing director, you gotta be able to sell your ass off. That's a talent you just won't ever learn out of a book. Yet, I see so many of them with
Bachelor's from some business school or another constantly... and most are totally clueless. But get some guy with a 5th grade edjumication, that knows
his product and knows his customers - you got a success.
I dunno, I imagine as time goes by more & more occupations will need a degree as the age of retirement keeps going up.
Not knowing what field you work in, I made the generalization. Generally speaking, a company will hire someone with a degree/diploma over someone without one. Generally speaking. There are of course exceptions to the rule, as there is with just about every rule.
OMG! Y"all really ARE the 51st state!!! LOL Why do you think we have the
polititians WE'RE stuck with here? You can replace the name Blair with Bush or whoever and that sentence would still be true
@ Maggot: I'm some sort of artist. I've made everything from billboards to Tattoos.... You're from Canada right? Chances are You've seen an "example"
of my work. I did sign packages for about 2000 cemeteries & funeral homes
stretching from Newfoundland to Hawaii a couple of years ago.
Now I do Shop drawings (technical illustration) for a high end architectural graphics manufacturer (a sign shop) as well as some freelance work.
Technically, what I do is a degreed position, But when you consider that
I've been doing art of some sort at least part-time since I was in High school........
Sounds like an interesting profession. You're one of the lucky ones though, being able to make it in that career without a degree - Actions seem to rarely speak louder than theories. I'd consider myself a lucky one aswell actually - I fell into a GREAT Industrial Design job through Co-Op at my high school which greatly influenced my college's decision for my acceptance. Plus I got some great things for my portfolio I'm still getting the degree though, as it will help me in the future. Not to mention the college will give some assistance in finding a job when it's all over.
i drive offline mostly, plus i currently dont have a wheel, so im not in a very good position atm. and just to point out i did not start this thread. And i did have a point in what i said above, because racing IRL and on lfs is an international thing, so flags are fairly important in a way. sorry if you thought i was getting at you, but its just the way i talk.
My girlfriend's family earn well below the amount you need to qualify for maximum EMA, she used the money only to pay for college related things, and any she had left over is saved for uni
She could have used her excess EMA on unnecessary things, but she didn't. Instead she got a job as well, which she used to pay for things she "wanted".
Where'd you get that figure from!?! As far as I'm aware you can only receive up to £150 in bonuses if your centre agree that you met all the targets set out for that session.
I've received EMA payments for the last two years and will do so for another two. Pretty much all the money I've got has gone into an ISA savings account.
Personally I feel I should be using the money for something better than a computer game. At the moment I'm saving as much money as I can to help me through uni.
Tristan is right though about the EMA money. I saw so many people at school staying on just to receive money. They had no intentions in learning anything and most of the time the teachers just sent them out of the classes.
It's pretty sad but the system is abused a lot, and I know from what I've seen over the last two years. It may have been setup with good intentions but in practice for the majority it doesn't work.