Is a University Degree Still Worth Anything?

[beveryu778]

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A university degree definitely has value and when you want to get a good position then you definitely need a degree although in the workplace a degree has no value you just need to have a good skill. But in real life when you compete with others you need a university degree along with your skills. When you interview for a job in a company with someone else then if you both have equal skills then at that time your degree will be used to select who will get that job. Then if you don't have a university degree then you won't get that job. And there are many other things where a degree is given a lot of value.

[Cheema02]

Having a degree won't get you anything unless you have the right skillset to do the actual job. Where I come from, we have hundreds of thousands of degree holders but still unemployed. Why? you may ask!!! Because they lack the skills or the experience. The current education system in my country is broken imo. Mostly we are forced to memorise more bookish knowledge instead of developing real skills, where we should have been spending more time here acquiring experiences.! Where developing skillssets should be the main priority, we prioritize our CGPA grade here. Thats the real issue. If that can't be solved, then the degree is nothing but a piece of useless paper. Of course, it varies from place to place, I was just sharing the situation of my place.

Yes, I agree with you that a degree isn't enough for a job anymore especially in today's world where competition is every step ahead. The real thing that matter is skillset and practice that brings you to table. It's totally bullshit to memorize the theory but don't know how to apply it in real world. Unfortunately its a bitter reality in developing countries where education system is outdated snd they focus more on grades rather than acutal learning and application. We prefer better cgpa over creative skills even after knowing that a degree grades can't provide every student with a job. We should prefer creativity, problem solving and communication skills because they have the tendency to make us eligible for the employment. Many students have better grades handing their degrees but still they are jobless because they have just focused on the theory without its application and skills. We can start from internships or personal projects in order to polish our skills and get experienced. Its an important issue our socitey is facing thanks for shedding light on it.

[eightdots]

Having a degree won't get you anything unless you have the right skillset to do the actual job. Where I come from, we have hundreds of thousands of degree holders but still unemployed. Why? you may ask!!! Because they lack the skills or the experience. The current education system in my country is broken imo. Mostly we are forced to memorise more bookish knowledge instead of developing real skills, where we should have been spending more time here acquiring experiences.! Where developing skillssets should be the main priority, we prioritize our CGPA grade here. Thats the real issue. If that can't be solved, then the degree is nothing but a piece of useless paper. Of course, it varies from place to place, I was just sharing the situation of my place.

Yes, I agree with you that a degree isn't enough for a job anymore especially in today's world where competition is every step ahead. The real thing that matter is skillset and practice that brings you to table. It's totally bullshit to memorize the theory but don't know how to apply it in real world. Unfortunately its a bitter reality in developing countries where education system is outdated snd they focus more on grades rather than acutal learning and application. We prefer better cgpa over creative skills even after knowing that a degree grades can't provide every student with a job. We should prefer creativity, problem solving and communication skills because they have the tendency to make us eligible for the employment. Many students have better grades handing their degrees but still they are jobless because they have just focused on the theory without its application and skills. We can start from internships or personal projects in order to polish our skills and get experienced. Its an important issue our socitey is facing thanks for shedding light on it.

In competitive environments, skills and experience are more valuable than diplomas. There are too many graduates in the same field, and diplomas are no longer as effective in hiring. Systems based on memorization are not beneficial to the individual. Education can impact many situations, but it is not given the importance it deserves.

Developing skills and gaining experience is one of the greatest investments a person can make in themselves. Today, the ability to perform a job is more important than a diploma.

[HashGhost]

I think they're worth it in certain industries such as medical, law, scientific, engineering etc where you simply cannot enter those jobs without a degree. But outside of that they are becoming increasingly difficult to justify. Gone are the days where simply having a degree puts you at the top of the CV pile.

[DYING_S0UL]

...SNIP...

Yes, I agree with you that a degree isn't enough for a job anymore especially in today's world where competition is every step ahead. The real thing that matter is skillset and practice that brings you to table. It's totally bullshit to memorize the theory but don't know how to apply it in real world. Unfortunately its a bitter reality in developing countries where education system is outdated snd they focus more on grades rather than acutal learning and application. We prefer better cgpa over creative skills even after knowing that a degree grades can't provide every student with a job. We should prefer creativity, problem solving and communication skills because they have the tendency to make us eligible for the employment. Many students have better grades handing their degrees but still they are jobless because they have just focused on the theory without its application and skills. We can start from internships or personal projects in order to polish our skills and get experienced. Its an important issue our socitey is facing thanks for shedding light on it.

In competitive environments, skills and experience are more valuable than diplomas. There are too many graduates in the same field, and diplomas are no longer as effective in hiring. Systems based on memorization are not beneficial to the individual. Education can impact many situations, but it is not given the importance it deserves.

Developing skills and gaining experience is one of the greatest investments a person can make in themselves. Today, the ability to perform a job is more important than a diploma.

Yeah, that's understandable, but university and teachers only focus on grades, not on skills. Another must have skill that everyone needs is good communication. Without it, I;m afraid, even the most skillful person can go unnoticed, since they won't be able to express their ideas freely to the people. So apart from technical skills, one also needs to hone their communication skills, for example like how to talk with people, or how to adapt to difficult situations and deal with it, or how to face with new challenges, being introvert doesn't help in this case. A person with strong communication skills is always confident enough to get the job done. But unfortunately the current education system in our country doesn't help with that that in any way. It does the opposite and our educational method is outdated, imo. We have less extra curricular activities, we are mainly confined with bookish knowledge,, exam, viva, assignments, homework, but little or no room for innovations or new ideas!...

[F- link]

It's very sad seeing a lot of graduates unemployed, because of no enough job opportunities available in their countries, and this have made a lot people out there not to be interested in acquire degrees anymore, and if you ask I will say that the government's is to be blame in some countries for the high rate of unemployed citizens, because most governments have failed to build factories where manufacturing can take place so that  Job opportunities can be available for their citizen's who are graduates. And I don't see any reason why graduates of a country will be casting blames on  Al for taking their jobs no, because the government of your country is to held responsible for not providing jobs opportunities by building factories where manufacturing can take place in your countries.

[Bigjoe158]

No matter how we try to paint or coin it, university degree (education) is still the bedrock of any nation.yes like in my country where i came from, the system does not favor those with university degrees to an extent, but education gives you an edge because you will acquire knowledge on how to go about what you are looking for. Some people do have this misconception of as soon as you are through with your first degree you will work in one big firm that will pay huge money. The importance of education can not be over emphasized.

[ancafe]

While your arguments seems very reasonable but in our society people do not go to school or colleges to gain education for the purpose of getting knowledge but the main motive is to get educated to get high marks, good degrees and then eventually get good jobs.

I understand that it is all misconception but no one understand or want to know the reality. It is the skills that give you a good job and not just a degree which is a piece of paper with no experience behind.

That is a misunderstanding that continues to be maintained among our society because they think with higher education can get a good job with the desired income. But the fact is we can see now that there are still many people who are highly educated that they do not have a decent job. We who live in the era of technology should be able to understand the misunderstanding because if we are still firm maintaining motivation in education to get good jobs then it does not show any changes for us.

Educational skills and certificates are needed because both will be more value when someone applied for a job. Indeed there is nothing wrong with this kind of thought because in some countries sometimes education certificates are far more important than the skills when applying for workers.

[junder]

In competitive environments, skills and experience are more valuable than diplomas. There are too many graduates in the same field, and diplomas are no longer as effective in hiring. Systems based on memorization are not beneficial to the individual. Education can impact many situations, but it is not given the importance it deserves.

Developing skills and gaining experience is one of the greatest investments a person can make in themselves. Today, the ability to perform a job is more important than a diploma.

Skills and knowledge are indeed more promising, even if I owned a business, I would not judge people by their degrees or certificates, but by their skills and abilities. Furthermore, nowadays, degrees can be purchased without having to spend years earning them. I have a relative who was born into a wealthy family, and he easily bought a degree to add to his name. When he entered the workforce with a degree but no good skills, this became a problem for him with his superiors, until finally his superiors decided to fire him.

[Anayochukwu]

I'm down with you on this one @op, a university certificate doesn't guarantee a good paying job in this digital age, being educated should only be to know how to read and write and not for any certificate. Anyone with a good digital skill now in this generation can afford anything they want unlike most unemployed graduates that are roaming the streets looking for a job, where I come from most of our youths always say that school is a scam, a waste of time and energy. And now I'm beginning to see the truth in it, education is important too because without it even I wouldn't be able to know how to read and write but going to the university and spending several years chasing a degree that probably isn't going to give you the best of life is just something I'm not going to do.

[Jubilee58]

Has anyone else noticed that these days, having a university degree does not seem to guarantee a good job anymore? In the US, more than 40% of new graduates are working in jobs that don’t even need a degree! In the UK and Canada, youth unemployment is even higher, and entry-level jobs are much harder to get. Now, for each job, there are more than 100 people applying

A lot of people blame technology (especially AI, robots and automation) for stealing jobs. But the truth is more complicated. Companies are using AI to get rid of simple tasks, yes, but they’re also sending jobs to cheaper countries. And when there are jobs, many companies do not care about your university name anymore. They want to see if you really have the skills or special training for that job. That means people have to pay even more to get extra “certificates” after graduating

Meanwhile, graduates are stuck with debt and stress. Many young people feel lost, frustrated, and even angry, like society promised them something it can’t deliver. In the past, too many frustrated young people has led to big changes. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not. Do you think the old way of working (one job, one company, climbing step by step) is over? Now, I see many young people having several jobs, working on short projects, or even starting small businesses on the side. In a recent report, more than half of workers noticed more people working two or more jobs

Is university still worth it today? Are “extra skills” and certificates just another money-making trick? Has anyone here found success without a degree, or by learning something new outside of school? Is this the start of a new way of working, or just a big mess?

Yes, university degrees is still very much important and highly needed for our society to grow.
There are some courses in the university that are very salable and professional in the labour market and no matter the invention of AI and Robotics, i still believe every company needs qualified personnels in their area of operations to work with them.

For a company to run very successfully both the university graduates and the skilled workers must be present, while the graduates are focussing on the company's management side, the skilled workers are in charge of the field work.

In the academic sector, if you are not educated or a university graduate you don't dream of working there, and their are some people that have the dream of becoming a lecturer in the university and you can only achieve this dream if you are a graduate.

Being educated does not guarantee you a good Job , but it makes you stand out  in the mist of people, you can't be intimidated and your thinking is entirely different from the uneducated ones.

Not every graduate wants to work in a company, some graduates want to become self employed and use the knowledge they acquired from the university to grow their own personal business, for instance the entrepreneurs, they work for themselves and academic knowledge helps them a lot towards achieving their goals and objectives.

[Hispo]

Well, in my country getting a degree is still quite affordable with compared to the rest of the developed world, so most people go for it, get some experience and then move to some developed country, where there are specialized jobs which require previous experience
I have known about metalurgical and mechanicals engineers who get their degree here in my country, get a job easily here and then move to Spain or the United States.
From my own point of view, low-skill jobs are the ones at the highest risk of being tackled down by artificial intelligences and robots, while specialized tasks will continue to be done by human beings for some decades ahead.

[Samlucky O]

Is university still worth it today?

Yes it Worth it.

Are “extra skills” and certificates just another money-making trick?

Yes having extra skill plus certificate today is another trick of making money. but Although in some cases, having just a good skill or a certificate that is mostly needed can make one to succeed without having multiple of it.

Has anyone here found success without a degree, or by learning something new outside of school?

Well I can not conclude that am successful today, yet I am making progress but not by degree.

[Bd officer]

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In fact, a university degree may not be enough to get a job, so it is necessary to acquire skills as well. According to my country, people with work experience are preferred over university degrees. However, university degrees are evaluated in some job fields, but those positions are very limited. And experience is preferred in company jobs. Those who gain experience in any work do not have to be unemployed, but those who get a degree sit unemployed if they don't get a job. And despite having a university degree in our country, it is difficult to get any government job without bribery.

[bakasabo]

In fact, a university degree may not be enough to get a job, so it is necessary to acquire skills as well. According to my country, people with work experience are preferred over university degrees. However, university degrees are evaluated in some job fields, but those positions are very limited. And experience is preferred in company jobs. Those who gain experience in any work do not have to be unemployed, but those who get a degree sit unemployed if they don't get a job. And despite having a university degree in our country, it is difficult to get any government job without bribery.

It is not just not enough to get a job; people with degree easily lose jobs because they dont have appropriate skills to perform work. I would say that degree is an overall, superficial knowledge. And it only helps to learn how to do work tasks. While skill is a knowledge that let start doing work tasks from the start. When I got my job, my employer only looked on my diploma, put a tick somewhere in system that I am not a total newbie, and started teaching and showing what I will be doing at work.

[Berry2d]

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In fact, a university degree may not be enough to get a job, so it is necessary to acquire skills as well. According to my country, people with work experience are preferred over university degrees. However, university degrees are evaluated in some job fields, but those positions are very limited. And experience is preferred in company jobs. Those who gain experience in any work do not have to be unemployed, but those who get a degree sit unemployed if they don't get a job. And despite having a university degree in our country, it is difficult to get any government job without bribery.

That is from your own point of view, their is know point for discrimination between degree and skills both are very important stage one needs to acquire because they help in gaining financial stability among people. Some people doing well now are people without skills but  educational qualification while some also are not academically balanced but have skills that transformed their life for good, so inconclusively both are important level one needs to attain so as to put you ahead of your pairs.

[Mr_Brilliant$]

For me, I am not really a big fan of college education anymore because a lot of times it feels like the system just pushes people through for certificates without necessarily giving them the kind of practical skills that life or the job market actually requires..  You see many graduates struggling to find jobs, or even ending up in careers that have nothing to do with what they studied.. 
But I would not completely write off a degree because it is still very necessary when it comes to certain professions. For example, you can’t just decide to become a doctor or pharmacist without going through proper university training, those fields need structure, years of study, and real experience that only formal education can provide.. So I would say a university degree is worth it for mostly careers where it is truly required..  In other areas, especially business, tech, or creative industries, I feel like skills, experience, and adaptability matter more than the paper certificate…

[bubilas]

In the country where I live, a courier earns a lot of money, and the thing is, it doesn't require any education at all. Any eighteen-year-old can pedal a bicycle or ride a bike, earning over $1,000 a month. Of course, he'll have to work very hard, but it's still quite funny that engineers in my country earn less than the average salary. Even though they study for over five years at educational institutions to get there.

[Marvelockg]

I think they're worth it in certain industries such as medical, law, scientific, engineering etc where you simply cannot enter those jobs without a degree. But outside of that they are becoming increasingly difficult to justify. Gone are the days where simply having a degree puts you at the top of the CV pile.

Even if it is becoming difficult to tell a persons degree of knowledge just by the degree he presents, Degrees are testament that validate a persons knowledge in a certain field of study be it engineering, medicine, economy and every other minor area you might think of. the university setting is just passing through a stage where it looks like it lacks vision as to how to effectively train young graduate to become easily included into the working space. if there is the slightest improvement in the educational system, then a certified engineer, economist, medical doctor or any professional will always be a better suit for jobs that one that has not gone through that setting.

[Shafique Baba]

....

In fact, a university degree may not be enough to get a job, so it is necessary to acquire skills as well. According to my country, people with work experience are preferred over university degrees. However, university degrees are evaluated in some job fields, but those positions are very limited. And experience is preferred in company jobs. Those who gain experience in any work do not have to be unemployed, but those who get a degree sit unemployed if they don't get a job. And despite having a university degree in our country, it is difficult to get any government job without bribery.

That is from your own point of view, their is know point for discrimination between degree and skills both are very important stage one needs to acquire because they help in gaining financial stability among people. Some people doing well now are people without skills but  educational qualification while some also are not academically balanced but have skills that transformed their life for good, so inconclusively both are important level one needs to attain so as to put you ahead of your pairs.

It varies from country to country.As we belong to developing country, most people here focus on obtaining high degrees. They often spend lot of amount on getting higher degrees. In developing countries, having the higher degrees increase the chance of getting  higher jobs. Because here many people are still unaware of importance of practical skills.
Whereas the developed countries emphasize both on degrees and skill equally. They usually train the student at university level , so by the time they graduate, they already have the skills. When they enter in the market they play better role as compare to us.
Personally I believe that both degrees and skills are important for the career success