Is a University Degree Still Worth Anything?

[Abiky]

Unemployment rates are increasing worldwide, and every year many young people are unable to enter the job market after earning a degree from a university. Moreover, companies generally give preference to those with practical experience over those with a degree. So, if even if you have a bachelor's and master's degree from a university, if you don't give priority to them in the job market and give priority to employees without a degree, then what is the benefit of earning a degree from a university? If this continues, people will gradually become discouraged from pursuing a PhD in university and higher education.

It's all about technical skills these days. College/University degrees aren't as desirable as they were by employers some time ago. If you don't have a university degree, but have at least technical experience, you'll be able to qualify for a job. I'm talking about technical careers such as Barbers, Refrigeration Technicians, Carpenters, etc. That's where the "money" is. It's even better if you manage to become your own boss (entrepreneur, businessman/businesswoman).

From what I've seen, the labor market is changing at a fast pace. What is relevant today, might not be relevant in the future. Just keep learning new skills, and there shouldn't be a problem.

[New Judgement]

Yes I have seen someone who made it after school with out a degree, the person went into production and learn how to produce liquid soap and body spray.  the person started small and was doing very well and now the person  have a big soap production company presently, the person is doing very well. so I can say yes, even without a university degree, someone can still make it by learning  skills.

[Cheema02]

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

Yes, there is no dought that degree is nothing except a piece of paper without a skillset or experience. Without skills if a student has degree he has no scope in his field while any student with degree holds a full grip on skills he is far better. He will be more suggested for a job or partnership as he has both the knowledge and experience in a field. The major issue is thay in developing countries we have understood education for a source of earning but its purpose is quite different. Students just focus on degree with no skills which become a trouble in their success in future. In developed countries their education system focus more on prsctical work and experience alongwith degrees. After graduxation their students have enough knowledge and skills so that they can get a job in their specific field. So both degree and skills are a perfect match for a bright future.

[Iamgoat]

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.

Uhmmm. Interesting to hear what you said about your supervisor at work. It is what should be adopted in all work places. The degree can in a way become the basic degree of one's qualifications for a particular cadre of roles and responsibilities but afterwards more attention should be placed on the training and capacity building of the worker to allow them work effectively even if they had shown in their CV they have those skills, it should not stop the company or workplace from.doing it's fresh training of the staff do they can work very efficiently and effectively with results instead of just recruiting them and leaving them to work without proper training for years.

[Barrykbest]

....

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

I concur with you, many in thinks that degree alone can 100% guarantee jobs but without practical skills the paper doesn’t carry much weight. What developed countries have done well is to integrate practical trainings into the  university system so that graduates leave with both theory and practical experience. Also if students actively seek internships, projects, and certifications alongside their studies, they stand out far more than those with just a certificate. Degrees still matter, but combined with relevant skills and experience increase it worth.

[jems]

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.

Uhmmm. Interesting to hear what you said about your supervisor at work. It is what should be adopted in all work places. The degree can in a way become the basic degree of one's qualifications for a particular cadre of roles and responsibilities but afterwards more attention should be placed on the training and capacity building of the worker to allow them work effectively even if they had shown in their CV they have those skills, it should not stop the company or workplace from.doing it's fresh training of the staff do they can work very efficiently and effectively with results instead of just recruiting them and leaving them to work without proper training for years.

When you are in a company, regardless of the company's policies, but at the beginning when we enter, no one knows each other, so it creates legality that shows that someone is capable and a university degree is proof of everything, so I think this legality is still very important, regardless of the debate that some work is done without showing legality, but we should look at the big picture.

[IjawMan]

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

This established remark is not for professional jobs that are in high demands, data analysts, cyber security, project management courses, and public health courses , conflicts and resolution studies these are the disciplines the 21st century employers are increasingly sourcing for and people with this employability are limited to the demands.

Sorry to establish this truth, in this scientifically and technologically advanced world courses like zoology, philosophy, history, anthropology and host of others in their league is a waste of university time in job landing.

Lot of courses still studied in the universities are obsolete to present time realities and have to be scrapped, which is there is a need for a reform to universities courses scheme and student on their part must have to research about the present relevance and top courses that can quickly and seamlessly land them a job.

[Shafique Baba]

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

I concur with you, many in thinks that degree alone can 100% guarantee jobs but without practical skills the paper doesn’t carry much weight. What developed countries have done well is to integrate practical trainings into the  university system so that graduates leave with both theory and practical experience. Also if students actively seek internships, projects, and certifications alongside their studies, they stand out far more than those with just a certificate. Degrees still matter, but combined with relevant skills and experience increase it worth.

I want to share my thoughts with you that i used to think that why there is a line between degree and skills.  Why our  educational system not produce people with degree along skills. When our youngster complete their educational fields why they have to spend more 3 to 4 years in learning the skills. I think our system must focus on this issue to combine degree with skills. It is basically a wastage of time by this our youth enter late in the market that affect our economy financially and also affect them as well if our youth learn skill with degree timely they can perform more efficiently or wisely. Oftenly in economic success, timing playe vital role

[Joeboy]

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.

There is really no point blaming the government, even though yes they are to be blamed in some part,  and here is why: blamming them wouldn't produce any kind of solution or result, Most of all these unemployed complaining graduates who sit around all day blaming the government and the country they are in, are  not even disabled to start with, they have the hands and legs to works so therefore if the the country and government cannot help them, they should help themselves by learning a skill or venturing into a trade no matter how small it is and stop lazying blaming the government that are not even listening to this blames.

What I have comee to realize is that the reason why mostt unemployed graduates keep sitting around all day without doing anything yet minutes by minutes, hour by hour, day by day keep blaming the government is because they think that office jobs with fine clothes and tie is the only real and profitable job that we have and this mentality is what keeps many of this folks jobless

[Localhostspeed]

Yes I have seen someone who made it after school with out a degree, the person went into production and learn how to produce liquid soap and body spray.  the person started small and was doing very well and now the person  have a big soap production company presently, the person is doing very well. so I can say yes, even without a university degree, someone can still make it by learning  skills.

Going to school isn't a yardstick to measure success, anyone without  degree can become a successful person. In my country, if you are done with your secondary school which is like mid school after basic school, you can contest for any political position in the country. People with secondary school certs has made much money than an engineer that went to face the 4 walls of the university, some don't even have a job after school.

However, please and please, don't neglect education because you see a short cut to success. There are people that are filth rich that never went to school but after achieving the money, they still went back to school because there is an advantage of been an educated person in the social, you might not need it now but you will one day see the purpose of been an educated person.

[Hira faheem]

In the choice of skills and degree i  think it is determine by our field. In some fields skills are required or in some degrees are essential.
Let supposed in teaching, health field like doctors there is need of degree or in some field like dress designing, editing, painting, and social media there is a need of skills.
You can get skills with experience and  without having higher degree. But for degree we have to join formal institution.
So in the debate of degree or skills in my opinion its depend upon the profession that u chose.

[knowngunman]

However, please and please, don't neglect education because you see a short cut to success. There are people that are filth rich that never went to school but after achieving the money, they still went back to school because there is an advantage of been an educated person in the social, you might not need it now but you will one day see the purpose of been an educated person.

Is there really a shortcut to success? I don't think there's any shortcut to success. Education and success are two different and independent things even though they play role together at times. Although, people consider being born into a wealthy family as a shortcut but is it really it? No, it only means someone already suffers on your behalf and pass through the process.

Mind you, your degree is just a piece of paper and doesn't guarantee you success. If you attached your success to it, it means you acquire it for a wrong purpose. In my opinion, acquire the degree and then find your way out to success. Your degree might help you along the process to success.

[Nothingtodo]

Yes I have seen someone who made it after school with out a degree, the person went into production and learn how to produce liquid soap and body spray.  the person started small and was doing very well and now the person  have a big soap production company presently, the person is doing very well. so I can say yes, even without a university degree, someone can still make it by learning  skills.

But we cannot underestimate a university degree in any way, especially if you want to become a researcher in the future. For this, in addition to getting a degree at the university, you will have to do research on many subjects, and after doing research, you will be able to earn a higher degree and then become a good researcher.
If you want to be a good researcher or scientist or if you want to be a good astrologer then you must get a higher degree. And to get a higher degree you must go to university and get a good CGPA from university then you must become a good researcher. No matter how much practical knowledge you have, you must have good research experience along with getting a higher degree from university. Therefore we can never underestimate a university degree.

[WillyAp]

Should you plan to study in one of the no-name Universities you are better off enroll at Microsoft, Google among others who have proper courses recognized by the industry, 

Nowadays the world is open to the open minded. 

[Fiasem20]

I won’t completely say that degrees are useless irrespective of the high rate of unemployment in our modern society.One thing you should know as human is the fact that your destiny might not necessarily come from the degrees you’ve achieved but you have to stay innovative.It hurt me actually when I see young graduates that graduated with good grades roaming about the street in search for good paying goods.Most geographical areas don’t regard an employee by their degrees but their experience and skills,so if you find yourself in such region it would be advisable to stay updated and innovative.Lastly, don’t rely totally on expecting a good job after graduation because most times things don’t go as planned,I would advise every graduate to move on with trending technology so as to adapt.

[goro_chief]

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?

I get the frustration, but I think people oversimplify it tbh. A degree doesn’t guarantee a job, but it never really did. The real problem is people picking degrees with zero demand and expecting the market to care. That’s not AI’s fault. DYOR should apply to education too.

[Osiokwudiri]

University degrees still have there worth depending on area of study. As a medical professionals
nals we save lives. Without this degree we can survive perfectly. If everyone is thinking about only money who cure each other when we are sick? University degrees is valued in our profession. I also encourage the Young ones to engage on this. If you are not educated you can't write perfectly here remember.

[MarjorieZimmermanGinger]

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?

It's still quite useful and perhaps not just as an additional assessment in a person's job application process because education is essentially a place to seek knowledge. In my country, an educational certificate is the primary requirement for job applications, although having skills is another advantage they can offer. But especially for me who doesn't work in government or corporate environments, education and college certificates aren't as important now as I prefer to work for my own business even if it's small.

[Queen uloma]

University Degree is very much important In our society, I know a lot of things has changed, especially with the way the Ai and the rest are going, one that  is for sure that education remains the best, nowadays you don’t need to study any how and any how courses, not all are recognized in our society today, courses like medicine and pharmacy are the only course’s people highly make it because it’s related to health, secondly it’s depend on the country you’re residing on, if it’s a country like Nigeria, there’s no difference between a graduate and undergraduate, just have connection things will smoothly.

[ChocolateBitcoinK]

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?

It's still quite useful and perhaps not just as an additional assessment in a person's job application process because education is essentially a place to seek knowledge. In my country, an educational certificate is the primary requirement for job applications, although having skills is another advantage they can offer. But especially for me who doesn't work in government or corporate environments, education and college certificates aren't as important now as I prefer to work for my own business even if it's small.

In all cases, when applying for a job, we need a certificate of educational qualification compulsorily and especially in any government job, but skills take them one step further. Now the thing is that it depends on the mentality of each person what he wants to do, if you start your own organization, in that case the certificate has no value, because there you are moving forward using your own skills, the certificate is only needed when we are looking for a job alone, another thing is that in some countries where a person is respected based on his educational qualifications, I find this very bad, especially when a young man wants to get married, everyone asks him about his educational qualifications.