We have heard so much about the ‘ring-fencing’ of education during the recent election campaign here in the UK that I started to ask myself the question - Why? After all, all our children are getting an education at the moment and by ‘ring-fencing’ education surely all we are doing is allowing any waste to continue.
Questions really do need to be asked about how the education system works and if it could be done in a better way or indeed if it needs to be changed as a matter of urgency.
I’d like to look at a number of areas, but today I want to focus on just one. That is the issue of how many of our young people should go to university.
Before I start, I want to assure you that I have no desire to stop anyone from doing anything they want to do or stand in their way when planning their futures. Indeed freedom of choice is actually one of my arguments.
Our education system is designed to encourage as many young people to go to university as is possible (Government target of 50%). Yet we find graduates working in the local supermarket unable to find work and taking jobs that those who did not go to university should perhaps be filling.
Why can they not get a job doing what they have trained to do? Well perhaps the answer is simply that there are not enough of these specialist jobs, and those who obtain the best results get the best jobs. Those who perhaps should not have gone to university or obtained a degree at a lower level or in a more general subject area are likely to find it harder to find employment.
You may not agree with me, but let us suppose that all young people could go to university and obtain a first class honour degree … after all if we can improve our education system as many say we can, then that might be possible. If everyone has a degree, then what value is having a degree going to be? We could of course simply introduce a ‘super-degree’ so that those with the very best results stand out.
Although this concept is only fictional the truth is it is also impractical and would be fatal for our economy. The dreams that the last government created when they instigated plans for every child to have access to university with 50% achieving that dream seems fine on paper. The real problem is that it has set a precedent for the future. Today’s new parents now expect their children to go to university as a matter of course. Anything else is not acceptable. The focus is on achieving that dream of everyone having a degree, which then might be worthless.
Sadly, young people who do not do well at school often feel that they are second class citizens and that no one really cares about them! This is wrong, everyone is part of our society.
So what is wrong you may ask?
Who is going to build our homes, check our central heating system or repair our cars? These skilled jobs and many others are absolutely vital and need young people to be trained, perhaps using old fashioned apprenticeships, moving to work in these critical areas. Sadly young people see these types of skilled jobs as ‘second-class’ and strive to go to university. It is time to change that image and make apprenticeships as important as university education.
Whether we like it or not, we need highly skilled people, educated to the highest levels. We also need technically skilled people to do all those tasks that individuals cannot do. Finally we also need those semi-skilled and unskilled people who carry out the millions of low paid jobs in our retail, hotel and caring industries.
No! I’m not getting into a discussion about how much these essential workers get paid! Personally I think it is disgusting that carers and checkout operators get paid so badly.
Not everyone is bright enough to be a doctor or engineer – and we don’t need millions. Not everyone is clever enough to be a plumber or a motor mechanic – and we don’t need that many anyway. Not everyone is cut out to be a supermarket checkout operator or a home carer. But all these jobs are essential and important, and every human being should feel worthy of what they do.
I’ve worked as a company director, as a software developer, as a baker and even a fishmonger in a supermarket. I’m sure there are other things that I will do as well. Whatever the job I do – it does not make me a different person. I might earn £100 per hour in one job, and only £5.85 in another … but I am still the same person.
Crucially whatever job we do, someone has to do it, because it is essential. We, as a nation need to take the stigma out of education and recognise that we need people of all skills and abilities.
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2 comments:
Hi Jim,
Just came across your post re education and personal worth.
Like you I've held various positions, including consultant civil engineer and company director as well as running various businesses of my own.
But the most carefree and fun day-to-day work experience I've had is in my current role as a checkout bod at a local Co-op.
One of my most important career motivations has always been to "be of service" to a community. My current role is 90% that.
Intellectually and academically my work uses little of what I can do... but I have no feelings of worthlessness at all.
Yesterday I helped an elderly lady over the step and safely through our shop's automatic door.
The other day a gentleman was embarassed when he dropped and broke a bottle of Lambrini at the till. I got rid of the glass, mopped up, dried the area and sent him on his way with a smile and another Lambrini (at no extra cost).
The feeling that I have of being useful is more important than money.
And certainly the money is on the low side.
My first career in construction paid 3 - 4 times more, but had me redundant (through no fault of my own) 3 times in 9 years.
My small wages are dependable, regular and reliable and I reckon will get us through these uncertain times.
Meanwhile in my spare time
I expend the sweat of my pen moving my writing career forward.
I am able to do this partly because my day job doesn't exhaust me physically or mentally.
I wonder if self-worth comes from doing right, from following the call of the heart rather than the call of pounds and prestige.
My experience is that a fair measure of both can come your way regardless of your perceived level in society.
Bruno
PS
If someone finds following their heart a bit difficult, perhaps they could try this:
1.Surround your heart as it moves forward.
2. Keep the rest of you moving at about the same speed in an effort to avoid a career-terminating heart / body divergence.
3.Diligently strive to manipulate and manoeuvre your portable personal tubing systems, substructure, sensors and control centre thereby proceeding in a broadly similar direction to the one that your heart appears to be travelling in.
ie
Following your heart isn't easy. It normally involves numerous red herrings, dead ends and lots of "Why am I doing this?" moments.
A former line manager once said this to me:
"If you make the right moves for the right reasons, sooner or later everything you've done will come together."
Your writing is much about money and self-justifying it makes me think you have fry on your shoulder. In France people are more relax. Perhaps you should come here to live.
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