Why Are Young People Not Learning Trades/Skills?

[czechmate]

Yes the lying sods

weeeeeellllllllll…

 

[czechmate]

I found school very easy and was always somewhere near top of each subject but got bored of it and hated being there. Didn't revise for any of the exams and still passed everything, couldn't wait to get out. Then,saw others that I was better than go and get jobs with NASA,Airbus,BBC,city banks etc,while I was shovelling sh!t and chasing sheep for nothing. Both of our kids are bright and I won't let them do what I did,so they're getting all the qualifications they can first and if they want to farm after that they're welcome anytime. Daughter is doing her GCSEs this year and they're predicting eleven A*

53, you did GCSE’s or proper o levels. I think those of us who did o levels think they give GCSE’s away in lucky bags

 

[Wood field]

I found school very easy and was always somewhere near top of each subject but got bored of it and hated being there. Didn't revise for any of the exams and still passed everything, couldn't wait to get out. Then,saw others that I was better than go and get jobs with NASA,Airbus,BBC,city banks etc,while I was shovelling sh!t and chasing sheep for nothing. Both of our kids are bright and I won't let them do what I did,so they're getting all the qualifications they can first and if they want to farm after that they're welcome anytime. Daughter is doing her GCSEs this year and they're predicting eleven A*

I am similar, turned up never revised, we went a farming family, I got offered an apprenticeship as a mechanical engineering fitter and turner , my dad said take it !
In his day fitters and sparks were called preferred trades and on better money than the other shipyard trades . He meant well but I just wanted to farm .
Lads on let’s say menial jobs in dairies and food production factories used to say to me “ fekin hell you’ve done alsorts of stuff “ while to me it was just another job in a different place , I have travelled a bit and done some really interesting jobs from Onshore Gas and Nuclear to Dairy and processing, but I like it here on our farm

 

[Pistonbroke]

53, you did GCSE’s or proper o levels. I think those of us who did o levels think they give GCSE’s away in lucky bags

I was the first year of GCSEs. You got one free with a gallon of petrol from Esso

 

[czechmate]

I was the first year of GCSEs. You got one free with a gallon of petrol from Esso

and a Smurf?

 

[Wood field]

and a Smurf?

50p of two star and a shot of 20:1 in the fizzer

 

[Pistonbroke]

and a Smurf?

and a Smurf?

Dad had an account at our local garage and came home with a massive box of crap glasses when he paid the bill once. Must have been about 60 in there

 

[Swarfmonkey]

well that a bit of a dead cat answer, lots of guff in the hope we won't notice that you haven't answered

as for "But you already know all this... "

i know sod all, i use to think i knew but then as i said in my last post a young woman in the village did a "media study degree which i made lots of fun off, now she got a 100K job

I know another guy who went to that well known University town Luton, again i joked that it was for a 4 year pee up. he now runs his own Local IT company and employs 3 people

yes there are a lot of degrees out there that, in the world that i grew up in, have no use. but i don't live in the the world i grew up in. i live in the present and just because i don't understand what the subject matter, doesn't mean that it doesn't have a use. after all Look at Boris, his degree is in Literae Humaniores, a degree that from MY POV is about as unless as a ashtray on a motorcycle, yet the guy ended up in the highest office in the country, yet by your standard he should have been send down the building site to lean a trade

The Office for Students holds data on post-graduation outcomes by subject. Those with degrees in creative arts & related subjects, mass communication (which would cover media studies and the like), and social studies (psych, sociology etc) have the worst earnings and are least likely to be in graduate level employment. Those are the areas where you'll find those Mickey Mouse degrees. The highest for both earnings and likelihood of being in a grad level job (none of which will come as a surprise) are Comp Sci, Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, Vet Med, Economics, and Medicine.

If you met someone with a degree in media studies that earns 100k a year, you met one hell of a statistical outlier...

They also have more than a few reports that show how degrees have been dumbed down. In 2010/2011 just 15.5% of students were awarded a First, by 2021/2022 that had risen to 32.8%.

 

[JimAndy]

I did answer, but the list is seemingly inexhaustible...

I have sat in on the interview panel for a friend's firm, engineering, fair number of employees and very open minded. The number of no-hopers that had 'degrees' from crap universities was crazy. The best were called for interview and none were up to par, on previous occasions and since this has proved to be the case.

Now they don't even bother calling in those who haven't attended a university that they know has good standards. This is business, not charity work, if they find someone who will work well for them, they couldn't care less on the background, but they aren't going to waste their own time and money.

I am delighted that you know of exceptions to the rule, surprised that you know of so many, but nonetheless pleased. It doesn't change the fact that an awful lot of young people are wasting their time and money.

sounds to me that your Friend could do with someone better in HR so that less chaff got threw.
now here the thing it an engineering firm. so i will assume he was looking for people with engineering (and related) degrees. if so why were you interviewing someone with a pretend subject degree ? , If you were interviewing people with engineering (and related) degrees but from "bad" uni. did you interview the whole class, or was your friend firm just attacking those who couldn't get better jobs else were


Look I accept that UNI isn't for everyone, but that nothing new, even in my day 40 years ago there were one's in my class that just should never have been in it. but all this harking back to "when i was a young lad we didn't need......." is wrong and pointless. times have move on a lot of jobs have got a lot more complicated in way we may not understand.

this whole thread reminds me of a EX DuP mla who was on a local radio show complaining about all the people doing arts, and liberal media degrees , and we need to stop them and use the money to open a welding and heavy industry school, so we can get the ship yards back. people came on to point out (this was at the time we were making GoT and a few other TV/Films) how much inward money the Arts were bring in to NI and all these company's need these people with their theater degrees and arts degrees

 

[JimAndy]

The Office for Students holds data on post-graduation outcomes by subject. Those with degrees in creative arts & related subjects, mass communication (which would cover media studies and the like), and social studies (psych, sociology etc) have the worst earnings and are least likely to be in graduate level employment. Those are the areas where you'll find those Mickey Mouse degrees. The highest for both earnings and likelihood of being in a grad level job (none of which will come as a surprise) are Comp Sci, Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, Vet Med, Economics, and Medicine.

If you met someone with a degree in media studies that earns 100k a year, you met one hell of a statistical outlier...

They also have more than a few reports that show how degrees have been dumbed down. In 2010/2011 just 15.5% of students were awarded a First, by 2021/2022 that had risen to 32.8%.

she works for a america firm base in London, who understand the power of SM and see it as part of their advertisement budget as she told me the understand that while good SM may not have much direct sales. Bad SM can kill a brand, and it all about the brand, what more if they can hook teenagers and such and keep them on brand, they more likely to stick with that brand for life. and while you might think she earning alot for her job, some of these "Influencers" that she works with , can earn millions

edit

btw just in case anyone get the wrong impression, she did start at that. it has taken her the guts of 10 years to work her way up the food chain, but she a hard worker, who very good at her job

 

[Devil's advocate]

Nearly everyone ive asked to do a "job" is at or over retirement age, busy as hell? Examples, metal worker/welder, blacksmith, motorcycle dent, classic bike painter, thatcher, motorcycle seat recoverer, maker, etc etc etc? Just named a few, i bet others can name many other skills/ trades, that are crying out for young people, who dont want an "academic" education, but a skill, money is often secondary to you just cant get them? Its like that currant TV programme, restorers the professionals, rehopostry, wood working, using a "english wheel" to create metal panels, panel beating, all these trades/skills are still in demand so why are not young people taking them up as a way to earn a living, rather than as a hobby for retired professionals?

Put your money where your mouth is & set up a factory like the one above.

Even better build bootleg David Brown 780's

 

[Hilly]

Many uneducated are actually are geniuses at their job....

Totally , look
At you n me .

 

[Swarfmonkey]

she works for a america firm base in London, who understand the power of SM and see it as part of their advertisement budget as she told me the understand that while good SM may not have much direct sales. Bad SM can kill a brand, and it all about the brand, what more if they can hook teenagers and such and keep them on brand, they more likely to stick with that brand for life. and while you might think she earning alot for her job, some of these "Influencers" that she works with , can earn millions

edit

btw just in case anyone get the wrong impression, she did start at that. it has taken her the guts of 10 years to work her way up the food chain, but she a hard worker, who very good at her job

As I said, she's one hell of an outlier. Statistically, degrees that come under the heading of "mass communications" are the second worst for average salary post graduation, Art & Design being the absolute worst. For every one of her, they'll be hundreds that are wondering why the hell they chose the subject.

 

[kiwi pom]

Really. I find that astonishing. We all loved metalwork and woodwork. I did anyway but on top of that at least it wasn’t English, maths, French , etc

I wouldn’t describe us as England's finest I don't remember anyone making much although many went onto trades.
I think it was known as Design and realisation back then.

53, you did GCSE’s or proper o levels. I think those of us who did o levels think they give GCSE’s away in lucky bags

GCSE's went A - G in grades, didn't they? A to C was really only considered a pass for university/college entrance

It was possible to get an ungraded.
Not sure how I know that.

 

[Skintagain]

Attitude and outlook on life educated or not makes the difference

Young people have been steered into education and nonsense and it now shows where the shortage of skills lie

 

[Lowland1]

Really. I find that astonishing. We all loved metalwork and woodwork. I did anyway but on top of that at least it wasn’t English, maths, French , etc

I did Latin. I find it very useful.

 

[ford 7810]

yes there are a lot of degrees out there that, in the world that i grew up in, have no use. but i don't live in the the world i grew up in. i live in the present and just because i don't understand what the subject matter, doesn't mean that it doesn't have a use. after all Look at Boris, his degree is in Literae Humaniores, a degree that from MY POV is about as unless as a ashtray on a motorcycle, yet the guy ended up in the highest office in the country, yet by your standard he should have been send down the building site to lean a trade

well is that not exactly it pointless degree, how the hell did Boris get to be a top man in the country just shows what all these worthless degrees mean,

 

[Danllan]

sounds to me that your Friend could do with someone better in HR so that less chaff got threw.
now here the thing it an engineering firm. so i will assume he was looking for people with engineering (and related) degrees. if so why were you interviewing someone with a pretend subject degree ? , If you were interviewing people with engineering (and related) degrees but from "bad" uni. did you interview the whole class, or was your friend firm just attacking those who couldn't get better jobs else were


Look I accept that UNI isn't for everyone, but that nothing new, even in my day 40 years ago there were one's in my class that just should never have been in it. but all this harking back to "when i was a young lad we didn't need......." is wrong and pointless. times have move on a lot of jobs have got a lot more complicated in way we may not understand.

this whole thread reminds me of a EX DuP mla who was on a local radio show complaining about all the people doing arts, and liberal media degrees , and we need to stop them and use the money to open a welding and heavy industry school, so we can get the ship yards back. people came on to point out (this was at the time we were making GoT and a few other TV/Films) how much inward money the Arts were bring in to NI and all these company's need these people with their theater degrees and arts degrees

Not really, self-made and a very successful medium-sized business, based on his judgement.

You have, for reasons I am unsure of, misunderstood the key points I have made and the implications they have for 'students', employers and the general public / taxpayers. Such is life...

 

[kfpben]

Yes the lying sods

Yeah mine were Uni- doing one of these Mickey Mouse courses.

Four years of sport and errrrr….’socialising’

 

[Wood field]

Yeah mine were Uni- doing one of these Mickey Mouse courses.

Four years of sport and errrrr….’socialising’

My sister did … theology and English , I thought wtf.mind I had a few good nights in York when I went visiting