Half of graduates in the North-West acknowledge they are no better off having studied

Students and graduates acknowledge they’re no better off having studied

Much of the region’s graduates have not benefited from or used their degree in the world of work.

New research conducted by Able Skills, surveyed graduates across the region and found that many had regrets. Nearly half (47%) feel they could be in the same position without a degree whilst a fifth said their degree was a waste of time.

Nearly a third (28%) of those surveyed in the area believe they could be earning more if they started working straight from school and 17% wish they didn’t go to university at all.

Perhaps because they are not using their degrees, over a third (34%) of North-West graduates have never used their qualification at work.

But this doesn’t look set to change, nearly three quarters (72%) of employed graduates in the North-West have no plans to move jobs to make use of their studies.

The study also revealed the top ten most useless degrees, as voted for by employed graduates in the North-West:

• Film Studies
• Art History
• Fine Arts
• Fashion
• Media Studies
• Drama
• Philosophy
• Sports Management
• Advertising
• PR and Communications

Gary Measures, Managing Director of Able Skills says: “The education, education, education boom in the 90’s has had a knock on effect. 

"Many graduates seem to have taken this on board without seriously considering what they wanted to do post study.

"Evidently, further education is not the best career route for everyone and is such an investment that young people seriously need to consider their skill set and future before taking on such a commitment of their time and money.

"More needs to be done to educate young people on the other options available to prevent another generation making the same mistakes when they could be earning and on a career ladder.”

A lack of planning could be the problem as half (48%) didn’t know what they wanted to do with their degree after studying, or ended up doing something else entirely.