As universities prepare to return to school, the subject of whether a university degree is necessary for a career remains a hotly debated topic in society. To gain a feel of what people believe, we asked the Manchester general public what they thought in our most recent pool. We asked "how important do you think a university degree is for career advancement in today’s job market? As different viewpoints vary, it demonstrates that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to career paths.
Some argue that the value of degrees has diminished in the post-covid landscape. According to one member of the public, it may open the door to getting into the company, but the degree does not make it easier to execute your job.
Others say that it depends on the sort of employment, and that degrees in law and medical are necessary and that their value as a degree will not diminish.
One member of the audience stated that, with the advancement of artificial intelligence, going along the vocational route rather than university, such as establishing a skill, will be more future-proof for professions.
Furthermore, we investigated whether online courses and e-learning platforms had altered society’s perception of traditional colleges. The general agreement was that they are just as important as a typical university degree, and as these online education platforms grow and becomes more available to the public, more members of society would be able to attempt new disciplines and learn more specialised issues that will benefit them in their careers.
In conclusion, career success ultimately goes beyond education and is down to the individual and which path they choose. Regardless of whether one takes the tried-and-true path of conventional education, dives headfirst into the digital learning revolution, or adopts a balanced approach that incorporates elements of both, everyone’s career is uniquely theirs!
