Degrees, Fees & Expertise


Orchard's Joanne ponders the Big Question: Do we need a degree?



As a recent graduate, I can't help but wonder why life is so different to the picture painted by my high school teachers...

I was going to move my way through various means of education, come out the other side with a degree and straight into working life. Now I know that these teachers knew this facade of 'degree = a job' was tosh, I am angry at the teachers who don't teach you about real life!

Recently, a peer of mine went into a full raging debate about the value of a degree and how employers view them.

So I put to you this debate: Do we need a degree?

Considering fees have now jumped to £9,000 on average a year, would you do your degree in this current financial climate?

Well I am on the fence. I believe that I wouldn't be the person I am without doing an Interactive Arts degree, although I still have to work out what I am doing with it, (being so broad and unspecialised). However, if I was going to spend an easy £27,000 just on fees alone would I have found my way into the creative world through a different route? I do wish I had had better advice from the institution to help me get a job. Having said that, without having a degree I can't contribute to the argument.

Orchard's James believes "It's not that you don't need a degree, we need better advice in school of the roles that the industry requires. There isn't enough communication from higher education."

I asked this question to the ladies at the recent NABS event "An audience with Women Leaders." They followed with a big YES; degrees are really useful to learn skills and the University experience is one of a kind. They also added that as have some fantastic graduate schemes, there is also the possibilities to partake in internships.

What do you think?

Joanne Keogh

October 2012


Related Blog Posts: Education or Experience, what's more important?



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