Varsities swamped

[Gibson]

Yip, you just need the right people as with everything else in life.

True, but the environment is also pretty important, I know that while Monash managed to attract some incredible academics, policy changes that worked in Aus but had to implemented on all campuses caused a lot of trouble and them losing some of their best professors.

They also had some trouble adjusting the courses to fit the higher education standards in S.A, which is why the psychology department is now not recognized by the Aus board pf psychologists (thankfully after my time) and their course offering is a bit skint.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

How many years of experience do you have again? I remember you talking about how you build yourself up to where you are now. That's a lot of experience.

If I had a degree earlier on in life I would be way more successful than what I am today:

At 19 I was sitting on street corners being a street vendor selling earbuds, hair scrunchies and perfumes until I was 22, then I was selling hand painted enamel mugs and pottery. At 25 I was packing tampons onto the shelves at Clicks, at 26 I was selling second hand junk at Cash Converters, then at 27 I was selling mattresses in a furniture store.


So yes, I built myself up without a degree but look at the cost. I was 30 before I got the opportunities that my graduate friends got in their early 20's.

 

[BigAl-sa]

If I had a degree earlier on in life I would be way more successful than what I am today:

At 19 I was sitting on street corners being a street vendor selling earbuds, hair scrunchies and perfumes until I was 22, then I was selling hand painted enamel mugs and pottery. At 25 I was packing tampons onto the shelves at Clicks, at 26 I was selling second hand junk at Cash Converters, then at 27 I was selling mattresses in a furniture store.


So yes, I built myself up without a degree but look at the cost. I was 30 before I got the opportunities that my graduate friends got in their early 20's.

@cb, you are one oke on myBB to whom I will take off my hat. Don't let this oke get up your nose, treat him like a troll...

 

[Picard]

And a BSc still doesn't net you a job. Science is the most overpublished and overrated degree choice.

A have a friend who has a Ph.D in Biochemistry from a leading university in Europe, and the world leading laboratory in his field, (any further details and a quick googling would reveal who he is). My point is he struggled to find a job when he came back to SA. At the moment he is in a job far below his level of expertise. He is now looking for employment overseas again.

Forget about the few things you can do with a BA degree. There are progressively fewer things you can do with a normal 3-year B.Sc degree in the Biological sciences unless you pursue advanced degree of at least Masters level. And even then ...

 

[krycor]

It varies a lot depending which career you take and determined by supply-demand.

e.g. The salary gap between a Civil/Mining engineering graduate and technologist has narrowed. If everyone goes for an engineering degree, then there will be higher demand for technologist who are equally critical in implementation of the engineering designs.

B.Tech degree in Civil with 8yrs can earn 650k which is a competitive salary for a BSc degree in Civil with 5yrs experience or more.

Exactly this is why my sis never did a degree with civil. Engineering demand is high such that doing a degree doesn't pay off when you work out time to work and earnings with inflation vs experience and job availability. Also higher you go up, you will require additional degree/qualifications as you switch to project management or business administration things..

Pay off of degree is managerial position is possible unlike tech stuff (gov mandate, need minimum masters i believe ), Washington accord and international placement. Other than that you have to question why the industry has kinda made it a lesser requirement so much so that tech people are sought after more than graduates due to lower start salary and fact that industry claims either way, training is required upfront. So from industry pov, tech people are skilled sufficiently, trained up to do the job and will always be doing the work so a good return on investment.

This why it's becoming hard to justify studying engineering at university.. It's harder and the pay off just is no longer there. Ie you can slog through an engineering degree or coast through a btech with 1st's and get placed instantly while working in industry gaining experience prior/faster than someone with a degree( 2yrs, 1yr intern, 2 yr part time btech while working vs 4-5yrs then taking an intern like position if you unlucky).