Kirstie Allsop.

[Noodlebear]

Totally agree with all that's been said, I have a lot of friends who are just finishing uni with no idea of what they want to do and are working for minimum wage.... There's just too much pressure and subsequently too many people choosing degrees because they think they have to go to uni. It's never seen as being 'ok' to have your family first and wait until you know what you want to do career-wise. When really, if you have no idea and are going to uni 'just because' that may well be the best thing. It doesn't help that you can study at college for free if you go in straight after school but later in life it'll cost you. Too many people dictating what you should be doing by x years old, very silly.

 

[Dragonfly]

I have followed her a while on twitter as I like her shows and interior design. She was pulled apart and strawmen appeared every where for rows. Even I was attacked for saying I was a SAHM and told I wasnt contributing and thought thats what I was meant to do even though I choose to do that. She tried to explain about the fertility window for woman, she is also a doctor in using ages but that was torn apart too. I dont think she was telling woman what to do at all. I may not agree to every thing she says but she had guts to stand up and say stuff and people are so nasty online now. She was made out to be some woman hater and shes actually a feminist. I read opinions like others opinions, I have mine. I never read them as instructions.

 

[lhancock90]

It's an interesting point she's making. The bit about not going to uni for the experience is a good one. Me and OH have been talking about this. I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up at the age of 16 and followed it through with a BTEC and a degree and was very happy in my job. He didn't really know what he wanted to be, had a vague idea, did a levels and a degree and a masters because that's what you're supposed to do. He only worked out what he wanted to do later on after working for a bit. I think jumping into three years of expensive study when you're so young is a bit ridiculous if you aren't sure about what you're going to get out of it.

So true but I found with me and most of my friends at school it was just seen as the thing you would do, a levels then off to uni, even alternative qualifications and training was seen by a lot of people I know as not an option, I think a lot of my friends felt it was inferior to getting a degree. But now most of my friends graduating and half of them are back home with their parents, debt behind them and not a clue what they can apply their degree to. Whereas the people I know who have done btecs, nvqs etc are usually in good, secure and fairly well-paid jobs. Obviously it's not always like that and I'm going a bit off topic but I think it's a shame to put so much importance on university when it can be a waste of time and money.

Same. I don't know anyone who did a degree since like 2008 who is in a directly related job. Everyone doing well, with houses and disposable income and stuff went in to decorating/building/plumbing/beauty etc. etc...

Same here, nobody i know who did a degree is in a profession relating to it at all and if i ask why they say they just wanted the degree? It seems a real waste.

 

[emyandpotato]

It's an interesting point she's making. The bit about not going to uni for the experience is a good one. Me and OH have been talking about this. I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up at the age of 16 and followed it through with a BTEC and a degree and was very happy in my job. He didn't really know what he wanted to be, had a vague idea, did a levels and a degree and a masters because that's what you're supposed to do. He only worked out what he wanted to do later on after working for a bit. I think jumping into three years of expensive study when you're so young is a bit ridiculous if you aren't sure about what you're going to get out of it.

So true but I found with me and most of my friends at school it was just seen as the thing you would do, a levels then off to uni, even alternative qualifications and training was seen by a lot of people I know as not an option, I think a lot of my friends felt it was inferior to getting a degree. But now most of my friends graduating and half of them are back home with their parents, debt behind them and not a clue what they can apply their degree to. Whereas the people I know who have done btecs, nvqs etc are usually in good, secure and fairly well-paid jobs. Obviously it's not always like that and I'm going a bit off topic but I think it's a shame to put so much importance on university when it can be a waste of time and money.

Same. I don't know anyone who did a degree since like 2008 who is in a directly related job. Everyone doing well, with houses and disposable income and stuff went in to decorating/building/plumbing/beauty etc. etc...

Same here, nobody i know who did a degree is in a profession relating to it at all and if i ask why they say they just wanted the degree? It seems a real waste.

It's like a status thing now. University is open to anyone so if you don't go it's almost like you're not doing life right, or you're stereotyped as stupid. I'm doing my degree as a necessity to get in to teaching but to be honest even if I wasn't I think I'd feel below par without one, especially as almost everyone I know who got so much as a GCSE went on to go to uni.

 

[Noodlebear]

I did very well at school but didn't know what I wanted to do with my life so didn't go on to uni and started working, I don't feel like I'm stereotyped by anyone as stupid though. Tbh even if people thought I was stupid I wouldn't care. I have a stable career that many people out of uni will struggle to find. If I decide to do a degree I'll do one that will actually benefit me. I look at some of the people I went to school with who are doing the most pointless degrees, that I know won't go anywhere, and feel kinda bad for them because they have no idea what it's like in the adult world and are wasting so much money! They went to uni for the parties. One of my oldest friends is doing great at uni and will have such a fantastic career and that's what it should be about...a career at the end of it.

My OH did engineering at college (didn't have to do any exams or anything really) and is doing pretty well for himself now! He's still quite new to it but as he gains experience his earning potential will be fantastic. There aren't enough people doing those jobs because of this silly stigma around not going to uni.

 

[sue_88]

I definitely agree with her, and most that's been said here. It's the pointless degrees that are damaging.

I followed the path that everyone is pushed down nowadays but that's because I knew exactly where I wanted to be and I needed my degree.

So I went to uni and then developed my career. I have had my LO at age 25, however I was in the wrong company as they wouldn't let me return part time, so I'm having a career break but know that in 4/5 years I can return to where I was.

I think uni is far too forced on young people who have no idea what they want to do, for me it worked but more people should be able to stand up and say 'I'm not sure, I'll wait'

 

[hopeandpray]

I think that what she advises is not realistic for a lot of people. There's no way that I'd get a job without a degree. I'll be 25 when I graduate and my boyfriend will be 26. We will have basically no savings. Definitely not enough to afford a house and baby.
Plus, she seems to imply that everyone can find the person they want to be with in their early 20s or even before that. Most relationships at that age don't last. I know there are exceptions, but they are exceptions and not the rule.