Record numbers of students are going to university year upon year in the UK; which reignites the debate about whether the university degree even matters anymore.
I earned my degree in July 2015 and since then, I have been unable to secure a job that is directly relevant to what I studied; Leisure and Events Management. Most, if not all of my relevant experience in this industry is previous voluntary work, and finding a full time job is as easy as drawing blood from a stone.
Another problem is the issue of being a 'job-hopper'. Because of my inability to find a full time graduate job, I have resorted to jumping from job to job to fund a lifestyle of working abroad, before coming home again and picking up another temporary job to pay the bills and repeat the process of saving enough money to work overseas again. All done with the intention of making myself as employable as possible; and in fact, it seems to have the opposite effect.
This leaves me in the familiar position that I know a lot of people have found themselves in; the midst of what seems like a 'quarter-life crisis'. A time that usually occurs in one's mid twenties, when the feelings of insecurity, hopelessness and underachievement begin to make us wonder whether there's any point in pursuing that 'dream career' anymore.
So, back to the initial question - does the university degree even matter anymore?
When I graduated from university, not only did I receive a 2.1, but I also had the added benefit of having an international placement year in the USA, For this placement year I also received an award of commendation for 'excellence in placement', as well as an additional award for participating in extra curricular activities. I had worked at some of the biggest events and venues in the world; the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Super Bowl to name a few, All of which I felt made me a very employable candidate when applying for future jobs.
However, in reality, when university students graduate and apply for jobs, they face more competition now than ever before. With record numbers of students going to university and many of those achieving the top grade; this means that the pool of candidates for employers to choose from is larger than ever, and many 'qualified' candidates suddenly become 'under-qualified'.
Which brings me to the main issue that I have faced when applying for graduate jobs; not having enough experience, which is demonstrated below in my 'Graduate Job Search' diagram.
This has been an ongoing process for 18 months; I apply for a job, and get a rejection because it is apparent that I am not qualified enough for the role. How are graduates supposed to get experience, if they cannot get a job? Why do companies require a degree and two years experience for an entry level position? Isn't the point of an entry level position to help a graduate to develop their skills in that area, and help them grow as a professional in the world of work?
For me, it is almost impossible to find a full time, industry relevant job because I am 'under-qualified', but then when I apply for a part-time job, I'm rejected for being 'over-qualified'.
I have so many friends who spent four years at university, graduated with a first class degree, and aren't working in the field that they spent four years studying. I have other friends who didn't go to university, did an apprenticeship, and now have the job of their dreams. I know people who studied a beauty course, and have ended up becoming hairdressers and make-up artists, making a solid income and loving their jobs.
Then there's me, swimming in a mountain of student debt (£24,149.84 to be quite precise), and having no idea what to do with my life having hit a brick wall in understanding the purpose of my four years in university.
Nowadays, it is becoming more common to have a university degree; and if I could rewind 5 years, it's likely I would have chosen not to go to university and moved abroad full time.
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