Thinking about University?

New studies show that university degrees are becoming rather useless.
With too many Graduating students and not enough positions, the majority of Graduates end up doing menial jobs for years. Thus wasting those years studying for little or no return.
Think carefully before enrolling in University.

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SW-User

My niece and her boyfriend finished Uni both with honours degrees in the top of the state. Both are working in a supermarket because that's all they've been able to get so far. I'm sure it'll change for them eventually but opportunities aren't like they used to be.

Northwest · M

@SW-User [quote]My niece and her boyfriend finished Uni both with honours degrees in the top of the state. Both are working in a supermarket because that's all they've been able to get so far. I'm sure it'll change for them eventually but opportunities aren't like they used to be.[/quote]

What are their degrees in? What were they expecting to do with their degrees?

SW-User

@Northwest Her's is in microbiology. She was hoping to work in a lab of some sort. Not sure exactly but she's applied to many apparently. His degree is IT but he can't even get a helpdesk job he said, as they've all been outsourced overseas. Both said they plan to do some industry certifications to specialise.

Northwest · M

@SW-User Hmmm. Is this in the US? Unless they're blowing interviews left and right, no microbiology grad, or IT, can't get a job today. The reason some of the jobs are outsourced, is mostly because not enough locals are available.

I am currently looking at more than a dozen software developers, but it will probably take me more than 6 months to find them, and I need to be prepared to pay major signup bonuses.

The trend for computer science jobs, now, is for people to take their signup bonus, and once their minimum service requirement is up, move on to another job and another signup bonus.

SW-User

@Northwest No, it's Australia. There are jobs out there but for each one they get so many applicants. So for instance if they're trying to short list similar applicants they'll keep the ones with masters degrees even though it isn't required. I have an IT degree and about 20 years experience in Infrastructure and i put in over a hundred applications to get the job that i have now which is well below my skill level. Although my age has a lot to do with it. It sounds like the US is the place to come and work, although getting a green card is extremely difficult, especially these days.

Northwest · M

@SW-User I don't know much about the software development space in Australia. If Australian schools are producing more engineers than what the local industry can absorb, it tells me that Australia is missing out big on some major opportunities.

SW-User

@Northwest I think the problem is that it's not Australia producing too many, it's our policy of opening up our job market to the rest of the world. So when i first applied for a job straight out of Uni, i went up against others in my area which wasn't really a problem. Later people started to apply from interstate so that increased the number of applicants for any job. Still not so much of an issue. But now we have opened up our job market to the rest of the world and made it pretty easy for anyone to apply.

I don't know about software development jobs though. Neither my nieces BF or myself are qualified in that area. I'm sure Australia is missing out on some big opportunities though, as that's what usually seems to happen. As far as i'm aware, we don't even manufacture motor vehicles here anymore.

Northwest · M

@SW-User Worldwide, there's a major shortage in software/hardware engineering candidates. There's resistance in some parts of the world, but US companies are on the prowl, worldwide, for software development talent. As the Silicon Valley is approaching capacity, and the same goes for Seattle, we're opening up tech centers in what may still be affordable areas, like Boise, and Salt Lake.

An experienced data scientist, can command as much as $500K per year, and stock options. For that, you probably need a PhD in a multi-disciplinary set of fields. You also need to be prepared to move to the US.

SW-User

@Northwest That's interesting. So it sounds like there's good opportunities for those with high level qualifications. But anyone with just a straight degree and no experience is probably going to struggle like here by the sounds of it?

Northwest · M

@SW-User No, most companies offer a lot of incentives for kids to get a job, with a BS. Advanced degrees holders, earn more, and there are fewer job openings for advanced degree holders. Usually the system sort of self-regulates.

It's kind of like the army, you have a lot more soldiers than generals. Not all soldiers will make general.

SW-User

@Northwest Yes i see, but then i'm assuming like here there would be a few placements and a very high number of applicants? So in reducing the number of applicants they'd end up choosing kids that had higher than necessary qualifications? I know where i work, they have a graduate program for accountants. They take in about 30 per year and get literally hundreds of applicants from all around Australia.

Northwest · M

@SW-User Not sure I would put it that way. You need small team to design a car, an even larger team to engineer it, and an even larger team to build it, but then just anybody can drive it, and quite a few more people, can acquire the skills to repair it, without going to college.

We need so many people to design cars. Once you're qualified, your choices may be limited. If you want to live on Maui, you're probably not going to get a job designing BMWs but a lot of qualified designers, may love to live in Munich, as oppose to Detroit, so naturally, you may get more applicants than jobs in Munich.