Degree's

[Dare to dream!]

People who have degree's

Is your job specifically in the area of your degree?
Would you say the level of degree is more important than the area?

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I have an accounting degree I am an accountant.

I couldn't have got this job without a degree. It's a good starting step prior to becomin chartered which I finally nearly am.

You can get accounting jobs without degrees though some require it some don't. I did it purely to experience uni and be the first in the family to take a degree.

I'd say it massively helps taking it in the area you wish to progress in. I've noticed on on studies those who didn't do it at uni struggled much more.

[BigColSutherland]

In theory, a degree demonstrates to an employer that you possess an ability to comprehend complex issues to a high level. You can of course prove this via experience in the workplace and professional qualification, but for some areas of work a degree is a prerequisite.

Some degrees may appear niche, but are useful across almost all industries, such as a degree in law or economics.

In summary, it can't hurt to have a degree, and the experience of going to university arguably teaches more than the content of your studies ever will.

[The Red Baron]

My first degree was in History and Politics and my MA was in the History of Sport. I work in project/ programme management. I did try to make use of my degree teaching history but I wasn't very good at it (the teaching, not the history).

[Jenny]

I dropped out of uni and don't have a degree but I have managed to do well for myself despite this.

A lot of employers will look for a degree classification rather than the degree subject. When I worked at PwC it was all about getting a 2:1, most people didn't have degrees that related to their job in any way shape or form.

[silent majority]

My degree is definitely in the area that I work in. However I'm the exception as most of those I work with don't have degrees or even HND/OND. But although we work in the same areas I have the more technical of the roles and consequently a higher salary.

[BillyStubbsTears]

There's an interesting question in the OP.

Many degrees involve a very large component of high-level vocational training, without which you would struggle to be able to work in that field. Others are entirely non-vocational, but develop generic skills like how to gather facts, make a logical argument, draw rational conclusions. In other words, how to think at a high level. It's notable that many of the top brass in the Civil Service and politics studied things like Classics, History or Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University. Nothing really directly applicable to their job, but lots of training in appraising not very well defined problems and marshalling facts and arguments.

To some extent, you can separate degree courses into ones that teach you how to analyse and deal with specific tangible things (like computers, chemicals, atoms) and ones that teach you how to analyse and deal with intangible things like ideas and opinions. The former tend to be vocational. The latter tend to be generic. Both can be very valuable, but they set you up very differently for the rest of your life.

My first degree was in Structural Engineering. To work as a structural engineering designer, you have little option but to learn a lot about mechanics, materials, design methods, contract law, management etc. to become a Chartered Engineer, you have to demonstrate that you have a deep understanding of those subject areas. In principle, you could be self-taught and take an exam to satisfy the Engineering Council that your knowledge is up to standard. In practice, 99.9% of engineers get their knowledge through a degree course. The EC regularly checks the quality of the courses, and if a course comes up to scratch, they deem anyone passing that course and receiving a degree to have a suitable level of basic knowledge to be a CE.

I've stayed working more or less in that area and I use my degree skills every day. Many of my cohort back in the late 80s were snapped up by the financial sector, who valued the high level of numerical and analytical skills, plus the practical problem solving skills for dealing with problems (where there isn't an obvious right or wrong answer) that an engineering education provides.

[Dagenham Rover]

My ex sister in law  had a degree in Zoology she didn't go near an animal or Zoo after leaving Uni but she is actually very high up in a global companies  HR department .......actually thinking about it perhaps it does have something in common with her degree

[Filo]

Only higher education I did was City and Guilds Mechanical Engineering parts 1,2 and 3

[LongbridgeMGRover]

I've got a degree in Classics, which is Latin, Greek and Ancient History.
I'd like to say it has come in handy over the years, but i'd be lying!
However a degree is a degree, and this helped me into advertising.
I then had an early mid life crisis and took a teaching qualification.
I also have postgrad quals in Marketing, plus other quals in Market Research and IT.
So for me a degree wasnt the end but the start, and its other quals which are now the differentiators.

[Dagenham Rover]

Personally I haven't even got a cse  o level or anything, however I fell into what was a fledgling industry which was connected to what I was doing about 1980. never looked back,  numerous industry based qualifications and been "headhunted" between the major players a couple of times.

Pure good luck!

[Sprotyrover]

I don't have a degree but my Professional qualifications are accepted by all organisations as degree standard,having said that It took me 20 years to get those qualifications, so I would encourage any body to get a good degree in History,Geography etc. if you go in for a sporty degree you are wasting your time and money.

[GazLaz]

I don't have a degree but I have a Level 6 NVQ that Wiki says is equivalent to a degree. I don't think it is tho really.

[IC1967]

Is your job specifically in the area of your degree?
Would you say the level of degree is more important than the area?

My advice would be to get a degree that is not specifically in the area that you want to work. I'd be much more inclined to go for a degree in a subject that you have a great interest in that is recognised as a 'good' degree. When you start work you will find that the job for life is becoming a thing of the past. As time goes on most people will have many jobs throughout their working lives.

You want a degree that will equip you for all these changes and that gives you more career opportunities. I'd also keep on the education treadmill for the rest of your working life so you are best placed to deal with any changes that the working environment throws at you. Trust me, the world of work is going to change a lot over the coming years and you need to be prepared.

[colincramb]

I wouldn't be able to work in my field without a specific degree, as it is a legal requirement for registration to that profession. However, I could use it to transfer to many other fields if I wanted to. Classification is important when doing generic degrees and to some extents so is the university it is obtained at, especially when applying for top graduate jobs in 'blue chip' companies. Most won't interview without at least a 2:1 or above, although some will if you have a lower classification of degree but substantial experience.

It's also worth noting that in general (but not in all cases) people with a degree statistically earn more throughout their careers than people without.

[moses]

Unless you have a specific job you are thinking of, i.e. nursing, chemist, doctor then most public sector jobs don't specify a type of degree. 

[IC1967]

I would also thoroughly recommend studying for a degree. You grow up a lot during those years at university and it changes you for the better as a person. You learn to think differently and become a more confident person. Those with a degree have better life chances than those without. Its not just about getting a degree. Its also about developing into a different person than you otherwise would have become.

[Dagenham Rover]

Bloody hell I agree with the two posts IC1967's made on this thread     

Somethings gone wrong somewhere 

[idler]

I dropped out of uni and don't have a degree but I have managed to do well for myself despite this.

A lot of employers will look for a degree classification rather than the degree subject. When I worked at PwC it was all about getting a 2:1, most people didn't have degrees that related to their job in any way shape or form.

Did you know Ollie at PWC? Or should I say Oliver?

[Jenny]

Which office/department did he work in?

[idler]

He was pretty high up,I think that his second name is Lightowler or something similar. He's about 42ish.
His dad used to be a director of Halifax RLFC.

[Jenny]

I didn't know him at PwC as he left before I started but he was one of my clients when he worked at Spice Plc. Dealt more with his number two though.

[idler]

He was best man at my daughter's wedding. He went to Bradford Grammar with my son-in-law. He certainly seems to have done ok for himself.

[Jenny]

Yeah, you don't get to being the FD of a listed group by chance! I bet he had a degree.... Imagine his company paying someone like me to assist them, from some of the responses on this thread you'd think that I would have had no chance in life!

[idler]

I can't remember him going to uni. But think that he must have.
He was always a bit miffed at what the son-in-law earned as an air traffic controller compared to him when he started accountancy.
The son-in-law got all of his qualifications in the job so to speak as he did further courses after successfully passing out.
He's in Dubai now so all of his hard work has paid off.

[Iberian Red]

I've got one art 'o' level,it did nothing for me.

[RobTheRover]

I have an O level in Art too.  I still draw occasionally.

(other qualifications are available, and I have some of those too)

[coventryrover]

I have a chemistry degree and am now an environmental advisor with a civil engineering company, yep it does help

[streatham dave]

With hard work you can be a success with or without a degree. I have a degree linked to my work. I guess it depends what career you have in mind. Can't tell if original poster is thinking about studying for a degree/changing jobs. Hope all goes well for you either way.

[Iberian Red]

Working at your leisure?