These kind of messages probably make me look like I’m really anti higher education, and I’m not I swear!
I’m anti the story we’re sold on which is go to uni, study for 3 years, pay £x and then we walk out with our career/life in the bag.
We’re sold on the idea that university is almost like the trial period and that once we’ve been handed our degree in one hand we’re also going to be handed a job in the other and it’s not the case.
University is an amazing opportunity to live away from your parents, discover who you are without the expectation of family/existing friends, be a creative without worrying about having to make money from it and just spend 3 years experimenting and developing your talent/craft.
I wouldn’t swap my time at uni for anything, but one thing uni does not do is really gear you up for going out there and getting work, making money and developing a career.
Your main focus throughout the 3 years is ticking boxes and getting good feedback, but spending 4 weeks documenting your thought process in a workbook and giving a 5 minute presentation to your peers doesn’t gear you up for earning money when you graduate.
Once you graduate that’s when the real work begins, the training wheels come off and you have to fight tooth n nail to get the career you want. It’s your portfolio that speaks not your 2:1.
Having said that, a degree can be necessary if you’re not looking to be self employed.
When I left uni I worked as a social media manager then marketing manager, both of which required a degree to apply to, but my degree has never come up in my illustration work.
So my goal is to just make people aware of the realities, as I know uni feels all encompassing whilst you’re there and it’s a shock once you leave and realise people don’t come flocking to you offering you work.
So heads up!
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