DOCUMENTARY

NARRATIVE

I am facing one of the biggest decisions of my life so far. After spending most of
my progressing through education I am now facing the question whether or not
to go on to university. It seems that there are many expectations that this is
most sensible choice. Infact a greater percentage of young people than ever are
getting offers for university

Fact :

For me it is something that my close family have done – both my parents and my
older brothers have studied at university so in many ways, like thousands of
other young people , university is almost taken for granted, an assumed right of
passage. This conforming to expectations has been seen to be one of the main
reasons why young people go to university

Fact:

However I have doubts whether university is the best option for me and many
young people like me. My parents generation could go to university with a grant
and no fees so the risks for them were much lower – they were not paying for
the experience and collecting debts as part of the process. Even only a few years
ago when my brothers decided to go the loan system was so new that few of
their peer considered alternatives.

Fact


I think it is important now students face mounting debt and less graduate
employment to consider the alternatives and really understand better what the
benefits are of a university education.

Firstly lets go to one of many commercial university fairs where universities
round the country pay to sell their courses to eager school and college students.

The fair gives students the opportunity to explore many different universities
without having to travel to them. In turn the universities compete to win
potential students . As I moved around the fair it seemed that students were
drawn to the best most unusal free gifts – wrist bands, sunglasses and pens.
Branded merchandise to remind students of the university.- clearly university is
big business and successful universities employ commercial marketing tactics to
attract students.

What was dissappointing was the lack of alternatives – in a crowed hall there
only two or three apprenticeships or a work opportunities.


UCAS Fair footage

Alongside the stands the fair offers potential students a range of talks from
professional covering some of the main questions facing students. I chose the
talk on finance.

Fact :

Student loan company debt sold off – interest rates much higher than other
loans.

BUT

You only pay back when you earn enough money and the loan is wiped after
30years

Having seen how keen universities are to market themselves I was interested to
find out more about this process:

Interview with Lindsey Blake

So universities are keen to attract students as this is how they are funded but are
they really the best organisations to give advice to young people about the
choices open to them? I wanted to find out more about the information and
support avaialable so I went to speak to Dr Alan Hockley who has worked in
partnership with NCOP – a national body for widening participation in education
to develop online support school children to help them understand the benefits
of university

Interview with Alan

I am surprised by some of Alans points – it has made be think again about the
cost and value of the degree. Maybe it is measured by expereince as well as
actual cost. If go to university it is more about a right of passage, a unique time to
grow and develop not just in a subject but as a person. I decided to see what my
brother who is just about to finsih 3 years at university had to say:

Jonathan Interview

So Jonathan feels that university was worth it, he has been able to experience
activities and a culture that he would have missed if he had not gone. Maybe debt
and the commercialisation of the university dream has prevented me from
looking at the bigger picture. However the fact remains that many graduates are
out of work and surely getting a degree idesigned to improve your emplyability.

Fact graduate employment

If research suggests that many graduates do not walk into gradute level jobs,
particularly from more vocational universities what is the real point in a degree.
The government monitors gradute destinations on an annaul basis asking new
gradutes to say whether they are in work and if so what type of work they are
doing – the resuluts are worrying.

Fact DHLE sats

So to complete my story I need to explore the emplyment potential of graduates.
Throughout my college course I have been working in an industry that is
connected to my subject – media events and theatre, so have decided to start
there. What do the people I work with think about graduate employment?

Interview with HTC staff

So it seems clear that looking back a degree does not necessarily lead to
employment and this confirms my research that suggests that many gradutes
feel that their current job does not need a degree.

Fact –

I am keen to explore the alternatives, more of my peers are considering either
work or a apprenticeships, but is this just cheap labour to dead end jobs?
I am goinf to ask Lauren – project lead for graduate apprenticeships at UCLAV
what she thinks:

Interview Lauren

So Lauren presented me with a dihlema a good apprenticeship could result in
gaining a degree level qualification and being paid. No debt and more secure job
prospects. It seems like a no brainer…. Why would you go to uni if this is a real
alternative.

I decided to conclude this investigation by talking to my eldest brother, he has
left university 3 years ago and now works for a major company. What advice
would he give me?

Interview with Robert

So it seems to come down to a lifestyle choice, a degree will end me in a debt
that I may never repay but so long as there are no policy changes this will not
really affect me. It seem mad that the interest rates are so hogh and the
statements will show me a ever increasing debt however I will never actually pay
it back unless I am really successful. So maybe the decision I have to make is
whether I will enjoy the experience and gain something from it. A degree will
not secure employment but if a embrace the experience it could enhance my cv
and put me in a better position in an ever more competitive job market.


As for my story – I am still not sure what is right for me. At the start of this
journey I was adament that university would not be a good choice. I have spoken
to some interesting people and feel that I now understand the options better.
But first I plan to have a break from study and have an adventure in the
moutains ….