[REVscene.net]

What's your take on it?

Has it helped you? or hindered you?

Do you speak from personal experience?

..please discuss

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Admin/BkFill/Default_image_group/2011/3/11/1299859345627/university-lecture-003.jpg

[Limitless]

Whoa, there's a revscene.net account?

Still in post secondary so no real insight from me, although right now I feel like it's kind of a waste of time, but definitely helpful... I would still think work experience and putting yourself out there is more useful than school, but then again it depends on what kind of career you want to pursue, and if it looks bad enough for someone to not want to hire you if you don't have a degree listed on your resume :S

EDIT: Derp realized it says veterans, I just wanted to post because I never knew there was a revscene.net account but didn't want to leave my post at just that lul

[320icar]

depends what you take and why.

if you are planning to be a doctor or electrician or something that actually NEEDS PROPER TRAINING then yes post secondary is not only great, but totally necessary.

if you are taking a bachelor of arts, or some absolute waste of time like accounting then all you are doing is wasting your time and money. dont just take english, psych, soc, geography or some shit like that.

out of all of my friends who have taken "generic post secondary" they all make less than i do by about $12 an hour (with no benefits) or they dont even have a job.

[果Jam叔]

Just wanted to say I agree with 320icar
I went the "generic post secondary" route and it's extremely difficult for me to find a good job.

From my personal experience, I say go work first and make your body and mind realize how shitty low pay jobs are and maybe possibly find a job you enjoy and inquire what they require from you to move up to a permanent role within the company.

After that, just weigh in on what you like as a career for your life and jump back to schooling and get that post secondary education (of course only if that field requires you to).

Basically (esp. for high schoolers): don't get pressured to jump right into post secondary; go out and work a bit and get to know more about yourself before taking on more schooling.

[tiger_handheld]

depends what you take and why.

if you are planning to be a doctor or electrician or something that actually NEEDS PROPER TRAINING then yes post secondary is not only great, but totally necessary.

if you are taking a bachelor of arts, or some absolute waste of time like accounting then all you are doing is wasting your time and money. dont just take english, psych, soc, geography or some shit like that.

out of all of my friends who have taken "generic post secondary" they all make less than i do by about $12 an hour (with no benefits) or they dont even have a job.

You must file the yearly taxes yourself...

Last time I checked accountants needed to know a thing or two about business, taxes, finance, fraud prevention etc.

Are you telling me, as an accountant I wasted my time in post secondary?


On Topic:

If you take arts, your best bet for a career is a teacher...
If you take general business, you can atleast have some text book skills in being a store manager
If you go to trade school, only options are for a job in trades
If you become a science major, either become a doctor , lab assistant and hopefully make researcher

[jing]

You must file the yearly taxes yourself...

Last time I checked accountants needed to know a thing or two about business, taxes, finance, fraud prevention etc.

Are you telling me, as an accountant I wasted my time in post secondary?


On Topic:

If you take arts, your best bet for a career is a teacher...
If you take general business, you can atleast have some text book skills in being a store manager
If you go to trade school, only options are for a job in trades
If you become a science major, either become a doctor , lab assistant and hopefully make researcher

http://www.vgmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/there-is-no-need-to-be-upset.png

[320icar]

You must file the yearly taxes yourself...

Last time I checked accountants needed to know a thing or two about business, taxes, finance, fraud prevention etc.

Are you telling me, as an accountant I wasted my time in post secondary?


On Topic:

If you take arts, your best bet for a career is a teacher...
If you take general business, you can atleast have some text book skills in being a store manager
If you go to trade school, only options are for a job in trades
If you become a science major, either become a doctor , lab assistant and hopefully make researcher

If you have a job, then no you didn't waste your time. But I know about 7 graduates of accounting programs (sfu, kwatlen, ubc etc) and ONE of them has an accounting job. The rest can't find any work. That is why it's god damn useless for 80% of people

[Jegz]

If you go to post secondary for a bachelor of arts, your first job will be a barista at starbucks.

[Energy]

Oh another one of these education threads.

[Vege]

For me, I found university was a big help in developing myself as a person. It provided an environment where I was forced to grow up and actually have responsibilities as an adult. I do agree that anyone can develop those skills in other ways but it worked for me.

I had a lot of fun in university and even now I still look back at the friends I have made and the experiences that I will never forget. I did end up with a BA and although it is technically a dime a dozen when it comes to degrees, I was fortunate enough to make enough to take care of my family from it.

I believe as long as you actually take your time and gain something from the university experience, that enough is worth the time and money.

[DragonChi]

For me, going to university was to get a better job. I would wager a lot of people say they would goto university for the same reason.

Although it hasn't hindered me. The job market for what I studied in seems really hard to get into.

My advice would be, if you're going to goto university for career reasons. Make sure that your studies are in line with the demand for entry level positions of the career.

If I was going to do it over again. I would have chosen nursing. Damn, I see so many postings to be a nurse right now.

[320icar]

problem with nursing is the money isn't great, and its an incredibly difficult job. just ask any filipino friends you have

[westopher]

I dont know man, my wife is a nurse. If you are in the right line of nursing the pay is pretty great. But yeah the job is hard as fuck, I couldn't even wrap my head around it.

[jeedee]

But yeah the job is hard as fuck, I couldn't even wrap my head around it.

Probably cause you didn't study/go to school for it?

http://eu-photo0.ask.fm/174/516/416/710003021-1rgoca7-haj4ft9lo88bbk0/original/avatar.jpg

[Jmac]

If you go into university without an end goal (i.e. career), you'll probably find it's a waste of money at the very least.

[westopher]

Probably cause you didn't study/go to school for it?
]
I can tell you were probably just about to nut you were so excited to post that photo and rustle my jimmies, but the context of my statement about not wrapping my head around nursing has nothing to do with knowledge of the medical field, it has to do with not understanding how someone can do a job that has to deal with so much sickness and being treated like shit by people with drug addiction, alcoholism and severe dementia on a daily basis. Being that I went to school to be an EMT, I'd say my understanding of what nurses do from a technical perspective is reasonably good. Working in medical wasn't for me though.

[Jmac]

Yeah, some nurses have a pretty bad work environment. I won't say all nurses because I know some departments are pretty easy to work in with good hours and pay, but others are a nightmare. You couldn't pay me enough to work in the psych ward, for example. Creeps me the fuck out everytime I go in there and I'm not in there very long or very often.

[zetazeta]

Not a veteran, recent graduate so take my advice with grain of salt if you will.

Post-secondary education opens many windows of opportunities, but at the end of the day it is up to you to take advantage of it. There are many students who do not take advantage of the many resources available during their academic career, and when they graduate, they complain that their degree is useless in getting them a job.

I agree with what Vege said. University was the biggest turning point for my life. Prior to university, I was just an immature nerdy kid who played a lot of video games. 5 years at SFU taught me a lot about myself and completely changed me.

Personally, I think these are 2 of the greatest benefits in post-secondary:

1. Co-ops, work placements, internships: I think this is one of the greatest benefits of post-secondary education. Where else do you find entry level positions that are in your area of study at some of the largest and best companies in the city? Many of these companies re-hire their co-op students after they graduate for permanent positions, and even if not, the experience is extremely valuable and really helps you land your first job. Every single one of my friends who did a co-op or internship has been able to find a good job within 6 months of graduating.

Also, it gives you the opportunity to try out various career paths easily. A friend of mine studies accounting and has been wanting to be a CA/CPA ever since first year. About a year ago, he learned about MIS and business related positions within technology and decided to do an 8 month co-op in a tech consulting firm. Now, he's decided and on path to do a specialized accounting route that combines technology and accounting. Similarly, I thought I was going to be an accountant ever since high school. I landed an internship in a non-accounting position, fell in love with it and have been here since I've graduated.

2. Networking A former coworker of mine got his job through networking and meeting people at his university's alumni club. He was at a football night for the Vancouver chapter of his alumni group and one of the members found out he was unemployed. That person connected him with one of the hiring managers and within a week he was hired.



Many jobs now require some kind of post secondary education as a bare minimum. Another thing... you're going to hear success and failure stories from both parties. There are hugely successful people who never stepped foot in a college/university, but there are also many failures. Do what is right for you/your situation.

[underscore]

Anything specific is better than something generic, ie electrician/accountant/nurse > arts/chemistry/business degree.

If you have a job, then no you didn't waste your time. But I know about 7 graduates of accounting programs (sfu, kwatlen, ubc etc) and ONE of them has an accounting job. The rest can't find any work. That is why it's god damn useless for 80% of people

Just because they have a hard time finding work doesn't mean it's useless. You need specific skills and training to be an accountant or you won't have a job very long.

[maksimizer]

As stated depends what you take.
+1 to arts and photography as a waste of time.

Im 20, I took bcit for a total of 8 months over two years, Im on my way to making 45$ an hour in under 5 years for mechanical systems.

70% of the people i graduated with are locked in school for 4-6 years. not working / hating life.
10% are like me.
20% are wrapping up 2/3 year programs and who knows where they will end up

Note. By the time that 70% gets out of school, I have already paid off my dept, have cash, cars, and am xxxK$ ahead of them.

[nabs]

In my experience,

Post secondary education is a way into the field that you wish to be in. It may not teach you everything you need to know, but it will give you the right contacts and let you have the name of an institution behind you.

There will always be a learning curve when starting a new career.

I think in all my education, BCIT had prepared me the most for the real world. Working with instructors who have actually done work in the field for YEARS. It's been great.

Could I have possibly got my job without a formal education.... MAYYYYYBE. But I don't think I would have had the right contacts in order to get it, and get as far as where I am right now.

[nabs]

And sorry I have to say it...

Revscene.net account = masterroshi????

[dachinesedude]

post secondary provides you more doors, but it doesnt necessary help you open them

[hchang]

If you go to post secondary for a bachelor of arts, your first job will be a barista at starbucks.

High school part two

[Recon604]

all this talk about BCIT makes me feel a lot comfortable with my choice than going to UBC or SFU.

I feel nowadays universities are getting overrated and BCIT is being more comparable as they provide hands-on work. I know a couple of Eng. students from UBC and they dont have the confidence of installing LEDs into their car... or even hooking up wires.

[Euro7r]

Personal experience. No experience equals no job. No matter how much education I have, without experience, very tough to impossible for an employer to consider hiring you. Unless maybe you are in the top 1 or 2 straight A student, then that is another story.

I ended up spending 6 months while job searching volunteering for experience in my field of study. Through that experience, I got a job. As mentioned above, co-op and networking, should be utilized if possible as those are opportunities to get the foot into the door.

[bcrdukes]

Revscene.net account = masterroshi????

:rofl:

[Minto]

Some careers require at least a(n) degree/certificate/education. Not a waste.

Others don't care and look for experience, so co-ops and internships are useful (sometimes you get unrelated ones...)

But you could also get experience on your own volunteering, pro-bono work, freelancing, self-learning, etc. Here, post-sec could be a waste. Depends on what you make out of your education and time and what you want to do.

Meeting all kinds of different people is what's been valuable to me.

[soymilk]

all this talk about BCIT makes me feel a lot comfortable with my choice than going to UBC or SFU.

I feel nowadays universities are getting overrated and BCIT is being more comparable as they provide hands-on work. I know a couple of Eng. students from UBC and they dont have the confidence of installing LEDs into their car... or even hooking up wires.

You shouldn't need reassurance on whether or not you made the right decision to go to BCIT. You obviously chose BCIT for a reason. As a BCIT grad myself, I felt that it was the right decision to get me to where I am today.

Different strokes for different folks.

[underscore]

all this talk about BCIT makes me feel a lot comfortable with my choice than going to UBC or SFU.

I feel nowadays universities are getting overrated and BCIT is being more comparable as they provide hands-on work. I know a couple of Eng. students from UBC and they dont have the confidence of installing LEDs into their car... or even hooking up wires.

I'll never forget the head of the Tech program (who is an Eng) telling us about when he was doing one of those interview things they do with Eng grads, this E.Eng student comes in and is brilliant, but then one of the interviewers pulls out a resistor and asks the kid what it is (for you non-electrical people, that's the most basic electrical component there is), and the kid has absolutely no clue what it is because Engineers never touch anything.

I took an Electronic Engineering Technologist diploma program (2 years) then did a bridge program (summer of hell) which let me jump into 3rd year Electrical Engineering (which I hated and dropped out of). The reason I dropped out of Engineering is because there is ZERO hands on, the closest was taking measurements of a pre-built circuit in a lab every once in a while. I'm so glad I did the diploma then bridge because I still had my diploma when I dropped out of Eng, a bunch of my friends went into Eng but because the first two years are common they didn't find out that they actually hated their specialty (Mech, Elec, Civ) until partway through third year, at which point they're too far in to quit but they hate what they're doing.

[meme405]

Good points by everyone.

If you go to school, just to go to school, and you have no objectives or ideas on what you want to do, you will end up wasting your time and money.

This is how so many people end up with useless bachelors of arts, and then we have a huge influx of people capable of doing only 1 thing; becoming teachers (just go look at the teacher striking thread in the general chat forum).

If you are going to go to school for business, and plan to start your own small business, or go for accounting and actually follow through with it and get a job in that field, there is no doubt in my mind that your education will have helped you.

Now will it have helped you as much as just having worked that 4 years and gaining experience, I think that's a different answer for everyone.

In terms of trades, or technical programs like engineering, I cannot stress the qualifications and quality education offered at BCIT. I am a BCIT grad myself, and I am currently still attending prep courses there myself as further education.

During my tenure there I had people in my program with engineering degrees from countless post secondary institutions including UBC, SFU, and UVIC. These people simply could not break into the industry, and they came to BCIT to gain the applied background so that someone would actually hire them.

I was hired in my desired field, after only about a month of searching for my job. During that period I was actually offered 2 other jobs which I turned down, because they were BS.

While in my program I thought it was BS, and all the crap they were teaching me was old fashioned and that I would never use the stuff. Fast forward to today, and I realize everything I learned at my work was simply an extension of the base skills I learned in school. Without that background knowledge, and base skill set I would have been completely useless to my employer. Instead I am an asset and thats because my schooling trained me in various different facets, stuff that wasn't even the main teaching points of my classes ends up coming back and helping me at my work daily.

[knight604]

A friend of mine is a nurse and just had a major melt down because he couldn't deal with the constant dying and sickness of other people , it really takes a toll on you when you are around those kind of people everyday.

[BrRsn]

Post secondary can be a waste because who you are at 17/18/19 is completely different from you at 22/23 -- it's a bit of a gamble choosing a major/path at such a young age, you could get to 22 and hate it; then what -- start over?

[Jmac]

Post secondary can be a waste because who you are at 17/18/19 is completely different from you at 22/23 -- it's a bit of a gamble choosing a major/path at such a young age, you could get to 22 and hate it; then what -- start over?
Why not?

You spend 1/4 of your adult life at work ... Unless it makes the other 3/4 of your life substantially better (like big $$$, benefits, etc.), it's worth your time and money to start over if you hate your career.

[finbar]

The missus has a masters in anglo irish lit.

She has done well, really well, statrup well.

It's good to be an excellent mechanic, but being excellent to each other and forming a network is even better.

I endorse post secondary ed.

[!Yaminashi]

Post secondary can be a waste because who you are at 17/18/19 is completely different from you at 22/23 -- it's a bit of a gamble choosing a major/path at such a young age, you could get to 22 and hate it; then what -- start over?

I agree with this. Went to BCIT when I was 19 and my mindset was not focused on my career/where I would be in 5 years.

Went back to BCIT a couple years ago after working for 5 years and I was completely different. I was there to learn and took any opportunity I could to advance my career.

[underscore]

Now will it have helped you as much as just having worked that 4 years and gaining experience, I think that's a different answer for everyone.

In this day and age where people no longer start a job at 18 and stay there until retirement I think post-sec beats experience alone. I know several people who have gotten jobs without prior edjumacation, stayed at the same place for years and moved up and got internal training, but if they ever quit or get fired they are completely screwed because most of their experience is only good at one company. Especially if you leave there on poor terms, if your only asset is your experience with a company that you can't use as a reference then all I can say is good luck.