Dave Silver Spares website oddity

It's a very dated view that degrees are important. When looking at 2
candidates for the same job, you'd have to be very foolish indeed to
take a degree education over, say, the equivalent number of years of
experience, IYSWIM.

You only have to look at the struggle graduates have in gaining
employment after leaving university these days - especially those who've
graduated in a 'soft' subject from a 'new university' - this is
definitely a case of experience being _much_ more useful than a degree.

 

Don't know why I bother replying, as it's pretty obvious that most
replying to this thread are suffering from the blinkered 'retail workers
are useless thickos' syndrome.

My decision to drop out of Uni was based on the fact that I preferred
selling stuff to people than sitting in a lab.

 

why would you be foolish to do so? how do you measure the equivalent
number of years?

What struggle are they having? why and how does this "prove" your point?

Where are the facts to support your assertions?

 

I still like see these facts and figures of yours, you know. I want to know
how many top scientists doing important work in the world worked their way
up from labelling test tubes and cleaning petri dishes as against those that
attended university. The same for engineers, architects, etc. You know,
people with good jobs. Because I know that a degree isn't worth much if you
want to shovel out burgers in Macdonalds.

 

To clarify - 2 applicants, for argument's sake, both early 20s. One has
3 years relevant experience, the other has spent 3 years doing a crap
degree. Which one do you pick, given that they're equally strong in all
other aspects?

The number of application forms I see from degree-educated applicants
when I'm recruiting is a pretty good indicator. We're now nearly 12
months from the date last year's graduates left Uni and started looking
for work, and I still get 5-10% of my applications fromt them.

 

Ahh, now these are the exceptions - Science / Engineering type degrees
are useful if you're looking for that kind of job.

Whereas, for example, American Studies / Sociology / Sports Science etc
from Hertfordshire University are worthless.

 

Very cold?

 

<g>

You silly bugger.

Minus 26 in the coldroom today. ****, that's cold.

 

Well stop generalising then. Obviously you don't need a degree to run a
fucking supermarket but when the punters have stuffed themselves full of
Soleros and Weetabix sometimes there are other aspects of life that take
precedence.

 

well, given that /I/ don't have a degree, this is not actually my
viewpoint.

 

Whoever chews gum the least and can run operate a barcode scanner the best?

 

It's also true to say that the the only degrees really worth having are
those that naturally lead to a career in that field. All others are
superfluous to requirements.

 

You should be given your own show, for sure

 

Unfortunately, for those graduating in 2003, employment rates among
sociology graduates were higher than for mechanical engineering or IT
graduates.

 

Do those stats. tell you _what_ they're employed as, though? - and would
they have got the same job even without a degree?

A science or engineering graduate will generally have done that degree
to get a job in that field, whereas a sociology graduate will have a
pretty open mind about employment options.

 

Hint: I haven't always worked in food retail. That just happened as it
pays better than most other retail sectors. I wouldn't leave the food
sector now, though.

It's more than 'just a job' - if that's all you treat it as, then you'll
never make the grade. It's about flair, passion, enthusiasm. Personally,
it's something I got into for the money, but now I'm hooked - it's what
I do, what I'm good at, and what I have a real passion for.

 

No, but they show that your assertion that sociology degrees are worthless
in employment terms, is statistically baseless.

Science and engineering degrees open some doors that humanities degrees
can't, though they certainly aren't barriers to non-science jobs. Many
people doing sciences at university will do so because they're good at them,
genuinely interested in them, or did A-levels in science subjects. If
you're going into university with the sole intention of learning how to do
your job on graduation, you're going to university for the wrong reason.

 

Very few degree educated people come anywhere near making the grade in
retail. Don't suppose I can comment on other industries, but from what
I've experienced (Graduate Trainees just have no enthusiasm, drive or
common sense. It's a painful experience even trying to get the basics
into their heads) I wouldn't even consider the graduate.

 

Not really - how many are flogging CDs in HMV, etc?

What other reasons are there for going, other than a 3 year piss-up?

 

I find it best to think "Asteroids". Get your ship - I mean trolley -
moving at whatever angle suits it, then turn it and apply a vectored
thrust to alter its course.

This can result in a trolley running diagonally at speed down the
aisle. This is only a problem when the crowds are thick.

Unfortunately, they usually are in my local supermarket.