My daughter is finishing school this year. She has enjoyed school, but like most 18 year olds, she is more than ready to leave. She has a clear idea of what she wants to do next. Her dad and I are right behind her and will support and encourage her dream. The trouble is, she is receiving minimal support from anywhere else because shock, horror – she doesn’t have any interest in going to university. Why is this such a problem? Her friends, her friends’ parents, her aunts and uncles all seem to struggle with the idea of her not wanting to get a degree.
When did this happen – this insistence that the only way to success and happiness is via university? Is this the case everywhere, or just where we live? In the past, you needed a degree to be able to do certain careers. The current attitude is that it doesn’t matter what it is, just get a degree. No wonder the drop out rate is so high. No wonder university graduates are no longer guaranteed a job when they finish.
My daughter is constantly being asked about her back-up plan. She is being told over and over again to at least apply to go to uni and defer for a year. And although she can see the path she wants to take, that’s not good enough for people around her. University is not free. It is not easy to get a degree if you are not interested in the course you’re studying and it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll walk straight into a well paying job. So her dad and I will continue to help her defend her right not to attend university, just as we will support her if she changes her mind down the track.
