University used to be the step you take after high school. There was hardly any way to wiggle out of it.
Not so anymore.
Indeed some of the opportunities that were previously reserved for University graduates are now available to non-graduates.
If you have been wondering why more and more people are skipping university, here are some of the reasons behind this trend.
While a university degree is not the end-all, be-all, higher education is still unquestionably important.
Luckily, there are varied options today.
It gives one a broader perspective on things as well as the tools to adapt to an ever-changing world.
Alternatives such as apprenticeships and TAFE qualifications can still lead to high-paying jobs.
Australia attracts scholars from all over the world, thanks to its revered education standards and school systems. The downside, however, is that these institutions are expensive.
For most students, this means taking out student loans to be repaid once one gets to a certain level of income in the future.
While student loans are a great solution to help one get into college, you graduate with the thought of an unpaid loan hanging above your head.
To avoid this, young people are opting to take online courses and other forms of higher education that are significantly more affordable.
Instead of working to repay expensive loans, later on, tuition funds can be put towards purchasing a home or other large ticket items.
There are specific career paths that absolutely require a University degree to succeed in. Some do not.
This means that for some people, going to college is not as instrumental as it would be to others. For these reasons, skipping university and getting a head start in their goals makes more sense.
For example, someone with a passion for baking and would love to go into entrepreneurship would rather much forego university and spend those 3-4 years perfecting their skills, opening their business, and learning the ropes.
Many blue-chip corporations are increasingly looking to hire for skill.
There are fields in which an apprenticeship or vocation training is deemed more highly than a University Degree.
Apprenticeships and vocational training aim at teaching practical skills to be used to solve everyday problems in the business world. And indeed, employers are looking to hire people who can create solutions.
In this regard, people can forego university, take up other training models, and still get similar opportunities to jobs with high pay.
Another plus for going to university used to be the socializing and networking potential.
Here, students would create and build long term networks that would support them in both their personal and career lives.
The internet has changed this.
Online courses have come a long way from what we had in the past where students would get course files, and that would end at that.
Today, an online course also provides avenues for learners to work collaboratively in group assignments, class discussions, and so on.
These classroom relationships can easily morph into personal friendships that provide the same support and networking potential that people that went to university form with their peers.
Unfortunately, this is not a simple yes or no question as several factors must come into play when deciding to attend or forego university.
However, not getting a university degree is no longer handicaps your career or future as it once did.
Explore your options, network put in some hard work, and you will enjoy the life you always dreamt of.