How many of you...

... are making use (in your current career choice) of a major degree/qualification you have gained and spent much time, effort and money working for?

Just out of interest.

Hardly at all, stuff learned since and experience in the job is key to me doing my job today, but I wouldn't have got started on and progressed through my career path without it on my CV.

[timwilky]

BSc Mechanical Engineering, stopped working in the profession 4 years after I graduated. I am a IT Project manager who can also develop applications, manage distributed and complex architectures and provides a firefighting and consultancy role for an engineering multinational. Could I do my job without my degree? Certainly. Does it help that at times I can speak the same "language" as my customers? Most definitely and I have been given projects that would have to be outsourced because I can work in the crossover area between complex engineering and software development.

[Littlepeahead]

In my first proper job, for an independent record label, the guy who employed me said it was my determination, cheek and charm that got me the position, not my CV. Good thing, as I failed my music CSE spectacularly.

I'm now filming and photography manager for a major sports venue, also doing PR. I was rubbish at all sport at school, and have never had any professional photography or PR training. I've blagged it all the way.

(However, I do have an O level in cookery and over the cricket season bake loads of cakes for the Essex, Middlesex and England team, so that qualification has come in useful.)

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

but I wouldn't have got started on and progressed through my career path without it on my CV.

Peg has very little in the way of education, and has a proven track record of his career being extremely profitable. Its not always necessary to have a degree.

I haven't got one, would have liked to have carried on etc but life got in the way.

I know a few people who have worked so hard to gain a degree, and are perhaps secretly miffed at the fact that its got them nowhere. I know of one person who strutted around like a peacock, blabbing on about how they were going to get such a fabulous career after four years...........been in and out of naff jobs since they qualified, and not earning anywhere near their potential.

Its all down to how you sell yourself on a CV, if thats garbage, then it'll go in the bin and won't get looked at, and you could have sweated over prepping that too.

[MisterTommyH]

I am,

although I did get the qualification on day release from work.

Having said that, the majority of the knowledge I use in my day-to-day job was actually picked up in the office / out on site rather than at Uni.

[johnnyrod]

I do! There aren't many people left from my uni course still working in chemistry though. It's not the having a degree bit that's important though, in my career you really need to know stuff, to go with any experience etc. That said the button-pushers at Corus/Tata earn as much as I do, which is somewhat galling when my job is realted to healthcare and people ideally not dieing. If you wanna be rich, be an accountant. You may die of boredom though.

[Drew Carey]

I have A-Levels etc, but then went to university to study Human Resources - Why? I have no clue!!!

Needless to say, I didn't get a degree, I drank lots and then subsequently left university with a mountain of debt. Roll on 10 years of slogging away and working my behind off - I now work for a Tier 1 bank supporting the Front Office - managing multiple teams of juniors - but my greatest success; as of the start of next year I am largely debt free and will have paid everything off.

I am a great believer in degrees etc as they can open doors - as a degree is about demonstrating commitment and hard work - as well as learning. But I don't think they are always required - a lot of it comes down to your own attitude, drive and determination......as well as a little bit of luck.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

... are making use (in your current career choice) of a major degree/qualification you have gained and spent much time, effort and money working for?

Just out of interest.

I don't has one

[Wideboy]

I spent 5 years in an advanced apprenticeship as well as outside of work studying. certainly dismissed by many people nowadays as being a doss but it took a lot of my spare time and my money to gain and I have qualifications equivalent to a levels so it has opened up other career routes should i feel the need to start again. Also re-did my gcse's after not doing them for some reason.....