Parent Site: http://paragon.myvnc.com Paragon Publications UK |
Is The Teaching Profession so Black & White?
| “ I thought I was a good teacher and could not understand what was happening ” |
TES Article MENU
Equally many employers have cut back on training opportunities compared to a generation ago.
Forty years ago the routes into the media were paid, either on-the-job traineeships for school leavers or graduate traineeships in media organisations.
These no longer exist, instead students pay for their own training at institutions which effectively control access to unpaid "work placements".
This can either be at the undergraduate level in the wrongly sneered at "Mickey Mouse" courses at "new universities" or specialist postgraduate master's degrees.
The few remaining trophy "traineeships" at organisations such as the BBC tend to go to those who have already gone through this process including "work experience".
Bhaska Vina, pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge admits that the "graduate premium" on earnings is a good reason to go to university.
He is right to point out that it is also "a moment of independence and personal discovery" where young people develop transferable analytical, communicative and collaborative skills alongside their studies.
This applies to all subjects and not just the business studies and STEM subjects favoured by the present government.
On balance then, if you are wondering whether to go to university or not, the evidence suggests that, yes, for all the present tribulations and expense it is probably still worth it.
Forty years ago the routes into the media were paid, either on-the-job traineeships for school leavers or graduate traineeships in media organisations.
These no longer exist, instead students pay for their own training at institutions which effectively control access to unpaid "work placements".
This can either be at the undergraduate level in the wrongly sneered at "Mickey Mouse" courses at "new universities" or specialist postgraduate master's degrees.
The few remaining trophy "traineeships" at organisations such as the BBC tend to go to those who have already gone through this process including "work experience".
Bhaska Vina, pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge admits that the "graduate premium" on earnings is a good reason to go to university.
He is right to point out that it is also "a moment of independence and personal discovery" where young people develop transferable analytical, communicative and collaborative skills alongside their studies.
This applies to all subjects and not just the business studies and STEM subjects favoured by the present government.
On balance then, if you are wondering whether to go to university or not, the evidence suggests that, yes, for all the present tribulations and expense it is probably still worth it.
A maths exam in progress at Pittville High School, Cheltenham © PA
A' Level Normality? 3
Resources