The question of what to do once you finish school is a big one, and the choice of going either to university, TAFE, studying a trade, or working is an uncertainty that can daunt many. The question of whether to study after school is a good one, and there are a number of reasons both for and against it, depending on your personal circumstances.
Depending on your industry, those with a tertiary qualification or university degree are usually at an advantage over those without.
Know what you want
It is very important to know what you want for a career before you consider whether to study a university course. This question alone warrants a lot of thinking, but once you have established it, your next step will be a lot easier. A good exercise to undertake is work backwards: think about your end goal for a job, and ask yourself what qualifications you need in order to get there. Do you need a TAFE diploma? A course at university? And do you need undergraduate or postgraduate study? There could be many ways to get to where you want to be, or you could have a very clear pathway to get there.
Know yourself
It is also important to know your limitations before you choose a tertiary pathway. Are you better suited to academic study or practical experience? Some people prefer a more hands on approach to learning, and a short TAFE course, online course, or apprenticeship could be a viable alternative to a university degree. However, some form of tertiary study is highly recommended, as those with tertiary qualifications usually earn higher salaries and have more freedom to move within the workforce than those without.
Don’t rush it
Many people choose to take a gap year before going on with further study, to give themselves’ some time to get some life experience and work out what they want to do for a career. Australian universities are struggling with high drop-out rates, due to first year students feeling uncertain about their career and course choices. Therefore it is important to have a clear idea of what you want out of a university degree before you commit to it.