ATL

Higher education 'not just about the job'

03 July 2009

Students leaving university this summer will have gained a variety of skills aside from those specific to the employment market, it has been claimed.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) believes that while the lack of jobs inevitably means some graduates will struggle to find post-university work, the array of additional skills they will leave with will make the experience worthwhile for most.

General Secretary of ATL Doctor Mary Bousted commented: 'It would be a shame […] if higher education is only viewed as a means to get a job.

'Hopefully students will have gained valuable skills, as well as enjoyment of learning, which will stand them in good stead when the economy picks up and through their lives.'

However, the union added that there was a harsh irony for students in the Government's decision to freeze student grants, making higher education less accessible for some, during a period of recession when jobs are hard to come by.

Local Government Association figures published recently predict that one million young people will face unemployment this summer.