University education: practical or pointless?

One of the big three accountancy firms, Deloitte, will, from next year, hire 100 young people as soon as they finish their A-levels.

Basically, this massive international bean-counting conglomerate has realised that picking the best of a bunch of 18 year olds and giving them specific training is the way forward.  

For every bad situation, there tends to be a silver lining, and maybe, in terms of skill development, this could be the benefit of the recession.

With the economy on its backside, the government has reduced its support of higher education and put the emphasis on students to cover the cost.

Whether we like it or not, we have to deal with the situation. And if huge accountants firms are following the lead of trade firms like mine by plucking people from school and training them to do a job, then surely we will be in a lot fitter state in years to come? I also believe this approach will trim the fat from the university system, too.

Of course, there will be a few from the top end of society that can afford to study Ancient Languages and the like. But, for the majority of people who are going to have to start paying their fees back when they hit a salary of £21k, they’ll have to get a decent job in the real world.

While I’m not convinced the world needs more accountants, Deloitte has stumbled across the right model (notice that it’s not far off the old-fashioned apprenticeship!).

Finally, can I wish you all a very happy Christmas and, I sincerely hope, a very prosperous new year!

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