Parents and families: benefits of higher education

There are a number of advantages to studying a higher education qualification; from personal benefits, such as gaining self-confidence, to numerous job opportunities.

Career prospects

A degree has a definite impact on career prospects; ranging from greater job satisfaction to increased earning potential. It is currently estimated that graduates will earn approximately £150,000 more over the course of their lifetime than those without HE qualifications. Graduates are also more likely to benefit from private health care, more annual leave, greater flexibility to undertake further study, and faster career progression. A degree from the UK is held in high regard all over the world, so no matter where you are from, or where you want to go in life, a degree from the UK will help you to succeed in your chosen career path.

Key skills

Whilst studying for a degree students will learn valuable key skills which are sought by employers. In fact, sixty to seventy percent of graduate-level jobs do not require a specific degree subject. This means for example that students do not have to study a journalism degree to become a journalist.

Key skills are gained in areas such as; communication, application of numbers, information and communication technology, working with others, improving own learning and performance, and problem solving. They are important as graduates will be entering into a competitive and fast-moving job market. Research by Universities UK stresses that the ability to transfer skills and recognise your own strengths and weaknesses are increasingly in demand from employers.

Subject passion

Encouraging students to study something that they are interested in and passionate about will ensure that they have a great time at university. Studying a subject they enjoy not only gives students a much greater chance of gaining a good degree result, but also ensures a more rounded, fulfilled experience of HE. These attributes combined will make graduates a much more attractive package to potential employers.

Social benefits

There is far more to HE than just studying. By immersing themselves in student life, students will meet people from a range of different backgrounds and cultures. The University of Essex has students from over 135 different nationalities.

Students have the opportunity to join hundreds of societies, which can provide valuable experience and great CV material. Societies cover cultural, religious, political, social and academic interests - there is literally something for everyone! Some of the clubs at Essex include comedy, marine conservation, poetry, Afro-Caribbean, R&B, and travelling.

Joining a sports team is another great way to get involved and meet other students; and by no means do participants have to be elite athletes! Essex has over 40 different sports clubs to choose from, including the more traditional sports such as football, rugby and netball, to more unusual hobbies such as jiu jitsu, sky diving, snow sports and fencing.

Independence

Attending a HE institution and living away from home allows students to develop a range of life skills such as cooking, cleaning and budgeting. Whether students have moved 20 miles to study at university or 2,000 miles the skills and independence that they will acquire are invaluable.

All of the accommodation at Essex is self-catered which means students will inevitably learn to cook if they can’t do already. With a mixture of people from around the world living together there are always new dishes to learn and new flavours to try!

Perhaps most importantly, students will learn how to manage their finances: paying bills, renting accommodation, buying books, and social outings. At Essex, students learn to budget throughout their degrees. From bills-included accommodation in the first year, to privately-rented accommodation in the second year; all students can learn and develop budgeting techniques in a safe and secure environment.

Pathway to Postgraduate Study

If students do well enough on their undergraduate course then they will be able to continue studying if they wish to do so. Embarking on postgraduate study is a choice that many students choose to make, as it helps them to stand out from the crowd, and allows them to study topics in even more detail than during their undergraduate course. More information on postgraduate study can be found online. A postgraduate degree will add even more value to a students CV, and will give them an even better chance of climbing the career ladder at a more speedy and more successful rate.