When he originally became Prime Minister, Mr Blair proudly announced his party’s big focus was “Education, Education, Education�. A praiseworthy enough focus and certainly not something we would couple alongside the horrors of frustration and high personal debt. But over time, as more and more colleges have gained the status of a university, and student loans have become effortlessly available to all, schools have encouraged many more young people to go for higher education without actually pointing out the cost.

It’s not in question that we require a more educated society, but are youngsters often receiving the very best advice? In reality; is it such a tricky sell to encourage a young adult to leave home and live with their pals, not worry about getting a job for several years and get discounted beer at the student union bar. A bit of a basic interpretation perhaps – of course there’s a spot of lessons to attend, and a degree of juggling to keep afloat, then the rewards will be worth it in the end. But is that really so? For many families, the cost of university education can go on for a long time after graduation, both socially and financially.

Student Loans (the best method of borrowing for students at university), fees for tuition, lodgings and the cost of life in general over the course duration can set you back well over £30,000 – and still no guarantee of work. It’s ironic that intellectual adolescents too often are forced to return home because they can’t find work. Not only do parents continue having to pay for everything, but unemployed adult children back home again can obviously get in the way!

Formal education can be a rewarding time for young people, and is the only way for many of our professions. But advisors and families need to be aware that in some disciplines, there are other, sometimes superior alternatives. In the world of Information Technology, employers are crying out for professionally qualified IT professionals. University graduates often end up having to top up their IT training skills to be ready for work and have a chance in the job market with Microsoft, CompTIA or Cisco professionals. The sad fact is they would have qualified two to three years earlier and not had a five figure debt had they gone straight to a distance learning computer training provider. Possibly alcohol in the student union bar isn’t such good value after all – surely the bank of mum and dad would be a lot less depleted, and life would be lot more comfortable for all.

(C) Scott Edwards - www.learninglolly.com. Scott Edwards has been involved in the IT and Training Industry for 30 years.

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