Is a degree worth it?
It's results time for 700,000 A-level and T-level students. It'll mean final decisions about their future - and whether university is the best option for their finances and their career.
With the huge cost of a three or four-year course, squeezed graduate incomes and fast changes to the job market due to AI, is a degree worth it?
Niall Paterson speaks to business and economics correspondent Paul Kelso about whether the cost of a degree outweighs its reward and just what has changed since Tony Blair vowed to get 50% of school-leavers going to university in 1999.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Press and Journal
30 minutes ago
- Press and Journal
New landlords wanted as three Aberdeen pubs go up for lease
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to step behind the bar at your local pub? With the Stonegate Group making three pubs in Aberdeen available for lease, now could be the perfect time to take on the challenge. The UK-wide pub operator is seeking new 'community-focused' landlords to take over the day-to-day operations at The Bobbin, Murdos Bar and the Black Dog. No prior experience of running a bar is required, with the company more concerned about finding people who are 'dedicated, determined and passionate'. Whoever takes on the businesses will also complete an online qualification to fully prepare them for the role. Instead of a fixed monthly rent, the landlords will pay a base rent plus a percentage of the net turnover. Anyone interested in taking over The Bobbin can expect a potential annual turnover of £1,151,996. The student pub on King Street, described as being 'high-volume' and 'high-energy', has a guide rent of £1,010 per week plus 4% of the net turnover. Someone with experience of managing large teams and event planning is being sought to run what's billed as the country's 'top society pub'. Meanwhile, Stonegate is seeking a 'community-driven' publican to take over the running of Murdos Bar. The listing states: 'This isn't just about running a pub; it's about continuing a legacy and deepening the roots already in place. 'This is the kind of place where everyone knows your name, and there's a sense of loyalty that's hard to manufacture.' The Cairncry Road pub is known for showing live sports and also has a function space used for events, birthdays and fundraiser. The guide rent is £1,010 per week, added to a turnover rent of £923 per week, with a potential annual turnover of £1,192,712. The Black Dog – a classic community pub – in Bridge of Don is also in need of a new 'community-focused' landlord. The ideal candidate has been described as 'hands-on' with 'high energy'. They should also have a passion for local sports and an interest in hosting events. Stonegate's estimated turnover for the North Donside Road pub is lower than the others, at £616,789 per year. However, this also means the weekly guide rent is lower per week at £433, plus £239 from the turnover rent.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Final £1 coins bearing face of late Queen Elizabeth II enter circulation
The last batch of £1 coins bearing the face of the late Queen Elizabeth II is entering circulation, with more than 23 million of them destined for tills and people's pockets. The Royal Mint said the release of the final Elizabeth II coins, dated 2021 and 2022, marks "a pivotal moment in British coinage history".Alongside them, a further 7.5m new King Charles III coins are also entering face has been seen on UK coins since 2023, but only on £1 and 50p denominations so far. Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: "As we release more of the King Charles III £1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy's transition." She said she hoped finding the new coins in your change could "spark a rewarding hobby" for some, with the Royal Mint encouraging people to check to see if they receive any in the coming weeks. While the coins were struck up to four years ago, they are being issued now because of demand for £1 coins, the Royal Mint said. The 2022 coins will become the rarest in circulation, they added, with 7.735 million of those being released. There are about 24.7 billion coins in circulation across the UK, with the King's coins currently only making up 0.004% of those. Some 2.975 million £1 coins featuring the King were released last August by the Royal Mint, based in Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf. They feature an intricate bee design on the tails side, representing his love of nature. They are one of eight new designs that will eventually appear on the nation's coins, from the 1p to the £2. The country's flora and fauna will feature on them all, with animals including the red squirrel, puffin and dormouse they are the same size and shape as previous coins, the new designs feature larger numbers to help children identify figures and learn to count. The change of design followed the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, and the accession to the throne of the new King. All UK coins featuring the late Queen's profile remain legal tender and in active circulation, alongside her son's coins. In general, coins usually last 20 years - so the Queen Elizabeth and King Charles coins will be in circulation together for some time to Royal Mint has made the circulating coinage of each of Britain's monarchs since Alfred the Great.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
How Bristol will use the box-office return of Louis Rees-Zammit to crack America
As Louis Rees-Zammit spoke to the media for the first time as a Bristol player at the club's state-of-the-art training centre on Tuesday, work was already well underway at the Bears on how best to benefit from his arrival. Rees-Zammit is a huge talent on and off the field. His rugby return from the NFL is good news for both the player and his new employers as the ambitious English club outfit looks to expand not only at home, but abroad. The USA, in particular, remains a target area for growth.
