# FILE NAME: 00001752.soc
# TITLE: Should we encourage everyone to get a degree? [1feb505b34511afeb7e3385a04f0f777]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Final consensus statement: Whilst a degree is an important qualification to have, some lines of work do not require degrees, rather they require 'qualifications' such as a plumber, electrical engineer or electrician or other 'trades' - these are essential areas of the economy and thus if everyone had a degree, we'd have an even greater shortfall in key workers for the benefit of society and to keep inflation in check. Not everyone is capable of getting a degree and thus it is vital to have multiple education pathways for individuals that do not want to, or cannot, study at degree level. Trades and technical occupations for instance can be learnt through apprenticeships and vocational training which provide hands-on experience and direct pathways to jobs. However, apprenticeships are not suitable for everyone as they restrict what individuals can achieve in the future and are particularly difficult for those studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. On the contrary, degrees provide a much more varied portfolio of opportunities in the future and enable movement to jobs that an apprenticeship would not. Encouraging everyone to pursue a degree might undervalue apprenticeships which are perceived to be lower prestige, but apprenticeships provide young people with valuable skills for life
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - A degree is an important qualification to have, but not all professions necessitate a formal degree. Many successful individuals have found their paths without obtaining a degree. Trades and technical occupations for instance can be learnt through apprenticeships and vocational training which provide hands-on experience and direct pathways to jobs. Encouraging everyone to pursue a degree might undervalue these careers and lead to an oversupply of degree holders with insufficient job opportunities to match. A degree is also not for everyone, and not everyone is capable of getting a degree. The dumbing down of degrees in recent years has devalued their worth. Apprenticeships are a much better way to go. No debts incurred and open to almost everybody. However saying that, we should make it easier for everyone that wants to study further to get a degree to be able to do so. Plus we do think that going to university and the opportunities it provides is an excellent thing to do. Conclusion: Through this process, the participants all developed their skills of negotiation and consensus-building, and their ability to express their views and to listen to the views of others.  As you can see from the final consensus statement, each of the participants made some contribution to the final statement,
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - Final consensus statement: It is important to note that not all professions necessitate a formal degree. Many successful individuals have found their paths without obtaining a degree. Trades and technical occupations for instance can be learnt through apprenticeships and vocational training which provide hands-on experience and direct pathways to jobs. Encouraging everyone to pursue a degree might undervalue these careers and lead to an oversupply of degree holders with insufficient job opportunities to match. The next part of this group exercise was to give an opinion about how we got to this consensus and what parts we agreed with. This is mine:
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - Whilst a degree is an important qualification to have, some lines of work do not require degrees, rather they require 'qualifications' such as a plumber, electrical engineer or electrician or other 'trades' - these are essential areas of the economy and thus if everyone had a degree, we'd have an even greater shortfall in key workers for the benefit of society and to keep inflation in check. Firstly, not all professions necessitate a formal degree. Many successful individuals have found their paths without obtaining a degree. Trades and technical occupations for instance can be learnt through apprenticeships and vocational training which provide hands-on experience and direct pathways to jobs. Encouraging everyone to pursue a degree might undervalue these careers and lead to an oversupply of degree holders with insufficient job opportunities to match. Not everyone is capable of getting a degree and the dumbing down of degrees in recent years has devalued their worth. Apprenticeships are a much better way to go. No debts incurred and open to almost everybody. However saying that, I believe that we should make it easier for everyone that wants to study further to get a degree to be able to do so. Plus I do think that going to university
2: 1,2,4,3
1: 2,4,1,3
1: 1,4,2,3
1: 3,1,2,4