(By Mary Davis)
As you come to the end of your secondary school education, this is surely one of the most important questions that you will be contemplating. This is also a very important decision to make as it will likely affect your future in the long term. Before making a decision, it is imperative that you carefully consider your career path in order to make the right decision for you as an individual. With this in mind, here are the main pros and cons that you should consider when deciding between advancing your education and getting a job.
Tertiary Education Fees and salaries
The cost of going to the University for instance often puts young people off especially if there are no sponsors. It is likely that you will request a loan in order to pay for your education; meaning that you will then need to pay this back with interest later on in your career. This being said, the benefits of a Tertiary education and degree often outweigh the negatives. This is because you will most likely be on a greater starting salary than those who went straight into work and will probably have better promotions possibilities for the future. Another possibility is to decide to go to higher institution and at the same time do some part-time work so you will be able to fend for yourself, and at the same time gain some work experience. There are plenty of part-time job vacancies, so check out if there’s anything interesting you’d be able to work on while you study.
Experience and learning
If you already know exactly what you want to do as a career then it may be worth simply looking for a job straight after secondary school in order to get a bit of experience under your belt. However, this is not a possibility for all professions as many will require a degree in that field in order to land the position in the first place. For this reason, it is important that you do your research in order to understand precisely what is required of you beforehand. There are plenty of part-time job vacancies.
The entrepreneurial path
Is becoming an entrepreneur the right path for you? As a general rule, those who go to college and get a good degree tend to have greater job flexibility and the potential to earn higher salaries. However, this is not always the case as there is a startling number of incredibly successful entrepreneurs without a higher institution education. If you have the motivation to acquire the finances in order to start your own business then perhaps higher institution is not the right path for you!
Individuality
When making this life changing decision, it is crucial that you weigh up your own strengths and weaknesses as an individual in order to understand what will be best for you in the long run. If you enjoy learning and believe that you will benefit from a tertiary education then it is often best to not worry too much about the financial aspects beforehand. On the other hand, if high school was not stimulating and/or tough for you, then going straight into the working world will often benefit you as an individual.
This being said, you will need to make this decision alone with the help and guidance of your family and friends. However, by considering these aspects you will find yourselves well on the way to making the right choice.
