Our future market

For a long time, society has upheld the belief that getting a degree is the golden ticket to a successful future. It’s the message many of us grew up hearing: go to school --> work hard --> get into university, and once you graduate, the doors of opportunity will fly open. But for today’s generation and especially for those coming after, this idea is proving more illusion than reality.

In the current UK job market, nearly 13% of recent graduates are unemployed. That’s tens of thousands of young people who did everything “right” and are still struggling to find work. Even for those who do find jobs, a significant number are underemployed, working in roles that don’t require a degree at all. Outside of London, it’s estimated that over 40% of graduates are in non-graduate roles. They carry the weight of student loans, often more then £44,000 and begin repayments earlier than ever under new repayment plans. What they receive in return is often a starting salary that falls short of the cost of living, let alone long-term financial security.

This isn’t to say that higher education has no value. But it’s no longer the guarantee it once appeared to be. The labour market is shifting. The number of graduate-level vacancies has dropped dramatically, and competition has surged, even in the medical field which, once upon a time, used to be a very secure job route. Add the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence, automation and evolving industries to this dilemma and it’s clear that graduates are entering into more uncertainty than the previous generations.

My major concern is how schools are preparing children for this unpredictable future. Or rather...how they’re not. From primary education through to post secondary, there is still a focus on academic achievement, exam scores and university entrance. There’s little space for conversations about real-world skills, resilience, innovation or financial literacy. We are raising children in a system that assumes a degree is the destination, rather than treating it as just one of many tools for navigating an increasingly complex world.

If we want to future-proof the next generation, we need to change how we approach education from the ground up. Schools must embrace a more holistic philosophy! Academic rigour is important, but it must be balanced with practical skills like how to communicate effectively, build networks, launch a project, manage money, adapt to change and think innovatively. Children need exposure to entrepreneurship and to the reality that career success is as much about who you are, who you know and what you can do, not just what you studied.

We must stop framing university as the end goal and instead help students discover their strengths, develop versatile skills and explore a range of career paths including vocational training, apprenticeships and non-traditional routes. The economy they’re inheriting will reward those who are adaptable, self-directed and willing to think beyond titles and job descriptions. Ultimately, it’s time to dismantle the myth that a degree guarantees success. If we cling to this outdated belief, we risk preparing children for a world that no longer exists. Instead, let’s equip them for the one they’re actually stepping into - uncertain, competitive and full of possibility for those who are ready.