To some people, work experience and income matter more than university degrees. Some might agree, some might disagree, but there is no doubt that these experiences shape people differently. They lead different lives in the long run, but is there a better choice between work and university?
In many less economically deveoped countries (LEDCs), a college or university education is expensive. And many people coming from underprivileged families are unable to afford it, as a result, these people pursue jobs that require no degree, most commonly, manual labor.
On the brightside, these people enter the field from a young age, so by the time they reach their mid to late thirties they have more than enough experience to help them obtain jobs higher on the food chain. Moreover, these skills teach the importance of hardwork and independence to a group of impressionable young people. It is almost certian that they will carry these values for life. Additionally, these jobs serve as a way for people to stay in shape as they do their job, avioding the back problems and hunches that emerge from desk work and other white-collar jobs.
However, in many cases, blue-collar workers have had to retire early. A constant strain on the body is caused by the strenous nature of their day-to-day life, this in most cases leads to chronic pain and injuries that affect someone for the rest of thier life. People that enroll in work based training can also miss out on crucial life experiences and socialization. More often than not, work based training is filled with people older than the average college or university student. And although many people see the so-called ‘college experience’ as a waste, it can make certian individuals feel as if they missed a necessary step of their life. This might lead to individuals feeling isolated from their peers, and struggling to make a life long connection.
To conclude, young people enrolling into work-based training is not necessarily a bad thing. They gain life and job experience, and learn life long values regarding hard work. On the other hand, this can lead to long term issues that they might never solve. The advantages and disadvantages vary from case to case, and there is no clear answer on wether it is better or worse.