Problem is, Numonex, overpopulation. When you get X amount of people all with the same set of skills, and they prepared for nothing else, then they are fighting for the same amount of limited positions. Some fine tune their skills in that one area, get masters and PHDs. Once everyone has a PHD, I dont know what will happen. Of course, to get to PHD status, you need a lot of cash for school, so economic levels might play a part in it.

This is why its good to diversify your skillset. For example, I majored in music, but had a strong skill/hobby for computer repair/troubleshooting. I've pretty much worked in tech industry during and after college. I've used my music training on the side, for hobby, my band, etc. It DID get me involved in game development though.

Yet if you're gonna survive in the working world, you should have a few different skillsets to fall back on if your area of study has a dried up market. THis happened to the people of my age-range. A ton of people went into computer science and psychology. Both markets are pretty bare now.

Well, you can always apply for a job as spokesperson of BodOil

If you didn't bother working for people in your industry of choice whilst you study (even if its only for free) then its your fault.

I mean I'm studying film and I've done professional video's for fashion houses, filmed a single launch, worked on a feature film, I'm doing the entire advertising campaign for a internet company and now I'm indirectly working for one of the biggest channels in the country on dancing with the stars and so you think you can dance. Not to mention I've got lots of things coming up aswell (like I've just scored the job editing for a feature film). This is all before I get my piece of paper.

Trust me, start with whatever you can get and eventually you'll get paid jobs like I am and by the time you graduate you'll have more then enough experience to easily land jobs. If you haven't done so, you'll have a harder time competing as all you'll have is a degree with zero experience.

Well said. Did you get to stay in the area you wanted? I'm hoping to stay in mine, but it's looking fairly grim at the moment.

Like you, I thought jobs would just come to me... I thought math teachers were high in demand! Apparentlt not in my region. Unfortunately, I'm in a field where all of the hiring is centralized. We may only apply online, and each principal then picks whatever applicant has had the most substituting and/or replacements. I've been told that there is an actual list... it doesn't make for a great environment to stick yourself out. The best you can do is sub at a few places, not to spread yourself too thin, and hope someone gets sick

@Spoonybard

I have several business degrees...and I got one of the better entry jobs. It's a popular area of study, no doubt, but there is plenty of room for expansion and opportunity. For instance, an Insurance/Real Estate major is also a "business degree."

I do have one absolutely pointless degree, in "general business" but that does make me quite skilled at something like entrepreneurship.

Knowledge is always valuable. An education is important, if for nothing else, the job opportunities it opens up for you.

A lot of people don't even know how to try and get a job either. They are way too passive and don't take advantage of all the people they know. Once you get your first job in an area and get some experience, it is downhill from there in terms of difficulty in finding a job.

All you have to do is get out there and try. And if it doesn't work, you try harder. Admittedly, now is probably a pretty bad time to be looking for a job, but otherwise that is all you have to do.

Future university/college students do an Engineering degree instead of Commerce degree. Engineering means more pay and there are much more jobs than studying a Commerce degree. Engineering degrees are much more challenging than a Commerce degree. A monkey can pass a Commerce degree with no study required. Engineering it is hard work, lots of practice and many, many hours of study required to pass the degree.

Commerce/Business degrees are considered too easy at most universities in Australia. More graduates from Commerce/Business than any other field. Over supply of Business school graduates but very limited amount of jobs on offer. Employers have more Business graduates they can go through. Go to an easy university for the business degree and a 85% average looks better than a 70% average from a harder university for the exact same degree course. Employers look at the score and do not care about which university you studied at.

High education is over rated. Particularly university degrees which may have little chance of leading to employment such as the Bachelor of Arts basically a course which people do to waste time and party for three years.

The only university courses that guarantee employment are Medicine, Teaching and Nursing. Fields where there are nationwide shortages. The other fields employment rates are extremely volatile and completing the degrees in that field may not guarantee you a job no matter how high your scored in your course, *coughs* IT *cough*. IT has a drastic reduction since the 2001 dot com bubble burst. Too many IT graduates are being churned out and there is just not enough jobs to going around in those fields.

The rising costs of education, living costs are making university education aimed towards the rich kids who have parents who pay their tuition fees up front. Poor kids have to take on debt, take a gap year to save up after finishing high school, work full time while studying full time just say they can get by and finish their degrees.

HECS debts can take years to pay off and in some cases they may never be paid off. The teaching and standards at university in Australia in some courses has fallen over the years due to the cut in government funding.

TAFE education is in my opinion just as valuable as a university degree and can lead to employment with more hands on - practical work experience. An apprenticeship is a great stepping stone for a young person to take on and can lead to high financial rewards in the future. TAFE is considerably cheaper than university HECS debt and does not leave a person in huge debt upon completion of their course.

Go to school to learn, not to receive a piece of paper. Too many people get their priorities mixed up when they go to school. Anyone can earn a degree. College is as hard as showing up. But not a lot of people can learn to apply the things that they are taught in school outside of school. Don't focus on learning the details that don't matter that you are tested on anyways. Understand the concepts and theories that you will have to know how and when to apply in the real world. Don't worry about your grade, worry about learning something useful. I got my degree last semester in business marketing but I don't need it. I already got the education that I was seeking before it arrived. When it came in the mail to my old home, I told my mom to keep it. It was for her not for me. The Education, that is mine.

Are you counting internet degrees? lol. Alot of it depends what school's name is on your diploma ; ). Also if your problem is that a BA, or BS no longer helps you stand out, well then maybe you should look into a masters, it is just 1 to 2 more years, and is worth it. I will be doing course toward my PHD soon enough.