???!!!

It isn't inexplicable.

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It's what happens when you convince people they're buying a degree for £40k or so as opposed to being given access to a seat of learning where is up to them to make the best use of the opportunity.

Posted this on FB yesterday. I assume no one on his course gained a First?

Yeah right.

As a teenager I used to work in a small hotel bar. For two weeks of the year, the guests were Oxford geology students - obviously all very clever at their subject, but going about everyday life, amongst the most stupid and inept people as a group I've ever met.

££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ Kerching

I interviewed a guy that was in his early 30s and had basically been institutionalised. He had a First from Cambridge; research post; masters and PhD. On paper and in some other measure most likely a genius.

Didn't employ him: he would have been annihilated in the office; probably in public life generally.

A friend, an Italian, is very definitely a genius: medical PhD in surgical robots; researcher at UCL. About three years ago he asked my advice. He'd been offered commercial work with one of the big pharmaceutical engineers and wanted to know if I'd recommend him going "out into the world". My advice was simple: You're happy; is doing what you're doing making you happy and is your good lady wife (a Slovak, incidentally, which is why we know one another) happy with what you're doing and that you're happy? Will you still be happy when you're being measured in a way that doesn't necessarily relate to your work but what can be gained from an aspect of your work? I reminded him he has one go at life and happiness and what he leaves in the world is a greater measure than commerciality if your mind is that way inclined, whilst acknowledging that some are driven to have money and things (ahem. me for example).

He's still at UCL and I've never seen him not smiling. All people have different drivers to others.

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As the old joke goes -
A young man hired by a supermarket reported for his first day of work. The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, gave him a broom and said, "Your first job will be to sweep out the store."

"But I'm a college graduate," the young man replied indignantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that," said the manager. "Here, give me the broom - I'll show you how."

Some things never change.

Couple that with astronomical tuition fees and you can see why, for some, going down the apprenticeship route is a much better option. We've always employed graduates into the consultancy roles in our business but over the last two years we've had a couple of apprentice consultants who've just finished A levels and they've exceeded all expectations to the point we employed three more recently instead of several degree educated candidates.

It is madness - but not for your daughter if her heart is set on that career. She wouldn't pay back any of her loan until she's earning £21k a year and if she earns £25k a year she'd only pay it pack at the rate of £35 a month. So she'd be working in her chosen job for about the same price as her mobile phone contract each month. There is a high demand for vet nurses so she'd be unlikely to be out of work and there are opportunities to move into running a practice, training etc. Follow your dream and the money will probably find you.

When we first got our dogs we employed a dog-walker, who was the father of a lassie who'd been a vet nurse at our vet's. Fast forward 11 years and she is now practice manager at one of Forth Valley's biggest vet practice AND she& her husband own a very successful kennels. It can be done.

Got my calculations wrong she will amass £51k worth of debt (I didn't go to uni!!)

I think she is set on Middlesex, she isn't bothered about any debt as she is aware she will never pay it back in full and it isn't like a normal loan.

Yes Bob we know there is a huge shortage of vet nurses, my daughter has access to available vet nurse positions and there are literally hundreds, the course she wants to do is 3 years as opposed to the norm of 4 years, it is more intensive to get fully qualified vet nurses out into the work place as quickly as possible, it sounds as though it is bloody hard work and a massive commitment, fortunately her current and predicted grades are distinction all round so she shouldn't have an issue getting in somewhere.