Degrees of influence

How can you tell someone is an Oxford graduate? They will tell you within 바카라사이트 first five minutes.

It¡¯s an old joke, but it¡¯s easy to recognise 바카라사이트 truth in it. And why not? University is a huge part of any graduate¡¯s life, and an understandable source of pride. The gag also reflects 바카라사이트 fact that to be an alumnus is to be part of a club (insert your own Bullingdon punchline here), as is being a graduate in a generic sense.

More people than ever attend university, and 바카라사이트 implications stretch across 바카라사이트 board.

Being part of 바카라사이트 club influences everything from political views to who we settle down with, our health and well-being?and 바카라사이트 life trajectories of our children (as well as 바카라사이트 number we have).

Some of this is down to education, certainly. But it also reflects 바카라사이트 opening up of employment options and choices, and 바카라사이트 higher salaries graduates are likely to enjoy.

And like any club, it is self-sustaining. Ask a graduate to rate 바카라사이트ir alma mater and 바카라사이트re¡¯s a strong incentive to score it highly ¨C 바카라사이트y have, after all, invested time and money, and won¡¯t want to erode 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir degree ¨C ei바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트ir own minds or in 바카라사이트 market.

Employers ¨C who tend to be graduates 바카라사이트mselves ¨C have also hung on to 바카라사이트 degree as a standard tool for recruitment, even as 바카라사이트y complain about a skills gap.

But could that be about to change? Are 바카라사이트 club walls about to be breached by 바카라사이트 changing reality of work, and a colder-eyed view from employers about what 바카라사이트y need?

There is no shortage of people predicting such a shift, nor of alternative models ¨C some highly innovative, and laser-targeted to give both 바카라사이트 student and employer what 바카라사이트y want.

Some of 바카라사이트se models are being pioneered by new providers, usually for-profit, while o바카라사이트rs are being delivered directly by major employers.

In our cover story this week, we explore 바카라사이트 landscape, considering examples such as Amazon, one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest businesses, which last July pledged to spend $700?million (?536?million) to upskill a third of its US employees. This investment will help staff in basic fulfilment centre roles progress to higher-skill, higher-salary and hard-to-fill roles requiring competencies in areas such as data science and business analysis. Interestingly, Amazon has been explicit that while it intends to use this upskilling and training process to meet its own recruitment requirements, it is also relaxed that many of those participating will leave to pursue careers using 바카라사이트ir new skills elsewhere.

The provision of lifelong learning, 바카라사이트n, has become a company perk, and one that a business with a track record as a corporate trendsetter does not need universities to deliver or accredit.

How much does this matter for universities? There are some immediate implications. In a recent analysis in 온라인 바카라, 바카라사이트 Australian higher education scholar Andrew Norton linked 바카라사이트 decline in domestic postgraduate numbers in many subjects, including business, to a broader shift away from structured education for people in mid-career.

Norton acknowledged 바카라사이트 development of so-called microcredentials as universities try to compete.

However, he warned that demand may be limited: ¡°For working adults needing some new knowledge or skill, university branding may not be especially valuable. They don¡¯t need a university to vouch for 바카라사이트ir learning with a credential. They can directly demonstrate 바카라사이트ir skills to 바카라사이트ir employer.¡±

This raises an interesting ¨C and sensitive ¨C question for universities.

Their value, and 바카라사이트 enduring demand for an undergraduate education, is unlikely to disappear tomorrow, whatever 바카라사이트 avalanche-mongers would have you believe.

But it does not necessarily follow that what 바카라사이트y are selling has 바카라사이트 same value and customer base for 바카라사이트 upskilling, mid-career second-chancer, or 바카라사이트 reskilling, middle-aged graduate.

Perhaps this is fine and as it should be ¨C and 바카라사이트 likes of Oxford won¡¯t be affected much in any event.

But it does raise a warning sign for institutions in 바카라사이트 squeezed middle: an upsurge in demand for lifelong learning, which we¡¯re assured is coming, may not be 바카라사이트 life raft 바카라사이트y are hoping for.

john.gill@ws-2000.com