"It doesn't matter what your course is, university gives you transferable skills for the work place"

"It doesn't matter what your course is, university gives you transferable skills for the work place"

A line I've heard so much it makes me want to take my long, dark, non-student hair and shove it in to my ears just so I don't have to hear it any more.

Of course uni gives you "transferable skills" like being organised and time-keeping, not forgetting determination and of course a good work ethic.

If this is a viable statement to put on your cv or recite in an interview then in my next interview, it's ok for me to say that "I have gained good skills in the work place from owning a cat" surely?!
Owning a cat means you learn to be patient, you become compassionate, ethical and caring. You also have to be commited.
Or what about having to dress yourself everyday? That gives you transferable skills doesn't it?!

So what I am trying to get at is whilst there is some truth in that arguement, you can also replace the word "university" with pretty much anything. With this in mind, some people could be lead to think that because of this, it's in fact utter rubbish.

Of course, I am Switzerland. Well, thats not true because I am bias towards alternatives to university. 

Shall I tell you what will give "transferable skills for the work place," well in fact ACTUAL WORK PLACE SKILLS?

Well ladies and gentlemen, instead of three years "learning" at university, three years in an apprenticeship or interning will give you MUCH better skills which will benefit you in a career.

Growing up at uni? I'm not so sure. Spend 3 years anywhere and you will grow up (new concept just invented by NASA called time and the ageing process) but university? I think the rate of growing up is liable to become stangnent or slow at least.

Spend three years between being 18 and 21 in employment around actual adults and your maturity levels will soar!

Three years of drinking, avoiding lectures, student loans and living with mostly people your own age. Now compare that with three years of 9-5 work, being around 16-67 year olds all day, commuting, acting as an adult in the work place, being responsible and earning your own money (not that borrowed from tax payers and often never paid back) and you'll see who gets most work place skills and maturity.

Ri x

I've done it- YOU definitely CAN do it

Dear all,

I am living, breathing (blogging) proof that you do not need university to do well in life.
Everything has come up trumps for me, and if you work hard, stay focused and have a goal (as I keep banging on about) you can too!
I'm so happy and proud of myself that I want to scream and shout about it! But I am a writer and a digital marketeer, so I'll blog about it, and hopefully inspire and encourage other people.
So turn back six months to October when I was feeling very down and defeated having applied for an inordinate number of things which for what ever reason didn't work out. To name a few a journalism apprenticeship at The Independent, a marketing internship, 103942 admin roles, 1948421 internships, a digital journalism apprenticeship (which was to cost ME £5000)  and a digital media college course at Lambeth College (I also did a few bits for notgoingtouni.com)
I was at a loss and was applying for things I knew very well I didn't want to do.
Then, by a stroke of luck I came accross Arch Apprenticeships. (If you want a career in digital/IT/admin/business/PR check them out. Now. In fact stop reading this a check them out. Seriously. Now)
It was 12am on a Tuesday night and I sat and applied for every digital marketing apprenticeship role they had (all 32 of them)
The next day I had a phone interview and I was then invited to an assessment day. Following the assessment day I attended a week's induction to digital marketing. At the end of the course I had three interviews set up for the following week.
I only went to one of the interviews, it was for the company (their name shall remain anon) I really wanted. I got it.
If you read my next post, you'll find out what went on between then and now, and I'll give some info about Arch but fast forward to the present day, I- me- Rianna Viggiano, I now work at THE GUARDIAN. (#toopresteigeforyou) Let's have a moment of silence for how beautiful that sounds.
Digital Marketing for  Guardian Soulmates. Almost two months I've been there now and I've loved every second of it. My contract will terminate in February 2015 but I've already had two job offers for when I finish via LinkedIn (if you don't have an account, get one now)
This is why I am so elated! I want to tell everyone that looked down on me for not opting to go to uni, all my teachers, friends, everyone!
YOU DO NOT NEED TO GO TO UNIVERSITY TO GET A GREAT, FULFILLING CAREER!!!!!!
Of course, it is very early days and it's only the beginning, but I have a very good feeling that this will start off the rest of my wonderful life!

Ri x

Got a question, suggestion or comment? Leave it in the box below or email me using yourcareeryourway@gmail.com

Do it your way

Hi again everyone!

Sorry for the massive delay in posts, I've had a hell of a lot going on in the last few months.

Since my last post, I've started a new job- at The Guardian (swoon!) By far the best thing that has happened in my life so far! But more on that at a later stage.

Once again, I've decided to had a redesign of the blog, I was never 100% sure on "Chance for Choice" so I've decided that I'd really love to go with "Do it your way." Unfortunately, this subdomain seems to be taken, with no active site (I'll see what I can do around this) I also looked at "I did it my way" (Taken from Matt Monroe's "My Way") but this name is also taken, so any suggestions which are close to these, please do share! 
The title of the blog is, and will remain Do It Your Way but for now the domain will be yourcareeryourway.blogspot.com, which is a nice little tagline I think.

Now I'm starting to settle in to my new job, I'm really hoping to be posting a lot more often and really getting the blog up and running, please do share any posts you like. Your feedback is really important to me to, anything you think I can improve, something you'd like me to write about, questions, help or anything you want me to research for you around other options to university, please leave a quick comment, or email me at doityourwayblog@gmail.com

Follow on twitter too @IDidItMyWayBlog

I'll be back with more soon,
Keep focussed! 

Chance for Choice- Formerly known as Uni-not going

It's time for big things to happen.

I've started my career (visit www.thedigitalmarketingapprenticeship.wordpress.com) and now I'm settled, I'm ready to go full steam ahead with helping people.

So I thought for a long time about how I might go about taking this platform to the next step. 

First came the new name. Previously uni-notgoing was stepping on the toes of web-giant "notgoingtouni.com" and didn't fuly encompass the purpose of the bog. I want the bog to be more about not going to university, it needs to include university (as I have done in some posts) as well as YOUR other options. So, I came up with Chance for Choice (Please let me know what you think of the name) which hopefully doesn't exclude anyone. "Chance" first denoting that  the possibilities in everyone's lives, that you're not just limited to one route through life. "Choice" is an obvious one; YOUR life is about YOU and YOUR career is also about YOU- YOUR CHOICE.

Next, it seemed only fitting that as I am studying a digital marketing qualification, I use social media to promote my blog, with its own Facebook and Twitter pages (look out for links)

Finally, as part of the re-branding, I need a logo for Chance for Choice-again please let me know what you think: opinions, tweaks, criticisms,suggestions etc.

So here it is. Comment, Like, Follow and email me at riannaviggiano@googlemail.com for anything you'd like me to cover, any suggestions, if you have anything you'd like to see on here or any other ways I could help, I am grateful of anything.

I hope to be posting at least once a week with tips, comment features, news and opportunities. 

My Story: New Beginnings

I've started a digital marketing apprenticeship with Agilisys Arch, there will be more to follow, but if you want to know how I'm getting on each day, follow my new blog:
http://thedigitalmarketingapprenticeship.wordpress.com/