RETHINKING EDUCATION

You’ve dropped out of university – congratulations!

These are not the words most people hear if they drop out of university, and it is generally not how they feel.

 

For most universities, the last day a student can drop out of a course without being financially liable is March 31, a date that is fast-approaching.

 

According to figures from the most recent research by the Australian Government’s Department of Industry close to 20% percent of university students drop out during their first year, in some states this figure is as high as 37%.

 

Leading education institute, Think Education has found students dropped out for a range of reasons: boredom, lack of integration into the student community, inability to cope with the workload and concern over career prospects.

 

Subject areas with high attrition rates include business and management, graphic and design studies and information technology.

 

A number of popular colleges are filling the gap in the market for students who want courses that are stimulating, provide hands-on experience, help students make contacts in the industry and get jobs.

 

Hospitality student Alex Ragme went to university because it was expected of her, but felt lost and out of place. “High schools in general enforce students to go to uni, so I thought I had no choice because that was what everyone else was doing – I felt I had to follow the norm and conform to the societal expectation of going to university,” she said.

 

Working part-time at a café when she was at university stimulated her passion for cooking. Before she knew it, she was investigating courses in hospitality and chose to study at William Blue College of Hospitality Management due to its outstanding reputation and industry connections.When ARIA catering at the Opera House came recruiting at the college, they picked Alex. She has now worked alongside celebrity chef Matt Moran a number of times and recently served a meal for the Prime Minister.

 

Kate Thurtell, a 23-year-old events management professional, said she had “incredible opportunities to work with high profile companies through a work placement program” at the APM College of Business and Communication. During her bachelor’s degree at APM College of Business and Communication she was required to complete 520 hours of work experience which gave her invaluable experience and increased her employability. The industry contacts she made through lecturers helped her win an internship at the Australian Open 2013. This led to a job with Griffiths University as Functions Administration assistant.

 

The Australasian Council for Student Research (ACER) has also revealed the growth in university student numbers was outstripping the growth in academic staff, with the ratio moving from 13: 1 to 21:1 over a period of 20 years. The result is classes are taught by an army of casual staff who don’t spend a lot of time on campus interacting with students, leaving students feeling isolated and unsupported.

Olivia Stock, a 19-year-old design student, said her university classes were huge and teachers were discouraging and dismissive when asked questions.“I was made to feel silly if I asked for clarification on a brief…this made me feel terrible,” she said.

 

But all was not lost: after enrolling in a design course at Billy Blue College of Design, Olivia flourished.

“I feel part of the community, and the teachers are really helpful and encouraging.”

 

Think Education CEO Linda Brown said that building a strong community is important “so students and staff feel connected and engaged. At Think colleges, teachers know students by their first name and are flexible if students are juggling other commitments. We also offer courses with very hands-on activities that translate directly into the workforce so our students are highly employable when they graduate.”

Feeling like a failure is common for students who pull out – or ‘drop’ out – from a university course.

Students should think about what the industry they are interested in requires in terms of qualifications, rather than what a university is selling you, a Sydney-based careers advisor says.

Many professions (such as legal and medical) require university attendance, but many do not, she said.

 

Find out what qualifications your chosen industry recognises. For example, becoming a naturopath does not necessarily require a university degree, but it does require a course from an institution that is accredited and recognised within the natural therapies industry, such as the Australasian College of Natural Therapies.

Many colleges work in trimesters, so students who drop out of university can slot in easily, without losing time or momentum.

 

Interior design student Elly Moss, who, instead of university, chose to follow her passion for creative arts at CATC Design School, agrees: “take a step back and think about what makes you happy and what you are passionate about. Do your research and figure out what career options there are for your passion.”

 

The Think Education Group is owned by Laureate International Universities, a leading international network of quality, innovative higher education institutions. Its network spans more than 75 accredited campus-based and online universities across the world.

Today, Think Education Group provides over 95 industry-leading qualifications to more than 9,500 students across campuses in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. Approximately half of Think students are Australian with international students coming from over 40 countries.