[dr2005]

I agree completely - focusing solely on university education and getting degrees, as both the USA and the UK among others appear to be doing, is leaving a massive gulf in skills which are actually required in the modern workplace. Technically speaking, I'm overqualified for my current job with my qualifications, and having a degree hasn't helped me with a lot of what I have to do now (using the fax machine for instance). Similarly, there are industries CRYING out for new employees who aren't getting them because people aren't being taught the skills they need to do the work. I think it would probably do us all some good to remember what university is meant to be - a place focused on study for study's sake, with some benefits for some professions - rather than making it a must-have for anyone looking to get even a half-decent job. Admittedly in some professions, such as engineering, you're always going to need graduates and rightly so, but that doesn't apply to everything by a long shot.