University - this might be a really naive question

[michika]

As a recent grad, I honestly feel that my B.A. is useless. I like school from a personal perspective, but as a jumping stone for a job, not so much. I specialized in Human Anatomy, Political Science, and Psychology.

I work in Oil & Gas, I have required professional certificates for my field, and I have experience. I also get paid what equates to a below poverty level income in Calgary. I barely, if ever, use anything I learned in University in my job. Ultimately it comes down to companies no longer seem to want to pay/compensate for degrees, because as per my HR advisor last week "degrees are a dime a dozen".

Amazingly though I went back to school after I graduated for two other degrees, and not because I have delusions about a better paying job, but because I like school. I like to learn.

When I was in high school all I ever heard was if you don't go to University you won't get a good paying job. I believed it, and I completely regret it. Like mentioned previously, going to post-secondary does not automatically equate to a job that pays a living wage, or a job that you adore.

If I could go back to give myself advise I'd tell myself to pick an applicable degree, something with skills that can be used within the workplace, and not something that is so abstract; Accounting, Finance, Computer Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Geology, etc. Fill in your options with things that appeal to you, things you're curious about, etc.