As a young lad, the anticipation of leaving school, starting work, earning money, buying clothes, smoking, and venturing into clubs and pubs was overwhelming.
During that era, nearly everyone had employment opportunities. At the age of fifteen, I could easily begin a job on a Monday, and if it wasn’t appealing, I had the freedom to leave and find another.
Acquiring apprenticeships in trades was relatively straightforward, thanks to opportunities in mining, engineering, and motor fitting. Additionally, there were various office and retail positions available.
However, today’s landscape is markedly different—education shapes your future significantly.
After completing your exams at the end of year twelve, your university admission hinges on your results. Unlike in my time, you are likely to remain in education until your twenties rather than starting a job at fifteen.
A solid education paired with a university degree paves the way for a promising future.
Trades can also be pursued through courses at Tafe.
Only with qualifications and training from further education can one aspire to a fulfilling career.
I must pose a critical question—how vital is education?
The answer is clear: lacking education places you among the vast divide of ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots.’
This results in either becoming financially stable or merely scraping by.
Education holds great significance, yet we allow politicians to determine the fate of future generations.
It is essential to have top-tier universities that can nurture our scientists and medical technicians, find cures for diseases, and spearhead groundbreaking inventions.
While we require excellence, it is also crucial to support those who may never attend university or Tafe—many possess skills but not necessarily academic prowess.
Our society needs laborers, gardeners, hospital porters, cleaners, and soldiers.
Workers are vital in ensuring safety and security for everyone, not just those who are academically inclined.
Are we, perhaps, a nanny state that overlooks the majority for a class system benefiting the educated while neglecting the rest? – I often believe that our ambition for the future fosters certain challenges.
When I left school at fifteen, my only vice was smoking. This habit did not hinder my job search or hinder my progress. Shortly after, I was driving a car, got married, and began to raise a family. There simply wasn’t a moment for drugs.
In contrast, today’s eighteen-year-olds leaving school are often left in a waiting period for further education, granting them ample time—time that may lead to drug use and complacency.
How many school leavers today, upon reaching eighteen, find themselves in a state of uncertainty, awaiting employment?
I believe a change in the system is necessary.
Perhaps the solution resides within the recently divided USA—where a vote for Trump represented a cry for the working class against the elite…one must adapt and learn.
by Professor P.T. Brown
