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Losing at life - The P&B Definition


sjc

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7 hours ago, sjc said:

The term "losing at life" is bandied about a fair bit on this forum (particularly by vT) and it got me thinking how this could be determined on an anonymous forum?

You've answered your own question there.

7 minutes ago, D.A.F.C said:

It's interesting that graduates would bring this 'uni of life' up out of the blue. Seems like an arsey thing to say also.

It's embitterment when they discover that a degree isn't a golden ticket to a £30k walk in and that the real battle is just beginning.

But this has been the gamble for students since time immemorial - it's only the current crop of entitled brats that can't take it that someone who chose work over further education may have made a better choice than Student Grant taking a course which over its four years (& post-grad) became less attractive for the employment marketplace in an ever changing world. Even Einstein spent several menial years outside of academia before his career took off. 

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I studied a social science but have worked in financial services and technology companies since I graduated. Some of the best, most capable people I've worked with were graduates and others weren't, some were recruited from school and worked their way up' others had backgrounds in different work. You need a mix I think. Attitude and experience complement education and knowledge very well. In the company where I worked for seven years they recruited internally for the graduate programme as well as taking on graduates, it was a great idea and they got some absolutely top class staff from doing it.

I've also worked with people who hate graduates, who had a horrible attitude to them and a giant chip on their shoulder about people being educated. I've witnessed disgraceful behaviour from people like that, awful bullying.

My dad (not a graduate) used to run his own business and said that he looked at graduates as people who'd displayed that they could learn, could take information and use it logically and organise themselves. You have to assess if they are the best fit for your firm. My former employer I mentioned above also used to recruit all sorts of graduates for the technology department, we had an English lit grad who wrote her dissertation on magical realism working in our department, she was excellent.











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Regarding uni I know where people are coming from. I'm only going at the moment because work is paying for it and it's literally the only way I can progress past a certain level / pay grade in my work. Even though I've been doing my job for 7 year and probably know much more than the people that are graduating and walking into better paid jobs.

Not overly bothered though, I feel like its part of the process and can understand why it is required by employers in a lot of jobs.

My first modules are coming to an end and I feel like I could've taken the class most weeks. Easy stuff.

Although I imagine it'll start getting a lot harder and I'm really not looking forward to my final project/dissertation or whatever it will be.

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5 minutes ago, throbber said:

I don't think I have ever met anyone who thinks of themselves as a better person because they went to uni.

Just wait til your in the contractors office. QS' especially! 

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Just now, throbber said:

 


Did you do project management and then changed careers to education?

 

Yes. Worked as a trainee in consultancy prior to going to uni then worked in contracting in roles from engineer to contacts manager as a freelancer until April this year. 

I'm now teaching 2-6yo Japanese kids their ABC's! 

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Yeah I remembered you said you did project management now you have mentioned this but I had just thought I was confusing you with someone else when you said you were a teacher!

I have worked on sites all through my 20's and have pretty much seen it all but would never have said the reason people get big headed is because they have been to uni.

Most sites I have worked on the agents have been okay so long as you keep your head down, I have found Miller homes to be the worst to deal with in terms of Site agents being bigheaded arseholes.

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2 minutes ago, 1320Lichtie said:

 


Met and obviously worked with hunners of them and never got that impression once?

You on the wind up. ;)

 

Not at all. I've worked with lots of QS's and don't have an issue with most of them but they've been thrust into a position whereby they effectively run construction companies and their influence has directly led to the severe skills shortage the industry now faces.

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9 minutes ago, sjc said:

Not at all. I've worked with lots of QS's and don't have an issue with most of them but they've been thrust into a position whereby they effectively run construction companies and their influence has directly led to the severe skills shortage the industry now faces.

Really? Didn't realise lack of tradesmen was all my fault.

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The Scottish-American naturalist John Muir, famous for living a frugal lifestyle, once said "I'm richer than John D. Rockefeller because I have all the money I need whereas he does not."

100 years or so on, the same can be said for many people who believe success in life means acquiring as many material possessions as possible. Over the years, I have encountered a lot of people who genuinely think that the car they drive, the size of their house or the number of toys they own defines their position in life, particularly in relation to people who have acquired less.

Without going Full Tyler Durden; success isn't defined by your possessions. If, when you go to bed at night, you can honestly tell yourself "Yep, I'm pretty happy." then you are a success in life. End of.

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15 minutes ago, Pearbuyerbell said:

Do you have a Full driving Licence ?  ( +10 points )  

Do you own a push bike ?  ( -50 points ) 

Do you Gleneagles ?   ( + 20 points ) 

Do you live in Perthshire ?  ( + 100 points )  

 

Yes

Two of them

Naw

Naw

 

Fcuk being me then.

 

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Just now, Jacksgranda said:

Really?

Yes. QS's are trained to work by the bottom line (profits). Over the last 20 years they've found themselves in directors positions within main contractors which has seen the vast majority abandon their books in trades and more importantly their training programmes for apprentices. Their answer was to "remove the risk" by sub contracting it.

 

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