TERTIARY EDUCATION: WORTH THE INVESTMENT

There's no avoiding a harsh fact of life... unless you were born rich, you'll have to work for a living. So you might as well select a career that you enjoy, one that will support you in a comfortable lifestyle and one that offers some level of sustainability. And no matter what type of career you pursue, you'll be giving yourself a head-start by preparing for it at any one of our tertiary institutions. By Phil Parent

"It's important to further your education after leaving school because the job market is competitive," says Haley Hughes, liaison officer for the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) in Invercargill, "and employers are going to take the person with the most skills and experience. Completing tertiary study shows employers that you can motivate yourself and that you are disciplined and independent. It is also a great opportunity for you to specialise in something you're really interested in, so you can aim towards gaining a job you'll love!"

No matter what type of career you want to pursue - not just for a tech-based profession, but for everything from artist to zookeeper - you'll need to build upon the basic skills you learnt in secondary school. English - especially the ability to write clearly and concisely - is an absolute must if you want to get ahead. Nobody in the business world wants to read a document that is poorly spelt or doesn't make sense. Managers are busy and they will not be impressed with sloppy work. And you want to be comfortable with numbers. Money makes the world go round and if you can ‘follow the money' in your day-to-day duties you'll be well placed for promotion.

And, of course, tertiary education is where you can start to acquire the technical specialist knowledge that you'll need for your career. At a tertiary institution you will learn from people who have spent their lives working in a particular field and they will be able to steer you in the right direction. The whole concept behind tertiary education is to give you the tools to learn for yourself. A good education will provide you with the life-long skills to get your first career job, achieve steady personal and professional growth and compete successfully in this increasingly complex and competitive world.

Where to go

Selecting the right tertiary institution is perhaps one of the most important decisions you'll make. It will affect your professional life and the contacts and friendships you'll make will be a part of your future, regardless of which direction you take. The good news is there is no ‘wrong' choice. All of New Zealand's tertiary institutes are excellent and can give you the necessary skills to be successful. But you want to choose the one that will be best for your particular needs.Specialty

Each tertiary institute has certain specialties. If you want to study surveying or dentistry, Otago would be a good choice. Agriculture? Massey or Lincoln. Most schools cover most subjects very well. But some excel in certain fields. If you know what you want to do, talk to people already in the field and they'll tell you which schools offer the best coursework. Talk to your teachers. And spend some time on the various tertiary institute web sites. You can get everything you need on-line. The more investigating you do, the easier the decision will be.

Size

The larger the tertiary institute, the more facilities you'll have - more resources in the library, more course options and a wider range of social activities. However, a large institute can also be more impersonal. A lot depends on your particular level of maturity. Every day you'll be faced with decisions - what papers to study, which homework assignment to work on first, what to eat, what to drink and so on. If you think you can handle that responsibility, no worries. But if you need more help and guidance to fit into a tertiary lifestyle, you might want to look at a smaller institute closer to home where you will receive a more personalised experience and support from your peers and staff.

Location

If you want to go to an institution away from your home, it will cost you more. On the other hand, moving away from home is an exhilarating experience and you'll be responsible for your own well-being. Unless you live in a rural area, there is probably an excellent tertiary institution within an easy commute. Many schools have satellite campuses with a more limited selection of courses, but these are great options, especially if you need to work while you study.

Cost

This is the big one. A four-year degree from a larger university can cost in the vicinity of $100,000 all up. That includes tuition, fees, books, room, board and associated expenses. Living at home can cut these costs dramatically. Working part-time and during summer can help off-set these costs. Or even working a year or two before university will give you a better appreciation of the scope of investment you'll be making.

That being said, the rewards are there. Skilled IT people are always in high demand and they earn really good money, even after just a few years of experience. Companies are always looking for people who have taken the initiative to invest in themselves, work hard and have a solid skill set. Of course, there are no guarantees. But if you have the right attitude, a qualification from a tertiary institution in a marketable field and the drive to succeed, there will be no stopping you.

The ‘Zero Fee' option

Haley Hughes, liaison officer for SIT, says people are often "completely blown away" when they find out they can get a qualification for such a low cost with the Zero Fee Scheme.  "We pay their tuition fees, so all students have to pay are the direct material costs for their course. In most cases, that means they save thousands of dollars compared to studying anywhere else. Some students even graduate free of debt - what a great way to start their career!"

Online research

The web is your friend when it comes to selecting which careers and schools are best for your requirements. There is so much information for every school on their websites that you can find everything you need on-line. Cost, content, resources, facilities, you name it. If you spent two hours on each school's web site the decision on which school and career would be so much easier. Of course, talking to friends, family, teachers and professionals is important as well, but the web has the facts and figures.

The BreakOut Database

Don't let the cost of a tertiary degree put you off. There is plenty of financial help out there if you know where to look. And the first place you want to go is the online BreakOut Database. "We have more than 2000 active scholarship and grants available with more coming in every week," says Natasha McDougall, communications manager at the Funding Information Service, the sponsors of BreakOut. "These are not all scholastically-based - yes, you want to be smart and an achiever, but many are based on your career choice, location, socio-economic status and other factors. So no matter what your situation, there is a good chance you will find scholarships that you stand a good chance of receiving."

The BreakOut Database is subscription-based if you want your own access, but it is available for free at your local library and at many schools. "It's easy to use," continues Natasha. "You log-on, enter your details and a few criteria and the database will return the scholarships that meet your criteria. Bring paper and pencil because there will be a lot of information and you'll need to do a lot of follow-up. But it is worthwhile. In fact, there are many scholarships available that go unclaimed simply because people don't know about them.

"You owe it to yourself (and your parents) to spend some time on the BreakOut Database," concludes Natasha. "No one wants to come out of university with a crippling student debt. BreakOut can provide all the information you'll need to get outside funding. It is easy, it is comprehensive and, if you do all the right things, very rewarding."

For further information on BreakOut, visit: http://www.fis.org.nz/index.php?page=BreakOut or your local library.