Degree courses here became a cash cow for the financial institutions in the 1990's and early 2K's after the government gave university status to the former Polytechnic Colleges in 1992.
All of a sudden the education system became flooded with all these new Baccalaureate courses, some of which were, frankly, ridiculous. It was possible to get a formally accredited language degree in Klingon..!!
Young people were graduating from universities with useless qualifications that didn't enable them in the workplace at all, let alone provide them with a career worth squat.
Things have settled down a lot now, but the new difficulty to hit the universities here now is...... yep..... you guessed it..... Brexit. Overseas applications, which are essential for our institutions are falling. fewer overseas students want to come here because of 'you-know-what'.
Struggling UK Universities
Generally speaking though, if a student does qualify with a good grade in a desirable discipline (that isn't oversubscribed to hell and back - another problem)then there are plenty of opportunities in the English heartlands. Less so in remoter areas.
Law, computer sciences, and leisure industries are overflowing with graduates. Engineering and medical professions are crying out for graduates as EU specialists are leaving the country. The doctor and nursing drain in the NHS is approaching a critical state.
When we were both working we had two good graduate incomes coming in we were able to set ourselves up comfortably and even get some savings behind us for this time, that we knew would be coming when we started our family.
We've been able to live off Amanda's income while I've been a full time mum.... and I was the bigger earner of the two of us when I worked..!!
There is a debate in UK at the moment about technical colleges and apprenticeships, but a university degree is still the most popular form of higher education. An apprenticeship as a rail track layer will make you a very good at laying rail track, but that will be the only thing you're good at.
If the demand for laying rail track declines, where do you go from there...? A university degree is a wider based course that develops the whole student and makes them much more versatile and adaptable..... hence me being able to pursue a career change now that opportunities in my profession are greatly diminished(see goals and aims thread).
In UK it is still good to have a baccalaureate provided it is in an essential subject. Employers really want them. The key to success here is to choose a course that will qualify you for an 'in demand' occupation.