What Is The Future For An 18 Year Old?
In a few days time my son will be 18 years of age and for all intent and purposes the world should be there for him to conquer in any way he wishes, but it’s 2017 and the world today is not easy for a young person embarking upon their journey into adulthood and beyond.
He will finish studying in school and hopefully if all goes to plan and he attains the grades he requires he will be off to university. He is taking the more difficult route because he had an unconditional offer, but that university is his hometown and he wants to spread his wings and move some distance from home and I fully understand that. He wants to become independent and partly self sufficient.
He will spend three years at university studying and hopefully at the end of his study he will be able to find a job that suits him with a good wage, but there are no guarantees.
Upon finishing university he will, like many other young people be lumbered with debt and I am assessing that it will be around 40k. This is a large millstone around your neck when you’re trying to make your way in the world and it will have have an effect on every financial decision he makes because of course it has to be paid back even if it relates to his earnings every month, some payment will have to be made.
The UK staggers me in the lack of help that is given to young people trying to better themselves. Educating our youth is so important to build a brighter more successful UK and what do we do? We saddle them with huge debts to educate themselves.
For me there are two things in any country that should never be penalised. One is the health service and the other is education, and education is the bedrock of a successful country, but of course in the UK we are forever cutting these services.
So once young people have left university with a big debt life is tough. Yes they may hopefully secure a reasonably well paid job, but what are the chances of getting on the housing ladder? Slim to say the least! The two problems they face first of all is that they most likely will be renting. Renting is incredibly expensive and leaving them with an almost impossible task of saving for a deposit. Of course that’s if they can get a bank or building society to lend with all the new restrictions.
Our young people of today will in my opinion be known as the renting generation at the mercy of unscrupulous landlords. Which the government needs to change to protect tenants because at this moment there is no control over what landlords charge or do.
So you turn 18 years old the world really should be your oyster but it’s not, it’s tougher today than ever.
The wonderful thing that never ceases to amaze me is the one fundamental thing lots of young people have, which is optimistism and a belief that they can be successful no matter how high the odds are stacked against them.
We as a society need to start looking after our youth so they are able to achieve their potential and in turn make our country great and we will need it when Brexit finally kicks in.
Would love to know your thoughts
5 Comments
Mary Mayfield
March 21, 2017 at 5:27 pm
I feel it’s one of those situations when it’s almost better to ‘wing it’ rather than plan too carefully. My youngest finished her first year at uni, then decided to take a gap year working. She decided this one weekend, and by the next had two interviews lined up – she got offered the job (marketing admin)at the first and never went along for the second! I’m not sure whether she’ll head back to uni in autumn or not. I suspect not. She’d be leaving a well paid job for something far more uncertain, and if she stays in marketing that degree probably isn’t really necessary. Maybe it comes down to luck, or that youthful opptimism … #tweensteensbeyond
jeremy@thirstydaddy
March 22, 2017 at 1:18 pm
as much as I hate her lack of ambition, one of the things I’m trying not to do is push ours off to college and debt without at least having a bit of a plan. So many kids seem to go to uni because its what is expected and never really gain anything from it. #teenstweens
Nicky Kentisbeer
March 22, 2017 at 9:50 pm
That’s a shocking amount of debt and quite terrifying when you think of the earning potential. I guess the youngsters are fully aware of this now but it’s a huge pressure to carry. Yet the youngsters seem to crack on regardless as you say. I wish him well and hope that enjoys his new journey and flourishes at Uni. Thanks for joining us at #TweensTeensBeyond Nicky
Jo – Mother of Teenagers
March 23, 2017 at 3:42 pm
Nigel we are at the same stage. As our son was preparing to apply for his loan last weekend, my husband was busy putting a spreadsheet together (as is his love) of what he is going to need and paying it back etc. As you say it makes for scary reading. University in my day used to be such an aspiration for many and whilst it still is, it is so easy to understand why there are those who shun it in favour of money in their pocket straightaway when they are faced with such huge debts to pay back. It is, however, as your daughter will no doubt verify a wonderful learning experience in so many ways so I wouldn’t want him not to do it but as I did when I went to University he has been told he needs to get a job if possible to make his financial maintenance easier! Thanks for linking again. #TweensTeensBeyond
Sharon Parry
March 23, 2017 at 4:45 pm
Yep, you tell it like it is Nigel and I agree with every word. My eldest is in her first year of university and even though the welsh government help out with some of the tuition fees she is still mounting up a debt. I too applaud the optimism of youth and am looking to them to sort out the mess that my generation created. It’s a tall order but I think they can do it. Thanks so much for joining us at #TweensTeensBeyond again this week.