One of the major questions a person has to answer in his or her lifetime is whether to seek education outside of high school or transition directly into the workplace. Many may be concerned that, after all the money and work spent receiving a bachelor’s degree, they will find themselves left high and dry with no employment opportunities available after graduation. While there are possible risks, it would be highly unlikely that after four years spent networking and studying in a specific field students will have borne no fruit at all.

A huge advantage undergraduate education grants is the concept of networking. Networking is perhaps the best way to get that sought after job. It can give access to positions that would otherwise never have been informed about, or give an edge that normal applicants will not have. Possessing the ability to socialize with members of a desired profession not only helps to serve as a doorway to jobs, but can also provide a more accurate taste of what a career in that field is like. With no connections, networking is a daunting task that can often be discouraging and disenfranchising. However, most universities house various types of organizations and clubs whose primary goal is to create those connections to different aspects of world industry. This is quite the boon to students as they can use these associations to forge links directly to businesses and acquire contacts that will help them later crack into the career they want, easing the networking experience to a manageable feat.

Some may argue that time is better spent in the workplace picking up marketable skills. Yet, all the on-the-job training experience will most likely not instill a sense of pursuing education. To continue to be marketable, an employee must evolve as their profession does. College level education is designed to pass on that very ideology to the students enrolled. Through the typical undergraduate program, students are taught to teach themselves skills and seek outside knowledge and answers to questions they have, become self-sufficient and disciplined in their work and to always have a desire to continue growing as a person. In fact, many universities now have what is referred to as co-operative (co-op)  programs. Co-op programs are designed through a partnership with a company which allows a student to work as an employee. During this time a student is treated like an employee and receives pay and training. Often, companies use these types of programs to scout out possible future employees, and it is not uncommon that a company will make a deal with a student to work for them upon graduation. What is most important with this scenario is the individual is able to see firsthand the kind of situations he or she could face with the type of work found in this career. Early on this exposure can help make major decisions in deciding if this major or career track is what a student really wants.

Pursuing a bachelor’s degree is an excellent source for people to utilize. Done properly, it can boost a person’s appeal in all kinds of industries. The mere act of attending a good university already helps you get a leg up on others. Networking and other programs offered by the school are funded in the hopes of placing you in the best possible position post-graduation. Take advantage of co-op programs and seek out internships to set up opportunities for the future. Another path a bachelor’s degree opens up is further education to an eventual master’s or doctorate, both of which lead to higher pay and advanced career options. In the modern world it is a disservice to stop your education at the high school level. Put in the time learning and studying in an environment that works with you rather than venture head first into a world that can actively work against you.