Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Robin.Hood]

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

..

Tesco did this. Stopped after a month or so. We aren't the police.

[Szamo's_Ammo]

Many thanks, June.

[welshbairn]

48 minutes ago, MixuFruit said:

If we're being honest quite a lot of university education could be done without the help of a university.

If you're unusually well disciplined for an 18 year old and have all the social interaction and stimulus you need. "I've just started Uni maw!" " Very good son, come down for your dinner at 6."

[highlandcowden]

9 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

A cynic would say that universities have scrambled to get students back by having some face to face teaching so that they can cash in on the higher fee paying students, especially overseas students, as if there are no face to face teaching sessions then some students would rightly question what they are paying ludicrous fees for, and many a legal challenge would be launched. In other cases students would simply decide that there is no point and swap to a local university instead.

Such cynics would also point out that this is because universities got greedy and starter shovelling in higher fee paying students when said fees rose, and that such models were short sighted greed with zero contingencies that are now being exposed brutally.

Indeed, a cynic might suggest that personal experience has shown them how much the demographics of students have changed in each new intake, and could cite the newest intake as a prime example.

thats all very well-but what would YOU say?

[101]

4 minutes ago, MixuFruit said:

no not at all - work should be evaluated by experts in the field. I just think for a lot of things, you don't really need experts and students to be in the same place. It's a model born when there wasn't an internet. Obvious exceptions where there's a practical element to the discipline.

I was being facetious. I completely agree in fact this could be a huge saving for universities pooling resources and delivering courses to more remote people.

Too many universities are stuck in the past and this year the Open University should probably be viewed as one of the most prestigious as their teaching is going to be far better than say Glasgow giving some 70 year old professor a Zoom account and telling them to get stuck in.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Finally, some good news!

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/queen-bailout-coronavirus-sovereign-grant-royal-family-b572508.html

 

Boris Johnson’s government has confirmed it will top up the Queen’s income following a significant slump in the Crown Estate’s revenue during the coronavirus crisis.  

The royal family takes in rental receipts from shops in London’s Regent Street, alongside malls and retail parks around the country – but the value of its portfolio has fallen by more than £500m since the pandemic hit.

The Treasury said it would provide the estate with extra money to meet any shortfall in profits and make sure the Queen’s sovereign grant remains at its current level.

“In the event of a reduction in the Crown Estate’s profits, the sovereign grant is set at the same level as the previous year,” a spokesperson said told The Independent.

“The revenue from the Crown Estate helps pay for our vital public services – over the last 10 years it has returned a total of £2.8bn to the Exchequer. The sovereign grant funds the official business of the monarchy, and does not provide a private income to any member of the royal family.”

More details on the next sovereign grant are expected to be set out on Friday – but legislation governing the formula prevents the overall amount given to the Queen from ever being allowed to fall.

Graham Smith, of the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, described it as a “golden ratchet”, adding: “Once the grant goes up it can never come down, and the taxpayer loses out.”

Robert Palmer, the head of Tax Justice UK, added: “This royal bailout will be tough to stomach for people who love the Queen but have lost their jobs and businesses during the pandemic.”

Any profits made by the Crown Estate are passed to the Treasury which, in turn, hands 25 per cent of the profits back to the Queen through the sovereign grant.

However, the Crown Estate announced last week a fall in the value of its rental portfolio by £55m to £13.4bn – a drop of 1.2 per cent.  

An agreement with the Treasury means the estate has begun making “staggered” revenue payments to the government.

Dan Labbad, the Crown Estate’s chief executive, said: “The current economic and market disruption has led us to take the precaution, with the agreement of the Treasury, of implementing a staged process for the payment of the whole of our net revenue profit.”

 

[D.A.F.C]

no not at all - work should be evaluated by experts in the field. I just think for a lot of things, you don't really need experts and students to be in the same place. It's a model born when there wasn't an internet. Obvious exceptions where there's a practical element to the discipline.

I'm slightly cynical about the amount of people with degrees and also the bias focused on them by employers over practical skills.
From being in manufacturing background I do feel that a mixture of both is ideal.

Example, there's two really clever engineers at my work.
One has worked since leaving uni and one was at uni for over a decade completing a PhD.
The PhD guy cannot understand basic fault finding because he's not had any experience in it. Ask him about a scientific explanation and he's amazing.
Thing is we need things fixed not explained, hes also very stubborn and wont take anyones word until hes gibbered on about science for ages.
"No that can't be happening its impossible"

Everyone avoids him and goes for the other guy who will fix the issue 9/10 and give you the right amount of explanation why.
You could say that hes a round peg in a square hole but I've seen dozens like him in r&d type roles. They have no clue about real life hands on issues. That said none of the hands on guys could design something. I guess what I'm trying to say is that practical experience is sometimes looked down on for some reason over education that has little actual use on the job.

[Miguel Sanchez]

Some amount of hand-wringing about students in here. Some teenagers won't have a social life for a few months. Who gives a f**k?

[Melanius Mullarkey]

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

I'm slightly cynical about the amount of people with degrees and also the bias focused on them by employers over practical skills.
From being in manufacturing background I do feel that a mixture of both is ideal.

Example, there's two really clever engineers at my work.
One has worked since leaving uni and one was at uni for over a decade completing a PhD.
The PhD guy cannot understand basic fault finding because he's not had any experience in it. Ask him about a scientific explanation and he's amazing.
Thing is we need things fixed not explained, hes also very stubborn and wont take anyones word until hes gibbered on about science for ages.
"No that can't be happening its impossible"

Everyone avoids him and goes for the other guy who will fix the issue 9/10 and give you the right amount of explanation why.
You could say that hes a round peg in a square hole but I've seen dozens like him in r&d type roles. They have no clue about real life hands on issues. That said none of the hands on guys could design something. I guess what I'm trying to say is that practical experience is sometimes looked down on for some reason over education that has little actual use on the job.

I would say your employer is clueless here.

[Gaz]

1 hour ago, MixuFruit said:

If we're being honest quite a lot of university education could be done without the help of a university.

Absolutely, but unfortunately you need that bit of paper from the University.

I could educate myself to PhD level in most subjects, but no-one's going to give me a job if my certificate is from Home Learning University.

[Jambomo]

Anyway, more interesting than students. There are fans at the super cup match in Budapest.

[Kneal Down Caster]

Cheers again. That's another wee thing I wouldn't have considered ha. Only really finding my feet in terms of capabilities at the moment but I'm enjoying it and definitely keen to do as many as work/degree/kids will allow.

I did comic hill with my son, aged 10, in the summer. He did it no bother and it was a great bonding time. Also good for a few hours clear your head alone time. [emoji106]

[D.A.F.C]

I would say your employer is clueless here.

No arguements from me.
[emoji38]

[DA Baracus]

50 minutes ago, highlandcowden said:

thats all very well-but what would YOU say?

I'd be inclined to concur.

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

I'm slightly cynical about the amount of people with degrees and also the bias focused on them by employers over practical skills.
From being in manufacturing background I do feel that a mixture of both is ideal.

Example, there's two really clever engineers at my work.
One has worked since leaving uni and one was at uni for over a decade completing a PhD.
The PhD guy cannot understand basic fault finding because he's not had any experience in it. Ask him about a scientific explanation and he's amazing.
Thing is we need things fixed not explained, hes also very stubborn and wont take anyones word until hes gibbered on about science for ages.
"No that can't be happening its impossible"

Everyone avoids him and goes for the other guy who will fix the issue 9/10 and give you the right amount of explanation why.
You could say that hes a round peg in a square hole but I've seen dozens like him in r&d type roles. They have no clue about real life hands on issues. That said none of the hands on guys could design something. I guess what I'm trying to say is that practical experience is sometimes looked down on for some reason over education that has little actual use on the job.

Folk will have a very low ceiling when applying for jobs without a degree. 

Sadly the system now means they're vital for so many jobs, even if they aren't necessary. Without one you'll have to start low down, if you can get your foot in the door at all, and try to work your way up, bearing in mind that when promotions come up you will be disadvantaged if going up against someone who has a degree.

I've seen loads of jobs that I could easily do and be good at that I haven't even received an interview for because I don't have a degree.

Degrees are to be valued of course as they show lots of good skills, but in too many places (to which the degree is not specific) simply having one is valued over job based experience.

[renton]

1 hour ago, D.A.F.C said:

I'm slightly cynical about the amount of people with degrees and also the bias focused on them by employers over practical skills.
From being in manufacturing background I do feel that a mixture of both is ideal.

Example, there's two really clever engineers at my work.
One has worked since leaving uni and one was at uni for over a decade completing a PhD.
The PhD guy cannot understand basic fault finding because he's not had any experience in it. Ask him about a scientific explanation and he's amazing.
Thing is we need things fixed not explained, hes also very stubborn and wont take anyones word until hes gibbered on about science for ages.
"No that can't be happening its impossible"

Everyone avoids him and goes for the other guy who will fix the issue 9/10 and give you the right amount of explanation why.
You could say that hes a round peg in a square hole but I've seen dozens like him in r&d type roles. They have no clue about real life hands on issues. That said none of the hands on guys could design something. I guess what I'm trying to say is that practical experience is sometimes looked down on for some reason over education that has little actual use on the job.

Tbf, that's nothing to do with the qualification or experience, and everything to do with the personality and skill set of the engineer.

 

[welshbairn]

1 hour ago, Gaz said:

I could educate myself to PhD level in most subjects

So could I m8, but couldn't be arsed. Could easily have had a Nobel Prize in some shite by now, but what's the point? Look at that guy who nicked the Physics prize from some hard working bint who discovered the structure of DNA, what a prize c**t he turned out to be. Anyway nurse, as I was saying...

Edited September 24, 2020 by welshbairn

[D.V.T.]

Turns out the pubs ban for students is just this weekend

[itzdrk]

2 minutes ago, D.V.T. said:

Turns out the pubs ban for students is just this weekend

Surely should go 14 days. 

[Jambomo]

Bayern fans immediately showing why football will struggle to have fans back, when Lewendoski scored (var ruled offside so didn’t stand) you saw fans in the background running down the stairs to celebrate near the pitch, in groups. 

[D.A.F.C]

31 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

I'd be inclined to concur.

Folk will have a very low ceiling when applying for jobs without a degree. 

Sadly the system now means they're vital for so many jobs, even if they aren't necessary. Without one you'll have to start low down, if you can get your foot in the door at all, and try to work your way up, bearing in mind that when promotions come up you will be disadvantaged if going up against someone who has a degree.

I've seen loads of jobs that I could easily do and be good at that I haven't even received an interview for because I don't have a degree.

Degrees are to be valued of course as they show lots of good skills, but in too many places (to which the degree is not specific) simply having one is valued over job based experience.

I agree and you’ve summed that up really well. Degrees are absolutely necessary for some roles but are used unnecessarily for others as a means to judge skills and talent over other skills and talents that would actually be more beneficial to the employer. I guess part of the problem is that it’s an effective class system whereby people with degrees get jobs then when looking to fill roles look for someone like themselves to fill it.

oh they went to such and such university, I know that place and I have some idea what they will know and how good they will be, just human nature i suppose.