Would you trade your HECS debt for a volunteer Youth Corps? (2 Viewers)

[spence]

Continuing off topic, I think you should need a minimum UAI of 70 to study at any tertiary institution. University education should be regarded as a privilege, not a right. And, if you are not in that top 30% of the state, you are not initially equipped to go to university.

By all means, go to TAFE, attend a college, wait a year or two for mature entry and then enter university. But the number of people who I see at university who lack basic English grammar (as one example) is galling.

I disagree as UAI doesn't really correlate with performance at uni. Admission into most (or all) degrees should be based on a variety of factors, not just the UAI imo

 

[whatashotbyseve]

I agree with you that it doesn't correlate. What I am saying is it should. If the minimum mark was raised to 70 it would give prospective university students ample incentive to perform in the HSC, and it would raise the intellectual level at university in general. Too many seem to just be content to coast through.

Some people simply should not be at uni, and I'm sure it doesn't matter what uni you go to, you will have seen examples of this. I don't think 70 is too high a benchmark.

 

[blue_chameleon]

Yeah I know they use UAI first filter but then after the person goes through the course they have final exam second filter. I do not mean that they are done at the same time first.

Wot?

No.

Enough people have mirrored what I would comment on, so I wont repeat it.

 

[badquinton304]

Continuing off topic, I think you should need a minimum UAI of 70 to study at any tertiary institution. University education should be regarded as a privilege, not a right. And, if you are not in that top 30% of the state, you are not initially equipped to go to university.

By all means, go to TAFE, attend a college, wait a year or two for mature entry and then enter university. But the number of people who I see at university who lack basic English grammar (as one example) is galling.

Yeah it would be better if there were other factors like in med you have uai, umat and interview.

 

[jb_nc]

This sounds like Communism. We need a stronger leader than Rudd, Mussolini for example.

 

[loquasagacious]

Well as unpopular as talking about the actual proposal seems to be I'd like to say I think it's great. It's a win-in.

-Students/Graduates can wipe out some debt quite easily and get some cool stuff for their resumes
-The community gets some volunteer labour

Ok so not quite this simple, HECS is a debt to taxpayers, taxpayers recieve services in lieu of payment so it's not volunteering e.g. free labour - but it's still cheap labour. Still the community is getting pretty good value for money and students are getting some good experience.

Personally whilst I work full-time and am quite well paid for it I would still consider doing this. Admittedly not at anything approaching full-time, more like a weekend every now and then. Also it would help if the volunteering options were good, for instance while not really an option in Canberra imagine being able to do surf lifesaving for it? Yeah I'll spend a weekend at the beach and get my HECS debt reduced, thank you very much.

And now to veer off-topic again:

Make volunteering a more accessible option to people on unemployment, rather than the retarded, pointless work-for-dole, mutual obligation rubbish.

Before wading into this area I would suggest being significantly more familiar with the policy environment and the significant changes being introduced on July 1 this year. I refer you to the following (and yes there will be reading - it is the key to being informed):

Australian Labor Party : New universal Employment Services tenders
workplace.gov.au - Request for Tender for Employment Services 2009-12 - Now Closed

 

[blue_chameleon]

Well as unpopular as talking about the actual proposal seems to be I'd like to say I think it's great. It's a win-in.

-Students/Graduates can wipe out some debt quite easily and get some cool stuff for their resumes
-The community gets some volunteer labour

Ok so not quite this simple, HECS is a debt to taxpayers, taxpayers recieve services in lieu of payment so it's not volunteering e.g. free labour - but it's still cheap labour. Still the community is getting pretty good value for money and students are getting some good experience.

Personally whilst I work full-time and am quite well paid for it I would still consider doing this. Admittedly not at anything approaching full-time, more like a weekend every now and then. Also it would help if the volunteering options were good, for instance while not really an option in Canberra imagine being able to do surf lifesaving for it? Yeah I'll spend a weekend at the beach and get my HECS debt reduced, thank you very much.

And now to veer off-topic again:



Before wading into this area I would suggest being significantly more familiar with the policy environment and the significant changes being introduced on July 1 this year. I refer you to the following (and yes there will be reading - it is the key to being informed):

Australian Labor Party : New universal Employment Services tenders
workplace.gov.au - Request for Tender for Employment Services 2009-12 - Now Closed

Yeah dude, this is what people are debating on.

Voluntary work wont wipe a $20,000 HECS debt. Further, if there was a mass student uptake of this, not everyone would get the 'good voluntary jobs'.

It's great to approach it with enthusiasm, but I don't think that the numbers would balance in a state that is truly a win-win for equally the students and the government.

 

[loquasagacious]

The debate has largely focused on tangental issues of fee paying versus HECS.

Just like not everyone gets the good real jobs, I don't see us all working for the 'sitting and drinking beer' employer. If the demand is really that great then 'volunteer' vacancies can easily be filled like normal vacancies - a selection process based on merit. Also to motivate more people to do less desirable work you could easily tweak the debt offset (e.g. pay rates).

For example in a simple system:
1 hour of any volunteer work = $5 offset

In a more complex system:
1 hour surf lifesaving = $2 offset
1 hour doing environmental work = $5 offset
1 hour bathing old people in nursing homes = $8 offset

I don't see a way that this couldn't be win-win for students, it's not compulsory and HECS is a pretty sweet deal to begin with. So win if you don't. Do it, get some experience, wipe some HECS, sounds like a win.

As for the government; students don't do it - they still have to pay their debts, win. Students do it the community gets cheap labour - win.

 

[katie tully]

Dude, I would have to volunteer every spare hour of every day to even make a small dint in my HECS bill.

 

[Rafy]

I have no HECS Debt.
Why shouldn't I receive a financial benefit for my 'volunteer' work also?

 

[katie tully]

You should do it out of love, or idk, get credit dollars towards a post grad degree?

 

[jb_nc]

I have no HECS Debt.
Why shouldn't I receive a financial benefit for my 'volunteer' work also?

Because it's a privilege and not a right?

Sorry you feel left out, you do know you can volunteer anywhere????

 

[withoutaface]

70+UAI =/= Top 30% of the state

Yes it does. The UAI is moderated to reflect where you would have fallen if nobody had dropped out in year 10.

 

[truestar92]

haha lol i thought rudd was going phase uni fees out?

 

[Silver Persian]

haha lol i thought rudd was going phase uni fees out?

He's phasing out full fee places but keeping HECS (except its not called HECS anymore :<)