Is university worth the effort?

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As students return to university, BBC Wales' Eye On Wales programme asked undergraduate Melissa Massey, 19, from Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, to find out if going to university still pays off for school leavers in the current economic climate.

Being given the opportunity to explore a subject that is personally important to me and to people I know has been an invaluable experience.

Study, whether it is at school, college, through further education or higher education, affects so many young people.

So any changes from fees to graduate traineeships would inevitably play heavily on the minds of tomorrow.

The recession has resulted in changes for everyone and students are no exception to its repercussions.

It has become even harder for students to find and tie down part-time jobs, internships, traineeships, and secure first jobs.

First class Cardiff law graduate Lious Foscolo's experience demonstrates this.

Believe in yourself, be bold Liz Mihell, managing director of John Lewis, Cardiff

"A lot of places don't want to take people on because of the economic instability we've got at the moment," Lious told me.

Not only has the economic climate made it difficult for those about to come out of education, but the education system itself is in a state of flux.

In Wales, the Jones review proposes that the tuition fee grant given to all Welsh students who attend Welsh universities should be scrapped.

It claims students won't lose out, as the funds will be diverted directly to the higher education sector in Wales, as well as target students from lower income families.

'Turbulent time'

Combined with talks of rising tuition fees across Britain, it is not difficult to understand the opinion that how much we are 'investing' in our studies currently outweighs the opportunities.

It is definitely a turbulent time for education and the people within it - including myself - and from what I can see there is no clear advice that would apply to everyone.

You need to decide for yourself whether you will reap what you are currently sowing.

The advice I was given by Liz Mihell, managing director of John Lewis, Cardiff, during the making of this programme was: "Believe in yourself, be bold, and make sure that you are thinking about the outcome that you are chasing."

Lious Foscolo told Melissa he is determined to become a solicitor

Secondly, be proactive. Julie Hepburn, deputy director of Cardiff University graduate employment advice centre told me: "Don't just come to university and study and maybe have a part time job.

"Think about the skills that you are building up and the kind of career you want to enter before you get to the final year when you really have to be up and running."

Finally, and I think most importantly, is have a positive attitude.

"I've always wanted to be a solicitor and nothing is going to stop me," Lious Foscolo told me. "Regardless if it takes two or three years I'm going to do it!"

Eye On Wales, Monday 5 October, 1830 BST, BBC Radio Wales.