so true that! Only a few degrees instantly give people access to reasonable wages, I'm thinking teachers, Dr's, lawyers. But then all of them also have to do years of further and continuous training to earn those 60k plus figures.
I started my teacher training by doing the GTP (teacher version of an apprenticeships) so I have no PGCE, but I do have QTS. My initial salary was just about 14k before tax. Once qualified it only jumped to 20k. And its been a slow hard slog up the ladder. I'm now in a management position after 8 years of teaching, and I probably earn 10-20k less a year than all my mates from uni who didn't go into teaching. But I love what I do, I'm home in time to see my kids before bed. I'm around at the weekends, I have time off when my kids eventually will. I still do loads of hours un paid, but I do it because I like what I do and I like to see my students succeed. And I'd like to think long after I die, my students will be teaching their own kids the skills I taught them and I shall live on long after I've shuffled off this mortal coil. Never going to be a millionaire, but I've come to terms with that, and I'm content.
I agree. It's a cliche but true that money doesn't buy happiness. Just look at all the dysfunctional, alcoholic, depressed, suicidal but wealthy celebrities. There's a Pulp song - can't remember which one - with a line about winning the lottery - 'check your lucky numbers, that much money could drag you under....'