No apology needed.
Speaking personally if I lost my job or medical now I don't think I'd care much about my CV and qualifications because I'd very likely start my own business. I can't see myself wanting to join the rat race, done a suit, go corporate or do anything where my CV will be asked for.
Why spend £15k and 3 years to get a certificate when for that money you could easily start a retail business, by equipment and a van or set up a production facility.
For that matter if I was in my 40's and found myself with 10,000hrs jet command time but no pilots license and applying to Tescos for the job of store manager I might have a bit more to talk about than explain why I didn't do a degree twenty years ago. I loved University and I actually did go on to use my degree in a graduate job for four years. My degree is also useful in my flying job. I'm not anti-degree.
Its just this trite phrase about a degree being a useful backup irritates me a bit because I think its a very un-useful backup.
Everybody is different of course and there are no right answers.
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