Is a local uni degree still worth it these days?

Contrarian-ish, it depends heavily on the field. For law, medicine, engineering, accounting, yes the degree is essential and worth it, no question. For creative, tech, sales, entrepreneurship, I've seen people thrive on skills and portfolios without a fancy degree, though it's a harder road here where paper still matters. My honest experience, Singapore is quite credential-conscious compared to some places, so a degree smooths the early career significantly. But the era of degree-guarantees-a-good-job is over, plenty of grads underemployed. So the answer, worth it if paired with genuine skills and a field where it matters, less worth it if it's a generic degree with no plan. For your kid, focus less on just get a degree and more on get a degree in something with a clear path, plus real-world skills.

Local uni grad, been working a decade, here's my honest view. In Singapore specifically, the degree still carries real weight, many employers, especially larger and traditional firms and the public sector, still screen by degree, and certain professions legally require one. So the paper opens doors, particularly for your first job. That said, the degree alone is no longer a golden ticket, employers now want skills, internships, and evidence you can do the work. My take, the degree is necessary but not sufficient, get it AND build practical skills and experience alongside. For your kid, a local uni degree remains a solid, respected foundation here, the ROI is generally still positive. Just make sure they treat it as a base to build on, not the finish line. Skills-only paths exist but are harder in our credential-conscious market.

Went the local uni route and I'm glad, but let me be balanced. The degree gave me credibility, a network, and cleared the HR filter for my first jobs, which in Singapore's market genuinely matters. But the real value came from the internships and projects I did during uni, not the certificate itself. The people who struggled were those who just coasted to a degree with no skills or experience to show. So worth it, yes, if you use the time well. On cost, local uni is relatively subsidised for citizens compared to overseas, so the ROI is reasonable. My advice, it's still worth it here, but the game has shifted from having the paper to what you did to build skills alongside it. Push your kid to intern, build, network, not just pass exams.