Higher education: Advantages (also see “benefits of education”) There are many benefits to going to university. A degree can open the door to better employment prospects. Economies are becoming increasingly knowledge-based. Most jobs require specific knowledge and skills. Skilled workers are needed for sectors such as information technology and engineering. Repetitive manual jobs are now often performed by machines. Many factories have moved to developing countries. Higher education: Disadvantages A healthy economy needs a wide range of workers. Some manual workers will always be needed. A university degree is not necessary for many service professions. Practical training is more important in some industries. In the UK, for example, there is currently a shortage of plumbers. Their services are therefore becoming more and more expensive.