What are the advantages and disadvantages of leaving school at 16 or 18 to work instead of going to university?

Whether to discontinue schooling and start working at the age of late teens like 16-18years is of growing controversy, nowadays. While this phenomenon has a few disadvantages like low wages, and minor labour. But it also equips them with certain worthwhile qualities. Firstly, one of the most important drawbacks of leaving school at an early age is to the push our future generations in a situation where they have to accept a lower wages for their employment. It is because lower educational status and lack of the university degrees will probably make it difficult for such students to compete their counterparts in the job market, who possess superior academic qualifications. This will result them in accepting those jobs that are less rewarding. Moreover, they may have to live with these low paid employments throughout their lives.  Secondly, another important drawback of early withdrawal from the schools is in the form of child labour and exploitation. By this I mean that many children will be forced to work harder for petty salaries. This will not only lead to increasing juvenile labour, but may also risk their lives in carrying out certain dangerous tasks. These points highlight that early jobs and withdrawal from schools may have some serious drawbacks. 1 Nevertheless, despite the aforementioned negatives, working at an early age offers a few significant benefits. One of such important benefits is the early independence. As a child starts earning capital at an earlier stage, he may not be dependent on his parents. Instead, many a times, it is a common observation that such young employees are actually earning the soul livelihood for their families.  Learning the importance of cash is another important benefit of early job. Once these teenagers start working they understand the value of money in their lives and realize that how important is to spend it usefully. This, in turn, inculcates in them, the habit of saving cash rather than wasting it altogether.  Lastly, learning soft skills at an early age provides these teenagers an experience that is deemed important for them in securing an employment later in their lives. In conclusion, abolishing schooling at a teenage has both advantages and disadvantages. Despite the drawbacks like lesser pays and encouraging child work, the realities of life they learn as a result; valuing money, work experience and early independence have a considerable role in their future lives.