Ok... maybe the "big" money wasn't the right term, what i meant was the... "comfortable" money. I'd love to believe that a academic title doesn't make life easier, but it does. People in high-paying jobs - jobs a non-graduate has almost no chance of getting - seem to worry about the wrong stuff. If you think you got it tough because you're getting nowhere at your current CAD-project, or you think the world comes to an end, because you quoted the wrong legal text. Don't worry, you're allready in a position where the shit drops on somebody elses head below you.
Just use the system, dont act like an infant... it's possible to earn roughly double than what the average craftsman does just by finishing a certain study, even though the craftsman might have 20+ years more experience than you do.
I dont know how graduates suit the economics in GB, but where i come from 9/10 (non engineering-)academics are worthless to any company (I know at least four of my friend who would agree and just go with it). And if you say it's the companies job to educate them and make them "fit", then why finish an university to begin with?
you may substract 40% of the negativity in my post, since I'm currently stepping into a small business ownership involving a dead branch in which you can only survive by sucking up to people... yay!