A TOP professor has admitted that he has a dilemma every time a student asks him for careers advice.

For Professor Richard Horrocks' own experience in helping to bring up seven children has left him questioning the benefits of higher education.

And he now openly admits that going to university is not a guarantee for future success.

Prof Horrocks, aged 61, and his wife Mary have seven children between them from previous marriages.

Six of them have gone into higher education, but the one who sat his GCSEs and then left school to be an apprentice electrician, is doing the best. He now has a good lifestyle and a house without the millstone of student debt which has plagued the others.

Of the other children, two have struggled to gain a foothold on the career ladder, another has done well, but not well enough to buy property near to where he works, two others are still at university while another dropped out of higher education and joined the construction industry.

Today Prof Horrocks who has been working at Bolton Institute for 32 years admitted: "I have been left with mixed feelings about higher education.

"When people ask for advice I say I cannot give it to them. I tell them you are better asking the man in the street to get another point of view."

Their eldest child Josie, who is now aged 30, did an honours degree in media studies at Leeds Metropolitan.

But when she graduated she had to endure seven years of what Prof Horrocks describes as "genteel poverty" during which time she was only able to secure short term work with TV companies. She discovered that for one job she applied for, there were 3,000 other applicants.

She has only just achieved her first proper job with a 12 month contract with Yorkshire TV on the set of Emmerdale.

Their second child Megan, aged 27, completed an English honours degree. She spent three years in Italy teaching English -- a job which her father says "paid peanuts." Prof Horrocks said Megan has not really been able to find a suitable career path and she is now hoping to return to higher education to follow a post graduate certificate in adult education.

Their next child Sam, aged 27 , has enjoyed more success. He graduated with first class honours in chemistry, has moved into the financial sector and now works for Telewest.

Prof Horrocks said that Sam had never been short of offers of jobs. But, because Sam is based in London, he cannot afford to get on the property ladder.

He said: "People who have science degrees are never out of work. Everyone wants them. People with science degrees are numerate and good at calculations and the financial sector has figured this out."

The next child, 24-year-old James, tried higher education but did not take to it and now works in the construction industry.

Twins Thomas and Gawain, aged 22, are both at university. Thomas is at Huddersfield studying marketing and Gawain is studying aerospace engineering at the University of West England.

Both have opted to do "sandwich" courses, where they take a year out to go into employment, which has worked well for them. They are both still hoping it will lead to successful careers.

But it is youngest child Owen, aged 21, who has so far had the smoothest path.

He got an apprenticeship with a neighbour who runs an electrical business.

He is now close to being a fully qualified electrician and is the only one of the seven to have his own house.

Prof Horrocks said he does not earn "mega bucks' but is on a decent salary for a 21-year-old, plus he has not had to endure years of debt built up while at university.

Prof Horrocks said: "The experiences of my family does not enable me to advise other parents one way or the other."