Having skills vs. having a degree
(media.greatawakening.win)
Comments (14)
sorted by:
Yeah, but I don't agree on the proportions, nor the this vs. that..
Having an education, and especially, the documents, can be very useful, if presenting for a job-interview, and if combined with experience.
You see, a person can have both, and beome very succesful., due to both
But. It's a happy little picture, and quite cute.
Akshully ocme to think of: There is a reason for excessive top-growth in carrots - too much nitrogen. Make of that what you will. Perhaps
Do want to have a carrot without a degree designing the buildings, bridges, airplanes, dams and just about every other item you own or use? A lot depends on the degree you are talking about. Skills plus the right degree is the best. But not every job requires the training that led to the degree. And not every degree even leads to a job. Trying to solve a complicated problem with an overly simplistic picture.
Bingo. Want to get a degree in History, save your money and read a bunch of books at the library.
Want a degree in STEM, then the degree is worth the cost and effort. Just research the area and be prepared for the challenges therein. If you want to write games, know what you are in for. If you want to develop semiconductors, work in aerospace, or medical - know what direction that field is growing and be where the technology is going.
Why does engineering have to be at a university? Why not have a school that specializes in engineering were that's all you learn while you are there. A specialized trade school.
In my case in the first two years there are some courses that aren’t necessarily engineering, like writing or history, but the last two are math and engineering sciences. The extra courses give a more rounded education but other than writing might not be used at work. There are “trade schools” for just engineering that give a 2 year degree. Like a trade school you learn the skills after you leave school and go into the workplace. School gives you the tools, work gives you the skills to use the tools. I learned how to weld, fabricate steel, run a lathe and mill all after school. On my own time, as a hobby and to make me a better engineer.
My husband is an engineer. He always felt that just concentrating on the actual degree would have worked much better. He spent the first year and a half of his education on not only engineering, but also subjects that had nothing to do with engineering, and considers those a waste of time. He could design a curriculum that cuts out all the "electives". I think most engineers could do that. Edit: to add, there is no need to be "well rounded", by studying English, foreign languages, social studies, discourse etc.,.
Unfortunately neither one of these will get you a job. The carrot is not DEI.
Depending on what the skills are. One of the best engineers I ever worked with, truly a Unicorn - was self-taught. Taught me programming, we did some patent work together. Fred was truly a once in a lifetime intellect, and I'm 40 years into R&D as a career
In STEM, the degree matters, because you are paid well, and before I invest $100+k, the degree means you aren't a quitter, and you have demonstrated that you have "learned to learn", because no degree prepares you for a specific job. In R&D type engineering, you start broad base, and quickly dive into very specific areas of the discipline. The GPA doesn't matter as much, as some say - at least to me. I'm looking for experience and ability to communicate.
Playing well with others is key, integrity is key, brutal honesty - but wisdom in how to present data, how to learn to trust and be trusted. Because getting it wrong, means people will likely die. Degrees matter in some areas.
I have an engineering degree, many skills, near-genius IQ ... and I'm modest, too! ;-)
You sound like my husband. Other than engineering all of his many other skills are self taught. He's also very modest : )
Reminds me of what my late mom used to say, “you don’t go to college to just get a degree. You go to learn a skill.” Gave my daughters the same advice.
Skills require education. Its indoctrination you want to compare.
Especially with ChatGPT and Grok writing students papers for them
Yeah it’s College degree bashing time - Awesome!!