Longevity on the job vs. A College Degree

[Admin]

Fam, I was at the Barbershop saturday and we had a long discussion about if a college degree is worth having today. This one brotha mentioned that he had a friend who had a MASTERS degree and has been unable to get work for a few months now.

I have heard this story before (often). I also know many college dropouts who are making major cheese in the market place. Myself included. (I left school to be a full time musician...and never got my AA.)

So, how do we explain to our kids the importance of education beyond High School? When we don't have degrees, but own property, cars, 4-5 TVs, computers, refrigrator is always on FULL...................and all the trappings???

Holla

[mrfantasyplsr]

what instruments do you play.


Admin I have also asked this question. Sometimes It gets really frustrating to know that I have 7 years experience (through the military) in the supply and logistic fields..I have a good job that makes pretty good money since I have gotten out..But i still would like to recieve a degree. It seems like society makes it seem like you must have one to truly prosper, but again looking at the job market and seeing how so many ppl that have degrees and are still looking for work makes me really question is this what I really want to do.

[That Damn jl]

The way that it was explained to me was, "You may not need a degree to make a lot of money, but you may need the degree to open the door to make a lot of money." I took that to mean that it was about opportunities. A degree was another opportunity and avenue to achieve what I wanted to achieve. It wasn't the only opportunity or avenue, but it was one. I was also told that it was an edge not a secure all. I think people misunderstand the purpose of a degree. It isn't to secure employment, it is only an opportunity to be looked at by an employer.

[aintnojoke]

I always wondered why doesn't experience in a designated field over-ride a degree? And why are employers more ready to interview a person with a degree with no experience, then a person with the experience with no degree. Seems ass backwards to me.

I don't have a degree either, but I have tons of experience in what I do. I hate missing out on an opportunity just cause I dont have that damn piece of paper.

[Brightness]

DEGREE= commitment to a long-term/long-range goal.

In an employer's eyes it can indicate "stick-to-it"ness as far as seeing something through.

Also, indicates teachability/learnability to some.

How many of us are working for bosses that don't know shit. . .but have been in the field x-number of years?

I rest my case.

[sistuhchey]

is especially for Black folk......

for many it use to be a status thing....(especially certain elite groups)educate well, marry well...etc, etc....for many keeblers it's an automatic given...that their child continues their education....but for (MOST) not all black folk...it requires some negoiating, some serious planning(which I didn't do)...and $$$ which a lot of us,,,may not have....

I've often compared...the apples and oranges of it....back in my day...I had girlfiend..that went to Fisk her dad was a dentist..she graduated with honors....married had a house full of babies...didn't do anything with her degree...but become a housewife...oh well...her game plan...

another Howard grad...went all the way...now a Phd and teaching at Howard,married late...and tried every way known to man kind to have a baby...no luck

and the wildest of my friends...stayed in Cali graduated from Berkely...and literally turned to crack and hoeing...go figure...

My hope is for our black youth is to be goal oriented and college educated...it doesn't always work out like that...but as long as they progess in something(legal)...I won't frown on it......not everybody make their money because they have a degree....there's a lot of success stories without a degree......and their equally accomplished....

[Melotic]

DEGREE= commitment to a long-term/long-range goal.

In an employer's eyes it can indicate "stick-to-it"ness as far as seeing something through.

Also, indicates teachability/learnability to some.

How many of us are working for bosses that don't know shit. . .but have been in the field x-number of years?

I rest my case.
I agree...
All a college degree says, you are able to stay focus and gain understanding... You don't need a college degree to be successful... It tells a employer alot more about yourself in short period of time, than having to prove yourself on the job... You have to find your niche in life and perform it at the highest level, with or without a degree to be successful... Personally, I think I can do anything I put my mind to doing, even without a degree... But, education in the area I perform in construction is insurance, that gives me a little more confidence that I'm doing the job right and understand problems and failures of the past...

[sistuhchey]

Also, indicates teachability/learnability to some.

How many of us are working for bosses that don't know shit. . .but have been in the field x-number of years?

I rest my case.



I see the opposite of these statements...on a daily....

New kid on the block...fresh out of school.....zilch zero common sense, ummmm..all theory text book...but couldn't close a month undestand accruals, cost or allocations..and please don't get me started on financials p&l, budgets, reconciliations....yea.....teachability...but so is the non-degreed....

[jaila]

one of the main reasons for me to get my degree is that im tired of being pasted up for not having the degree and asked to train that person on my way out.

[mystkev]

It seems to me that a combination of both is most desired. Although, I believe experience is most important unless it's an entry level job. If you are in something that's specialized I could see that desire for you to have the background knowledge (through a college education). But no matter what you would still need to be trained.

You know, I guess this is the situation in my current job. I've never done this stuff before, so while I have some accounting knowledge, there is still a lot of training to be done. Because you have to get the company terminology down for those theories and practices.

[Tastey]

Fam, I was at the Barbershop saturday and we had a long discussion about if a college degree is worth having today. This one brotha mentioned that he had a friend who had a MASTERS degree and has been unable to get work for a few months now.

I have heard this story before (often). I also know many college dropouts who are making major cheese in the market place. Myself included. (I left school to be a full time musician...and never got my AA.)

So, how do we explain to our kids the importance of education beyond High School? When we don't have degrees, but own property, cars, 4-5 TVs, computers, refrigrator is always on FULL...................and all the trappings???

Holla

In all honestly I don't think that everyone needs an education beyond high school. It depends on a person's goals in life.

For what I wanted to accomplish in my life, college did very little for me.

However it did assist in making me a well rounded individual. I studied and learned some things that I would not have learned on my own. And I became exposed to different people cultures and situations that I would not have found on my own.

I was away from home for the first time and had to learn to budget my time, my money, and myself own my own, while still having the "cushion" of Mom and Dad. I learned to be an individual. So it was not a waste by any means.

I don't hold a degree, but I have enough education that I'm looked at in a different light than some with nothing past high school.

For my son, he wants to be a computer techie. For that he doesn't need a 4 year degree but I want him to EXPERIENCE college for the other things he can learn about life and himself while attending.

I mean for some you have to learn when to party, and when not to party. The college experience is not only about class...it's about learning about yourself as well.

[Melotic]

Personally, I can't stand working at the same place a long period of time, my current job is just an interview for my next job... I can't imagine working for the same company 20 or 30 years... Maybe, 10 years at the max...

[Andre98]

It does seem to be the paper employers are looking for. Tons of people do well without it, but the system seems to want you to show you went beyond high school.

At this point, in my 40s, my college degree is NOT applying to shit. For all anyone knows, I can say I went to any college I want to, and unless they ask for proof or investigate, I am golden. But at the time I was getting my first big job, it mattered to them, although still, the field of study was not applicable. Its all in who you know to get going, and until i lost my last job, I had not realized how poorly I had networked.

[Melotic]

Networking can be more valuable than a college degree...

[bsmuvdotcom]

It has been my experince that it all depends on the choosen field for a career. A degree is everything in some fields and absolute garbage in others. Case in point I working in the IT field. I'm an Application Developer/ IT Programmer for a fortune 500 company being paid slightly higher the the median salary. I do not have degree the first and further more, what I do for a living wasn't even avaliable as a major at most universities until the later part of 2002. When I was in school [92-94] I studied Radio Television and left in my 2 year because I felt college was a waste of my time and money. Fast forward 10 plus years later I can say that a college education in my field is minimal to useless. Things change too fast as far as platforms, lanuage syntax and design systems. We had an intern in my department that had just graduated from college and I still have to teach him on a daily bases things about our job. College gave him critical thinking skills but no skills to let him hit the ground running.
Now at the other end I know it would be impossible for me to be a Medical Doctor without getting my degree, or an accountant that makes the serious money without my CPA. In short research your field and see what it will really take.

[Bluemoon06]

If you go to college, you need to major in something that when you come out you are that. If you major in accounting you come out an accountant, if you major in engineering you come out an engineer. If you major in English you don’t come out an englishman. And the pay reflects the difference.

If you don’t go to college, you need a craft. Truck driver, plumber, electrician, etc... If not all you are doing is pushing a button on somebody else’s machine. Anybody can do that.

The key is not that you need a degree or not, it is do you have portable skills or profession or not. If you go into a man’s job and push the button on his machine, then anybody can push that button, which is no skill although it may pay well. If you have a degree in engineering and the job requires an engineer, anybody can’t do it. You have a profession. If they require a plumber and you are a plumber then you have a skill. If they piss you off, you can take that skill or profession and ply it elsewhere. What you do has to be what you do. I have people ask me frequently can I find a job for this person (we will call her Judy.) The first question I ask is what does Judy do? They tell me where Judy has worked or Judy can do anything (which means she can’t do anything).

Without a degree or skill you can start working, with time in position, you can show hat you can do and move up and make good money. The problem comes in if you have to change jobs. The company folds, lays you off or fires you. Can you get the same kind of job at another company?