Introduction
Throughout my student and professional life, I have heard arguments against University Education. All these arguments are shallow and do not hold any weight. However, in some cases, they hold true. In this blog, I will tell you about those arguments and how you can avoid them.
An Important Example
Before we start, let us first see the difference between a university education (or degree programs) and certifications/self-learning. The difference can be easily understood if you understand the difference between learning how to drive a car and how to build a car. Driving a car would require you to attend a few classes and you can then give a test to get a license. However, building a car would require a more in-depth study program like mechanical engineering. Which path you choose will depend on the vision you have set for your future. Here is my blog on setting big visions and here is a blog that may help you to choose your career.
Argument # 1: Fresh Graduates Need to be trained from the Start.
Employers often complain that they have to train the Fresh Graduates from the start. This often happens with graduates who do not have the required skill set needed by their employer. How can you avoid being in that group?
- Ensure that you enroll in a university with a good rating. Such universities ensure that their course content and teaching methodologies are tuned to train you as per the requirements of the market.
- Reserve some personal time to keep yourself updated with the requirements of the market by browsing through job portals, interviewing professionals in the domain, and attending job fairs. This would keep you focused on the skills that are relevant to the profession you want to pursue.
- Pick a final-year project by finding a problem that the market has. Find and build a solution on how you can solve that problem. This would give you the necessary skills and also knowledge about how things work in the practical world.
Argument # 2: I am not getting paid enough
Realize that corporations are not charities. The amount you are offered by a company is directly tied to the value you bring to their operations. Are you solving a problem they have? Are you contributing to the creation of new products or services? Are you helping them make money? The more indispensable you are to them, the more they will be willing to pay you. How can you ensure that you are in the group of fresh graduates?
- Find out, which degree program has value in the market, not only today but also by the time you graduate. Which companies, locally and globally, could benefit from your knowledge and skillset? Answer all these questions BEFORE you select a degree program.
- For the first 2 years after your graduation keep your expectations low as you would need to prioritize gaining experience over making money. However, this does not mean that you settle for a below-standard package for your line of work.
- Before the interview, do the groundwork and research on salary packages being offered by the company you are being interviewed in and its competitors. Don’t be shy to negotiate if you feel that the amount being offered is too low.
- Read the book ‘So Good They Can’t Ignore You’ by Cal Newport.
Argument # 3: What I learned during my degree program is not applicable in the market
This argument only holds true if e.g. you have a degree in computer science and are working as a fashion designer. How can you avoid it?
- Ensure that you have done the necessary research BEFORE you select your degree program and university. Your decision should be based on the requirements of the market. If you want to become a fashion designer study that, rather than studying computer science.
- Once you join a credible university ensure that you are studying hard (and not hardly) on your course assignments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would suggest that you do not focus too much on making money. Rather, focus on the positive impact you can make on the society. Such a focus will not only make you rich in terms of money earned but also respect & love gained from the society and even from yourself.
Also, think about the many other benefits of joining a good university. Like getting more in-depth knowledge about a particular domain i.e. learning how the car works rather than just learning how to drive it. Good universities also groom your personality and make it more marketable. They would also prepare you for the future and make you adaptable to the changing trends of the market.