Friday Discussion - Academic Qualifications

[southend4ever]

Academic qualifications are commonly felt to give a person the best chance of success in life. How far is this true?

The definition of success differs from person to person and field to field. One could take economic success as a touchstone to label a person successful in life, ignoring his of her other failures, like divorce, health, inefficiency, etc. Others may look at a capacity for overcoming challenges, irrespective of what someone earns and the nature of their private life. So who is a successful person and who is a failure? Do school and college grades and examination results provide a way of predicting or ensuring future success? If that is true, then we should encourage as many young people as possible to go to university and work hard to gain formal qualifications. But is it true? Aren’t some college drop-outs like Bill Gates and Richard Branson hugely successful icons of success? And should we automatically consider the millions of young people who have not had the opportunity to gain academic certificates to be failures in life?

 

[SARF]

Pah to qualifications.. What you need are relatives and frds in high powered jobs at huge money churning organisations..

 

[osymandus]

Pah to qualifications.. What you need are relatives and frds in high powered jobs at huge money churning organisations..

And then your economy suffers in future generations.

Southend4ever: It's a bit of a blinder . To say qualifications are an accurate gauge of a success of a person is not really down to those who took it or even their work's but those who first made them and the structres they are designed within, and their purpose to produce educated people .

I know a number of very successful people who have no qualifications, didn't even finish school yet had drive and by necessity, found what they excelled at became successful. On the other hand i know as many who have fine academic achievements and are equally so.

What's needed is an individual approach to discover how each and every person learns and makes the best of themselves , and not say one form of learning is superior to another.

 

[pringlejon]

I personally don't think university degrees show intelligence in general. I'm doin a maths degree and will either get a 2:1 or 2:2 at one of the best uni's in the UK. I know a couple of people on my course who will get a first but are socially ********, and do nothing but work. If i was looking for an employee, i would want someone with a bit of personality. My opinion is that these people will end up being pen pushers and not actually be creative and have the drive to make something THEMSELVES. I'm not argueing that these people will not be successful as the majority of them are intelligent (though a lot of them just have the skills to pass the exam, without necessarily understanding the material), but saying that they will not end up to be a future entrepreneur or icon.

There are obviously people that can juggle socialising, personality, and academic skills...and I hate them!!! But to say that qualifications alone give the best chance of a great future, i disagree with. You can make of yourself whatever you have the ambition and drive to. A number on a CV will mean **** all in the university of life in a few years!!!

 

[SARF]

And then your economy suffers in future generations.

.

Its not 'my' economy its the economy... we are talking about uni degrees getting you the best chance of success, not the economic welfare of the nation in 70 years time.. my answer still stands

 

[Mad Cyril]

I know a couple of people on my course who will get a first but are socially ********, and do nothing but work. If i was looking for an employee, i would want someone with a bit of personality.

If I was looking for an employee I would want someone with an impressive academic record and a willingless to work there backside off.

If I interviewed them I would assess their intellect, not their line in banter and pub etiquette.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Academic qualifications are commonly felt to give a person the best chance of success in life. How far is this true?

The definition of success differs from person to person and field to field. One could take economic success as a touchstone to label a person successful in life, ignoring his of her other failures, like divorce, health, inefficiency, etc. Others may look at a capacity for overcoming challenges, irrespective of what someone earns and the nature of their private life. So who is a successful person and who is a failure? Do school and college grades and examination results provide a way of predicting or ensuring future success? If that is true, then we should encourage as many young people as possible to go to university and work hard to gain formal qualifications. But is it true? Aren’t some college drop-outs like Bill Gates and Richard Branson hugely successful icons of success? And should we automatically consider the millions of young people who have not had the opportunity to gain academic certificates to be failures in life?

Bill Gates had a very impressive academic record and dropped out of Harvard to pursue his business ambitions.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

If I was looking for an employee I would want someone with an impressive academic record and a willingless to work there backside off.

If I interviewed them I would assess their intellect, not their line in banter and pub etiquette.

Preach on Brother Cyril.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I personally don't think university degrees show intelligence in general. I'm doin a maths degree and will either get a 2:1 or 2:2 at one of the best uni's in the UK. I know a couple of people on my course who will get a first but are socially ********, and do nothing but work. If i was looking for an employee, i would want someone with a bit of personality. My opinion is that these people will end up being pen pushers and not actually be creative and have the drive to make something THEMSELVES. I'm not argueing that these people will not be successful as the majority of them are intelligent (though a lot of them just have the skills to pass the exam, without necessarily understanding the material), but saying that they will not end up to be a future entrepreneur or icon.

There are obviously people that can juggle socialising, personality, and academic skills...and I hate them!!! But to say that qualifications alone give the best chance of a great future, i disagree with. You can make of yourself whatever you have the ambition and drive to. A number on a CV will mean **** all in the university of life in a few years!!!

I think you have a rather inflated opinion of the reputation of your university.

 

[southend4ever]

it is all about willingness to work and go the extra mile to impress. a qualification might get you an interview it doesnt get you a job.

 

[EastStandBlue]

it is all about willingness to work and go the extra mile to impress. a qualification might get you an interview it doesnt get you a job.

It does in certain professions.

 

[canveyshrimper]

My woodwork CSE has served me well.

 

[Crawliano]

I have a crap academic record (post GCSE, practically failed A Levels) but I discovered the art of ******** and cheating. It got me so far, in fact far enough to be happy and settled, but enough to make me 10 years from that date to then become depressed having not moved on, I then decided to learn more, but only the way I wanted to which was immersing myself in it, not being taught at, I don't like being told.

Basically, go it alone without the comfort blanket of qualifications and you'd better be ready to knuckle down otherwise you're goign to be left behind, fast.

That said, I concur, most university leavers I know are social *******.

 

[southend4ever]

It does in certain professions.

geology for example it may go a long way but it doesnt get you a job you controversial twit

 

[Crawliano]

geology for example it may go a long way but it doesnt get you a job you controversial twit

No but a masters in some sort of design and technology/physics related subject will put you head and shoulders over the new deal kid when it comes to applying for that architecture job.

 

[EastStandBlue]

geology for example it may go a long way but it doesnt get you a job you controversial twit

Calm down dear, you'll do yourself an injury.


Just from my own experience, you won't get a job working for a local newspaper without NCTJ accreditation. That's a qualification that shows you have a working understanding of public bodies and administration, journalist law and shorthand.

Local newspapers will take a blabbering idiot with this accreditation over a bright spark without it in the current climate because they're theoretically less likely to be hit with a defamation of character case.

Unless, of course, the Swiss get their way and all news will be reported from there from now on.

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

For me academic acheivements only take you so far. I got a 2:1 in English and have never used it to any effect other than writing letters. It was my stable upbringing, by determined parents with cast iron morals that has equipped me to realise my ambitions in business. (Is that enough Dad, or shall I write more?)

 

[SARF]

There should be apprenticeships in all industrys.. im so bored of training people who have left school at 23 years of age, who would struggle to buy a train ticket to the right place, but think they know everything.. I'd sooner see the chippy 17 yr olds desperate to get on the jobs ladder and have a go all day long..

 

[Pubey]

geology for example it may go a long way but it doesnt get you a job you controversial twit

err having an appropriate qualification/degree is a prerequisite for plenty of jobs. it doesn't get you the job, but not having the required qualification won't get you the interview.

 

[Mad Cyril]

it is all about willingness to work and go the extra mile to impress. a qualification might get you an interview it doesnt get you a job.

The only thing an employer will look at on a recent graduates CV will be the degree classification and the university from which it is obtained. If these aren't up to scratch your CV will go straight in the bin regardless of any prowess you may have as a raconteur. If you have a genuine willingness to work it is probably best demonstrated by putting the effort in at university rather than relying on employers to pick up on some set of unquantifiable attributes you may posses.

I didn't set the world alight at university but I was lucky enough to graduate in a much kinder financial climate than the present.